P A N O R A M ACelebrating with the people and congregations of Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference WINTER 2015-2016

inside... 3Remembering Hal

Shrader

4-5What’s happening inyour area conference

7Mennonite World

Conference: a gift to all

12 A call for action onmass deportations

13Hmong Mennonites:

A legacy of faithamid turmol

International flavor,joyous worship,great fellowship PSMC’s Annual Assembly in Phoenix, March 3-5, is one you won’t want to miss. Here’s why.

Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference will beblessed with a special speaker at its full-weekendspring gathering, to be hosted by First Mennonite

Church of Phoenix. Alex Awad, a professor atBethelehem College in Palestine, will speak on Acts 6 onSaturday morning, and offer a special presentation thatevening about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict and thepeacemaking efforts of many faithful people.

Following last summer’s reporting from PSMC lead-ers on their learning tour in Israel/Palestine, and a con-troversial divestment resolution discussed at the KansasCity denominational convention, this will be an opportu-nity to hear more directly from a respected and eloquentChristian leader who lives in the heart of the conflict.

On Sunday morning, Terry Shue, of MennoniteChurch USA, will be the featured speaker. There willalso be time for fellowship, worship, singing, prayer anda small amount of business, as well as a Time ofRemembrance for two well-loved leaders who have goneto be with the Lord in recent months: Pastor Hal Shrader(Trinity) and Pastor Jules Massamba (Wholicare).

Assembly, continued page 3

Churches stand togetherin mourning pastoral leaders

Two PSMC churches were rocked by the suddendeaths of deeply loved pastors in recent months,prompting an outpouring of sympathy and sup-

port from fellow congregations around the PacificSouthwest. On Oct. 19, Hal Shrader, lead pastor atTrinity Mennonite Church in Glendale, Ariz., died in amotorcycle accident in Utah. On New Year’s Day,Pastor Jules Massamba, of Wholicare CommunityMissionary Church in Pasadena, died of a massiveheart attack.

Shrader left behind his wife, Christine, and twodaughters; Massamba, his wife Nzuzi and seven chil-dren, four of whom have lived in the U.S. since 2012,after a decade of separation from their father, and threeothers in the DRC and Angola.“We know Hal anticipated this motorcycle trip with his dad

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with great joy. Weare all very sad andwill be so for a longtime. But we knowHal loved Jesus withall his heart and he isnow on a greater tripwith his HeavenlyFather — with greatjoy,” a statementfrom Trinity saidafter Shrader’sdeath, when the con-gregation gathered in grief to pray together.

“Hal will be greatly missed in Pacific SouthwestMennonite Conference,” Conference Minister Clare AnnRuth-Heffelbower said in reflecting on his ministry,which included speaking at past PSMC assemblies and atlast summer’s Mennonite Church USA convention inKansas City. “His commitment to Christ and and thechurch, along with his creative energy, were great gifts toTrinity and to the wider church. We grieve along with hisfamily and the church.”

Shrader was first drawn to Anabaptism when he beganconsidering in college: “What if Jesus was really seriousabout what he said in the Sermon on the Mount?” Heearned a master’s degree in religion from PepperdineUniversity, taught as an adjunct professor at HopeInternational University’s School of Professional Studiesin Fullerton, served as a student ministries pastor inVentura County and served in Chile for three years, alongwith wife Chrisie, and daughters Mollie and Madisonbefore coming to Trinity.

“This is a terrible loss of a voice that the church willmiss,” said Terry Shue, director of leadership develop-ment for Mennonite Church USA. “His articulation ofAnabaptism in his sermon at Kansas City was powerful.He was on the cutting edge of many initiatives and aleader in the conference. He was engaged with long-standing Mennonite communities and also pushed thechurch to become missional in ways that would be verynew and different.”

Shrader left a deep impression on people who got toknow him. Former PSMC board member MelissaHofstetter, sharing the news with the Pasadena Mennonitecongregation, recalled that “If you had the pleasure ofknowing Hal ... you’d never forget his bright eyes, quick

smile, and the sweet tattoos of his daughters‘ newbornfootprints –– and mostly you’d never forget his heart. Heloved Jesus and the people around him. It’s at momentslike these why we cling to the Resurrection.”

A memorial service was held on Oct. 30. Video isavailable at: trinitymennonite.com/hal-shrader-info.

Jules MassambaMakanata spent

more than 35 yearsin pastoral ministry,including eight atWholicare, and wasmarried 39 years towife Nzuzi.

He studied mathand physics early onbut left his job as amath teacher to pur-sue the call of God totheological studies atthe ISTK School of Theology and Congo ProtestantUniversity. During the 1990s in Congo, he served as apastor, chaplain, college educator and leader of a churchdistrict, later moving to Equatorial Guinea and then to theU.S. in 2008, suffering a long separation from his familythat joyfuly ended, in part, in 2012.

