weLink
Vol.
4, No. 9: May 13, 2009
- Remembering Luke Yoder
- Remembering Ted Eash
- Blooming Glen Mennonite puts mutual aid in
practice for IN-MI congregations
- Transition Team update
- Annual Sessions 2009: “Once upon a time …
signs and wonderings”
- Connecting congregations
- Events
- From our IN-MI Conference Resource Advocate
If
possible, please include blurbs from weLink (as applicable) in your church
bulletins and/or newsletters. Thank you!
Remembering Luke Yoder
We mourn
the loss of Luke D. Yoder, 79, of
Pigeon, Mich., who died April 4. Luke was a pastor and overseer of Pigeon River
Mennonite (a Conservative Mennonite Conference congregation in Pigeon, Mich.)
for more than 50 years; overseer for churches in the Conservative Mennonite
Conference and IN-MI Conference; member of mission board for Rosedale Mennonite
Missions; member of Executive Council of Conservative Mennonite Conference; and
a board member for Eastern Mennonite University. Survivors include his wife,
Cora; four children; five brothers; one sister; and 11 grandchildren. Services
were held April 8 at Pigeon River Mennonite. We invite your prayers for Luke’s
family. Luke’s obituary may be read online: www.mcusa-archives.org/MennObits/Lazarus/2009/LP%202009%20W-Z.html
Remembering Ted Eash
We mourn the loss of Ted Eash, 72, who died May 1 in Goshen. Ted was a retired IN-MI Conference pastor and farmer. He pastored at Burr Oak Mennonite, Rensselaer, Ind.; Bonneyville Mennonite, Bristol, Ind.; Pleasant Valley Church of the Brethren, Middlebury, Ind.; Locust Grove Mennonite, Elkhart, Ind.; Forks Mennonite, Middlebury; Belmont Neighborhood Fellowship, Elkhart; and Olive Mennonite, Elkhart. He was a member of Forks Mennonite in Middlebury.
Survivors include his wife, Darlene;
five children (including Brent Eash, moderator of the IN-MI Missional
Leadership Team and pastor at Shore Mennonite); one sister; two brothers; three
stepsisters; 12 grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren;
two greatgrandchildren; and three stepgreatgrandchildren.
Services were held May 6 at Shore Mennonite in Shipshewana, Ind. Memorials may
be given to Mennonite Mission Network or Forks Mennonite. Please pray for Ted’s
family. Ted’s obituary is online: www.etruth.com/Know/Obits/story.aspx?opage=true&ID=482101
Blooming Glen Mennonite puts mutual aid in practice for IN-MI congregations
Thank you, Blooming Glen (Pa.) Mennonite Church!!! Remembering when they received help during a severe drought in 1999, people at Blooming Glen Mennonite wanted to help brothers and sisters in the Goshen/Elkhart area and other IN-MI Conference congregations being hit with a “drought” of jobs, and held a pancake breakfast fundraiser on April 19 that yielded $8,200! What a wonderful gift! Read Robin Long’s (Blooming Glen’s business manager) account of the experience at www.im.mennonite.net. Plans for collaborative ways to stretch the money are being explored.
Transition Team update
Plans
for interim ministry coverage for Goshen Area Council. The March 25
issue of weLink
introduced five interim assistant conference regional ministers who would cover
some of the conference ministry responsibilities from April 1 through June 30
for six of the conference’s seven clusters. We are pleased to announce that Seferina Garcia DeLeón
of Iglesia Menonita del Buen Pastor, Goshen, Ind., has
joined this group, providing interim coverage for congregations in the Goshen
Area Council beginning May 1. Seferina can be reached
at 574 533-0873 (home)
or seferinad@verizon.net.
We also encourage utilizing area council gatherings for support. We
invite your prayers for Seferina and the
congregations she is serving. -- Gene
Hartman for the Transition Team
Annual Sessions 2009: “Once upon a time … signs and wonderings”
June 18–20
at Clinton Frame Mennonite, Goshen, Ind.
Constitution update. In March 2009, the IN-MI Transition Team drafted what is intended
to be a revised, minimalist constitution. That version was reviewed by a
lawyer, who has raised several questions about how the changes relate to the conference’s
articles of incorporation. These questions have slowed preparations for
bringing the constitution for delegate action. The Missional Leadership
Team is considering options for proceeding. Stay tuned for more details!
--
Dan Miller, lead conference minister
Completion of annual story book (a.k.a. delegate report book) anticipated next week. Please select from the following multiple-choice options: The conference story book is coming to delegates about a month later than normal because (a) we knew the wait would only increase your sense of anticipation about seeing the new format; (b) there have been so many changes in conference staffing that we can’t remember who works in our office anymore; (c) to save money, we bound all the books with recycled paper clips; (d) all of the above; (e) none of the above; (g) call the conference office and we’ll tell you if you really want to hear the story. -- Heidi King, administrative coordinator
Registration forms will be distributed next week with a June 5 registration deadline.
