Meet David Miller

David is combining his current duties as a teaching associate with the Church Leadership Center’s Journey program at AMBS with serving part time as IMC’s conference minister. Previously, David had been an Associate Professor of Missional Leadership Development at AMBS since 2009. He has pastored churches in Goshen, Indiana, in State College, Pennsylvania, and taught Bible, Theology, and Pastoral Ministry at Hesston College. He and his wife, Mary (Orrville, Ohio) live in Elkhart, Indiana and attend Prairie Street Mennonite Church. Together they are the parents of four adult children and grandparents to four grandchildren.

“I grew up in southeast Pennsylvania, the younger of two sons, in a Christian family that was deeply involved in the life and witness of St. Stephens United Church of Christ. From upper elementary school through high school I struggled significantly with the meaning of Christian faith and faithfulness particularly with relation to questions of violence. While I graduated from high school shortly after the draft for the Vietnam War had ended, struggling with the question of what I would do in response to the draft was a deep question. I had experienced from an early age a sense of call to ministry and began college saying I was preparing either to go into medicine or pastoral ministry.  Interestingly, while I had grown up near the center of Franconia Mennonite Conference, I new little of the beliefs and convictions of the Mennonite Church at that time. Most of my friends who were Mennonite left the public schools when then began high school to go to Christopher Dock and with their departure I largely lost contact with them.

Halfway through college, I transferred into Goshen College through a friendship. It was here that I learned about Anabaptism and the history of the Mennonite Church. I often describe my years at GC as a spiritual homecoming, providing me the opportunity to observe and become immersed in a Christian tradition that had nearly five centuries of experience examining the questions that I had so struggled with.  I no longer felt that I had to make a choice between following Jesus and being a member of a Christian church. 

It was at GC that I met Mary Kathryn Schmid, while living in a household that was exploring the meaning and shape of Christian community. We became active at East Goshen Mennonite Church as students. We were married in 1978 and soon became the MYF sponsors It was during this time that I was approached by the pastor and elders to see if I experienced an inner call to pastoral ministry, as they saw in me an outward call to ministry. This congregation became a vital part of my Christian formation, healing and finally call to ministry.” 

Work/Ministry Experience:

  • 1980 – 81 – Youth Convention Coordinator, Bowling Green 81 Mennonite Youth Convention
  • 1982 – 1985 – Assistant to the Pastor at East Goshen Mennonite Church
  • 1984-1985 – Youth Convention Coordinator for Ames 85 Mennonite Church Youth Convention
  • 1985 – 1988 – Director of Voluntary Service, Mennonite Board of Missions
  • 1988 – 1993 – Co-Pastor East Goshen Mennonite Church
  • 1993 – 1997 – Instructor in Bible, Theology and Pastoral Ministry at Hesston College
  • 1997 – 2009 – Pastor of University Mennonite Church, State College, PA.
  • 2009 – 2018 – Associate Professor of Missional Leadership Development at AMBS
  • 2018 – Present – Teaching associate with the Church Leadership Center at AMBS

Education

  • BA in Natural Science, Minor: Communication. Goshen College, 1979.
  • MDiv in Pastoral Ministry. AMBS 1993.
  • D.Min. in Gospel & Culture, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GA, 2006.

Additional Roles of Service

  • Founding Board member – Bridgework Theater, Goshen, IN 1980 – 1985.
  • Men Stopping Violence Against Women Conference, 1992.
  • Founding board member of the Interfaith and Community Coalition Against Violence and Prejudice, State College, Pa 1999 – 2003
  • Founder of the Centre Community Peace Team – A nonviolent riot prevention team. 2000 – 2006
  • Congregational Overseer in Allegheny Mennonite Conference, 2004 – 2009, 
  • Christian Peacemaker Team Delegation to Israel and the West Bank, Fall 2005.
  • Member of the church wide Panel for Sexual Abuse Prevention of MCUSA 2016-2018.
  • Steering Committee member of Seeking the Beloved Community – a movement among Christian brothers in Elkhart to work at racial reconciliation and justice (2015 – present)

Stay Connected to IMC!

Transitions within IMC staffing mean there are questions about communication. We want to ensure that you have your questions answered and needs met as effectively and efficiently as possible.

  • For general questions, comments, concerns, and/or financial questions, please call (309) 340-4503 or email imcinfo@mennonite.net
  • To contact CEM, David Miller, call (574) 296-6246, text (814) 360-0591 or email at dbmiller@ambs.edu
  • To contact ACM, Martin Navarro, call or text (773) 957-7951 or email at mnavarroimc@gmail.com
  • To contact moderator, Darrel Miller, call (309) 261-8668 or (309)563-4495 or email at dlmiller@frontier.net

We also use various channels to communicate the ongoing mission and activities of IMC and items of interest from MC USA. They are…

  • www.illinoismennonite.com
  • facebook.com/illinoismennconf
  • instagram.com/illinoismennonite
  • twitter.com/illinoismenno

The more you engage these communication channels, the more you will know about opportunities within IMC.