A tentmaker pastor, he studied business and carried onoutside jobs while serving as Wholicare’s pastor and asvice president of the African Belizean CaribbeanMennonite Mission Association. Described at the funeralas “a man of vision, an advocate of unity and a philan-thropist,” he also presided over the Southern CaliforniaCongolese Pastors and Ministers’ Association andLinscott USA, which supports development projects inCongo.

“Those who attended our assemblies in the last fewyears will remember his warmth, smile, ability to relate toanybody and willingness to serve,” wrote MatthewKrabill and Agnes Chigoji, former and current PSMCadministrators, in a conference tribute.

One of the implications of being an immigrant fami-ly –– with three of his seven children still in Africa –– is“that family and community face the anguish and chal-lenge of ongoing separation.” Hence the need for twofunerals, in Pasadena and Congo, they wrote. Donationstoward the considerable expenses involved in laying

Hal Shrader’s daughters Mollie and Madison and music minister Jeremy Kempf sing at the memorial service,left. Wholicare members and others from PSMC mourn together at Jules Massamba’s funeral, right.

Assembly, from page 1

There will be time to dialogue around tables on what it means to be a conferenceand how we can better support, care for and be in fellowship with one another. Therewill be activities for children and youth, and childcare for younger kids, so the wholefamily can come. There will be transportation from the L.A. area to Phoenix and homestays for those who want them.

And there will be food! Meals, snacks, Mexican food for lunch and a MiddleEastern dinner on Saturday.

And here’s one other reason you won’t want to miss this one. Since its inception,PSMC has met twice a year, usually in February and June, for about a day and a half.But a recent decision to switch to one, slightly longer, assembly each year means thiswill be your only chance in 2016 to enjoy this great multicultural gathering.

“I have always loved going to Assembly,” says assistant moderator Kathi Oswald.“I love seeing old friends and making new ones. The worship and the music alwaysbring me closer to God and I feel the fellowship of other believers. We are a diverseconference. We have different styles of worship, sing different types of music, look dif-ferent and speak different languages. Yet, we are so much the same, for there is oneGod, one faith and one baptism. I feel we experience a bit of heaven as we worship ourSavior Jesus Christ and show our love for one another.”

The event will be held at First Mennonite Phoenix and co-hosted by four areachurches: Trinity, Koinonia, LifeHouse and Sunnyslope. To learn more, download thebrochure and register online, visit pacificsouthwest.org .

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Pastor Massamba to rest in Congo would be much appre-ciated, either through direct gifts or through matchinggrants from Everence.

“This is a real need the family has right now,” theywrote. “Pastor Massamba often worked two jobs in addi-tion to his pastoral duties just to support his family and thechurch. He gave his all, he ran the race faithfully. Thosewho are left behind are heartbroken, and we can supportthem through prayer and visits, but we can also help liftthe significant burden of having to come up with a largeamount of money on a short notice.”

PSMC congregations were quick to support the con-gregation through their prayers and presence. ModeratorFemi Fatunmbi and Pastor Grace Pam of L.A. FaithChapel were able to be with the family soon after the pas-tor’s death, and to encourage the congregation at theSunday service two days later, along with Pastor RolandKleber of Basileia Christian Fellowship, Joyce Welch ofFamily Mennonite Church, and Pastor Nehemiah Chigojiof Upland Peace Church.

Representatives of at least 10 churches betweenReedley and Tucson, along with PSMC board membersand staff, joined a large crowd on Jan. 29 to celebratePastor Massamba's life at the funeral in Pasadena.

It was evident from the many testimonies given therethat he had a unique gift of relationship and communitybuilding across boundaries –– and a great impact onmany people and PSMC.

He will be dearly missed.

Eric Vincent shared this reflection on Hal Shrader’s lifein an issue of PSMC’s e-Update online newsletter:

Impact. A life can’t adequately be captured in a word.But Friday’s memorial service for Hal Shraderresounded with the impact of his life on so many. An

amazingly large breadth of friends and family, close to athousand from a multitude of times and places gatheredto remember his influence.

To encounter Hal meant you were going to be affect-ed. He lived intensely, so you were going to be challenged. Stories abounded at theservice and over the weekend of the inherent hazards and joys, which was life withHal. Even the seemingly mundane and trivial became an adventure. From restaurantsto mission trips, theological discussions, football, hair styles, music, politics, kitchengadgets, Greek definitions and grooming, you were going to at least learn somethingor get pushed from something that he could reference with his iPhone.

To know Hal was to know variety … in large and intense doses. Hearing from thefriends and family, we heard that his life was like a “Ferrari in 1st gear,” he was “hardto figure out,” “he was not your father’s pastor,” and that “he struggled.” This wasillustrated throughout the memorial service, beginning with the breadth of genre andlyrics in the pre-service music. Moving from “Why Me, Lord” to “Because of theCross” to “Give me Something Good” to “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord” we were surround-ed by the variety and sometimes opposing forces of the lyrics, melodies, and rhythms.This was how Hal’s mind worked and how he lived his life.

