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Kyle Stocksdale interviews Dale Shenk, longtime Bible teacher at Bethany Christian Schools in Goshen, Indiana. Shenk reflects on his experiences growing up and working in a variety of settings in the Mennonite church as a pastor and teacher. Shenk also reflects on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on his life and his faith community at Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship.
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This year-long Global Health Virtual Practicum is a partnership between Mennonite Central
Committee (MCC) and Goshen College. It is designed with young adults in mind.
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Describes MCC's efforts to address Covid needs in the Middle East
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Quarantined Three Times
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In Matthew 6:26 Jesus points "to the birds of the air" as examples for us. They fly in their sphere and joyfully sing to cheer each other and us. With these feathered friends beside us, we did not feel lonely or forsaken though isolated from fellowship in Covid Easter time nor in the days following.
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Do you ever catch yourself staring off into the distance, maybe looking out the window and getting lost in the wind rustling through the trees for a moment or two? Though the pandemic has disrupted just about every aspect of our daily life, looking out the window can be grounding and can offer some peace.
We've reached out to MCC workers around the world to catch a glimpse of the views from their windows. We've asked them to describe how their life has been impacted by the pandemic and to show us the view they see every day. So take a virtual trip and jump into a new reality with us. We hope this change of scenery will give you a chance to pause and remember our MCC friends around the world.
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It's May 5, 2020, about 8 weeks into coronavirus reality, and I've postponed grocery shopping as long as I can. I grab the respirator we had lying around the garage for dusty projects, snap on safety goggles over my glasses, and pull on rubber gloves. I'm ready for the grocery store! I snap a selfie in the produce aisle at Stauffer's of Kissel Hill in Rohrerstown, PA.
Viewing the photo from today's vantage point, what stands out to me most is that we still know comparatively little about SARS-COV2. We're regularly learning of variants emerging. Instead of looking outdated, this level of personal protective equipment is just one step away from the daily masking and handwashing and avoiding crowds that have been a regular part of life for about a year now.
I also think about the web of Lancaster, PA Mennonite community. Stauffer's is a regional grocery chain that's duking it out with Whole Foods and Wegman's and appearing to remain buoyant. Roy and Florence Stauffer started the business as a produce stand in Kissel Hill, near Lititz, PA, circa 1930s. I've included a few photos from a history display in the Rohrerstown store.
In 2003 I interviewed Rhoda Stauffer Oberholtzer, Florence and Roy's daughter, for my master's thesis research. She talked about growing up alongside the family business, and one of her comments stuck with me. She said something very close to: "We all worked together. We learned you work because there's work to do, not because you want to or because it's fun."
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How has COVID affected me? Well, to be honest, I’ve not hardly noticed it except it would be nice to go to a warm location right now.
Two years ago I was looking for a new creative outlet and decided to try painting. Well, to my surprise, I loved it and began by painting on wood slices for Christmas ornaments. From there it evolved to acrylic paintings, then on to water colour painting. I love painting birds and have done quite a few of those along with pet portraits.
I am self-taught and am so grateful to God for bringing this hidden talent out in me for such a time as this.
Painting puts me in another world that brings me such peace, joy, and satisfaction.
Everyone should try something new. You just might find out you have a hidden talent in you, too!
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Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, VA pivoted to online worship as the spread of the coronavirus and subsequent lockdowns impacted Harrisonburg and the United States. This weekly worship format has continued since then. Members of the congregation and the pastoral team contribute music, children's stories, and sermons which are edited together by the church administrator Ben Bailey. The service is emailed out to members and publicly available on YouTube.
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Since the church community was not able to meet in person for a Christmas Eve candlelight service, Assembly Mennonite Church organized and created a virtual candle lighting experience. Members submitted videos of themselves passing the light in their homes, which were combined and set to music. It was a meaningful opportunity to connect with each other and feel the presence of God as we gathered virtually to celebrate Christ's birth.
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In this series of blog posts, Rose Shenk reflects on the impact of COVID-19 on work, lives, and relationships in Ethiopia. Shenk and her spouse Bruce Buckwalter lived in Ethiopia from 2016 to 2021 as Country Representatives for Mennonite Central Committee.
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"I have always loved working with my hands and within the last few years I have found the love of woodworking. With each project I gain more knowledge and skills of the trade.
"Due to COVID-19 I found myself with more free time and I started filling this time with creating woodworking projects. I quickly realized that this could become my dream job!
"I seek to make quality products, made from Canadian wood and materials. I love experimenting on different projects that I dream up. I also enjoy collaborating with customers to make beautiful custom pieces that are just right for them." - Jesse Wolfe, Woodworker and owner of Wolfe Wood Co.
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"Finding beauty in the backyard...aka finding something to do! #stayhome #staysafe" is the original caption I gave this photo on my Instagram account @selennawolfe. This post was during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Manitoba provincial guidelines asked people to stay at home and I decided to take in the nice weather while staying at home.
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It occurred to me that the deprivations of the pandemic had some similarities to deprivations in Russia and even to the deprivations in first-century Bethlehem.
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On Thursday afternoon, December 17, Mennonite Church USA Executive Board staff - from 9 different states - gathered for a virtual Christmas party. Activities included a Christmas crown contest (with gold, frankincense, and myrrh themes), a guided painting activity with Kelly Frey Martin, and pre-distributed snacks.
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I am a hospital staff chaplain. Last Monday (12/7) we had a very difficult day when four patients on the ICU with Covid-19 were removed from their ventilators and died minutes later. Just a couple family members of each patient were allowed to come see their loved one (per hospital protocol) before they were removed from the vents. This was the worse day yet for our nurses and other colleagues on the ICU since the pandemic started. This lament was the result of one: an assignment for a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education that I am currently taking in which I read it to the class on Thursday and they loved it. And two: the deaths on the ICU that Monday and the experience I had in a local store the next. And I suppose a response so far to the pandemic through my eyes as a hospital chaplain who is trying to serve.
