Season of change at DOOR

Andrea Sawyer Kirksey the new DOOR Interim Executive Director. Photo provided by DOOR staff.

By DOOR Staff
Friday, August 4, 2017

​Denver, Colorado (DOOR Network/Mennonite Mission Network) – DOOR is experiencing a season of change. Effective August 31, 2017, Glenn Balzer has resigned as DOOR Executive Director. DOOR is sad to lose his leadership after 23 years, but celebrates all that he has given to the organization. DOOR blesses him and wishes him well as he also embraces a season of change.

DOOR is happy to welcome Andrea Sawyer-Kirksey as the Interim Executive Director, effective August 1, 2017. Andrea moves into this role after five years as the Chicago City Director. She brought to DOOR her experience as an educator, justice advocate, and program development professional. She has created curriculum for youth through undergrad and graduate levels dealing with issues of justice, inequality, racism, and poverty. During her time as the Chicago City Director, Andrea shared her passion for Chicago, best summed up by the 2017 program theme of “Chicago: Beautifully Complicated.” She challenged all participants to look beyond the surface of the city and individuals to find the richer stories. Andrea has been particularly passionate about raising up local youth of color to be leaders in DOOR’s Discern program and in Chicago.

DOOR is excited to see how Andrea’s experience and passions will shape the organization and its programs.

In partnership with Mennonite Mission Network and Young Adult Volunteers, DOOR is a faith-based network of cities that provides opportunities for service, learning, and leadership development within the urban context. DOOR is an opportunity to encounter the city through the eyes, ears, and heart of God. We are dedicated to providing high quality, life-changing experiences for our participants, staff, board members, and the people in the communities where we are established. Our programming is rooted in the strength of local churches and communities, mutual respect, a culture of welcome and hospitality, and thoughtful reflection. To learn more about DOOR, visit www.doornetwork.org.

Seeking Peace in Israel Palestine

Click Here to read the Seeking Peace in Israel and Palestine Resolution

At the Mennonite Church USA gathering in Orlando (July 2017), delegates overwhelming affirmed a resolution entitled Seeking Peace in Israel and Palestine. Now it is up to individuals, local congregations, and conferences to live into the resolution.

Below is a letter from Danny Aramouni, a pastoral intern at Reba Place Church in Evanston, IL. Danny provides a starting place, as well as helpful information about legislation that is intended to limit peacemaking efforts. This letter was originally sent to Reba Place Church members. IMC is posting it here with Danny’s permission.

Let us know how your church is living into this resolution!


Dear Reba Place Church family,

As you know, our denomination, Mennonite Church USA, recently overwhelmingly passed a resolution in opposition to both anti-Semitism and the oppressive Israeli military occupation of Palestine. One of the points of the resolution is encouraging our denominational agencies to divest from companies that support the occupation. When we discussed this resolution as a congregation, many of you asked how you could personally make your voices heard against military occupation, and I pointed you to the international boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement to put pressure on Israel to recognize the human rights of Palestinians.

Recently, however, a bill has been introduced in the Senate known as the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, which would make boycott activity in conjunction with an international governmental organization, such as the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), a criminal offense punishable by up to a $1 million fine and 20 years in prison. This is not only counter to human rights–it is also a blatant and unprecedented violation of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech, which includes the right to boycott, as in the early colonial American boycott of British goods and the Montgomery Bus Boycott during the Civil Rights Movement.

I would strongly encourage you to watch the short video (under two minutes) linked below from our Quaker friends at the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) regarding this bill, and then, if you feel led, to use the form they provide below the video to quickly and easily contact your senators and representatives, informing them of your opposition to this bill and support for global human rights. I believe that this is the most consistent action we can take as people of God, whose Kingdom transcends all earthly powers.

Watch AFSC’s video and make your voice heard.

If you are interested in more information concerning the bill, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has a helpful FAQ page about it.

Thank you for your time and support.

Grace and peace in Christ,

Danny Aramouni

RPC Pastoral Intern

All Moved Out (what now?)

The IMC office on 214 S. Sampson in Tremont, IL was closed on July 1, 2017. Holly and I are now working out of our home offices in Tremont and Morton respectively. What does this mean for you?

