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Communication Then and Now Being a Peace Church

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Communication Then and Now Being a Peace Church April 2013 Volume 28, Number 1 2 Communication Then and Now 5 Being a Peace Church 7 Pennsylvania 2015 News 8 ‘The Winds of Anabaptism are Blowing’ in Chile 10 ‘Learning to Know Each Other Better’ Inserts Courier News MWC Peace Poster Cover Photo: During the recent Southern Cone meetings in Chile, members of the Latin American Anabaptist Women Theologians Movement passed a ball of yarn from person to person. The interwoven strands illustrate Communications Then and Now the network formed through mutual support with unity in Christ. Photo by Puertachile Former editors reflect on MWC communications Milka Rindzinski J. Lorne Peachey Byron Rempel-Burkholder Editor 1997-2006 Managing Editor 2002-2006, Editor 2006-2010 Editor 2010-2012 A very positive aspect of MWC Accepting the invitation to I feel enormously blessed to is the opportunity to learn join the staff of Courier/ have been Courier/Correo/ about, recognize and value Correo/Courrier brought Courrier editor and news other cultures. In my task of its share of surprises. After service writer during some translating, I came to appreciate editing magazines for the U.S. key moments in MWC history, the way others used images and Mennonite Church for more particularly the Lutheran- metaphors to describe Christian than 30 years, I thought I knew Mennonite reconciliation events faith. I especially valued how most of what there was to know in 2010 in Stuttgart, Germany, an African woman theologian interpreted the about print journalism. I soon discovered and the shifting of MWC’s general secretariat old traditional sacrifice of a young girl to get I knew very little, at least as it applied to to the Global South at the end of 2011. What rain on the fields as a prefiguration of Christ’s international communication. an honour! sacrifice: the Creator preparing the way for his For instance, I learned how complex One of the goals of my work with C/C/C and universal plan. language can be. I thought I knew how to edit the news service was to facilitate the sharing Another important personal experience so the result was simple communication. Yet of our diverse stories of being Anabaptist came many years ago, during a meeting of how often would my translators come back to in a changing world – stories of how we the MWC Executive Committee in which the me and tell me there was no way to translate experience God in our cultures, stories of conversation centred on writing the history of an English idiom or phrase into either Spanish churches helping each other in material and the churches on every continent. On impulse or French! spiritual ways, stories of the ways we support I stood up and said, “Yes, but that should be My goal always was to publish C/C/C in each other in sharing in God’s mission to bring from the local perspectives.” When we went more languages than English, Spanish and good news to the world. out on break, a brother from Tanzania affirmed French. MWC includes far more than these At times this important and necessary work what I had said. His comment assured me that three tongues. But constraints on funds and was relatively easy. But the sharing of stories we were going in the right direction. personnel never permitted this step. and experiences at the grassroots level, from One day Courier/Correo/Courrier changed We did experience some successes. For South to North, and East to West, was more its look to a “deluxe” publication in terms of one, we began printing the French edition for difficult. Yet this is increasingly important to quality of paper, photos and writing, becoming the Congolese churches in the Democratic us in the global community. I was privileged the beautiful magazine we have today. Is it Republic of Congo. This was a first step in to have a part in facing the challenge of doing perhaps too precious? I know of no others realizing my dream of printing the quarterly that effectively. of the same quality published in our global magazine in-country, thereby reducing I am thrilled to see the task being ecclesial context. the biggest expense in publishing C/C/C: carried forward by a larger and younger Are there any changes that should be international distribution. But the constraints Communications team, which is forging new sought to achieve greater balance? Most of financing kept us from fully realizing that vehicles designed to reach more and more MWC news and feature articles are still dream. people in the MWC family, and in nimbler principally written and edited by profes- C/C/C is an important part of the glue that ways. I wish the Communications team sionals from the North, unavoidably from their holds the MWC world together. The challenge continued wisdom and creativity in making own point of view. Why not explore national for MWC will be to find new glue, whatever its available to us all the wonderful stories of publications in all