Hal was drawn to the words of Jesus in his youth, and he was committed to livingthem. He was dedicated to pursuing peace between enemies. Such a pursuit is risky,full of perils, and can cause intense pain. But Hal took you on the journey with him. Itisn’t possible to be engaged in all of that without affecting others.

Through all of it, Hal loved vigorously. You didn’t have to have it together beforeHal loved you. He told me regularly that he loved me and told me of his appreciationfor things I brought to our relationship. But that was Hal. He maintained active rela-tionships with what seems to have been at least 152 best friends. Those from hispreschool days, youth group, college, church communities, mosques, and coffee shopscan all attest to feeling the influence of his life on theirs.

Friday’s service celebrated Hal’s commitments and how it impacted us all. Hewould be thrilled to know that he may have been an inspiration for us to impact theworld.

The deaths of two pastors inspired a raft of photosin support of the grieving congregations, sent bychurches around PSMC. To see the whole series,visit PSMC’s Facebook page.

Remembering Hal

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eight pastors were present to share and pray together.”To provide stronger support, the conference is urging

pastors to meet in clusters regularly. It also hopes to estab-lish sister-congregation relationships. “These projects canbe a challenge with the busyness that all of us experi-ence,” Ruth-Heffelbower wrote.

But the response of other congregations to the deaths oftwo pastors –– including sharing photos of their memberswith signs saying they “stand with” Trinity and Wholicarein their time of sorrow –– “has been a visible expressionof love across cultural, theological and cultural divides.”

Youth haven’t been left out of the equation: Thanks toa decision to expand Mission Minister David Gray’s timeand responsibilities to include planning a special youthevent this summer, a PSMC Youth Mission Event isbeing organized for June 23-27. This exciting event, atDOOR Hollywood, will offer high school and collegeyouth from across the conference an opportunity to servetogether and build relationships.

And after several years of planning for an Anabaptistresource center and thrift store to support it, both maybecome a reality this year.

“With all of these things it is evident that God is atwork among us,” Ruth-Heffelbower wrote. “I give thanksfor where we have experienced God’s presence and activ-ity in the past and look forward to what God will doamong us in this coming year!”

A generousgift of

$16,000 fromEverence put thefundraising drivefor PSMC’s long-planned thriftstore over the toplast August, whiledonations ofgoods to be soldcontinued to pourin this fall, fromcongregations inArizona andCalifornia, storedin large shippingcontainers atMountain View andUpland Peacechurches whileawaiting the opening of the shop.

The big hitch: finding a suitable location. Hopes of a2015 opening were dashed by the difficulty of finding aspace of the right size, in a suitable marketing area, at anaffordable price. However, in early February, a lease offerwas put in on an empty space next to a drugstore in ashopping plaza at Lake Ave. and East Altadena, a majorntersection in Altadena (just north of Pasadena).

Mission Minister David Gray, who developed the

Have you had a chance to chat with our conferenceminister? For many, the opportunity has comethrough one of a series of gatherings around the

Pacific Southwest in recent months. Congregations havebeen invited to participate in providing feedback asPSMC undergoes a process of strategic planning.

A sub-committee of the PSMC board reflected lastSeptember on the book Holy Conversations: StrategicPlanning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations, byGil Rendle and Alice Mann, and then led the board inbeginning this process to discern what God is calling ourarea conference to be and do in the next few years.This is a process of dialogue, not just a technical exercise;it involves listening to God and church members, sharinghopes, dreams and concerns, and then setting a direction.

Out of a “holy conversation” around three questions –Who are we? What has God called us to do or be? andWho is our neighbor? – a new identity statement wasdeveloped along with a mission statement to be presentedfor the delegates’ approval at the March assembly (at left).

“In these statements I sense God’s nudging to focus onrelationships as we carry outthe mission God has given us,”conference minister Clare AnnRuth-Heffelbower wrote in recentreflections on the upcoming year. PSMC leaders have identified aneed for some major changes inthe budget and potentially confer-ence structure. “Seeking God’sguidance as we move ahead iscrucial,” Ruth-Heffelbower wrote.

But amid all these changes, shesees many positive signs of God’spresence and activity among us.

For example, all positions arefilled on the PSMC board –which has not always been thecase. Zoom video-conferencemeetings have allowed for greaterparticipation of busy board mem-bers, at lower cost, while a boardretreat at Camp Keola helpedbuild relationships. “God hasgiven us a gifted and dedicatedBoard!” Ruth-Heffelbower wrote.

As well, relationships are grow-ing stronger between pastors,helped along with a pastor andspouse retreat in October. “Withthe beginning of this year we havea monthly Zoom gathering of pas-tors for sharing and prayer,” sheexplained. “We have two dayseach month to accommodate dif-ferent schedules — Wednesdayand Saturday morning. On theWednesday February gathering,

What’s going on around the Pacific Southwest?

