A devotional scripture for every day of this advent season, along with an inspiring devotional thought for that day is provided for each day of advent, beginning Sunday, Nov. 29. The author of each devotional is noted at the bottom of the page. 

Individuals who signed up for automatic e-mail delivery of the 2009 Lent devotional will automatically also receive the 2009 Advent devotional.—MBBS

I learned about snow and hot dogs and I also learned about a kind of holiday that we don’t have in my country, Colombia. On this holiday, people eat turkey with their family and give thanks for all the things they’ve received.

According to Wikipedia, Thanksgiving Day is “a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. It is a holiday celebrated primarily in Canada and the United States. While perhaps religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday.”

As a Christian boy, I could appreciate the Christian background of this holiday in every TV program that showed it. Today, Thanksgiving is a secular holiday. How did that valuable custom lose its meaning and identity? That is a question for the North American historians.

However, during my time visiting Mennonite Brethren churches in North America several years ago, I have found that many things – Christian things – could lose their identity. Like Indiana Jones in search of archaeological treasure, today we need to look for the “lost Mennonite identity.”

I found people with “Mennonite” last names, but without any knowledge about their Christian tradition. Mennonite Brethren churches have the Mennonite name in their bulletins but are without any Anabaptist perspective in their worship, preaching or leadership style. Some “Mennonites” go to war or do not live their Christian lives like Anabaptists. There are Mennonite churches that don’t support their valuable institutions such as seminaries, universities, mission and social development agencies, historical commissions, press and so on.

They carry the name without content, very much as the current secular Thanksgiving Day does.

Thanks be to God, there are some exceptions! Many persons and churches appreciate the value of our tradition and are looking for their theological roots. They have learned why the Anabaptist tradition is so important: not just to maintain a culture or history but for its content.

The issue has to do not just with traditions but with the theology behind those traditions. Who will be able to share our theological emphases with the body of Christ if we ignore them or if we imitate other parts of the body of Christ? As the apostle Paul says in 1 Cor. 12:17–18: “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.”

One day a year for the purpose of giving thanks to God would be a good custom to establish in Colombia—not for the custom itself but for the holiday’s content and theological background. A day to remember our commitment with those who live in poverty, a day for renewing our vows of following Jesus in his attitude of giving and blessing the poor, would be very good.

Thanksgiving Day could be a day for saying to the secular world that our lifestyle does not follow the commercial and consumerist culture that surrounds us. It could be a day for saying to ourselves that we live in the name of Jesus, that we look for justice, peace and equity – first in our global community but also in our needy world.

It could be a day for remembering some of our emphases as Mennonites such as the simple lifestyle as a way of gratitude and self-denial for the purpose of sharing the love of Christ with others. One day like that could be very relevant in our Western culture.

Mennonite Brethren in Colombia

Fresno Pacific University press release

“People from all over campus—admissions, financial aid, the business office—came together to make this happen. Faculty really pitched in, as well, staying late to advise incoming students and help them select classes. They really proved they are committed mentors as well knowledgeable teachers,” says Stephen Varvis, vice president for enrollment management.

Overall enrollment rose to 2,649, up from 2,377 in both fall 2008 and 2007. There are 857 students in the traditional undergraduate programs, 943 in bachelor’s degree completion and 849 in master’s degree programs. These figures for 2008 were 860, 733 and 784, respectively. All numbers come from the official university census.

New student enrollment was 302 in fall of 2009, up from 260 in 2008. Some 92 percent of last spring’s students returned, driven by another increase in freshman retention to just over 78 percent. The freshman retention rate at comparable schools is 72 percent, Varvis says.

Headcount is down by three due to large recent graduating classes, but the equivalency rate of full-time students is up by five. “This means students are taking more classes,” Varvis says.

The admissions staff, however, is not resting on its laurels. “Admissions planned for 2010 while working full-speed for 2009. College fairs and travel began right after Labor Day,” Varvis says.

