CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN MessengerNOVEMBER 2016 WWW.BRETHREN.ORG Refugee resettlement Hope, heart, hospitality NIGERIA'S LONG JOURNEY 17 AFRICA GREAT LAKES 20 CALLED TO BUILD PEACE 22 H i l l c r e s t A Remarkable Retirement Community® EXPERIENCE YOUR COMMUNITY LIVE IN COMFORT & WELLNESS LOVE YOUR LIFE 2705 Mountain View Dr. | La Verne, CA | 909-392-4375 DSS #191501662; Certificate of Authority #069 ; www.livingathillcrest.org CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN MessengerMessengerPublisher: Wendy McFadden Associate editor: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford Web editor: Jan Fischer Bachman Design: The Concept Mill Contributing editors: Eric Bishop, Sandy Bosserman, Dana Cassell, Daniel D’Oleo, Emmett Eldred, Tim Harvey, Bob Neff NOVEMBER 2016 Vol.165 No. 9 www.brethren.org/messenger Refugee resettlement: 5 Hope, heart, hospitality Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, Walt Wiltschek, and Paula Bowser A biblical basis for welcoming refugees 11 Dan Ulrich What Muslims are experiencing 14 in America today departments Dean Johnston RM 2 F O THE PUBLISHER 3 In TOUCH Nigeria’s long journey home 4 THE EXCHANGE 17 Markus Gamache 16 RefLECTIONS 24 BIBLE STUDY 26 YoUTH & YOUNG ADULTS Africa Great Lakes: Joint work 27 NEWSLINE DIGEST 29 LETTERS 20 yields harvests and blessings 31 TURNING POINTS Jeff Boshart 32 POTLUCK How are we called to build peace? 22 Bryan Hanger on the cover: Hser Law Eh Paw and Ma Thay are welcomed to the United States Bollinger Sharon by their host congregation at Middle Creek Church of the Brethren in Lititz, Pa. Sharon Bollinger took this picture. With her husband, Glen, she serves on the church's committee for refugee ministry. One of her personal ministries to refugee families is to document important moments on their journey. From the Publisher ack in another election year, 1932, an article in Messenger generated enough letters that the editor wrote a How to reach us response. The original article was written by Rufus D. Bowman, secretary for B MESSENGER the Board of Christian Education, who outlined the issue at stake (bonus 1451 Dundee Avenue points if you know what it was). He said he couldn’t tell readers how to vote, Elgin, IL 60120 but observed delicately that “there is weight in favor of” the incumbent. Subscriptions: The follow-up editorial, by Edward Frantz, explained that the criticism fell Diane Stroyeck into three camps: The article expressed an opinion. It didn’t prefer a different [email protected] candidate. It didn’t express the opinion decisively enough and urge it on the Phone: 800-323-8039 ext. 327 Fax: 847-742-1407 church. These responses were “interesting,” he ob- served with remarkable understatement. Advertising: Karen Stocking Messenger in 1932 was more willing to state a polit- [email protected] ical position than Messenger of 2016 is, but people still Phone: 800-323-8039 ext. 308 disagree on where to draw the line between religion Fax: 847-742-1407 and politics. How should religious conviction influence Editorial: public policy? One might expect more convergence [email protected] between the Christian admonition to care for the least Phone: 800-323-8039 ext. 326 of these and the political goal of caring for the common Fax: 847-742-1407 good, but that’s not the case. Subscription rates: Dr. William Barber, a prominent civil rights leader $17.50 individual rate WENDY MCFADDEN PUBLISHER and Disciples of Christ pastor, is urging people of faith - $32 for 2 years $14.50 gift rate to see where these two must intersect. Our country is $14.50 church club rate in pain, he says, and needs a new heart to replace its heart of stone (Ezekiel - $27 for 2 years 36:26). Barber provides this context from a few chapters earlier: $ 1.25 student (per month) The leaders among you became desperate, like roaring, ravaging lions killing If you move, clip address label and indiscriminately. They grabbed and looted, leaving widows in their wake. send with new address to MESSENGER Your priests violated my law and desecrated my holy things. They can’t Subscriptions, at the above address. Allow at least five weeks for tell the difference between sacred and secular. They tell people there’s no address change. difference between right and wrong. They’re contemptuous of my holy Sab- baths, profaning me by trying to pull me down to their level. Your politicians For digital MESSENGER go to www.brethren.org/accessmessenger. are like wolves prowling and killing and rapaciously taking whatever they want. Your preachers cover up for the politicians by pretending to have Visit MESSENGER online at received visions and special revelations. They say, “This is what God, the www.brethren.org/messenger. Master, says . .” when God hasn’t said so much as one word. Extortion