continents to select news form. I am confident it will happen. God’s work among us, in all corners of the to be quoted in C/C/C? Then we would have a MWC world. publication that included all points of view. 1976 1984 1986 1990 1997 2000 2001 First issue of MWC Newsletter First issue of Willard Roth Milka Rindzinski Phyllis Pellman Ferne Burkhart MWC Newsletter, discontinued Courier, a appointed appointed Editor Good becomes becomes News a quarterly quarterly Editor of Courier of both Courier Assistant Editor of Editor publication; magazine, and Correo Courier. Magazine introduction of with David Shelley becomes MWC logo, which as Editor. A trilingual, with is still in use Spanish edition, English, Spanish Correo, also and French started. (Courrier) editions Timeline 2 Courier/Correo/Courrier April 2013 Communications Then and Now Abiding goals and changing channels by Ron Rempel his issue of Courier/Correo/ “a web or grid with intersecting lines.” Courrier reflects some changes: When Larry Miller became General a new design, an inserted Secretary in 1990, he reaffirmed the role newsletter. An accompanying of Courier as “one instrument for the article announces other changes continuing work of nurturing community, in the overall communication plan of communication and cooperation in our TMennonite World Conference, including a worldwide family of faith.” new website and a monthly email alert. He summarized the mandate of MWC Though the channels are changing, the with the following terms: connector of overall goal of MWC communications member churches in ways which move remains unchanged. That goal was beyond the parent-child relationship; succinctly expressed by former MWC convener of regional and international President Million Belete of Ethiopia, when church to church conversations; he introduced the MWC newsletter in 1976: communicator of biblical vision in “It [the newsletter] is meant to inform and Anabaptist perspective within the acquaint. Only as we know more of each Mennonite family and the larger Christian other can we intelligently pray for and be of church. help to each other.” Twenty-two years later, when César In 1986, the newsletter was replaced by a García became General Secretary, he magazine called Courier. Then-General named the nurturing of global community Secretary, Paul Kraybill, wrote: “We don’t as one of his top priorities. “People want know enough about each other. We are a to have relationships around the world,” he worldwide community, but our knowledge wrote. “This is possible through good is local and limited. In spite of our presses, channels of information and communi- publishers and publications, there is no cation. Each member of our local congre- international messenger!” gations needs to have access to MWC.” In choosing Courier as the name of This ambitious goal for MWC MWC’s publication, Kraybill invoked communication, pursued now for almost pre-internet means of communication by forty years, remains only partially realized. persons entrusted with “bearing messages In revamping Courier/Correo/Courrier and to and from every part of the world.” At in revising our communication strategy, we the same time, Kraybill noted that within hope to better pursue this goal now and the MWC family too much information was into the future. flowing along the spokes of a wheel with the Global North at the centre. He envisioned a Ron Rempel, of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, is communication system that was more like Chief Communications Officer for MWC. 2002 2006 2010 2012 2013 MWC Publications J. Lorne Peachey Peachey appointed Byron Rempel- Ron Rempel Devin Manzullo- appointed Editor; beginning Burkholder appointed Chief Thomas appointed Managing Editor of trilingual name appointed Communications Editor of Courier/ plate Courier/ News Editor and Officer and News Correo/Courrier Correo/Courrier Editor of Courier/ Editor and related Correo/Courrier newsletter 2002 2007 2010 2012 2013 MWC Website Debut of first MWC New website in New website, New website Kristina Toews website, developed four languages developed by developed by appointed Web by Meg Sabulsky of (English, Spanish, Hansuli Gerber, Peaceworks and Communications Franconia Menonite French, German) uses English with Ron Rempel. All Worker Conference developed by Larry some translated content in English, Leuenberger material Spanish and French with mobile viewing capability. 3 MWC announces new communication strategy and staff 2013 will be a year of change and transition communication strategy are two new staff the MWC staff as a Web Communication for the MWC Communications team, as it members. Devin Manzullo-Thomas of Worker, beginning in February 2013. In this adds new personnel and carries out a new Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA, began a role Toews manages web content, serves as strategy for sharing stories and resources half-time position as MWC Editor and Writer editor of the monthly e-alert and provides with the global faith family.
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