MWR : Articles : April 25, 2011

Articles : April 25, 2011

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Congregations

Sermon on the Mount challenges

Over six Sundays, we studied the Sermon on the Mount as a discipleship course. Pastor Joel Miller, through his sermons, challenged us to re-examine the Beatitudes and what they mean for us, consider our heart’s orientation to God, be all-inclusive in our love for each other including our enemies, replace worry with radical trust in Divine providence, refrain from self-serving acts of piety while challenging ourselves to a transformative secret devotion, and practice Jesus’ teachings — do to others what we would have them do to us.
Training in the Golden Rule

Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church hosted a “Golden Rule” training session March 8. The Golden Rule Project, launched by Faith in Action, is a comprehensive “Golden Rule” training for educators, youth workers, scout leaders and school teachers. The session at LAMC was for adults of all ages, to “show how to use the Golden Rule in their homes, work and community to resolve tensions and conflicts; and to model interactions that focus on the needs that all people have for justice and fair treatment.”
Conversation on immigration

The film 9500 Liberty was shown Feb. 11, sponsored by members of Atlanta Mennonite Fellowship. After the film, which presents the effects of an Arizona-type immigration law on Prince William County, Va., there was a discussion of issues that could be raised in Georgia, where similar legislation is being considered.

Editorial

Resolutions, messy or not

Churches like to keep their conflicts out of sight. That’s the way to play it safe. But sometimes there’s more to gain by taking risks.

Feature

Fla. church changes music style with help of young minister

A chorister and pianist no longer lead music at Bay Shore Mennonite Church. Twenty-year-old Chase Bryner and his worship team do. Bryner, only 19 when hired last October, is Bay Shore’s youngest minister ever.
New teacher adds to Lancaster school’s China connection

LANCASTER, Pa. — The number of Chinese students attending Lancaster Mennonite School has risen dramatically in recent years. Now the school has hired a native of China to teach classes in Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture and cooking.

Letters

Gambling lesson

“Thou Shalt Not Buy Raffle Tickets” (The Singing Junk-Man, April 11) brought back vivid memories. Because of the midway sideshows, my mother did not believe Christians should attend fairs. But my father, less conscientious, took me to the state fair to see the blue-ribbon cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, canned goods and art. We went to the midway to buy a 10-cent cone of sherbet. He told me, “Don’t spend money throwing at these bottles; it’s gambling. Don’t buy chance or raffle tickets; that’s gambling too. And don’t waste money on sideshows; they aren’t wholesome.” I learned a lot at the fair.
Mightiest force

The 60th annual National Day of Prayer will be May 5. Frank Laubach wrote a book, Prayer: The Mightiest Force in the World. I believe that the Mennonites, who do not believe in the use of military force, should be leaders in taking part in community prayer services that day, adoring our God of the Bible, confessing our national and personal sins, thanking God for his years of blessing America and seeking God’s wisdom and guidance in all aspects of our culture. On that day we are asked to pray concerning the church, government, the military, the media, the family, education and business. Please join in community prayer services on that day.
Inspired Scripture

When we read that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim. 3:16), let’s be sure we know what inspiration means. During my teen years, my pastors insisted that God simply gave us his words, and inspiration happened in heaven. The human writers, their feelings and the contexts in which they wrote were not important. This limited vision of inspiration is, unfortunately, still popular. But let us look again at what God did when he inspired Scripture.

News

Without love, we’re dead

HARRISONBURG, Va. — Scholars at a recent conference shared biological, psychological and spiritual evidence on why people are intended to live in relationships.