Full Circle Thrift

Revisioning

Volunteers helped unload atrailer full of donated goodsfrom Arizona.

sure do a lot.” Here are some examples:

Congregational SupportConsult on issues of church leadership and governanceHelp congregations with legal and financial mattersMediate in times of crisisLeadership supportCredential leadersProvide classes on Anabaptist belief and practiceWork to develop intercultural competence

Mission SupportMobilize and help congregations to plant new churches;offer grants and support for local peace & justice projects

Establishing the Anabaptist Resource Center

While it’s an exciting time in the life of PSMC, withnew energy, the conference operates under financialstress, with shrinking reserves and an operating deficitincurred in part to invest in initiatives such as youth pro-gramming, the Anabaptist Resource Center/thrift storestartup and fair compensation to employees. Individualdonations and extra congregational giving will be appreci-ated as PSMC moves ahead in faithfulness to God’s call.

One of PSMC’s current goals is to work more directlywith Pacific Southwest Retreat Ministries, the group

that operates Camp Keola on Huntington Lake in theSierra Nevada. That cooperation became tangible this fallas the camp hosted both the PSMC September boardretreat and a pastors & spouses retreat in October, whichwas offered free to all credentialed leaders.

Many others have experienced the camp as part of thelast assembly’s youth program, the summer youth camps,a fall “quilt camp” and Family Camp.

Summer camps, observes Conference Minister ClareAnn Ruth-Heffelbower, “have been spiritual high pointsand life-changing events for many who attend. CampKeola is a place where people meet God in a new way. Itis a place where first-time commitments to follow Jesusare made and where many re-commitments to disciple-ship occur. A place where life-long friendships areformed as relationshipsgrow between people fromdifferent cities and congre-gations.”

While it seems far awayfor many churches, RetreatMinistries has helped fillthat gap by assisting withtransportation fromSouthern California andArizona. “Let’s find waysto use this incredibleresource God has given us,”Ruth-Heffelbower says.

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Pastors visit Camp Keola’sInspiration Point duringthe retreat for pastors andspouses in October.

business plan and has done much of the groundwork forthis project, says so much could not have been accom-plished without the help of volunteers across PSMC.

“Some have organized a donation drive in their localchurch. Others have filled their homes with boxes ofdonations waiting for a moving truck to come so that theycould be brought to our storage containers in Upland. Wehave had a volunteer travel to the far corners of our con-ference to load up trucks and drive them back to Upland.One of our pastors has spent countless hours filling andreorganizing donations in our storage units in the full heatof the summer. There have been so many that sent infunds for our startup campaign.

“I could go on and on with stories from so many won-derful members of our churches that are working togetherto see this project succeed. This doesn’t even begin totouch on the work our Thrift Store Launch Team hasdone. The truth is we have some amazing people and Iwant to thank them,” he wrote, mentioning numerousindividuals, pastors, local churches as well as those in SanFrancisco and Tucson, and directors of the MCC ThriftStore in Rancho Cucamonga, which have generouslyshared their wealth of experience.

When our congregation gives to PSMC, what doesthat money pay for?

That’s an excellent question for PSMC’s churches to ask.While the average member may not always be aware ofwhere those precious dollars are going, there’s a lot goingon behind the scenes.

“I was recently talking to a real estate agent at a possi-ble site for Full Circle Thrift, PSMC’s thrift store,” trea-surer Joe Roos related in a recent e-Update newsletter toPSMC churches. “He asked me what group I was withand I told him about us. He said, ‘Mennonites, huh? Youdon’t have many churches in this area, do you’? I told himwe had about twenty small congregations throughout thesouthern California area and he replied, ‘Well, you maybe small, but you sure have a big impact. I’ve heard ofyou all before.’ I was delighted to hear that. It’s true thatwe don’t have numerous, large congregations, but we

Stewardship

A look at happenings in your area conference

Retreat Ministries

Supporting missionin our back yardOne of the ways PSMC ishelping congregationscarry out their missionvision is by setting upseed grants for projectsthat are part of a localvision. One-time grants of$5000 to $10,000 havebeen made available,along with mission part-nership grants of $1,000to $5,000. Among thegrants provided so far,one was for a justice pro-ject by First MennoniteSan Francisco to doresearch and educationon the Doctrine ofDiscovery and its effectson colonized indigenouspeople. Another went toPasadena Mennonite inits partnership with thePeace & JusticeAcademy school. MissionMinister David Gray isalso working with church-es in Reedley and Fresnoto support their dream fora new Hispanic churchplant in Fresno with amicro fund grant.

The possible future home of PSMC’s thrift shop.

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The words of Psalm 126:5, “weeping may endurefor a night but joy comes in the morning” came topass for Los Angeles Faith Chapel as they dedicat-

ed their new sanctuary on Oct. 4, 2015. The congregationand their guests sang songs of praise and worship in bothEnglish and African languages, danced, and testified tothe goodness of the Lord.