Already 208 new adult students have begun class at the FPU regional centers in North Fresno, Visalia and Bakersfield, as well as programs at the College of the Sequoias and West Hills College Lemoore. This is 31 more than the same time in 2008, but good news is still coming in. Another group of 40 or more will begin soon, brining the total to 245-250, compared to 185 at this time last year. “We are 30-plus student over our goal,” Varvis says. “These numbers are well above the 12 percent growth rate set the board of trustees set as our objective.”

The team approach made this fall’s success happen, Varvis says. “We responded to student needs, increased financial aid, instituted our four-year graduation guarantee and worked hard to make it possible for students to attend this fall,” he says. “And we’re doing the same for the spring semester.”

Largest enrollment in college's 101-year history

Tabor College press release

Tabor College, the Mennonite Brethren college headquartered in Hillsboro, Kan.,  celebrated its Centennial last fall with an enrollment of 612 students, the largest in its 100-year history. Now for the second year in a row, the college has set new enrollment records, beginning its 101st year of “decidedly Christian” higher education with an unprecedented 640 students, a 4.5 percent increase over the previous year.

The official registrar’s tally following the 20th day of fall classes, on Monday, Sept. 21, shows enrollment records set by the college in five areas, including total overall enrollment (640); overall full-time equivalency enrollment (596); full-time students on the Hillsboro campus (504); full-time students in all programs (521), and graduate students (22).

While many colleges are finding it difficult to meet enrollment and retention goals during the current economic downtown, Tabor College President Jules Glanzer credits the record enrollment at Tabor to “hard work, strategic decisions and the grace of God.”

“My heart is full of gratitude to the Lord and the entire Tabor community who worked so hard to make this happen,” Glanzer says. “Having two years of record enrollment is a gift from God and a tribute to the hard work of many people who invest of themselves in the mission and vision of Tabor College. It was a team effort.”

Off campus programs

The school has begun a distance nursing education site in Colby, Kan., providing face-to-face learning experiences for rural nurses in Northwest Kansas. The college also is offering an online RN-BSN degree program, with immersion experiences, which has been the most requested Nursing Department program, according to Tona Leiker, dean of the School of Adult and Graduate Studies and chair of the Nursing Department.

“We are serving the needs of adult learners and providing them with opportunities of hope, engagement, and career advancement, which make for a promising future at the School of Adult and Graduate Studies,” Leiker says.

President Glanzer agrees, adding, “The School for Adult and Graduate Studies is an integral part of Tabor College and helps us fulfill our mission of preparing people for a life of learning, work, and service for Christ and his kingdom. Students enrolled at AGS experience life transformation just as they do at the undergraduate programs in Hillsboro.”

Strategic recuitment

The overall recruiting effort at the college was orchestrated by Linda Cantwell, vice president for Enrollment Management and Marketing. Last September she replaced Rusty Allen, who became vice president for athletics.

“We knew this year held enormous challenges for us, with the change of leadership, conversion of the database, three new admissions counselors and the downturn in the nation's economy,” Cantwell says. “However, we also knew the Lord was bigger than all of those challenges and changes. We believed that he would keep his hand on Tabor College while guiding and directing us in how we spent our most precious commodity—time.”

Some Tabor admissions counselors spent more time meeting prospective students face-to-face, while others incorporated new social media tools, such as Facebook and Twitter, to connect with students digitally. Outreach also was enhanced by hosting special on-campus events, including Girlfriend’s Getaway for high-achieving female students, On the Spot Transfer Student Day and a Summer Sizzle Celebration designed to keep connected with students in the summertime.

Despite the long odds and long hours, the Cantwell-led enrollment management team was never flagging in its zeal to accomplish its mission. That’s because, Cantwell says, recruiting students to Tabor College is more than just a job for her and her team.

“On several occasions over the past year my admissions counselors have said to me, ‘Linda, this is my ministry! Talking to students about Tabor is my way of giving my time, talents and strengths back to the Lord!’” Cantwell says. “I celebrate the results of their hard work.”

