Help offered for church conflicts
Leaders of churches that sometimes experience turmoil and disagreements—all church leaders, basically—can benefit from a hybrid course at Eastern Mennonite University, offered on four weekends this fall. The course combines teachings from EMU’s conflict transformation program and its seminary.
“Managing Congregational Conflict” was a lynchpin course for Barbara Robbins, a 2011 graduate of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP).
“I am a congregational consultant for Virginia Baptist Network,” she said. “I provide coaching and guidance for congregations in conflict, as well as helping congregations work with reorganization and strategic planning.
“The course was the perfect blend of theory and practice,” said Robbins. “I am able to apply projects from that class directly into congregational settings.”
“Managing Congregational Conflict” is open to students in both EMU’s CJP program and to Eastern Mennonite Seminary students, as well as to community members or others who are interested in the topic.
“I entered the CJP program as a mid-life student seeking to fine-tune what I already know and enhance what I was already doing,” said Robbins. “This course brought together the strong foundation in organization studies that CJP brings, into a life application I was interested in.”
Mike Metzler, ’09 grad, took the class while in seminary. “I learned that conflict is an opportunity for change. Conflict is still scary but framing it as an opportunity allows me to move towards conflict with some excitement as well.
“This is one of my top three courses from my master of divinity studies at EMS,” added Metzler, associate pastor at Mountville (Pa.) Mennonite Church. “It builds on the foundational classes in ways that transform the students as well as impacting the congregations in which they are called to serve.”
The course focuses on congregations both as family systems and organizational systems. It also works with the ideas of forgiveness and the theology of forgiveness in congregations.
David Brubaker, PhD, associate professor of organizational studies at CJP, and Mary Thiessen Nation, PhD, adjunct instructor for EMS, co-teach the course.
The course will run Friday 6-9 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. beginning the weekend of Sept. 23-24, and continuing one weekend every month through December.
EMS and CJP collaborate on a number of courses. The two graduate programs offer several courses as options for a graduate certificate in theology for peacebuilding or a dual master of divinity and master of arts in conflict transformation degree.
Seminary grad’s book champions love feast
When Paul Fike Stutzman began writing his master’s thesis at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, he soon realized he had more material than the 80-120 page project required.
After a year of writing, his 237-page thesis was turned in, but Stutzman still had more to write. The result: a 294-page book titled, “Recovering the Love Feast: Broadening our Eucharistic Celebrations,” published January 1, 2011 by Wipf and Stock.
The Love Feast is a church ritual practiced by the Church of the Brethren, Stutzman’s denomination. It includes footwashing, a meal and communion and usually happens during Passion Week. It is intended to imitate the disciples’ last supper with Jesus as described in the Bible in John 13.
Stutzman’s book details the history of the Love Feast, beginning with its early practice, its gradual decline, and finally its reemergence in Anabaptist and Pietist groups.
“The love feast is a valuable Christian practice for all denominations today,” Stutzman argues in his book.
“My hope is that this book will help Christians from a broad range of backgrounds to learn about the historical Love Feast and to consider ways in which they might celebrate it today, focusing on the themes of submission, love, confession, reconciliation and thanksgiving,” Stutzman continued.
Eleanor Kreider, noted author and theologian writing in the book’s foreword, said: “I am convinced that the full-orbed Love Feast which draws the five themes together carries potential for genuine renewal.”
In addition to his thesis material, the book contains two entirely new chapters as well as revisions and additions. He has also started a blog at thelovefeast.wordpress.com to invite people to share their experiences of the love feast in a variety of traditions.
“I have been excited to discover examples of the Love Feast being celebrated by Presbyterians, Pentecostals, emerging churches and others,” said Stutzman. “I think the Brethren can learn from those who are experimenting with new expressions of Love Feast, just as we in turn can share our 300-year experience with them.”
Stutzman is a licensed minister in the Church of the Brethren. He and his wife Karen live in Rocky Mount, Va with their children, Kaylee and Joshua.
He received his master of arts in religion degree from Eastern Mennonite Seminary in 2009.
