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A Gardener Of www.TheMennonite.org February 7, 2006 a gardener of kindness Page 8 12 Mennonite mystery writer 16 Wide open until you see God, then brake 18 Am I my brother’s keeper? 32 Hearing voices Gloria Lizcano (right) with her friend Ana in Colombia GRACE AND TRUTH Transformed by God’s power think I am having a midlife crisis. I’m not the failures of every kind and proportion. little red sports car type. Instead I enrolled in a It is right to say that the practices of Christian I Doctor of Ministry program at Lancaster (Pa.) worship work against or resist the effects of Theological Seminary. It seemed the right thing to human sin. The practice of confession, for exam- do in response to my crisis. ple, calls our sin by name and makes us aware of As my 50th birthday looms ever larger, I’ve the need for God’s mercy and grace. The practice found myself asking questions of personal and pro- of assurance or absolution reminds us that such fessional meaning. Does what I do matter? Does it mercy and grace are not only available but freely count for anything beyond the proverbial vanity? given. The practice of reading Scripture reminds Has my work resulted in anything lasting, in us of our place in the created world and in God’s changed hearts or minds or behaviors? Was it, saving work. The practice of prayer reminds us whatever it may be, worth it? that we are not independent actors but dependent I’ve come to realize that these personal midlife creatures preserved by and accountable to the questions form the backdrop for the subject of my Creator. D.Min. work. I am interested in learning what con- Engaging in these practices reveals the truth Ron W. Adams nection there may be between worship and ethics. about us human beings and about the God we wor- is pastor at East More specifically, I’d like to know how worship ship. That truth, particularly when proclaimed reg- Chestnut Street forms us into better, more Christian, people. Do ularly in worship, cannot help but move us at least Mennonite Church in the practices of worship, things such as praying a little closer to the image of God in Christ. Lancaster, Pa. and Communion and baptism and hearing the The practices of worship are not magical acts Scriptures read and interpreted, make us more that have within themselves the power to remake Christlike? Do they shape not only our spiritual us. They are not good works for which we can lives but also our behavior? expect to be rewarded. When I consider the history of Christianity, I And whatever power they have to transform admit the evidence does not seem to support an does not come from us. What is transformative affirmative answer. The church’s failings, past and about such acts is the presence of God in and present, are too many to count. On the face of it, through them. one would be hard pressed to argue that Christian It is that transformative power of God that I am worship has resulted in a holy, just, peaceful or excited about exploring. Not so I can bottle it up or compassionate people of God. Our sins are myriad package it, having found some perfect formula for and continue to beleaguer us some 2,000 years personal and congregational formation. Our prac- after our Savior’s birth. tices depend too much on the Spirit for any such In a recent conversation about my project, a fel- scheme. That Spirit, we know, moves and gifts and low student said, “You’re going to have to write empowers according to God’s designs, not our about sin.” She was excited about this prospect. I own. was less so. But she is right. It may be that what I really want to know in my Thinking of Christian formation requires think- midlife is not so much how well I have done but ing about human sin, that great countervailing how much God has done. How am I, how are we, force against which our practices work. It is our being transformed daily by God’s power? That’s a own sin that makes our history so riddled with midlife question worth pursuing. TM The Mennonite is the official publication of Mennonite Church USA. Our TheMennonite Vol. 9, No. 3, February 7, 2006 mission is to help readers glorify God, grow in faith and become agents of healing and hope in the world. The Mennonite (ISSN 1522-7766) is normal- Editor: Everett J. Thomas Offices: ly published on the first and third Tuesdays of each month by the board [email protected] 1700 S. Main St. for The Mennonite, Inc. Periodical postage paid at Scottdale, PA 15683- Associate Editor: Gordon Houser Goshen, IN 46526-4794 1999. Canada Post international publications mail sales agreement no. [email protected] phone: 800-790-2498 40033185, GST no. R122192453. Subscription rates: $41.95 (U.S.) per year. Advertising Coordinator: Kristene Miller fax: 