| Memo to Pastors May 1998 |
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Are We Becoming Catholics?
In January, I spent several days at pastors’ week at the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary where the theme was rituals. We have just released the Minister’s Manual. The author is known for having an appreciation for our Catholic roots. Many of our current rituals of worship have been borrowed from the Catholic tradition. We publish regular Advent and Lent materials with Mennonite Board of Congregational Ministry’s leadership; we increasingly use the biblical lectionary readings to plan our worship. Someone recently told me that our denomination is going through a veritable stage of papal envy.
Several weeks ago I queried one of our book authors about an assignment, and I was told that I should first know something. Long pause and always somewhat of a worrisome time: what’s coming next? Some termination, adultery, or a new sexual orientation? The author said that he was contemplating joining the Roman Catholic Church. Some of our Anabaptist theologians have been discovering the Benedictine origins of Michael Sattler.
So are we becoming Catholic? I hope so in the sense of becoming truer and having a higher respect for the church tradition. The Roman Catholic Church has been a strong influence in maintaining some divine autonomy from the reigning secular passions of the decades. I have respected the Catholic Church for being pro-life at birth, affirming traditional sexual norms, upholding monogamous marriage, and upholding Christian doctrine. Although I do not agree with all Roman Catholic beliefs, I respect its teaching office in being less swayed by secular trends than liberal Protestants who have neither the papal office nor much authority of Scripture to guide them.
But we will not become Roman Catholics. Many in our denomination have little interest in traditional Catholicism but have picked up elements of the liberationist streams at the edges of Catholicism. Others recall healthy encounters with Catholicism through the charismatic movement. We’ll remain cafeteria Catholics who pick and choose certain parts of Catholicism that help us to be more authentically Christian in our own denominational stream. We have a long history of interacting with various Christian traditions (Catholic, conservative or liberal Protestantism to name a few) in the 20th century. Our publications will reflect some of that interaction.
Levi Miller
Jubilee: God's Good News
Jubilee Update for Spring/Summer 1998 gives pastors, teachers, and nurture leaders information about the spring, summer, and fall quarters. Available for the summer quarter is a worship/education guide for congregations, titled "God Gives Good Gifts." This resource offers suggestions for integrating whole-group worship with what your children are studying in Sunday school. It includes hymns, sermon ideas for each Jubilee session, along with response activities for children, youth, and adults. This resource expands the broadly graded teacher’s guide. Buy one copy of the worship/education guide and make as many copies as you need for use throughout your church. Price: $4.95 US; $7.10 Canada.
Three New Ministerial Certificates Available
A Mennonite Polity for Ministerial Leadership, adopted in 1995 by the General Conference Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Church, recognizes three ministerial credentials. They are: 1. License Toward Ordination; 2. Ordination; and 3. License/Commission for Specific Ministry. In the integrated Mennonite Church, these ministerial credentials are granted and maintained by the area conferences within which the minister is accountable and for whom responsibility is exercised.
Herald Press in cooperation with the Ministerial Leadership Office and Faith & Life Press created certificates to support each credential. Each person credentialed by the area conference receives the certificate appropriate to the assignment for ministry.
Certificate of Ordination
This certificate is granted to pastors, overseers, conference ministers, bishops, chaplains, evangelists, those serving in the denominational department of ministerial leadership, and those determined to have continuing, representational, ministerial leadership role in and on behalf of the church. 8314 $29.99 US; $42.75 Canada
Certificate of License/Commission For Specific Ministry
This certificate is granted to those who have a specific ministry assignment and/or a term of service. During the duration of this certificate, the minister is granted all of the privileges and responsibilities of the ordained except the authority to ordain another person. 8315 $29.99 US; $42.75 Canada
Certificate of License Toward Ordination
This certificate is granted for a two-year period for the purpose of discerning ministerial leadership gifts, abilities, and aptitude. During this time, the minister is granted all of the privileges and responsibilities of the ordained except the authority to ordain another person. This certificate may be renewed for one additional two-year term. 8316 $29.99 US; $42.75 Canada
Each certificate (11 x 8.5) carries a unique design appropriate to the credential, suitable for framing and display. Certificates are perforated and bound into units of twenty-five each. The certificate, when completed by the area conference ministerial committee, is given to the person who has been granted the credential. The certificate stub allows the ministerial leadership committee to record the action taken, by whom, and for whom as well as important factual details.
Venture Club Newsletter
Call the Herald Press toll-free order line (1-800-245-7894) and ask for the Venture Club newsletter for the Yellow Year, which is currently being used. Or send and email requesting the newsletter to
mailto: info@mph.orgFood for the Body and Soul
Miriam’s Cookbook by Carrie Bender.
Joy Dunn Keenan, illustrator.
Welcome to Miriam’s kitchen, glowing with the warmth of Amish family life. Thousands of readers have been touched by the simple, strong faith of an Amish housewife in the Miriam’s Journal series. Now join Miriam in her kitchen as she prepares the tasty, hearty meals of Amish everyday life—and the special recipes for life’s celebrations.
Miriam’s Cookbook is a collection of recipes interspersed with quotes from books in the Miriam’s Journal and Whispering Brook series. Here you will find food for the body and soul.
"Bender’s writing is sheer poetry. It leads readers to ponder the intimate relationship of people and nature."
—Library Journal.
Spiral, 112 pages, $9.99; in Canada $14.25.
In the May Builder
Rose Mary Stutzman opens her children’s column with the following comment on Israel and children’s education: "Kathleen Kern’s lead article about Israel and Christian Zionism raises several questions for children’s educators. Do the children we teach clearly understand factual matters relating to Israel and Judaism? How can we present Christian teachings in ways that respect and value Jewish people? How do we teach compassion for all people? " Read more in the May Builder. Find:
- a reprint from MennoLink "Blessing Israel?"
- a Jewish holiday calendar and;
- an explanation of the meaning of holidays.
Available in general edition for all congregational leaders and in Uniform Series edition for your adult Sunday school teachers.
Purpose
Stewardship themes carried on the May 3 (Stewardship Sunday) include "If Only I Had the Money," a story of how an adult son faced the loss of earnings for two days in order to meet a need of his elderly parents. "Birthday Pie," the story of a husband who baked his wife a cake on her birthday, is included since this Sunday begins National Family Week.
On May 17, a well-known Mennonite marriage counselor explores the impact of divorce on family life in "Reflections on Divorce". "Thankfulness Helped My Hurt" describes how God was able to use a woman’s childhood tragedy to help a student through his difficulty.
On May 31, Pentecost Sunday, "Messengers of the Message" suggests that each believer receives from the Holy Spirit a specific message to bear. Christians should receive it and relay it faithfully.
Five Peace and Justice Bulletins for Summer
A special five-week peace and justice series will be included in the church bulletins for June 21-July 19. The writer is Regina Shands Stoltzfus, Cleveland, Ohio, who works with these issues. Congregations may wish to plan a special series during this time. Contact Susan Mark Landis, minister of peace and justice of the Mennonite Church, at PO Box 173, Orrville, OH 44667; phone: 330 683-0976.