“Recovering the Love Feast” is available for $32 from Wipf and Stock at www.wipfandstock.com.
Story by Laura Lehman Amstutz
EMU seminary grads ‘anointed’ for minstry
Carl and Becky Van Stavern. Photo by Lindsey Kolb
Eastern Mennonite Seminary graduates Carl and Becky Van Stavern have spent the last three years juggling seminary and eight churches. Carl had five United Methodist congregations and Becky had three. Becky also finished her undergraduate degree online from Bluefield State College during that time. They drove three hours to EMS from their home in Weston, W.Va.
The Van Staverns were among 21 students to receive master of divinity degrees from Eastern Mennonite Seminary Saturday afternoon, Apr. 30. Two students received master of arts in church leadership degrees, one received a master of arts in religion degree and three received certificates during the ceremony. George R. Brunk III, dean emeritus and professor emeritus of New Testament at EMS, gave the commencement address titled, “Anointed for Ministry.”
The Van Staverns came to Eastern Mennonite Seminary because they knew seminary alumni Charles and Sharon Miller and Dallas Forren. All three are United Methodist pastors in West Virginia.
“These people have true pastor’s hearts,” said Carl. “They focus on the needs of the people and the community in which they minister. They had a pastoral identity that was created out of the formation program here at EMS.”
“My classes here have helped me become a better listener,” said Becky. “We deal with a lot of low income people who can’t afford to see counselors. We are all they have. Clinical Pastoral Education, pastoral care, healing class, counseling classes and spiritual direction have helped me know how to listen and help these people fight their demons.”
“I have appreciated the biblical focus at EMS,” said Carl. “I learned to understand the context in which the scripture was written and the relationship of that context to today.”
The class of 2011 choose the theme “Called by the Spirit, Sent by the Spirit” as their class theme.
“In ministry, are you anointed or are you appointed?” Dr. Brunk asked the graduates in his address. “Anything worthy of being called Christian ministry must put the priority on anointing – the Spirit empowerment that rests upon you.
“I will affirm on the basis of biblical precedent and on my own observations of life that a deep friendship between the ministering person and the Spirit is high on the list of success factors in ministry,” Brunk told the graduates.
“There is no authentic spiritual experience that is not Spirit experience; there is no genuine spiritual ministry that is not ministry in the Spirit,” he continued.
“As a minister of the Gospel you are accompanied, not abandoned. God has taken the initiative to make the Spirit an actor in our world and in our lives. We don’t so much then need to invoke the Spirit’s presence as to perceive it and conform to it, ” Brunk said.
Story by Laura Lehman Amstutz
Seminary training emphasizes spirit
Where is the Holy Spirit working today? The nearly 200 people attending the annual School for Leadership Training at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Jan. 17-19, 2011, heard Cheryl Bridges Johns, a professor and pastor from Cleveland, Ky, explore the theme, “The Work of the Holy Spirit: Pentecost Remixed.”
Johns, a member of the Wesleyan-Pentecostal faith, spoke about the ongoing work of the Spirit in the world today. Johns preached at Monday evening’s worship service and provided plenary input on Tuesday and Wednesday morning.
“The work of the Holy Spirit has been overlooked in many Christian circles,” said Johns, “or, as in my denomination, it has been pigeon-holed into one or two areas.”
Johns encouraged the participants to think about the feast of Pentecost described in Acts 2 as a continuing and not a one-time event. It occasionally happens in Pentecostal churches today, but, Johns said, “the Holy Spirit doesn’t have to interrupt because it is working daily in the world.
Johns also suggested why Christians sometimes resist the Holy Spirit. “Pentecost is a festival of deconstruction,” she said “We don’t like to lose our individuality and our ability for control. As in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit causes us to lose control.
Part of this loss of control, according to Johns, has to do with speaking in tongues.
“Language is the last hiding place of the self,” she said. “When I give away my language I am exposed.” However, she continued, speaking in tongues is also a redistribution of knowledge.”
“Cheryl helped us see that removing the Spirit from the world has contributed to a divide between the theological academy and congregational life that can create unedifying categories of ‘educated’ and ‘uneducated,’” said Brian Gumm, a student in the seminary and in the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.