574-535-6050 Group rates available. Scripture references are from the New Revised [email protected] Standard Version unless otherwise noted. The views expressed in this pub- Circulation Manager: Rebecca Helmuth 722 Main St., P.O. Box 347 lication do not necessarily represent the official positions of Mennonite Newton, KS 67114 Church USA, The Mennonite, or the board for The Mennonite, Inc. [email protected] phone: 866-866-2872 Editorial Assistant: Nora Miller fax: 316-283-0454 Postmaster Design: Dee Birkey Send form 3579 to: The Mennonite Cover image of Gloria Lizcano and friend Ana Web site 1700 S. Main St. by Emily S. Will www.TheMennonite.org Goshen, IN 46526 2 TheMennonite February 7,2006 CONTENTS 7 6 8 A gardener of kindness Remembering Gloria Lizcano—Emily S. Will 12 Mennonite mystery writer Author Judy Clemens writes about bikers and Mennonites. —Cathleen Hockman-Wert 14 Maximize the gift of strength The stewardship of health—Roy E. Bronkema 16 16 Wide open until you see God, then brake A racing analogy can help Christians and congregations reflect on our approach to faith and action.—Sharon K. Williams and David Wolfe 19 Massive survey to study MC USA beliefs Church Member Profile 2006 follows research conducted in 1972 and 1989. 20 ABC-TV airs mental health program Response overwhelms staff at Mennonite Media in Harrisonburg, Va.—Melodie Davis 21 Burkholders minister to Katrina victims 13 22 Leaders are reminded to rest and pray 23 MC Canada looks at membership issues DEPARTMENTS 2 Grace and truth Transformed by God’s power—Ron W. Adams 4 Readers say 6 News digest 18 Speaking out Am I my brother’s keeper?—Bill Hartwell 25 For the record 30 Real Families Traveling in our legacies—Michael A. King 32 Editorial Hearing voices—Everett J. Thomas February 7,2006 TheMennonite 3 READERS SAY Stop publishing letters Mennonite Church USA congregations that Continuing to print letters and articles regarding respond redemptively to sin in the lives of their Hyattsville (Md.) Mennonite Church’s voting members by calling them to repentance and lives rights being removed and their support for gay of faithful discipleship are doing the work of the membership is harmful to the Mennonite church kingdom, and should be considered congregations as a whole. Though I believe every voice should in good standing. The real issue in this case is This publication wel- be heard, a minority stance should not be in issue whether congregations should be free to redefine comes your letters, either about our con- after issue of The Mennonite. It was our denomina- sin in ways that differ from the confession of faith tent or about issues tion’s same method of listening to this minority yet remain in good standing within the denomina- facing the Mennonite Church USA. Please voice for too long during our recent merger that tion. Schmidt says yes, but Allegheny Mennonite keep your letters lost us so many churches and many members Conference and the Constituency Leaders’ Council brief—one or two paragraphs—and (thus our financial woes). When a vote finally was have correctly said no.—Karl Landis, Lancaster, about one subject allowed to happen, our denomination overwhelm- Pa. only. We reserve the right to edit for ingly supported our current stance of not allowing length and clarity. practicing homosexual membership. Continually Where is loving dialogue? Publication is also subject to space limi- revisiting this issue in our magazine gives the per- I have been wondering if and when Mennonite tations. Send to ception to many members and the outside world Church USA will engage in “loving dialogue” on Letters@TheMenno- nite.org or mail to that our denomination is actually considering gay the subject of homosexuality called for in the Readers Say, The membership, yet we are not. Hyattsville discus- Human Sexuality Statement adopted at Saskatoon Mennonite, 1700 S. Main St., Goshen, IN sions should be with their conference.—Wes ’86 and Purdue ’87. I do appreciate the bits of dia- 46526-4794. Please Culver, Goshen, Ind. logue we have in Readers Say, but sometimes include your name and address. We will these comments are not “loving” or helpful in not print letters sent Congregation not free to redefine sin understanding another’s point of view. anonymously, though we may with- Melvin Schmidt is right when he says that By the way, does anyone know what happened hold names at our Mennonite Church USA conferences ought to be to the report of the Listening Committee for discretion.—Editors consistent in how they call congregations to be Homosexual Concerns back in the early 1990s? I guided by our confession of faith (“Hyattsville thought the committee was supposed to be an Mennonite Church Follows Jesus,” Dec.
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