Cantwell hastens to add, “It took more than the 12-member Enrollment Management team to make this happen. The entire campus partnered with us to help produce the record we realized this fall. It seems like such a cliché, I know, but it really was a team effort,” she says. “We celebrate the Lord's faithfulness to us. We are grateful.”

“This year we had over 311 prospective students on campus for individual customized visits, compared to 97 visits the year before,” Cantwell says. “Tabor faculty met with each and every one of them, and then many faculty members sent personal notes and made telephone calls as well. They were an incredible support base for us.”

The athletics coaching staff were critical in identifying students who might be a good "fit" for Tabor, Cantwell says. As a result, the Athletic Department exceeded both retention and new student recruitment goals it had set.

“My hat’s off to the coaches who worked tirelessly in recruiting godly and gifted athletes,” she says. “They worked with such a positive spirit all year long, recruiting students who desired an education at a faith-based institution and also wanted to participate in athletics. All those many miles, nights away from home, and telephone calls paid off.”

Retention efforts payoff

While Cantwell and her team were leading the effort to enroll new students, Amy Kjellin, director of Student Success, was taking steps to increase retention on the Hillsboro campus. For example, during the summer months, faculty, administrators and admissions counselors telephoned students whose names appeared on the list of those not expected to return. As a result, many of those students returned to campus this fall after all.

According to Eric Codding, vice president of Student Life, Learning and Formation, about half of the students who enroll in college every year in this country do not graduate within six years. With its focus on one-on-one attention, Tabor is performing better.

“Better retention is a sign of better health,” Codding says. “We’ve made a concerted effort to surround our students and encourage them to invest in all that Tabor has to offer. Higher retention rates suggest that our students are pleased with their choice to attend Tabor. This speaks well of our supportive environment that emphasizes one-on-one attention and commitment to the development of each student.”

Persuaded by vision

According to President Glanzer, what is more important than the strategies and tactics being used to improve recruiting and retention, is the fact that students have enrolled at Tabor College in record numbers this semester because students, and their parents, have been fully persuaded by the college’s vision, “To be the college of choice for students who seek a life-transforming, globally relevant, and decidedly Christian education.”

“During orientation I repeatedly had parents tell me that the reason they wanted their son or daughter to come to Tabor was because of our Christ-centered approach to education,” Glanzer says. “In some ways, we can say that our growth is due to our commitment to being decidedly Christian. In a broken world, Tabor helps students develop a mature Christian world view that provides a foundation for meaningful living. This is attractive to many parents.”

Glanzer adds that record enrollment and high retention was welcome news after last year’s painful budget cuts, staff reductions and loss of endowment revenue due to the economic downturn. While outlining an optimistic and pragmatic plan to redesign the college for the future, Glanzer also was forced to cut more than $500,000 from the school’s $10 million operating budget and reduce 11 highly-valued employees from the campus workforce, beginning with the 2009-10 school year.

“Last spring was a very difficult time for all of us,” Glanzer says. “Reducing the budget and staff was very painful. I know that some are wondering if we acted prematurely, but the budget cuts from last spring and the record enrollment this fall helped us avoid a major financial crisis this year. The record enrollment also has allowed us to not have to make additional cuts this fall.”

“We cannot forget the many constituents who pray regularly and give faithfully to the mission and ministry of Tabor College,” Glanzer says. “While we were all working hard, our constituents gave over $1 million dollars to our operating budget and over $1 million in restricted giving plus gifts to the stadium campaign.”

Read our feature articles.

Questions are available for the following articles:

The Lord is My Shepherd by Pierre Gilbert

The Frugal Christian by Katie Funk Wiebe

The Saga of Stolen Stuff by Michelle Ferguson

The Lord is My Shepherd by Pierre Gilbert

•   “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

• “As long as the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…”

• Is it easy to stay under his care?

• Do you find yourself wandering from his care?

• What draws you back under his care?

The Frugal Christian by Katie Funk Wiebe

• How does this statement convict you?

• How does this statement confirm you?

2. What can you do with your “stuff” now to help you live a life that seeks first God’s Kingdom? What can you do with your “stuff” to be able to focus again on God and his Kingdom?