  • Our mail box hasn’t changed. Send all correspondence and contributions to PO Box 3, Tremont, IL 61568
  • To reach Holly Mason, or for all general questions, call (309) 340 – 4503.
  • To reach CEM, Michael Danner, call (309) 992-8000

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you engage the conference moving forward.

  • If Holly or Michael do not answer please leave a clear message. They are attending to other conference related business. They will get back to you as soon as possible.
  • If your call is urgent, please state that in your message! 
  • If the purpose of your call is not urgent or confidential and can be put in an email or text please do so. It is sometimes quicker for them to respond in those formats.
  • Michael and Holly are not in the same physical location. You can’t call one to reach the other.
  • Michael and Holly meet weekly in person and check in daily via #slack, email, and phone. 
  • The IMC office is “open” Mon. – Fri. 10am – 3 pm.
  • If you are calling outside of those hours please call Michael’s number. This is especially true on Friday afternoon through the weekend. 
  • The online IMC directory is the quickest way to find basic contact information for pastors, congregations, IMC leaders, and MC USA related organizations. If you can’t find what you need there, please call, we’re glad to help. 

Following these simple guidelines will help you communicate with the IMC staff most effectively.  It will help us work more efficiently as we respond to a variety of needs – both planned and emerging.

We appreciate your patience as we live into this new work approach.  If you have suggestions for improving communication throughout the conference, please send them to imcinfo@mennonite.net.

2017-2018 Online Directory

Pastors and Leaders,
It is time for the annual update of the IMC Directory and the Ministerial Leadership Database. This not only updates the IMC Directory and
Ministerial Database for U.S. and Canada, but also provides the content for the Mennonite Church USA directory.
If you can send me any updates I will be sure to post the new updates on the Ministerial Leadership Database.
CONGREGATIONS – please be sure to send me your membership totals (congregational members).
PASTORS – please update not only the church section but pastor information as well.
You can access the IMC Directory directly on our website. I try to make changes to that directory frequently the link is:
https://illinoismennonite.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2017-2018-Directory.pdf
   It may be easier just to copy and paste the information from the directory into an email, make the necessary changes and email them to me.
Please check your information in this directory and let me know if any changes need to be made, or if it is ok the way it is. I look forward to
hearing from you. These changes need to be sent to me by no later than August 3.
If no corrections are needed please just replying saying all information is correct.

Blessings,
Holly Mason, Executive Assistant

hmason@mennonite.net, 309-340-4503

Church Spotlight: Cazenovia Mennonite Church

The following is a snapshot of congregational life at Cazenovia Mennonite Church of Cazenovia, IL  provided by Susie Jauch. If you would like more information on news shared here, please contact the congregation directly. We’re sure they’d love to hear from you.

_______________________________________________________________________

 Cazenovia
Father’s Day, June 18, we worshiped at the Washburn Park. We had a potluck meal followed by a ballgame. It was a very pleasant day and we all enjoyed the fellowship.
Bible School was held the week of June 12-16. The theme this year was “Raindrops to Rainbows” All of the stories were weather related. The attendance was 72 children along with many teachers and helpers. The donation of $600.00 was sent to Kenya for famine relief. Our thanks to all the people who made this program a success.
A total of $3,568.00 was donated to our camp fund. We were able to send ten children to Camp Menno Haven, and we had enough left over to send $800.00 to Arizona to help send Native American children to a similar camp there.
The Mission Talk Force sent the following donations: $1,000.00 to Justin and Codee Delagrange to Ecuador: $1,000.00 to Jon and Lindsay Birkey in Arizona and $750.00 to Tanzania orphanage which Marli Kennell works with in Asia.
Doug Hicks presented the morning message on July 7. His text was Romans 6, focusing on being slaves to God, not sin.

Important Events

Births
Isabel Ann to Derrek and Kelly Kennell on May 24

Anniversaries
Kelly & Derrek Kennell, 10, June 9; Dennis & Nelda Kennell, 35, June 19

 

Sonido de Alabanza

Progreso de hoy: ya vemos la pared del oeste con las formas de las grandes ventanas y la puerta.

Progress Today: we see the west wall with the shapes of the big windows and the door.