Children’s activities for ages 3–4 and 5–12; nursery care for ages 0–2. Bring your children along for worship, fun and discovery! We will be spending a wonderful time with your child as you attend Annual Sessions. Each day there will be crafts, games, singing, Bible stories, snacks and free play. We also have additional special activities planned: Thursday -- self-portrait and talent show; Friday -- field trip and movie night; Saturday -- carnival fun. We look forward to meeting you and your children. -- Jane Good (574 533-3664 or vjgood4nu@aol.com) and Angela Miller (574 825-3980 or angelamiller@marykay.com)
Connecting congregations
Organ available for free! First Mennonite
of Indianapolis is replacing their organ and is making their current instrument
available to another congregation; all you have to do is come and pick it
up! The organ is a two-manual, 32-stop Allen electronic organ
purchased used in 1972. It has a 32-note pedal board and external
speakers. The organ will be available for pickup toward the end of
May. Contact First Mennonite: 317-251-1980 or fmc@indymenno.org
East Goshen (Ind.)
Mennonite cordially invites you to the dedication of our expanded facilities on June 14 at 10 a.m. Included will be a
worship service, lunch, and prayer tours. Please RSVP (574 533-7161 or egmc@eastgoshenmc.org)
if you plan to be present for lunch. -- Barb
Eiler
The congregation at Maple
River Mennonite, Brutus, Mich., will celebrate its 130th anniversary on July 11–12,
2009. We will also release the new book The
Mennonites of Brutus, Michigan at about that time. -- Maurice Eby
Waterford
Mennonite Church, Goshen, Ind., (www.waterfordchurch.org) will celebrate its
50th anniversary on Oct. 9–11, 2009, using the theme Pillars Along the
Way. Former attenders and any other interested
individuals are invited to join the congregation in remembering the past,
celebrating the present, and looking to the future. To receive updates via mail
or e-mail, contact the church: 574 533-5642 or wmc@waterfordchurch.org
--
Kevin Miller on behalf of WMC’s 50th anniversary committee
Events
“Pastoring sexualized youth,” an Oaklawn seminar for pastors, will be offered Wednesday, May 13, 7:15–11:15 a.m. at Oaklawn, 330 Lakeview Drive, Goshen. Speakers include Keith Graber Miller, professor at Goshen College; Danny Phillips, therapist at Oaklawn; and Rob Staley, director of The Crossing Educational Center. Cost is $20, which includes breakfast and 3.0 CEUs. Register today! See www.oaklawn.org/news or call Gloria at 574 537-2680.
Mennonite Economic
Development Associates (MEDA) Board
and Michiana MEDA Dinner: June 6, 6 p.m. at Rieth Recital Hall,
Goshen College. Allan Sauder, MEDA president, will speak on “Business Solutions
to Poverty: The Gift of Peace.” Dinner will be catered by Bread and Chocolate
with music provided by the Goshen College jazz ensemble. Cost: $20/ticket,
payable at the door. RSVP by May 26 to Kathleen Yoder: 717 560-6546 or kyoder@meda.org
From our IN-MI Conference Resource Advocate
“Youth Guide: A
guide to help your congregation nurture spiritual growth in high school youth,”
for youth pastors, sponsors and teachers, is available from Mennonite
Publishing Network. Based on the Gather ’Round curriculum, this
brochure lays out a four-year plan for Bible study and for a topical, thematic
approach to faith development, spiritual disciplines and Christian practices
with your youth. This resource is available online -- with permission granted
to photocopy -- at www.faithandliferesources.org/curriculum/YouthGuide.pdf
--
Eldon Stoltzfus, IN-MI Conference Resource Advocate
weLink serves to connect IN-MI Conference congregations to
each other, to Amigo Centre and Bethany Christian Schools, and to the wider
church. It is published on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. weLink issues are archived on the conference web site
at: im.mennonite.net/news/welink/welink.php
To subscribe to or unsubscribe from the weLink mailing list, contact the conference office: imoffice@im.mennonite.net
Editor: Annette Brill Bergstresser, annette@im.mennonite.net (Send
material for the May 27 weLink
by noon on May 22.)
Indiana-Michigan
Mennonite Conference
Mailing address: 212 S. Main St., Goshen, IN 46526-3723
Phone: 574 534-4006; 800 288-8486
E-mail: imoffice@im.mennonite.net
Web site: www.im.mennonite.net