(Pictured left to right:  Elena Nussbaum, Zion Mennonite Church, Elbing, KS; Rachel Epp Miller, San Antonio Mennonite Church, TX; Richard Gehring, Manhattan Mennonite Church, KS; Roberto Elizarraraz, Communidad de Vida and San Antonio Mennonite Church, TX; Jenny Castro, San Antonio Mennonite Church, TX; Rene Ford,  San Antonio Mennonite Church, TX.  Photo credit:  Western District Conference)

Almost 70 participants from across the Western District Conference participated in the two and a half day Damascus Road Anti-Racism Training hosted by Shalom Mennonite Church, February 16-18. Groups came from churches, colleges, MCC Central States, Etcetera Shop, and other organizations.

The training focused on developing a common understanding of racism, not only at the personal and visible level, but at levels hidden in our history, our institutions, and our cultural practices. Racism was defined as race prejudice plus the systemic misuse of power to receive more benefits and privileges for one group to the disadvantage of other racial groups.

We looked at the painful history of the colonizing of North America in which European settlers claimed a right as the new Christian Israel to dispossess the indigenous nations of their lands using Scriptures like Psalm 2:8, “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” When some Native Americans became Christians, new rationale for supporting the dispossession and genocide of Native Americans moved to white superiority. Similar thinking created rationale for 280 years of legalized slavery for African Americans followed by a 100 years of segregation followed by more subtle expressions of racist oppression.

Tears were shed as persons shared stories of discrimination and oppression. Trainers challenged the organizations represented to evaluate their practices for less visible forms of oppression connected to race identity and to proactively change their ways of being and acting that recognizes and honors the image of God in each person.

Kanagy described the reality of Mennonite Church USA. We are diminishing. We are aging. Thirty percent of our members are age 18-45 which is even less than mainline denominations. We are highly educated. Very few Anglo church members share their faith or invite others to church. Which led to this startling question from Kanagy, “What if the Spirit of God is dismantling the church for the sake of the world God so deeply loves?” He noted that Israel was created and called to bring God’s shalom blessings to the nations (Genesis 12:1-3; Psalm 67), Instead of worshiping God in the temple, they worshiped the temple, its traditions and its songs.Their failure led to the dismantling of exile in Babylon. However, whatever our failure God’s mission will not be thwarted.

Kanagy exhorted seminar participants to pray God’s salvation shalom on their neighbors. “We need to pray ourselves to the heart of God’s love and God’s love for the world.” He noted that the Mennonite church in the global south is growing at a phenomenal rate. The character of the church in the global south reminds him most of 16th century Anabaptism – orthodox in belief, conservative in moral commitments, pentecostal in spirituality, and holistic in mission. Again and again Kanagy returned to the theme of being open to the transformation of the Holy Spirit and obediently following the Spirit into the world with the good news of Jesus. Kanagy cited parallels with the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2 which was known for abundant good works but had lost their first love for Jesus. “We need to passionately follow Jesus and clearly claim and proclaim that Jesus is the way to the heart of God.”

Kanagy’s sermon from the combined worship service on Sunday, February 12, can be heard at http://edenmennonite.org/Worship/Sermons_and_Scripture.

A web-based Conference Resource Library Catalog! 

Find it at:  http://mennowdc.booksys.net/opac/crl/index.html?mode=start#menuHome

Or go to Western District Conference’s website:  http://mennowdc.org/library/catalog/, and click on the Online Library Catalog.

It’s full of patron-friendly features that will serve our congregations better than ever.  Open up each tab, click on the red links, explore!  If you are a registered library patron, you may now interact with your own Library Record.

First, you need your PIN.  It is the number on your yellow library card.  Don’t have one?  Left it in the laundry?  Cat ate it?  No worries – we can look up your PIN for you.  Once you Log on with your PIN in BOTH spaces, you may review which items you have checked out, when they are due, renew them, or make reserves.  You can also fill a “book bag” with items you may want to check out in the future.
If you are not a registered library patron, call, email or stop in to make those arrangements.  We offer FREE library cards to regular attenders of Mennonite congregations in Western District Conference, Central Plains Mennonite Conference and South Central Mennonite Conference.  If you would like a card, but are not a member of one of these churches, a small annual fee of $25 / person and $40 / family will be charged.  Congregations can become members by paying a $1/per attendee/per year fee.

This Library software upgrade was funded by Vision 2012 funds, and approved by the WDC Resource Commission.

Questions may be directed to Marlene Bogard, Library Director, 316-283-6300, crlib@mennowdc.org.