is rife, robbery is epidemic, the poor and needy are abused, outsiders are kicked around at will, with no access to justice (Ezekiel 22:25-29 The Message). Prophets sure don’t worry about being popular. As we emerge from a particularly bruising and divisive campaign, a word from 1932 is worth repeating. In a Nov. 5 editorial titled “After the Election,” MESSENGER is the official publication of the Church of the Brethren. Member of the Associated Church Press. Frantz writes, “Life will still be worth living after Tuesday.” Biblical quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New Revised Standard Version. Copyright © November 2016, Church of the Brethren. MESSENGER (ISSN 0026-0355) is published 10 times a year by Brethren Press, Church of the Brethren. Periodicals postage paid at Elgin, Ill., and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MESSENGER, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120-1694. Printed on recycled paper (20% post consumer) 2 Messenger November 2016 InTouch Courtesy of Pat Hollenberg Courtesy of Pat Sebring Brethren promote reading ebring (Fla.) Church of the Brethren received donations to purchase books as Swell as give gently used books to a summer read- ing program. Over 750 books went to every student at Fred Wild Elementary, other students in Highlands County, and youth at the church. “The church is so blessed to have Joan Bohrer and Dawn Ziegler promote this book project,” reported church secretary Pat Hollenberg. “Between the Palms of Sebring and the Sebring church, over 1,200 books Children choose books from the donations collected by were given out this summer, and they have already started Sebring Church of the Brethren's Summer Reading Program. collecting for next year.” to it. A woman overheard Davis and All because of $20 his mother talking about the project Friends with When Ed and Sharon Groff while they were shopping for toys, the Weather came home to Peace Church and gave $10. A friend heard about it “To be a human is to live in a of the Brethren in Portland, via social media and gave almost $100 world of fear, grief, injustice, and Ore., they couldn’t wait to tell us worth of toys. disillusionment,” writes Chris Good, about a “reverse offering” at Madison Davis’ mom is involved with the explaining the genesis of a new proj- Avenue Church of the Brethren in Ronan Thompson Foundation, founded ect by a trio of musicians well known York, Pa. On a Sunday shortly thereaf- by Ronan’s family after he died of can- for their work in Mutual Kumquat. ter, our offering plates were filled cer at age 3. May 12, Ronan’s birthday, is “How do we learn and grow in those with envelopes containing $20 each, designated as Ronan’s Day of Love, and challenging times, and strive to be and instead of putting money into the people are encouraged to do random sources of love, hope, passion, and plate, each person took an envelope— acts of kindness in his honor—and to do vision? The weather inevitably comes including the children. them with pizazz. Davis’ mom chose at us every day. How do we choose We were encouraged to use the this day to deliver the toys. to live amidst the unpredictability of $20 to help someone in need. How They loaded the car, squeezed Davis’ the storms and the sunny skies?” that happened was up to the individ- red wagon in, and headed to Randall Friends with the Weather founders ual. When his mother explained the Children’s Hospital. When they arrived, are Seth Hendricks, pastor at Happy purpose of the $20, 5-year-old Davis Davis loaded his wagon with toys and Corner Church of the Brethren, Engle- said, “I want to buy toys for children pulled it through the front doors. The wood, Ohio; David Hupp, youth choir who don’t have toys.” They settled on hospital knew they were coming and director and accompanist at Man- a project to give toys to Randall Chil- had a large cart waiting. It took several chester Church of the Brethren and dren’s Hospital. wagon loads to empty the car and fill adjunct music professor at Manchester People from the congregation up the cart. Davis provided a narrative University in Indiana; and Chris Good, heard of Davis’ project and about the toys to the hospital staff. He a member at Manchester living in Ann contributed their reverse offering told how My Little Pony dolls aren’t real, but they’re fun to play with. He Arbor, Mich. The project also involves said which car was his favorite. He told a number of others including produc- why many of the toys were chosen. er/guitarist Seth Bernard of Earthwork The hospital staff were amazed, Music Collective, bassist Brennan and a lot of children received toys to Andes (The Macpodz), drummer play with—all because a little boy got Julian Allen (Theo Katzman, Michelle $20 dollars to spend on someone Chamuel), and singers Lindsay Lou else.