Pastor Grace Pam described the church's journey tothis new building dedication and reminded the audienceof the core vision of Los Angeles Faith Chapel, which isto reach out to the hurting, broken and lost individuals inour society with salvation in Jesus. She recounted one byone the lives of many homeless people the Lord haschanged for the better through L.A. Faith Chapel's min-istry.

Pastor Chuwang Pam followed with a message on thededication of Solomon’s Temple with diverse exhorta-tions, after which faithful leaders of the church were rec-ognized and given awards, along with 11 members whohad gone through the ordinance of baptism. PastorAntonia Onye, who had served the church for almost twodecades, was ordained also. Finally the church buildingwas dedicated by stationing apostles, prophets and seniorpastors at the three main entrances to the sanctuary: facingwest, north and south. Each prophetically prayed and ded-icated the church building. Former conference ministerJeff Wright and his wife Debbie cut the ribbon and prayedover the entire building, charging members to take thechurch outside where people need it most. The ceremonywas concluded with a fellowship meal in the newlyremodeled and colorfully decorated fellowship hall.~From a report by Femi Fatunmbi, PSMC moderator.

Hmong Mennonite church Pastor Shoua Moua is trav-elling with his wife to Thailand in February, where

he is speaking at the Hmong Mennonite Bible School.The congregation, along with its sister congregation inFresno, Mennonite Community, continues to support this

As the Spirit leadsHow PSMC folk are living outtheir faith in the Southwest

missionary effort through various means, including thesale of eggrolls.

Church planting isn’t an easy task, but it’s essential,says PSMC Mission Minister David Gray. How can

we support those who take up the challenge?“One of the most powerful ways to support church

planters, according to research, is forthem to have peer support: fellowplanters that they can talk to, pray with,gripe with and dream with.”

If you’re part of a church plant or aredreaming about it, the Church PlantingSummit coming up in New Orleans, La.,March 31-April 2, may be just the ticket.This gathering, hosted at Igesia AmorViviente, will bring together more than ahundred Mennonite church planters,coaches and leaders involved in plantingthe seeds of God’s reign in various con-texts around the United States. It will bea time to share stories and strategies,learn from each other, and encourageeach other in this valuable work.

Some small funding grants are avail-able; contact David Gray at davidgray@pacificsouth-west.org or 510-775-4231 to learn more.

Pastors Gordon Smith (Mennonite Community) andSteve Ratzlaff (former pastor) are part of a Faith in

Community Clergy Caucus, an interfaith group of reli-gious leaders seeking to develop a common vision of pri-orities for the city of Fresno that could be shared with allcandidates in the upcoming mayoral election. MennoniteCommunity recently devoted part of a congregationalmeeting to discussing that topic to provide feedback as apart of the communal discernment process.

Koinonia Mennonite Church was thrilled on Sept. 20to celebrate the dedication of a house provided for the

large family of a Rwandan Tutsi refugee originally fromCongo, whom the congregation took under its wing afterhe found asylum in the U.S. in 2013.

“Daniel” (a pseudonym), who told his story at a PSMCassembly in 2014, was finally reunited with his wife andsix children in early 2015, though five children the familyhad adopted after they were orphaned are still waiting tocome. Daniel’s story is a long and difficult one of exile,arrest, imprisonment and torture for his work on behalf ofHutus who faced violence, rape and oppression under thegovernment of Rwanda. He was a tireless advocate forfellow refugees in Burundi.

Koinonia members came together to prepare and cleanthe home and move the family of eight from their apart-ment to the home. A special service of worship and testi-mony was held at the house “to celebrate God’s provisionand faithfulness, as well as the opportunity for us to cometogether as the hands and feet of Jesus.”

Both parents are working but with the struggle to makeends meet, the congregation was delighted to provideChristmas presents for the children as well. Those chosenfor the children still awaiting their chance to come to theUnited States are waiting for them in Chandler.

Los Angeles FaithChapel’s new home,at 10216 S DenkerAvenue

A purposefulgathering foryouthPSMC youth have aterrific opportunity totake a mission tripin our own backyard this summer.The first confer-ence-wide missionevent for highschool and collegeyouth will take placeJune 23–27 with theDOOR (DiscoveringOpportunities forOutreach andReflection) program inHollywood: ‘a gate-way for encounter-ing the city throughthe eyes, ears andheart of God.’ Thiswill be a chance foryouth to serve andlearn together forthree days, thenplay together atMagic Mountain onthe final day. Watchfor more details.

P A N O R A M A

7A ‘gift to all who attended’: MWC Assembly 2015

PSMC was well-represented at last summer’s biggest Mennonitegathering: the Mennonite World Conference assembly inHarrisburg, Pa. The event, attended by 8,402 people from 80

countries, was “a gift to all who attended,” reflected conference ministerClare Ann Ruth-Heffelbower.