“The Spirit acts as the mighty and unpredictable leveler,” Gumm continued. “In the Spirit, professors and peasants together speak with the tongues of angels, joyfully worshiping and serving God in word, song and deed.” Wednesday evening, seminary dean Michael A. King preached at the closing worship session on the topic, “Toward Becoming more Daring in the Spirit.” King described how a mentor encouraged him to live without a map, when he was in the midst of a mid-life crisis in his 40s.
“Your maps, your plans for where and how you’ll go are the essence of responsible functioning. But my mentor encouraged me to give up not only things like plans but even view of self, ways of making sense of life, doctrines locked in as the truth,” said King.
“Living without a map is a way of describing a life guided by the Holy Spirit,” he declared.
King went on to talk about how he learned that this living without a map “sometimes means understanding that God can work through your weaknesses.”
Participants selected from a number of workshops focused on the role of the Holy Spirit in topics ranging from theology and biblical interpretation to the work of the Spirit in the visual and performing arts.
“The diversity of experiences of workshop leaders was wonderful,” said Brian Paff, director of communication at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, Mt. Pleasant, Pa. “The different voices contributed to the conversation on the Holy Spirit’s role in the life of the church.”
“The work of the Spirit was evident in the whole event,” said Maria Paff. “It came out in the worship, the fellowship time, the workshops, the fellowship time and the plenary sessions, and the way each of these things fit together.”
To order CDs and DVDs of School for Leadership Training sessions, contact Learning Resources at Eastern Mennonite University at 540.432.4231 or e-mail kingmg@emu.edu.
Story by Laura Lehman Amstutz
Seminary releases evening, online schedule for spring 2011
Eastern Mennonite Seminary, a graduate school of theological education on the Eastern Mennonite University campus, is offering two evening classes and three online courses during the spring semester, 2011.
• Kevin A. Clark, assistant professor of spiritual formation, will teach “Spiritual Formation for Congregational Discernment” 6:30-9:10 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 11-April 26.
• Dan Garrett, adjunct instructor in United Methodist studies, will teach “Sacramental Theology and Liturgical Practice,” 6:30-9:10 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 11-Apr. 26.
The seminary online courses are:
• “Christ in a Communication Culture: Communicating in Today’s Global, Digital, Relational World,” led by Julie Gochenour, adjunct instructor;
• “Ethics and Nonviolence: Sermon on the Mount” led by N. Gerald Shenk, adjunct instructor; and
• “Anabaptism Today,” led by Mark Thiessen Nation, professor of theology.
These courses begin Jan. 10 and end April 29 and may be taken for academic credit. Registration ends Jan. 10.
For more information, contact the office of seminary admissions, at 540.432.4257, e-mail semadmiss@emu.edu or visit www.emu.edu/seminary.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Seminary offers new online course in communication
“We are most like God because of our ability to communicate,” said Julie Gochenour, instructor of a newly-developed online course in communication offered by Eastern Mennonite Seminary.
“Christ in a Communication Culture: Communicating in Today’s Global, Digital, Relational World” will be taught online the spring semester, which begins Jan. 10, 2011.
“A cultural gap exists between those inside and those outside the church,” Gochenour said. “This course will give those inside the church a window for communicating with those outside.
“Students will learn communication skills and theory from a faith perspective,” said Gochenour. “Good communication is about risk, love and authenticity. Students will learn how use these skills, professionally, appropriately and faithfully.
“Pastors will learn how to use communication to shape organizational culture and more effectively collaborate with other organizations in the community to communicate the message of the church,” she added.
Gochenour is a 2004 EMS graduate. She is writing an interdisciplinary dissertation in the areas of communication and religion at Union Institute and University, an adult distance learning center offering nontraditional degree programs based in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is an adjunct instructor in communication and religion at EMU and James Madison University. She is a partner in Oakleaf Communications, a consulting firm specializing in communication services and new media use for non-profit and faith-based organizations, and has served on the editorial council of the Anabaptist publisher, Cascadia Publishing, for a decade.
