In my mediation work with congregations, I have often seen how people in the midst of long-term conflict use defensive styles of communication. In one particular case, I saw how both parties repeatedly used the same words and phrases to defend themselves. These words set up a protective wall between them that prevented new things from being said and heard; the old words and stories continued to dominate the discussion …

Dear brother and family … Oh, I tell you, I was so caught up in this election. My whole family was, I guess. My husband, Abraham (they call him A.K. down at the publishing house) has campaigned for the Republicans since the 1860 presidential campaign! His brother, John (yes, the famous John F. Funk), was campaigning back then, too, for the Republican’s “Wide Awake” club. But ever since he was ordained in ’65, he hasn’t voted. Our Mennonite ministers aren’t supposed to vote …

A good life is spent building bridges. Growing up as a Mennonite and a pacifist, I knew few—if any—military people. I spent my formative years in Mennonite communities—except for elementary school where I was the weird kid who “didn’t believe in war,” kept quiet during the Pledge of Allegiance and never sang the national anthem …

Rachel Fecho understands how it feels to be without health insurance …

During this national, presidential election year, the United States is more-and-more spoken of as “empire” despite its having only 5 percent of the world’s population. And that is where I now live amidst all of the politicking hubbub …

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 …

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 …

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? …

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 …

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 …

Five years ago I wrote an article in Mennonite Mutual Aid’s magazine about our new experience with budgeting, and our hope to be on the debt-free road and looking toward a managed retirement …