“At MWC Assembly Gathered,” she wrote in a PSMC e-Updatenewsletter, “one gets a clear sense that we are part of something muchbigger than our local congregations, much bigger than Pacific SouthwestMennonite Conference and Mennonite Church USA. It’s inspiring torealize that you are part of a big family that finds its commonality in fol-lowing Jesus. Our family is diverse—as we know here in PacificSouthwest Mennonite Conference. 81% of baptized members of MWCchurches come from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In spite of thediversity, MWC Assembly has the feel of a family reunion. ... MWCalso provides an opportunity to network with others as we work togetherin carrying out the mission God has given us.

What’s more, “Worship in a large arena with thousands of peoplesinging joyfully –– and sometimes dancing — is an experience that can-not be duplicated.”

The assembly, she said, reminded North Americans “of our relativewealth, security and other things that we take for granted. ... It is soberingto hear of the struggles of others, of persecution, poverty and fear.”

Former conference minister Stan Friesen remarked on the encourag-ing signs of healing and reconciliation experienced at the assembly,including the opening ceremony that featured Native American drum-ming and recounted both the pain and healing that has taken place in therelationship between indigenous people and Mennonites in that area; themultinational music, the prominent place given to women, and theLutheran World Federation speaker who recounted their pilgrimage toreconciliation with Mennonites.

Members of MWC do not always agree on matters of faith or doc-

In many congregations, the fact that PSMC has an organization forwomen flies a bit under the radar. Curious? Here’s a description fromNeta Kimel, president of Pacific Southwest Mennonite Women.

Pacific Southwest Mennonite Women is a conference organiza-tion committed to encourage and promote spiritual growth andempowerment through a daily walk with Christ including Bible

study, prayer, and other Christian disciplines and fellowship. We com-mit ourselves to build a unified community of diverse women throughthe leading of the Holy Spirit through building relationships and net-works for support, affirmation,witness, service and celebration.

We are organized as a president, vice president of Arizona, vice presi-dent of southern California, vice president of northern California, and asecretary/treasurer. We are currently seeking a secretary.

We work with Mennonite Women USA to help find a representa-tive in every church in our conference. If you do not know who that is atyour church it could be you do not have one. The representative is awoman who receives info about events and activities with MennoniteWomen. Currently we need someone in about half of the congregations.Mennonite Women USA has a monthly email newsletter that you cansign up to receive at no cost called A Postcard and A Prayer. MennoniteWomen USA also has a monthly magazine called Timbrel and a yearlyBible Study guide. You can find out more at mennonitewomenusa.org.

In the conference, the vice presidents attempt to organize retreat

opportunities in their areas. Arizona's next retreat is April 22-24. Retreatsare funded locally with the vice presidents heading up committees fortheir area retreats. You can contact me, Neta Kimel, with questions or tovolunteer your services. I can be reached at netachiro@hotmail.com.

The Women in Leadership Project, an initiativeof Mennonite Church USA, will hold its sec-

ond Women Doing Theology conference Nov. 4–6 in Leesburg, Va., on the theme: “I’ve got thepower! Naming and reclaiming power as a forcefor good.”

“As Christians and peacemakers, it is extreme-ly important that we are aware of the power wepossess,” says coordinator Jenny Castro. “Peopledon’t always recognize the power that they hold,and sometimes it feels scary to exercise our power. We hope that we willnot only recognize it, but also embrace it — acknowledging that theSpirit of God can and will work in and through us as we do.”

More than 200 participants attended the first such conference in 2014.“The word theology might scare some people,” Castro says, “but this

conference is open to all. Conferences like these create space for uniquevoices and perspectives to be seen and heard. Participants will be chal-lenged and stretched as we dig deeper into our shared faith, exploringwhat we each bring to it.” For details, visit http://bit.ly/1RtCyXO .

Part of the Pacific Southwest contingent at PA2015.

trine, Friesen reflected, but have learned to serve our neighbors in reliefand peacemaking together, and ito “recognize each other as sisters andbrothers on a journey toward a more faithful discipleship to Jesus.”

“I come away from the diversity MWC represents with the deepconviction that although we in the PSMC are a very diverse group ofcongregations differing on some important theological convictions andhaving differing cultural backgrounds – European, African, Caribbean,Hispanic, Indonesian and Korean – we can see each other as fellow dis-ciples of one Lord. One thing to take away from MWC is that as ourchurches join together in worship, celebration and service, we discoverthe bond that unites us as fellow disciples of the same Lord.”

Video of the MWC events is online at pa2015.mwc-cmm.org.

Experiencing sisterhood at gatherings near and far

What’s the scoop?People and events

Mennonite Community Church in Fresno isfinding some fun, unique ways to do friendshipoutreach in their neighborhood. In September,

together with Primera Iglesia/First MennoniteReedley, the church hosted a block party, a “Fiesta delBarrio,” with food, a water slide, bounce house and more.