To learn more about distance learning through Eastern Mennonite Seminary, or to register for “Christ in a Communication Culture” call the seminary admissions office at 540.432.4257 or email semadmiss@emu.edu.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Seminary offers evening, online classes
Eastern Mennonite Seminary, a graduate school of theological education on the Eastern Mennonite University campus, is offering one evening class and three online courses the fall semester, 2010.
Kevin A. Clark, assistant professor of spiritual formation, will teach “Introduction to Spiritual Guidance” 6:30-9:10 p.m. Tuesdays, Aug. 31- Dec. 7.
The seminary on-line courses are:
• “Old Testament: Text in Context,” led by Dennis Edwards, adjunct instructor;
• “Prayer in the Christian Tradition,” Nate E. Yoder, professor of church history; and
• “Church in Mission,” Linford L. Stutzman, associate professor of culture and mission.
These courses begin Aug. 31 and end Dec. 17 and may be taken for academic credit.
Registration ends Aug. 31. For more information, contact Don A. Yoder, director of seminary admissions, at 540.432.4257 or e-mail semadmiss@emu.edu. More information is also available online at www.emu.edu/seminary.
Story by Jim Bishop. Jim can be reached at bishopj@emu.edu.
EMU student: Gulf cleanup was extension of faith
Eastern Mennonite Seminary student James Åkerson found the two weeks he spent this summer helping with clean up from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico a “natural extension” of his Christian faith.
Åkerson, who is about half way through his program of study at EMS, is a forest ecologist and program director for the National Park Service. Normally he works in insect and disease control and invasive plant management. When he heard about the oil spill and follow-up efforts, he made sure that his disaster response form was up to date. He was asked to leave immediately for Pensacola Beach, Fla.
“I saw my work with beach clean-up as an extension of creation care,” said Åkerson. “It was good for me to be there, because I saw first-hand the impact of my oil use.”
“One thing I learned is that it is my use of oil and demand for plastic that caused this disaster,” he continued. “The best thing for us to do to prevent this kind of thing from happening again is to reduce our own use of oil.”
Åkerson often finds intersection with his work in the Parks Service and his seminary studies. He is a part of the Creation Care group at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church where he attends and recently completed an internship.
“Creation care is something that should never be divorced from faith,” said Åkerson. “It has been our job to care for the earth since creation. Even before the fall described in Genesis, we were called to be stewards of the earth.”
“There is a big difference in treating creation like it is ours and remembering that we are just caring for it for someone else,” Åkerson stated. “I think it’s a wrong sentiment to say that because you own something it is yours. Really, you’re just taking care of it for now.”
Åkerson’s primary duty while on the beach clean-up crew was to make sure that local wildlife was not endangered. In Pensacola, this meant making sure that the birds that nest in the dunes and the sea turtles that lay eggs on the shore weren’t disturbed during the clean-up efforts.
“I had day shift for three days, and I’ve never been so glad to have night shift in my life,” said Åkerson.
“For the clean-up workers the heat and humidity, combined with the clean-up suits they were required to wear meant that we could only work 20-30 minutes out every hour or we would suffer from heat exhaustion,” he said. “I didn’t have to wear the protective clothing but was plenty hot in my long pants and shirts.”
Åkerson is taking several seminary classes each year so he can work them around his job with the parks service.
“Each class I’ve taken is a great tool,” said Åkerson. “I have found joy in my seminary studies, and I enjoy the ministry opportunities I have at Harrisonburg Mennonite and in the local community.
“I have felt a call to ministry since childhood,” he continued. “I have held a long litany of church positions, including teaching, leading Bible study and book keeping. My internship at Harrisonburg Mennonite confirmed that I was on the right road.”
Eastern Mennonite Seminary offers two- and three-year degrees and one-year certificate programs. For more information, contact the office of seminary admissions at 540.432.4257 or by e-mail at semadmiss@emu.edu.
Story by Laura Lehman Amstutz
Eastern Mennonite grad takes on pro-life ethics in new book
“This is a book about killing.” That’s the opening descriptive line in Eastern Mennonite Seminary grad Rob Arner’s new book.
