News Archives | Page 200 of 270

EMU helps bring restorative justice to police department

HARRISONBURG, Va. — If one particular young man in Harrisonburg had stolen from his employer a few months earlier, he might have found himself standing before a judge, facing a possible jail sentence. Thanks to a new restorative justice program with the Harrisonburg Police Department, however, this young thief instead found himself facing his employer to talk about what he’d done and how he could patch things up.

“I can’t imagine a better first case,” said Josh Bacon, the facilitator who led the meeting between the two men.

Andrew Jenner | Eastern Mennonite University

March 30, 2015

MCC meets Gaza housing needs

AKRON, Pa. — Mennonite Central Committee, through longtime Gaza Strip partner Al Najd Development Forum, is addressing housing needs for families whose homes were destroyed or damaged in July and August as part of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 1.8 million people were left in need of basic shelter, health and food assistance.

Ed Nyce | Mennonite Central Committee

March 30, 2015

Women overflow praise seminar

ORODARA, Burkina Faso — No room was big enough to hold the more than 225 women from the Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso who gathered for a seminar Feb. 2-6 at Orodara Mennonite Bible School.

Claire Traoré, Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission | Mennonite Mission Network

March 30, 2015

Iowa pastor deported to Honduras

Mennonite pastor Max Villatoro was deported March 20 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to San Pedro, Honduras.

Co-pastor of Iglesia Menonita Torre Fuerte (First Mennonite Church) in Iowa City with his wife, Gloria, Villatoro was detained March 3. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reported the family’s attorney was informed by ICE March 20 when Villatoro’s plane landed.

Tim Huber | Mennonite World Review

March 25, 2015

Ohio Conference affirms Confession of Faith

Mennonite Church USA’s Ohio Conference delegates passed a resolution on March 14 stating its credentialing committee will not recognize any request to credential a pastor in a same-sex relationship. Additionally, credentials of ministers who perform same-sex ceremonies will be suspended.

These are listed as “action steps” after an affirmation of the Confession of Faith that emphasizes support for Article 19, which states marriage is between a man and a woman for life.

The resolution had 70 percent support — 163 . . .

Kelli Yoder | Mennonite World Review

March 24, 2015

Conservative Anabaptists reject fundamentalism

Fundamentalism, however, is another matter — and one at odds with Anabaptism, according to him.“

Fundamentalism has taught conservative Mennonites to be spiritual abusers and to feel good about it,” Weaver, a Beachy Amish minister, told an assembly of theologically and culturally conservative Amish, Mennonites and Hutterites meeting near Nappanee March 12-14.

Rich Preheim | For Mennonite World Review

March 23, 2015

AMBS on abuse: ‘We failed you’

ELKHART, Ind. — For 40 years, women who had been sexually violated by John Howard Yoder were left suffering in silence while the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary professor became one of the most influential theological voices of the 20th century. On March 22, AMBS publicly apologized for long ignoring their cries for justice.

Rich Preheim | For Mennonite World Review

March 23, 2015

Jamaica pastor dies during annual assembly

The vice president of Jamaica Mennonite Church, Donavan Maitland, died of a heart attack March 8 at the church’s annual assembly, causing it to end early.

Maitland, the pastor of Bethel Mennonite Church in Mandeville, had just finished delivering an impassioned sermon when he sat down next to his wife, according to Lynn Suter, who attended in her role as director of operations and international ministries of Virginia Mennonite Missions.

“He was fairly immediately in distress. His wife put her arms around him to . . .

Kelli Yoder | Mennonite World Review

March 23, 2015

New York churches assist new immigrants

NEW YORK — Mennonite Garifuna churches of New York City have been assisting numerous Garifuna immigrants who have arrived since June.

To date, they have assisted about 140 families, helping them with food, clothing, legal assistance and travel fare to legal and medical appointments.

Omar Guzman, pastor of the Mennonite . . .

Chris Fretz | Eastern Mennonite Missions

March 16, 2015

MWR Inc. donations rise; print declines

HESSTON, Kan. — Donors’ support and lower costs kept Mennonite World Review Inc. budget balanced in 2014 as income increased and print circulation declined. At

Mennonite World Review staff

March 16, 2015

MWR speaker: Politics needs Anabaptist voice

HESSTON, Kan. — A former Kansas budget director who served both Democrat and Republican governors says the question for Anabaptists is not “Should we be political?” but “How should we be political?”

Speaking at Mennonite World Review Inc. annual corporation meeting March 6 at Hesston College, Duane Goossen said politics is fundamentally about how people with different ideas and values live together.

Goossen is senior fellow at the Kansas Center for Economic Growth and a member of Southern Hills Mennonite Church in Topeka.

Tim Huber | Mennonite World Review

March 16, 2015

Farming volunteer program joins Quakers, Mennonites

Peace Farm, a new voluntary service program born out of a collaborative effort between Quakers and Mennonites in Bally, Pa., is preparing for its inaugural

Janie Beck Kreider, Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Mission Network | Goshen College

March 13, 2015