• Practically, begin making a list of things that you have that you don’t need.

• Who do you know (a person or organization) that might need these things worse than you do?

• Ask God to release you from the hold your “stuff” has placed upon you and begin to act on your list.

• What would word would someone use to fill that space in describing you?

• Are you using your resources, past, present, and future, to the best of your ability as you maintain this lifestyle or should some changes be made?

The Saga of Stolen Stuff by Michelle Ferguson

• Why are they valuable to you?

• What can you do to protect them?

• How does protecting them remind us to “lay up our treasures in heaven” where we don’t have to worry about moths, rust, and thieves?

• Make out a checklist for yourself so that you will know when you have begun to start down the “consumption” highway.

• Set realistic goals for yourself that will help you sidestep the urge to get more and more stuff.

by Myra Holmes 

One hundred years ago, an optimistic band of Mennonite Brethren farmers from the Midwest got off a train in California’s San Joaquin Valley expecting orange groves, fig trees and grapes. They’d sold their land and most of their possessions to reach this new “Promised Land.” Instead, they found the land not only lacking orchards but also proper deeds. They’d been swindled.

But God apparently had plans for that small band of believers. From what is now known as “The Martensdale Swindle” grew Rosedale Bible Church, a Bakersfield, Calif., congregation that will celebrate their centennial Nov. 13-15.

“God brought a small number of families that were ripped off 100 years ago, and because of their faithfulness, God has a plan for our community that involves this church,” says senior pastor John Scoggins, Jr. “That’s something to rejoice in.”

On the founders’ first evening in their new home, even as reality set in, Jacob Kliewer encouraged them to praise God. He is credited as their first pastor. Pastors that followed generally had a common trait, Scoggins says: They preached the Word. As a result, “this church has had generations of people that have had a very, very strong commitment to biblical Christianity,” Scoggins says.

Current pastoral staff includes Scoggins; Danny Krause, youth pastor; Jason Klopfenstein, pastor of adult and family ministries; and John Biller, now in his 24th year as worship pastor.

According to historical information gathered by Rosedale member Connie Fleishauer, the one promise their swindler did keep was to build a church for the group—a small building with a sign reading, “Mennonite Brethren Church.” This was the first church home in a series of buildings that grew in size and changed in location before the congregation settled in their current home, a stone’s throw from the last stoplight out of Bakersfield.

From its earliest days, Rosedale desired to be a “beacon” in the community, says Scoggins. At first language was a barrier to outreach, since services were held in German, the language of the immigrant founders. That changed when the congregation switched to English in the 1940s. Today, Rosedale continues to reach out through intentional evangelism training and deliberate communication with the community. Newcomers often comment on the friendliness of the Rosedale congregation.

The Rosedale family now numbers about 450, with a membership of roughly 300. Scoggins says that a quick scan of the church directory shows a variety of ethnic names, many the direct result of outreach efforts in recent years.

When taken in context of the congregation’s humble beginning, “it’s something to take courage in,” Scoggins says. “God really does use a handful of people.”

Rosedale will kick off their centennial celebration with a dinner Friday evening, followed by a weekend of special events. Many events will include music from Rosedale musicians, all in the spirit of worship—not unlike the founders’ first act of praise in their new home.

Featured guest speaker for the weekend will be well-known preacher Haddon W. Robinson, current professor of preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and former president of Denver Seminary. Scoggins, a former student of Robinson, says he wanted to bring together the best ministry experience he’s had with the biggest influence on him as a minister. “I wanted to combine the best there is with the best there is,” he says. Other guest speakers for the weekend include former pastors.

Not every congregation makes it to their centennial celebration. In fact, Scoggins points out that the average church lifespan is around 65 years. “So by the time a church is 100 years old, it ought to be a curio shop or a housing development.” But, he says, Rosedale is looking ahead to the next 100 years and is already planning for their bicentennial celebration.

