weLink
Vol. 3, No. 4: Feb. 27, 2008

ⁿ Conference prayers

ⁿ Transition Team update

ⁿ Maternity leave coverage plans

ⁿ Gospel Evangel to focus on “God’s surprises”

ⁿ Connecting congregations

ⁿ Finances

ⁿ At Amigo Centre

ⁿ At Bethany Christian Schools

If possible, please include blurbs from weLink (as applicable) in your church bulletins and/or newsletters. Thank you!

Conference prayers

Please pray for our sister conference, Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA, as they gather at Bluffton (Ohio) University for their Annual Conference Assembly March 6–8, focusing on the theme, “Hear My Words ... Do My Words” (Matthew 7:24).

This weekend (Feb. 29–March 2), participants in the Journey program will gather for a learning event at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS), Elkhart, Ind. Sponsored by AMBS and Central District and IN-MI conferences, the program provides Anabaptist theological education and practical ministry skill development to pastors and lay leaders in a non-credit format. Participants work through curriculum with a mentor and attend biannual weekend learning events. Please pray for the participants and for this weekend’s presenters: Eleanor and Alan Kreider, Rafael Barahona, Tim Lichti, Nancy Kauffmann and John Heyerly.

Transition Team update

The IN-MI Conference Transition Team has committed to fasting and praying on Thursday, Feb. 28, in anticipation of their next meeting on Monday, March 3, at Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship, Goshen, Ind. Please join them in praying for their meeting and for the ongoing transformation process.

During Monday’s meeting, the team plans to reflect together on the regional cluster meetings that have taken place so far and to discuss the feedback from the delegates regarding the proposed timeline and the job description for the new lead conference minister position. The team hopes to begin the task of rewriting the conference’s constitution and to begin work on job descriptions for the new leadership positions in the conference.

Maternity leave coverage plans

In the last issue of weLink, we requested prayers for discernment as staff searched for a person to fill Annette Brill Bergstresser’s role as Gospel Evangel and weLink editor during her maternity leave in May and June. Thank you for your prayers, and thanks be to God! We’re pleased to report that we’ve hired Paul Shetler, a senior history major at Goshen College with minors in international studies and global economics, to take on this role. A member of College Mennonite, Goshen, Ind., Paul currently serves as project intern for the Goshen Peace Center and writes a weekly peace column for the church newsletter, analyzing local and international events. He comes highly recommended.

We hope that this arrangement will not only serve the conference’s communication needs but also be a way for Paul to explore the use of his leadership gifts within the church. He will be responsible for the May/June and July/August issues of Gospel Evangel (including coverage of Annual Sessions 2008) and three weLink issues. Special thanks to Pat McFarlane, associate professor of communication, and Bob Yoder, campus minister, for their key assistance in this search process!

Gospel Evangel to focus on “God’s surprises”

During 2008, the conference newsletter will share stories of how people in our community of congregations have experienced God’s surprises in various settings and circumstances. The January/February issue (available online at http://im.mennonite.net/News_Calendar/Gospel_Evangel) features stories on God’s surprises in unexpected places from people at True Vine Tabernacle, Elkhart, Ind.; Forks Mennonite, Middlebury, Ind.; and Carroll Community Worship Center, Fort Wayne, Ind. We welcome your feedback! -- Annette Brill Bergstresser, editor

Connecting congregations

Planning a church retreat? We are the owners of the Voyageurs Motel in Grand Marais, Mich., a small town on the northern shore of the Upper Peninsula and an ideal place for church groups of any size to meet for renewal and recreation. Our modern motel sits on a bluff overlooking Lake Superior and the beautiful Grand Marais Harbor. We have a large area with an outdoor fire pit where groups can meet for teaching, devotionals and worship. Within a short distance are miles of uncrowded beaches and forests, and plentiful locations for fishing. In the last several years, we have prayed much about inviting church groups to come and experience the natural beauty of the Grand Marais area. Please consider us when you are thinking of having your church set aside time for a closer walk with God. Contact us at 906 494-2389 or see our web site: http://voyageursmotel.grandmaraismichigan.com/ -- Terry and Delphine Wilson, Grand Marais Mennonite

Support new safety measures for motor coaches. One year ago this Sunday (March 2, 2007), a charter bus carrying the Bluffton (Ohio) University (BU) baseball team tumbled off of an overpass in Atlanta, Ga., killing five of the players and the bus driver and his wife. In response to this tragedy and many others, two senators -- Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas -- have introduced a bill to improve the safety of motor coaches. These safety measures include seat belts, increased roof strength, safety glazing of the windows, and improved fire prevention.

