11:7,6 - The Mennonite

22 TheMennonite November 7, 2006
Hesston series engages young adults
A new generation of leaders describes the Mennonite church of their dreams.
Young adults and older adults joined to share
their dreams for the Mennonite church as
part of the 11th installment of the Anabaptist
Vision and Discipleship Series, held Oct. 27-29 at
Hesston (Kan.) College.
“Church in My Dreams: A New Generation
Speaks Out” featured Tony Jones as the main
speaker. Jones is a doctoral fellow and senior
research fellow in practical theology at Princeton
(N.J.) Theological Seminary. He is also the national
coordinator for the Emerging Village, a network
of innovative, missional Christians.
During his sessions, Jones spoke of postmodernism
as the correct response for Christians in
the 21st century who often hold several opposing
views in tension. He said the church should be
“distinctly and robustly Christian” as well as open
to others.
He challenged Anabaptists to remain Anabaptist
and “still have completely open dialogue with
Calvinist just-war theorists,” for example.
Jones said he sees the future Mennonite church
needing to ask, What does it mean to be Mennonite
into the future? With the international and
cross-cultural experiences many Mennonite young
people have today, they will inevitably bring back
new ideas to the North American Mennonite
church, he said.
Young adults describe ‘The church of my dreams’
Eight young adult leaders responded to the question, What is the
church in my dreams? during the Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship
Series at Hesston (Kan.) College Oct. 27-29 (see story above).
• Elizabeth Garza, from Brownsville, Texas, said she wants the church
to further connect its members. Her dreams include intergenerational
small groups and service projects.
• Sarah Thompson, who works at Mennonite Central Committee’s
Washington Office, described her experiences abroad—specifically
at the 2003 Mennonite World Conference in Zimbabwe—and said
the church of her dreams is a global church that is “mutually interdependent”
and offers a “relevant and vulnerable community” for all
people, not only those with power.
• Eric Miller, currently enrolled in the Pastoral Ministries Program at
Hesston College, said truth is best discerned with community, as no
individual or denomination is “smart enough to claim the whole
truth.” Miller invited Anabaptist groups to partner with other church
denominations, if called to serve in that way.
• Karissa Miller, social work major at Hesston College, said the church
of her dreams is a place of belonging that also acknowledges that
“belonging” means different things to different people. She also
wants the church to be a place to be open and, at times, disagree.
“You don’t get to be the pure German
Mennonite anymore,” Jones added.
Jones said he invites Anabaptists to see a
“hybrid, eclectic Mennonite-Christian” as a positive
idea, rather than something to be feared.
“That would put [Anabaptists] three steps ahead of
other faith groups,” he said.
Jones predicted that Mennonites will look very
different in 20 years. “We’re not in a period of stasis;
we’re in a period of liminality,” he said.
Hesston faculty member Michele Hershberger
coordinated the conference. She said the purpose
of the series is to emphasize practical ministry on
a specific topic with an outside speaker.
This year, Hershberger wanted an open, honest
and participatory process to engage young and
older adults.
Participants raised $740 to help young adults
attend Mennonite World Conference’s Global
Youth Summit in Paraguay in 2009.
Before and during the weekend, participants
blogged on the Hesston College Web site, answering
questions about their specific dreams for the
church (see box below), described what passion in
the church means and how to listen across generations.
During worship times at the conference,
PowerPoint slides showed comments from the
blog for reflection.—Anna Groff
• Angie Lederach, a senior peace studies and anthropology major at
Notre Dame University, South Bend, Ind., said the church of her
dreams would “listen with respect for the things that have moved
other generations” and voices from churches in the global South.
She described “radical table fellowship” as a model for how to welcome
the marginalized in society and “recognize how our lives are
inextricably linked to others around us.”
• Matt Troyer, a student at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary,
Elkhart, Ind., shared of his father’s death from cancer and the
process of anger, apathy and depression he faced before learning
the importance of sharing painful stories.
• Christopher Erb, a student at the University of Cincinnati, spoke
about the need for intellectual integrity and systems of accountability
in church institutions. He said he wished he could have received
all the facts about creation and evolution in his church and church
school growing up. “We need education, not indoctrination,” he said.
• Mark Horst, youth ministry and business major at Hesston (Kan.)
College, spoke about churches as the body of Christ. He said that different
churches have different callings and should support one
another. Horst said the priority of the church should be to love God,
not dispute about women in leadership and worship styles, for
example.