Grace and Truth

Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.—Matthew 5:48, The Message

In a recent commentary on the national health-care debate in the United States, a prominent national columnist wondered whether America’s historical commitment to suffering for the common good so that our children will have a better future is at risk.

This commitment to the common good, to caring for our brothers and sisters in community, is one I have observed time and time again in Mennonite congregations I have been a part of. When there is a person in need among us, we are quick to respond. We understand that we are all part of the body of Christ.

Despite shifting cultural norms, our caring for others is not at risk among congregations in Mennonite Church USA.

For example, six Hmong Mennonite congregations in the United States and Canada have formed an association to care for each other, encourage each other to share the gospel of Jesus and start new churches. For the Hmong congregation in St. Paul, Minn., biweekly Bible studies in homes have given members ample opportunities to be more involved in each other’s lives while preparing them to reach out to their Hmong neighbors.

For Blooming Glen (Pa.) Mennonite Church, a traditional congregation with more than 700 members, being part of a broader community meant reaching out to their brothers and sisters in Goshen and Elkhart, Ind., when the unemployment rate there reached almost 20 percent.

Blooming Glen’s pastor, Firman Gingerich, wondered what mutual aid could look like in the broader community of Mennonites. His challenge led to a “Because We Care” pancake breakfast that raised more than $8,000 for families in need in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference.

In our denomination, the recent decision to move ahead with The Corinthian Plan to offer health insurance for pastors and church workers will give our congregations, conferences and agencies an opportunity to show our commitment to each other as a church.

Our joining together for health insurance will help us provide coverage for those pastors who do not currently qualify for insurance and whose congregations cannot afford to provide it. More than 50 congregations and their pastors who currently have no health-care coverage will receive assistance from the plan.

These examples of sharing are evidence that we understand the Apostle Paul’s words to us in 2 Corinthians 8:14 that “it is a question of a fair balance between your abundance and their need.”

These words link us with our sisters and brothers in many parts of the world. As we face growing economic hardship, will we continue to respond graciously and generously out of our relative abundance toward others in our global family?

The Shared Convictions of Global Anabaptists, beliefs we share with other Mennonites and Brethren in Christ in Mennonite World Conference, speak of mutual accountability in our worldwide community of faith and life. “The spirit of Jesus empowers us to trust God in all areas of life … and share our possessions with those in need.”

An invitation: What are your congregation’s experiences of being the body of Christ—in your congregation and around the world? Send your stories to me this month, and I’ll share them in Equipping on the Mennonite Church USA Web site.