See www.motorcoachsafetynow.com for more information on this bill -- including addresses of legislators. Please consider signing the petition on this web site and encouraging legislators to move on this important bill.

Let us join with BU’s grieving families in supporting this initiative. John Betts, one of the parents of an athlete who died, said, “We believe the Mennonite community will certainly support a bill that has increased safety features for our most vulnerable population (youth and senior citizens), in part because BU has been so deeply touched by this tragedy.” -- Rachel Hartzler, pastor, Pleasant Oaks Mennonite, Middlebury, Ind. (a Central District Conference congregation)

Finances

Congregational giving for the first seven months of the fiscal year is 4.9 percent ahead of last year at this time, and the dollar amount received is the highest since 1999! The actual operating deficit continues to be less than projected. It’s encouraging to see congregations continue to take their support of this joint ministry seriously.

We will continue to need this strong support over the remaining five months to help us meet our obligations and perhaps help rebuild our operating fund (from the current one month on hand to the goal of three months on hand). If congregations become aware that their contributions will not be as strong as last year’s, please let us know. Thank you so much for your generous participation in the ministry of IN-MI Conference! The Jan. 31 year-to-date figures:

2007–08 2006–07 2007–08 2006–07
Estimated income* $388,199 $346,541 Estimated expenses** $401,870 $375,746
Actual income 351,648 337,742 Actual expenses 355,119 333,436

*calculated according to historical giving patterns
** seven-twelfths of total spending plan

At Amigo Centre

For information on these events, contact Amigo Centre: 269 651-2811 or info@amigocentre.org

“Friends of Amigo” banquet: March 13 at the Essenhaus Inn and Conference Center in Middlebury, Ind. Come join us in celebrating the ongoing ministry of Amigo and hearing about a vision process that is being launched! Register as tables of 8 for $180 or as individuals for $25 each.

April 25–27: Retreats for married couples and for engaged/pre-engaged couples. Presenters: Andrew Stoner, pastor and marriage retreat facilitator (married couples) and Wes Bontreger, pastor of Yellow Creek Mennonite, Goshen (engaged/pre-engaged couples). The married couples retreat will be in the Retreat Center for $190/couple. The engaged/pre-engaged couples retreat will be in the West Shore Lodge for $140/couple.

Other upcoming events include a Scrapbooking retreat (March 26–30), a Quilting retreat (April 4–6), a Mother-Daughter Scrapbooking Crop (May 9–10), and a Golf Scramble Benefit (June 7).

At Bethany Christian Schools

Spiritual gifts have been the focus for a special chapel series in January and February. The planning committee considered lists of spiritual gifts identified in the New Testament, selected eight and asked speakers to focus on how these gifts are expressed, where we might see them today, and which gifts we ourselves possess. Speakers have included: Hannah (‘03) and Justin (‘03) Heinzekehr of Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship, Goshen, Ind., on spiritual discernment; Regina Shands Stoltzfus of Prairie Street Mennonite, Elkhart, Ind., on helping/encouragement; Amy Kratzer of Sunnyside Mennonite, Elkhart, on life as ministry; Lore Blen-Gibson on speaking in tongues; Wes Bontreger (‘77) of Yellow Creek Mennonite, Goshen, on performing miracles; Dan Schrock of Berkey Avenue on prophesying; Mick Sommers of Hively Avenue Mennonite, Elkhart, on leading; and Mary Lehman Yoder of Assembly Mennonite, Goshen, on hospitality.

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: www.im.mennonite.net/News_Calendar/weLink

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

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