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On Saturday, November 21, Assembly Mennonite Church pastors Anna Yoder Schlabach and Lora Nafziger, along with the Worship and Christian Formation committees, organized an outdoor Tabernacle experience for church youth and their families. The event took place in the meetinghouse parking lot and included self-led, physically distanced activities such as a life-sized model of the Tabernacle, tours from the High Priest, and Exodus-related crafts. The same afternoon a physically distanced and masked choir met in the parking lot to record hymns for virtual worship the next day. The event capped a 6-week Exodus Bible study.
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Even though we were small in numbers, because some were either hesitant to join in or did not have technological access, those who did meet often left feeling connected and affirmed.
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Manitoba instituted new health regulations dictating that stores could only sell essential items to encourage people to stay home and therefore reduce the spread of COVID-19. Many stores had to close and stores that sold essentials and non-essentials had to remove non-essentials from in person shopping. This store had signs explaining the new regulations. It used pallets of essential merchandize to block access to non-essentials as well as caution tape and clear wrap. Women’s sandals were off limits, but winter boots were available. Christmas decorations, sleep wear, and luggage etc had to be bought online only.
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The grocery store’s Christmas music was interrupted by a voice reminding shoppers to wear a mask, sanitize hands, and to keep 2 meters apart. The pubic announcement is part of the store’s attempt to abide by new health regulations making stores responsible to ensure health rules are followed. The announcement closed with reminding shoppers that “we are in this together.” This week only stores selling essentials were allowed to remain open, but if non-essentials were sold, they needed to be out of reach of in-person shoppers. At this grocery store all the flowers and plants were removed.
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When the second wave of COVID hit health measures became increasingly restrictive. Businesses, especially small businesses were significantly affected. The small corner convenience store near my house that had been there 18+ years abruptly closed and moved out.
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On November 2, 2020, the Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest at Villanova University announced Anabaptist History Today as one of 17 COVID-19 Grant awardees. The award provides critical funding for projects that contribute to advancing history in the public interest in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
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The MEI Screaming Eagles Marching Band directed by Chad Joiner has annually taken part in the Yarrow Days Parade held in June. However, during the COVID-19 school closures in the spring of 2020, the Screaming Eagles embarked on creating a virtual O – Canada performance to celebrate with their friends in Yarrow.
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For me and my family , COVID-19 has become very real. Writing this short story about my father’s experience has reconfirmed for me how crucial daily communication and face-to-face dialogue with family and friends eases the isolation, loneliness, and confusion that so many seniors face.
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This is one church's response to code orange... Intentional, Caring, Thought Out, and Respectful.
Dear Church Family,
In response to surging Covid-19 numbers in Manitoba and in attempt to help the health system be able to provide care to all in the province, the Manitoba Government has mandated some additional restrictions, effective Monday November 2. We as a congregation are choosing to comply with the guidelines for two very important reasons:
It is our Christian calling to obey our governments unless they are asking us to do something that is contrary to God’s will or Biblical teaching (Romans 13); none of the government mandates (wearing masks, distancing, smaller group sizes) violate God’s teachings; in fact, we could argue they affirm the Biblical call to care for the most vulnerable and to put the needs of others ahead of our own
It is our Christian calling to love our neighbours and we believe that observing the restrictions placed on us is a powerful demonstration of this essential commandment.
We recognize that not all congregations in our community are following what the government has mandated (eg. most churches in Winkler have been singing for weeks and some don’t social distance). We’ve chosen not to do what the majority is doing or to see how much we can get away with; instead we’ve chosen a path of greatest potential community benefit and care.
Our decisions are in no way a sign that we don’t trust God to care for us (as some people suggest); our decisions indicate our deep love for all in our society and a recognition that God invites us to make wise, informed choices. Like Jesus in the wilderness (read Matthew 4:5-7), we don’t believe it is right to unnecessarily “put God to the test”, simply to satisfy some of our personal desires or discomforts.
Out of an abundance of caution and concern for our community (and to comply with Government Code Orange mandates), we are choosing to make the following changes, effective Monday November 2. With all of you we are longing for the time when we can resume many of the things we used to do. We believe being careful now is the best path to that possibility.
Sunday Morning Worship
Will continue to be offered In-Person and Online but we will now only be able to welcome a maximum of 75 attenders to our in-person services
All those attending will be required to pre-register for the service(s) they plan to attend; we will not be able to admit walk-ups
Persons attending will be required to wear masks when entering, exiting or moving around within the building; masks are encouraged but optional when you are seated in a physically distant way. As in our schools, children grade 4 and younger are exempt from mask use.
We will limit numbers on the stage to 5 or less.
All other practices (careful entry and exit; physically distanced seating, etc.) will continue. In Person GPS will not be offered during the time that we are in Code Orange
Wednesday Morning Coffee in the Foyer will not be offered during the time that we are in Code Orange
A Last Word – There is nothing about Covid-19 that is predictable; things are changing rapidly. We realize that things may change again, as soon as next week or perhaps a few weeks down the road, and that there really won’t be a last word till a vaccine is created and effective.
However, this is our plan for now while we’re in Code Orange. Please continue to pray for the church leadership as we make decisions and please, let’s remain united in Christ even if we don’t all interpret all decisions in the same way. We are all seeking to be faithful and “to be an inviting, Christ-centred community in which people are being transformed to live like Jesus.”
On behalf of Church Council Executive and Staff (and in consultation with medical professionals)