When Scoggins dreams of what Rosedale will be at that bicentennial, he talks about continued faithfulness to Scripture and continued outreach to their community. “If our church can be faithful to what the Word of God says it ought to be, then size doesn’t matter,” he says.

by Connie Faber

While conducting official business was limited to a lunch hour, the convention program and theme, “Better Together,” reinforced the district’s three-pronged commitment to church planting, church health and discipleship across the generations.

Author, speaker and pastor Gordon MacDonald spoke three times from his most recent book, Who Stole My Church. He began by noting the constantly changing world, describing it as “living in the midst of a novel…wondering if things will ever be solid again.” MacDonald encouraged attendees to be “custodians of God’s call in changing times” and offered suggestions for how attendees could accept this challenge individually and corporately. Worship sessions also included singing led by Vaughn Jost of Trailhead Church, a Mennonite Brethren church plant in Centennial, Colo.

Church planting was the focus Saturday evening and Sunday morning when the convention moved to Swope Park, a large, heavily-wooded city park that, among other attractions, hosts the Kansas City Zoological Park where the SDC evening meal and Church Extension and Evangelism Commission (CEEC) program were held. Church planters Jeff Nikkel, Centennial, Colo., and Paul Bartel and Jason Phelps, both of Kansas City, gave testimonies. Eduardo Garcia spoke about an emerging Hispanic work in central Oklahoma. Mission USA director Don Morris closed the evening with a prayer of blessing for these SDC outreach efforts. The SDC has partnered with Mission USA, the denomination’s national church planting and renewal ministry, in the Colorado and Missouri projects.

Convention attendees returned to Swope Park for a Sunday morning service led by Paul and Amanda Bartel and Jason and Nancy Phelps, two couples who recently moved to the Brookside/Waldo neighborhood of Kansas City, Mo., to plant a Mennonite Brethren church there. After the worship time, the group of about 175 people chose between three options designed to give them the opportunity to serve and/or learn about the neighborhood: volunteering at a HIV/AIDS care center, touring the community from a missionary’s point of view and doing a prayer walk.

The highly successful SDC youth program was highlighted Friday evening when Wendell Loewen was honored with a reception recognizing his 10 years of service as the first SDC youth pastor. Loewen has resigned due to a change in his assignment at Tabor College and the future of the part-time position was the focus of one of nine breakout sessions offered in two timeslots Saturday morning.

Other workshops highlighted various Mennonite Brethren ministries and SDC commissions. MB Biblical Seminary, MB Foundation, Mission USA, MBMS International, Tabor College, R & R Retreats, the SDC Stewardship Commission and the SDC CEEC Commission provided workshops.

During the Saturday noon business session, attendees approved the budget and elected commission members. A new district logo was unveiled Friday evening. Printed reports from agencies and SDC commissions were included in the convention packet and brief videos from Mennonite Brethren ministries were shown throughout the convention.

Childcare was arranged on-site by Westside Family Church for the 31 children under 12 years. Jana Peyton and Brandon Voth organized primarily off-site activities for the 11 teenagers who were present. Saturday evening the children joined their parents for a private show in the zoo’s sea lion exhibit, and during dinner animal handlers circulated with their animals, entertaining and educating the group.

Prior to the district convention, 100-some SDC pastors and family members met at Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Overland Park, Kan., for a retreat with formal and informal opportunities for pastors to be together for play, renewal, conversation and prayer. Resource speakers Gordon and Gail MacDonald shared from their own experiences on the topic, “The Private Life of Public People.” Participants gave the retreat high marks, says district minister Tim Sullivan, and the MacDonald’s input had much to do with its success.

The International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) met in Asuncion, Paraguay, July 4-8 prior to Mennonite World Conference Assembly 15, with only Uruguay and Angola representatives missing. ICOMB is the mission and ministry partnership of 18 Mennonite Brethren conferences in 15 countries. Each conference sends a representative to the annual ICOMB meeting; Ed Boschman, U.S. Conference executive director, represents the United States.

