Many gifts, many people

She loves church and would attend every church activity if she could, but she is dependent upon the generosity of others to provide a ride. By human standards, her mind is not as mature as her body. It never will be. She lacks social finesse and her body moves awkwardly. But she is the most loving of human beings. She has an amazing ability to remember people’s names and the important details of other’s lives. She uses this gift of remembering to connect with others and, as she does, one can’t help but feel cared for by this little woman whom many would overlook …

July 8, 2008

About waterboarding, Mr. President

Dear Mr. President: Waterboarding is on my mind. I know you have expressed firm convictions that it is necessary. I also understand that as a politician you need to show progress in your efforts to prevail against terrorism. Since we both claim to be Christians I thought I would tell you a story from my own faith history that may be helpful for your deliberations regarding the use of waterboarding and other methods of torture to eliminate the enemy all the way to the gates of hell …

July 8, 2008

Small summit in Canada

A three-day “people’s summit” in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for U.S. and Canadian Mennonites originally held some promise. Now the purpose of this “crossroads” gathering July 8-10 seems to be in peril. While more than 400 Canadian Mennonites will attend, only 50 U.S. Mennonites are registered. Furthermore, the goal of the gathering is to help build relationships among members of both denominations at the “grass roots.” But many of the U.S. registrants will represent Mennonite Church USA agencies …

July 8, 2008

Extraordinary every day

Among the bravest people I know are families who have deliberately placed themselves in hope’s way, choosing to adopt infants or children who are at risk. Some are clearly hardship cases, suffering from trauma or neglect. Some are cross-cultural adoptions; many cross lines of wealth and poverty …

July 8, 2008

May peace prevail

It was finally the end of a particularly frustrating and disheartening night for the BreakAway Junior High ministry at Orrville (Ohio) Mennonite Church. What we had planned as a fun, laid-back night to let loose with some dodge ball games in the local elementary school gym proved to be anything but relaxing …

July 8, 2008

The wounds of war

I am the descendent of generations of Mennonite and Church of the Brethren pacifists. While my innate aversion to war and things military runs deep, as a citizen of the United States I have not been able to avoid the implications of living in a country that depends so mightily on its military …

July 8, 2008

Passionate (not angry) peacemakers

The first seven years of this new millennium have proven to be a challenging time for peacemakers. Wars devastated Sudan and the Congo and continue to rage in Iraq and Afghanistan, while violent civil conflict grips Colombia and Myanmar/Burma. The U.S. invasion and ongoing occupation of Iraq, in particular, generates intense opposition both in the United States and internationally. Individuals passionate about peacemaking, who also happen to be U.S. citizens, face a particularly difficult dilemma. How do we work constructively for peace while we are furious with the behavior of our own government? …

July 8, 2008

A wedding registry with the earth in mind

Stephanie Hirschler and Michael Honderich—both Goshen (Ind.) College graduates— married on June 7 and took a new route with their wedding registries. They registered at Target and Ten Thousand Villages, but also provided options for people to give gifts to causes in their names …

July 8, 2008

Urgency and patience

The Christian faith is filled with a number of creative tensions that never get fully resolved. It’s a little like walking. If I stand on my left foot for a long time I get shaky and unstable. But if I keep walking and shifting my weight from one foot to the other, I remain stable and keep moving forward. These tensions are not meant to be resolved. They are creative. They generate forward movement. One such tension is the one between urgency and patience …

July 8, 2008