Initial Healthy Boundaries 101 Trainings Complete

Normal, IL – On Thursday, March 8, over twenty IMC pastors gathered for Healthy Boundaries 101 training. This was the last of four training events offered by IMC following the implementation of a policy requiring all active IMC pastors to have healthy boundary training.

Pastors from across Central Illinois discussed the difference between boundary crossing – which is necessary for healthy and effective pastoral ministry – and boundary violations – which are harmful to those pastors serve. The pastors also explored diverse topics such as appropriate touch, dual relationships, gifts, transference and self-care.

This training is part of IMC’s commitment to ensuring our pastors are healthy and well-supported in their ministry. IMC is committed to healthy pastors in healthy congregations.

If you are a congregational leader, please do all you can to create space for your pastor to engage in healthy self-care through having well-defined, reasonable expectations for pastoral ministry. Each pastor is responsible for maintaining their health and vitality in ministry. Each congregation is responsible for making that possible. If you need assistance with job descriptions, covenants of understanding, salary guidelines, or assistance with pastor/congregational relationships, please contact Conference Executive Minister, Michael Danner at michaeldanner@mennonite.net

First Impressions: Connecting your congregation and community in the digital age!

Click Here to Register

 

Click here for an event flyer suitable for printing/posting

 

Click here for a printable registration flyer

 

People used to form a first impression of your church when they walked through the doors on Sunday morning. Now they do it with a google search. What they discover about your church on the web will form their first impression of your church.

Will they encounter a clear and consistent message? Will they be able to sense the kind of community you are by what they see, read, and hear?

There are incredible, affordable – and even free – communication tools waiting to be used by local congregations to make an accurate first impression.

This one-day workshop will help you…

  • Sharpen your church’s core message
  • Evaluate which online communication tools fit your resources and capacity
  • Plan to communicate your core message effectively

Dustin Wyse-Fisher PRESENTER: Dustin Wyse-Fisher is an educator and designer in central Illinois. He spends most of his time teaching graphic design and multimedia at an area community college. For more than a decade, he has worked as a freelance designer and printer, most recently overseeing web services at a small liberal arts college managing all aspects of the college’s online presence.

When: Saturday, May 12, 2018 from 9 am – 3 pm

Where: Roanoke Mennonite Church, Eureka, IL

Cost: $35 per person including lunch, snacks, etc.

Use links above to register or get printable posters and registration flyers!

Healthy Boundaries 101 Training Continues

Chicago, IL – On February 1, 2018, seven IMC pastors gathered at Living Water Community Church for healthy boundaries 101 training.  Pastor Kristin Jackson, certified training through FaithTrust Institute and pastor of Living Water, led the training.

This marks the third HB 101 training since the IMC Church Life Team instituted a new policy requiring all IMC credentialed pastors, who are active in ministry, to complete this training. There will be one more training (March 8 at the Mennonite Church of Normal) prior to the June 1, 2018, deadline for completing this training.

The purpose of the training is to provide an introduction to healthy boundaries in ministry. The training covers topics such as;

  • Boundary Basics for Clergy
  • Dating, Friends, Dual Relationships, and Gifts
  • The Pulpit, Transference, Touch, and Intimacy
  • Preserving Boundaries through Personal and Professional Health

Of the 67 credentialed persons who are required, under the policy, to complete the training, 39 have taken the training, 15 are scheduled to take the training on March 8, and 4 have provided proof of similar content training in another professional capacity (chaplains, counselors, etc.). If you are not doing the math, 58 of 67 credentialed leaders have completed the training.  We have had two persons complete the training that are not credentialed but wanted to learn the content and one pastor from another conference.

IMC partners with neighboring conferences who offer the same training through a certified trainer. Pastors are required to take advanced boundary training every three years.

If you would like your Elders, Board, or Pastor/Congregation Relationship Committee to take this training, please contact Michael Danner. He has led a shortened version of the training, called Taking it Home, in one congregation and is open to doing this in others.  You can take advantage of Michael’s presence in your congregation on a Sunday morning, to provide this training during Sunday school or in a special session during or after lunch. 

Hillary Watson Affirmed for Ordination

Lombard, IL – On Tuesday, January 23 the Church Life Team (CLT) of Illinois Mennonite Conference (IMC) affirmed Hillary Watson, associate pastor at Lombard Mennonite Church, for the credential of ordination. Hillary is now an ordained minister within Illinois Mennonite Conference and Mennonite Church USA.

L to R – Anne Munley, Doug Roth, Michael Danner, Hillary Watson, Curt Fenton, and Melissa Bietler

Hillary’s ordination is the culmination of a 4-year process. During the last four years, Hillary was active in ministry. Her call was tested and her gifts were demonstrated in the church community. Her call was confirmed and her gifts were affirmed.

Ordination candidates prepare a written response to questions about their faith, theology, spiritual disciplines, leadership, and Anabaptist witness. The candidates responses serve as the basis for the interview. The CLT reports joy in reading Hillary’s writing and engaging her in substantive discussions sparked by her journey.

Michael Danner, of IMC, says, “I look forward to seeing how God will continue to use Hillary’s gifts and passion for others in ministry.”  Please pray for Hillary as she lives into this calling. A celebration is being planned by leaders at Lombard Mennonite Church.