The representatives spent significant time talking with MBMS International staff regarding “mission capacity building,” a conference’s response to the mission opportunities available in countries where Mennonite Brethren live. For example, 4,000 people groups in India have never seen a Christian; many parts of Europe have left faith behind.

In cooperation with ICOMB, MBMSI, the global mission agency for North American Mennonite Brethren, will seek to “help release energy and capacity to bring the gospel to the least reached people close to us.” MBMSI intends to come alongside MB conferences as they set up their mission agencies. The Global Mission Alliance, the Mennonite Brethren association formed several years ago to coordinate strategy and to share information in any joint MB conference mission endeavor, will serve as the central worldwide coordinating agency.

The ICOMB delegates rejoiced to see the successful completion of the ICOMB Confession of Faith study guide in English, Spanish and German. French and Russian translations will be completed this fall; the India conference is publishing in Telugu. ICOMB’s vision is for people to study the confession in small groups to reinforce the confessional values.

ICOMB has also completed a collected history of the Mennonite Brethren movement worldwide, ready for publishing in English, French, Spanish and German.

Dalton Reimer, of Fresno, Calif., reported on a groundbreaking consultation on education in May 2009 in Kinshasa, DR Congo. ICOMB members voted to invite Mennonite World Conference to continue as a partner to implement the 10 proposed actions. ICOMB also voted to endorse the “Mennonite Global Learning Network,” a ministry started by Reimer to engage long-term with this project. Reimer, of Fresno, Calif., is senior associate and faculty emeritus of the Fresno Pacific University Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies.

ICOMB affirmed a second global higher education consultation in 2011, as follow up to a 2007 event.

The 150th anniversary celebrations of the Mennonite Brethren Church are taking shape for 2010. The official ICOMB meeting will be held May 21 in Germany, with a trip to Switzerland and Ukraine to view the location of the origins of Anabaptism and the Mennonite Brethren. A second celebration event will take place July 12-18, 2010, in British Columbia.

Conflict in member conferences continues to be a concern. The delegates discussed how ICOMB might become involved in conflicted areas.

The financial report indicated ICOMB is enjoying good health thanks to the willingness of member conferences to contribute. The annual cost of meeting and of the executive secretary’s office is $60,000.

Mennonite Brethren conferences are located in Portugal, Germany, Austria, India, Japan, DR Congo, Angola, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Canada and the U.S. —from a report by David Wiebe, ICOMB secretary

Leading educators from the three national Mennonite conferences in Congo came together May 19-21 for an historic international consultation on education in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) and Mennonite World Conference (MWC) jointly sponsored the consultation held in Kinshasa, DRC.

The purpose of the consultation was to explore how the several hundred Mennonite primary and secondary schools in Congo might be strengthened. The three national Mennonite conferences in Congo operate more than 300 primary and secondary schools with a student population of more than 50,000.

As in other faith communities, the schools are uniquely co-managed with the government. The government establishes the curriculum in most areas of instruction, but each faith community is free to establish its own curriculum in the area of religious instruction. The government pays salaries as it is able. Faith communities provide school buildings, secure personnel and generally manage the schools.

Mennonite Brethren representatives included, among others, Damien Pelende, president of the DRC Mennonite Brethren Conference; Pakisa Tshimika of Fresno, Calif., who served as global coordinator; Victor Wall of Paraguay, executive secretary of ICOMB; and Dalton Reimer of California, ICOMB education coordinator. Several North Americans associated with Tshimika’s Mama Makeka House of Hope also attended as observers, including educator and CL columnist Rose Buschman.

In a post-consultation meeting, one planning committee member noted that the objectives for the consultation had been achieved. Others expressed their happiness at what had happened. Victor Wall affirmed the importance of church and school working together. A follow-up committee and initial follow-up steps were affirmed.

ICOMB represents 17 national MB conferences around the world. MWC is a global Anabaptist fellowship. Other sponsors and financial supporters for the consultation included the AIMS Education Foundation located on the campus of Fresno Pacific University, MBMS International and Mennonite Central Committee. A full report is posted online at www.usmb.org/christian-leader—ICOMB