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2012-01-02 issue:

Top 10 Mennonite Church USA news stories in 2011

by Compiled by Anna Groff

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1. Goshen professor Jim Miller murdered
As the result of a home invasion robbery, Goshen (Ind.) College professor James Miller and his wife, Linda, were attacked early on Oct. 9. Jim died at the scene, and Linda was wounded but is now recovered. Miller was a professor of biology at Goshen College for 31 years. He was described as a gentle, humble man who cared for his students and employed humor in the classroom to lighten the material. On Oct. 14, the Goshen Police Department held a press conference to announce that they were still analyzing evidence and interviewing witnesses and people of interest but had no suspect in the murder. (November)

2. EMU alumna wins Nobel Peace Prize
Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va., alumna Leymah Gbowee was one of three women jointly awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Oct 7. She shared the prize with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and women’s rights activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen. Gbowee, who earned a master’s degree in conflict transformation at EMU, received the Nobel Prize for her work in organizing a peace movement to end the Second Liberian Civil War. She has become famous across the globe for mobilizing women. Only 11 other women have won the peace prize in its 110-year history. Gbowee graduated from EMU’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding in 2007 with a master of arts degree. She attended CJP’s Summer Peacebuilding Institute in 2004 and completed its Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR) program in 2005. (November)

3. MWC leadership change
For the first time, a leader from the global South will become the general secretary of Mennonite World Conference. On May 4, the MWC Executive Committee formally appointed César García of Bogotá, Colombia, as general secretary-elect, to succeed Larry Miller on Jan. 1. García, who was chair of the Iglesias Hermanos Menonitas de Colombia (Mennonite Brethren Churches of Colombia) from 2002 to 2008, is completing master’s studies at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif. Also included in the Executive Committee action was the plan to move the location of the MWC head office from Strasbourg, France, to Bogotá. (June, October)

4. Goshen anthem decision reversed
In 2010, Goshen (Ind.) College President James Brenneman announced that an instrumental version of the national anthem was to be played before select sports events. On June 4, the board of directors reversed its 2010 decision to play the national anthem before athletic events. At that time, the board also asked Brenneman to find an alternative to the national anthem that “fits with sports tradition, that honors country and that resonates with Goshen College’s core values and respects the view of diverse constituencies.” Brenneman selected “America the Beautiful.” (July)

5. MennoMedia forms
Mennonite Publishing Network and Third Way Media merged to form a new agency, “MennoMedia,” on July 1. That was the decision of the board that governed MPN and now governs the new integrated agency. MPN was the publishing agency of both Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada. Third Way Media was a program with Mennonite Mission Network and had programming and operations in Canada from the mid-1950s to the mid-1980s. As a merged entity, MennoMedia is binational. Over 100 years of publishing in Scottdale, Pa., came to an end last summer, when MPN merged with Third Way Media. Some of the staff in Scottdale moved to Harrisonburg, Va., where the main offices of MennoMedia are located. (May)

6. Spaulding dismissed from worship council; Covenant leaves Southeast Conference
Mennonite Church USA leaders dismissed Randall Spaulding from his position on the binational worship council on March 8. Spaulding was appointed to the council by Mennonite Church USA in 2009. Spaulding is pastor of Covenant Mennonite Church in Sarasota, Fla. On Nov. 15, Covenant Mennonite Fellowship’s request to leave the conference was formalized. According to Terry Shue, director of leadership development for Mennonite Church USA, the final decision made by MC USA leaders is an attempt to align with MC USA’s position on sexuality as well as support Southeast Mennonite Conference’s September 2009 decision to revoke Spaulding’s ministerial credentials. Spaulding has served as pastor of Covenant Mennonite Fellowship since 2003. The SMC leadership board cited Spaulding’s disclosure of his desire to pursue a covenanted same-sex relationship as the reason. (April, December)

7. Pastor not disciplined for officiating same-sex marriage
Western District Conference delegates on July 30 turned away a challenge to a decision not to discipline a pastor for officiating at a same-sex covenant ceremony.
By a 152-to-22 vote, delegates upheld the moderator’s ruling that a motion to overturn the decision was out of order. Michael Entz of Hydro, Okla., moved that the Executive Committee overrule the Leadership Commission and discipline Joanna Harader, pastor of Peace Mennonite Church in Lawrence, Kan. In September 2010, Harader performed a covenant ceremony for two women who are not part of the congregation.
Mennonite Church USA’s 2001 membership guidelines forbid pastors to lead same-sex ceremonies. The guidelines require a conference to review the credentials of a pastor who breaks the rule. The WDC Leadership Commission conducted a review and on a 4-to-2 vote found Harader’s credentials “in order.” (June, September)

8. Executive Board, agencies face funding troubles
Reports from the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2011, show that overall, Mennonite Church USA’s various agencies and entities are cutting expenses in response to economic challenges. Contributions from individuals and churches continue to decrease. In September, Jim Beitler, Mennonite Church USA Executive Board member, said the Executive Board is in a “deficit spending mode,” which is affecting its reserves. EB staff is working at austerity measures and have cut expenses in several ways. (May, September, October)

9. Mennonite leaders die
Five Mennonite leaders died in 2011:
-Ross T. Bender, 81, was dean emeritus at   Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind.
-Heinz Janzen, 83, served as general secretary of the General Conference Mennonite Church during the 1970s.
-Gordon Kaufman, 86, was a well-known theologian and an emeritus professor at Harvard Divinity School.
-Paul M. Schrock, 75, was a longtime editor at  Mennonite Publishing House, Scottdale, Pa.
-Muriel Thiessen Stackley, 73, served as writer, editor and pastor. (various issues)

10. No resolutions at Pittsburgh
During Pittsburgh 2011, the delegates tried the “Pittsburgh Experiment,” a proposal from Mennonite Church USA leaders. The experiment did away with resolutions for that assembly. Moderator Ed Diller explained that the Executive Board “thought [the Pittsburgh Experiment] gives more authority to the delegate assembly rather than less.”
Although the delegates wanted to take time to hear as many voices as possible—and voted down an early motion to cease debate—only about 30 of the 800-some delegates voted against the Pittsburgh Experiment. (August)

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