On Halloween evening, costumed volunteers hosted aTrunk or Treat event in the church’s commodious parkinglot, inviting neighborhood kids and their families to gosafely trick-or-treating from one decorated car trunk toanother. Besides giving out goodies, church members ledgames and hosted a prize table.

“This was certainly a new idea for many of us, maybeeven a little outside our comfort zone!” said PastorGordon Smith. “We had no idea what to expect, but wetook the plunge anyway. It was a huge success. It was funmeeting so many families. We even had to send a fewpeople out to the store to replenish our supply of treats!For us, it was simply an opportunity for our church to begood neighbors.”

The church also devoted Adult Education during thefall to studying the book Christian, Muslim, Friend:Twelve Paths to Real Relationship. The series on under-standing and relating to our Muslim neighbors, locallyand in the larger world, included visiting experts:Intercultural Studies professor Greg Camp and RezaNekumanesh, director of the local Islamic CulturalCenter. It culminated with a visit to a Fresno mosque anda follow-up discussion about hospitality in our own com-munity.

Calling youth leaders with a thirst for adventure inministry and in life: Todd Wynward, a wilderness

guide and author of Rewilding the Way (left) will lead awilderness trek for physically active adults working inyouth ministry July 1-9 in Taos, New Mexico.

“How did Christianity become so tame, and how dowe reboot to become the transformative and propheticdisciples we need to be? In our era of wild possibilityamidst unprecedented environmental and economic crisis,how shall we teach and embody the coutner-cultural wayof Jesus?” says an introduction to the retreat. This weekof experiential education and adult spiritual formation willinclude whitewater rafting, peak ascents, blind rockscrambling, daily sunrise prayer and an overnight wilder-

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ness solo, personal manifesto-making and biblical analy-sis in all types of wild places – “all designed to open radi-cally new possibilities for you and the youth you lead ... tobreak free of dominant culture, find a truer sense of our-selves, and start to become the joyful, prophetic, culture-changing people our untamed God yearns for us to be.”

The cost is $395 per person. Contact rachelg@men-noniteusa.org for details.

Shalom Mennonite Fellowship, which has a longhistory of involvement in border and immigration

issues, has officially become a “supporting sanctuary” inthe Sanctuary Movement, described on its websitesanctuary2014.org as “a growing movement of ... over300 faith communities doing what Congress and theAdministration refuse to do: protect and stand with immi-grants facing deportation.” The Sanctuary movement ofthe 1980s was rebirthed in Tucson in 2014 to respond tothe vastly increased number of deportations, which fre-quently result in families being divided.

Everence is inviting applications for college scholar-ships from any student whose parent or guardian has

owned an Everence product for at least a year. Two levelsof scholarship are available to students attending anaccredited two- or four-year undergraduate or tradeschool program: $750 regional scholarships (one perregion), plus three national scholarships on top of thatamount: one for $1,250 and two for $250. Download anapplication at everence.com/scholarships/. The deadlineis Feb. 29.

PSMC’s emerging Anabaptist Resource Center,ReconciliAsian and West Coast MCC co-spon-

sored STAR training at Mountain View Mennonite inUpland, Feb. 8-12. STAR is a five-day trauma awarenessand resilience training program that comes out of EasternMennonite University’s Center for Justice andPeacebuilding. It brings together theory and practicesfrom neurobiology, conflict transformation, human secu-rity, spirituality and restorative justice principles toaddress the needs of individuals and communities thathave suffered trauma.

First Mennonite/Primera Iglesia Menonita inReedley takes its bilingual/bicultural identity serious-

ly, down to the fundraising level. When the MennoniteWomen group invited the congregation to their annualfundraising dinner in January, it was a Borscht andAlbondigas Soup Supper –– foods recalling old culturaltraditions of both parts of the congregation (Russiancolony/Mexican) –– as well as homemade bread and pie.Funds went to support prayer partner Mary Raber. Raberis a Mennonite Mission Network worker who teacheschurch history and applied theology at OdessaTheological Seminary in disputed eastern Ukraine, andrelates to church, mission and social service organizationsin Ukraine and other parts of Eastern Europe.

The church celebrated Christmas in part this year withan Adventure in Bethlehem on Dec. 20. The eventincluded a village marketplace with "shops" to visit,wares to sample, and characters to talk with. Visitorscould also visit with a “rabbi” at the synagogue school,write on a clay tablet at the scribe’s corner, or try to checkin at the inn. There was a carpenters shop, a village well

Todd Wynward’sRewilding the Way(Herald Press, $15.99)seeks the “feral” foun-dations of Scripture andlessons the prophetsand disciples gleanedfrom wilderness testing,to consider how we canbreak free to becomejoyful and propheticpeople. It is packed withinspiring stories of howpeople are learning tocare for Creation andeach other. Available atmennomedia.org.

with games, and a stable. A bakery offered a project forthose who wanted to handle some dough. And of course,the tax collector and census taker were present. Outdoors,there were shepherds and a telescope to study the stars.The program finished with the reading of the Christmasstory form Luke and Matthew, as well as carol singing.Proceeds of the “taxes” taken at the event went towardproviding relief kits for refugees through MennoniteCentral Committee.