Arner, of Holland, a village in Bucks County, Pa., is a 2007 master of arts in religion graduate of the seminary. His recently-published “Consistently Pro-Life: The Ethics of Bloodshed in Ancient Christianity” is an extension of his master of arts in religion thesis at EMS. The book was chosen for publication by Pickwick Publications, a division of Wipf and Stock.
Arner, who grew up United Methodist, came to EMS hoping to better understand pacifism.
“I chose EMS because I wanted to explore the peace church trajectory as a faithful calling of Christian discipleship,” said Arner.
“During ‘Christian Tradition’ class my first semester, I heard about the Constantinian shift,” he said.
“I learned that one of many changes during this time was that the ancient Christian church changed from being pacifist and opposed to war to embracing violence. This intrigued me, and I began reading the works of the ancient Christian church find out more,” Arner continued.
“A theory began to suggest itself to me—no matter which century in the early church, or which part of the empire, every early Christian author that I encountered denounced human bloodshed in a variety of contexts – from abortion, to killing in war, and everything in between, espousing and living a consistently pro-life ethic.
“In this book I want to challenge both liberal and conservative readers on their assumptions about the taking o f human life,” Arner stated. “The gospel of Jesus is neither liberal nor conservative, and I make the case in this book that the Christians of the first three centuries consistently maintained that ALL killing is incompatible with the teaching and example of Jesus.”
In a review of the book, Mark Thiessen Nation, professor of theology at EMS, said, “No one has reminded us as clearly as Arner, in this compelling and wonderfully written book, that if we are to be true to the substance of the teachings of the Ancient Church, true to the Spirit by which it was animated, then we must recover their commitment to a Consistently Pro-Life theological ethic.”
Arner is currently working on his PhD at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He is also an adjunct instructor at Chestnut Hill College and Eastern Mennnonite Seminary’s Lancaster (PA) campus.
Arner’s 152 page book is available through Wipf and Stock online at wipfandstock.com for $13.60.
Eastern Mennonite Seminary is a graduate school of theological education on the campus of Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va., offering three-, two- and one-year programs of study.
Story by Laura Lehman Amstutz
Let it ‘Shine’
Seminary student releases CD with Christian message
Story by Laura Lehman Amstutz
EMU news: www.emu.edu
Along with writing papers and reading books, first-year Eastern Mennonite Seminary student Jessica Crawford has been busy producing a recording. Her first solo CD, “Shine,” is a mix of acoustic rock and folk with a Christian message.
“Just before entering seminary I completed this really intense season of songwriting,” said Crawford. “The songs on this CD are all connected to my life experience and faith journey I’ve been on.”
Crawford has been involved in music most of her life and started writing songs in 2001. Her mother, Teresa, is an elementary school music teacher. In fifth grade she was a charter member of the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir. She was frequently involved in music at Bridgewater Church of the Brethren and was in the Turner Ashby Singers in high school under the direction of Debbie Wampler. Continue reading “Let it ‘Shine’” »
EMU provides Advent meditations online
Staff Report
EMU news: www.emu.edu
Looking for a boost to focus your thoughts and anticipation during the Advent season?
Eastern Mennonite University is providing a daily meditation on the meaning of Advent on its web site at www.emu.edu/devotions.
The brief devotional articles have been prepared by EMU and Eastern Mennonite Seminary faculty, staff, students and alumni. They began Monday, Nov. 30 with a reflection by Dorothy Jean Weaver, professor of New Testament at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, and will continue through Christmas Day. Continue reading “EMU provides Advent meditations online” »
Eastern Mennonite Seminary features new divinity offering
Story by Laura Lehman Amstutz
Eastern Mennonite Seminary is offering students a new opportunity in the master of divinity degree. An academic track has been added to the three-year MDiv program as part of an overall curriculum revision.
This track will give students opportunity for more study in their field of interest and better prepare them for teaching, writing and ongoing scholarship. Continue reading “Eastern Mennonite Seminary features new divinity offering” »