The IMC Church Life Team consists of Anne Munley, Doug Roth (chair), Charlotte Lehman (absent for this interview), and Curt Fenton. Michael Danner, Conference Executive Minister, also participates in credentialing interviews.

To learn more about the ordination process and what ordination means within an Anabaptist/Mennonite context, read A Shared Understanding of Ministerial Leadership, available at mennomedia.com

Entrepreneurial Pastors Needed!

by Michael Danner via michaeldanner.net

I hear this all the time.

“Churches need entrepreneurial pastors.”

I never knew what to think about that – until I read Seth Godin’s January 16, 2018 post “The four elements of entrepreneurship”.

Like most of Seth’s work, that post was brief, to the point, and helpful. In that post, Seth talked about four things people do when they are acting like entrepreneurs.

1. They make decisions.

2. They invest in activities and assets that aren’t a sure thing.

3. They persuade others to support a mission with a non-guaranteed outcome.

4. This one is the most amorphous, the most difficult to pin down and thus the juiciest: They embrace (instead of run from) the work of doing things that might not work.

If that is what people mean when they say, “The church needs entrepreneurial pastors!” I’m all in.  The church in post-Christendom America definitely needs…

  1. Pastors who make decisions (especially hard decisions no one else wants to make)!
  2. Pastors that are willing to invest in activities and assets that aren’t a sure thing – especially people.
  3. Pastors that persuade others to support (and participate in) a mission where the outcome is unclear and not guaranteed.
  4. Pastors that embrace the “work of doing things that might not work.”

Pastor,  do those four activities describe what you do as you lead your congregations?

IMC Annual Business Meeting on February 17, 2018

On Saturday, February 17, 2018 the Delegate body of Illinois Mennonite Conference (IMC) will meet at Metamora Mennonite Church, Metamora, IL for a newly formatted annual business meeting.

This is the primary business meeting of the conference for the year. This meeting replaces the business portion of the Annual Assembly (a second gathering will take place October 19 and 20, 2018  at Sonida de Alabanza for the purpose of worship and equipping).

At the IMC business meeting, our goals are to approve the 2018 – 2019 IMC budget, to consider a change to the work of the Financial Advisory Team, and to discern the strategic direction of IMC.  It is possible we will add additional agenda items, or refine goals stated above. A full agenda will be sent to all congregations, pastors, and registered delegates two weeks prior to the meeting.

To register, please email hmason@mennonite.net. Let her know how many delegates will be attending from the congregation. There is no registration fee for this event. It’s our desire to ensure that every congregation can participate fully, regardless of economic resources. Your RSVP is helpful in planning.

Each congregation is allowed to send 5 delegates to this meeting, in addition to any credentialed pastors in your congregation.

In order to make the best decisions possible for the future of IMC, it is important to have as many participants as possible.

Details:

  • We will begin at 9 am and conclude no later than 4 pm.
  • There will be snacks throughout the day, opportunities to get to know others at table groups, and lunch.
  • There is no registration fee for this event.
  • A love offering will be collected to help cover the expenses for lunch and snacks.
  • Please RSVP to Holly Mason at hmason@mennonite.net

 

Downstate Pastors Engage Opioid Addiction

There is an opioid epidemic in Central Illinois. It is tempting to believe it is “out there”, in the world, and not “in here”, in the church. However, the experiences of those in our congregations indicate that those in the church are not immune from addiction and its impacts. How do we engage in ministry with and alongside those who are impacted by opioid addiction?

The first step is equipping our pastors and church leaders; providing them with good information so that they can engage those in their communities well. That will be our focus at the December 14 Downstate Pastor Peer group.

Our guest speaker is Chris Schaffner, an addiction recovery specialist who works in the area of opioid addiction. Chris is also a youth pastor, author, and conference speaker. Currently, Chris works at educating people (churches, civic groups, schools, etc.) with how best to respond to opioid addiction and how to prevent death by opioid overdose. You can explore Chris’s ministry at conversationsonthefringe.com

Pastor Peer groups are monthly meetings for area pastors for the purpose of worship, equipping, prayer, support, and relationship building. The first Thursday of every month, Chicago area pastors gather for their group. The downstate pastor peer happens the second Thursday of every month at the Mennonite Church of Normal.  This is the primary meeting that provides relational accountability to IMC pastors and leaders.

Debra Sutter is ordained at First Mennonite Church of Champaign-Urbana

Debra Sutter was ordained on November 17, 2017

From left to right: Doug Roth (Chair of the Church Life Team of Illinois Mennonite Conference), Doug Luginbill, Debra Sutter and Deb’s husband Tom Sutter.

From left to right: Doug Luginbill, Michael Crosby, Debra Sutter, Jane Roeschley, Doug Roth.

From left to right: Jane Roeschley and Debra Sutter. (Jane Roeschley served as Deb’s mentor and preached the sermon entitled, “God’s Heart; A Hymn” based on Philippians 1:1-9 and John 15:9-17)

Laying on of hands.