Mountain States Conference of Mennonite Church USA celebrated its 20th anniversary by giving birthday presents. In a surprise presentation, every congregation received a $3,000 unrestricted grant from the Frontier Village Foundation.
“We hope each congregation can find creative ways to leverage this gift,” said outgoing foundation president Bryan Miller in a video presentation during the conference’s annual assembly July 24-26 at Boulder Mennonite Church in Colorado.
Since its establishment from the sale of the Frontier Village property over 40 years ago, the foundation has distributed over $900,000 in grants (not limited to Mennonite congregations) in the Rocky Mountain region. (Frontier Boys Village was a program of Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp for boys in Colorado’s juvenile justice system.)
The conference received Wayfarers Chapel in Colorado Springs as its 17th and newest member church. Formerly independent, the congregation developed a relationship with Mike Martin and the RAWtools ministry, which forges guns into garden tools as a peace witness.
As members of Wayfarers engaged with RAWtools, they discovered they have common ground with Anabaptist values and faith. The congregation of about 50 currently meets in homes, focusing on community, neighborhood transformation and the arts.
Roca de Refugio (Rock of Refuge) in San Antonio, Texas, reported on its ministry to the immigrant community. Pastor Dianne García said more than 20 congregants have been directly impacted by detention and deportation.
Fort Collins Mennonite Fellowship in Colorado reported it is seeking a different way to minister to homeless people, as its building was forced to close for health and safety issues.
Sunday worship featured three conference ministries:
— RAWtools, led by Mike Martin, has become a national movement and expanded its guns-to-garden-tools forge ministry far beyond Mennonite circles.
— Todd Wynward brought an update from TiLT (Taos Initiative for Life Together) as life changes, a house fire and the deaths of several partners have brought a change in focus and a shift toward community-based time and talent sharing.
— Brenda Fox shared developments in the Boulder Mennonite-based Prayerstream ministry and its partnership in providing a mobile chapel for Mennonite Disaster Service projects. A renovated Air Stream trailer is available, and funds are provided to assist volunteers willing to accompany people affected by the region’s many disasters.
As delegates considered bylaw changes, the question of how to relate to the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective generated the most discussion. Conference minister Amy Zimbelman said uniformity in the way congregations relate to the Confession is not required.
Delegates approved saying that Mountain States “is centered on the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective as a living document,” leaving the interpretation of how to relate to it to congregations.
Michael Danner, MC USA associate executive director for church vitality, said the Confession cannot be changed without creating a new Confession.
“You are invited to join in helping to create a resolution in that regard and bring it to the national convention,” he said.
Have a comment on this story? Write to the editors. Include your full name, city and state. Selected comments will be edited for publication in print or online.