An Indonesian translation of the MennoniteConfession of Faith is now available online, thanks to

the work of Pastor BambangEko Moeljono in collabora-tion with Mennonite Mission Network and MennoniteChurch USA. Download it at: http://bit.ly/1msmoRz

Annika Janzen, a University of Washington studentfrom Mennonite Community Church in Fresno,

received a $500 scholarship for the 2015-16 academicyear from Mennonite Insurance Services, which makesfunds available to junior and senior students from WestCoast Anabaptist churches with a GPA of at least 3.0.General manager Jerry Linscheid said of the recipientsthat “It is encouraging how many of our scholarship win-ners list service as a major goal. It is a pleasure to supportsuch a group of leaders.” Forms for this year’s scholar-ships are now available at http://bit.ly/1SfXxyk

After many years of sponsoring a Ten ThousandVillages sale before Christmas, Koinonia

Mennonite Church in Chandler, Ariz., due to changingpriorities for the organization, held its final sale Dec. 4-5,going out with a bang. The sale, held in conjunction witha Red Cross blood drive, a bake sale and musical enter-tainment, brought in more than $5,500 in purchases.Proceeds from the bake sale, about $500, will be donatedto one of the church’s many long-time mission connec-tions, Bishop Opondo, and his Kenyan MennoniteChurch congregation.

Meet PSMC’s new Mennonite Mission Network liai-son, Sandy Miller. Miller, MMN’s Director of

Church Relations, has taken over from Steve Wiebe-Johnson as PSMC’s contact person. In a message inPSMC’s e-Update newsletter, Miller said she’s lookingforward to getting to know our conference and leaders aswe partner together in local and global mission.

Miller joined MMN staff in 2005 as a Ministry SupportTeam Coach and has coached more than 20 supportteams to expand prayer, communication and financialsupport for international workers. She’s helped in devel-oping a support team for Mountainview Mennonite

March 4-6Pacific Southwest

MennoniteConference Annual

Assembly

March 31-April 2Church Planting

Summit, New Orleans

June 23-27PSMC Youth

Mission Trip, DOORHollywood

July 17-23Junior High Camp

Camp Keola

July 24-30High School Camp

Camp Keola

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Church pastors andReconciliAsian foundersHyun and Sue Hur.

Miller holds an M.Div. fromAMBS and was ordained byher congregation, SilverwoodMennonite Church, inGoshen, Ind. She has served asa minister of worship andmusic at Yellow CreekMennonite Church, nearGoshen. “For me,” she says,“worship and mission go hand in hand. Worship is anexperience of reconciliation –– reconciliation to God andto each other, and praise and adoration reminds us whowe are in Christ. Worship and mission are not about us ...it’s about God and recognizing who we are as belovedchildren of God.

“I love the diversity I find in PSMC and wish youGod’s blessings as we all work at building God’s king-dom on earth as it is in heaven.”

Miller can be reached at SandyM@MennoniteMission.net, or 1-866-866-2872, ext. 23023

Danny Begaye, 67, pastorof Alpha & Omega

Church, which ministers toNavajo people, passed away ofcancer on Thanksgiving morn-ing. Though his church wasnot affiliated with PSMC,Begaye had a long connectionwith Mennonites and main-tained a relationship with someArizona congregations. Afteryears as an officer with theNavajo Police, he resigned to pursue a calling into min-istry. He earned a degree in pastoral ministry fromHesston College in 1994, and went on to earn a bache-lor’s degree in Bible and religion from Bethel College. In2003, he and wife Lillian moved back to Cottonwood,Ariz., where they founded the congregation in 2004. In2007, he started “Feed the Hungry Outreach,” which con-tinues to operate in Cottonwood. A funeral service washeld Dec. 2 in Hesston, with burial at GreenwoodCemetery in Newton.

Mennonite Women USA now has an online shop onits website, which allows easy purchasing and offers

bundled prices for materials such as Bible study guides,back issues of Timbrel magazine, Sister Care T-shirts andmore. Check it out at mennonitewomenusa.org/shop/ .

Hyejung (Jessie)Yum and Junggyu(Anthony) Yang werelicensed toward ordi-nation at MountainView MennoniteChurch in Upland onJan. 10. Far left, withPastor HelenMfwiliwakanda ofWholicare, represent-ing PSMC’s pastoralleadership commmit-tee; left, with pastorsSue and Hyun Hur.

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Gallery: Snapshots from Clockwise from below: Kids show off an artwork quilt made atthe Summer Assembly in Fresno; Pastor Sheri Hostetler leadsa session at First Mennonite San Francisco’s annual retreat;Pastor Juan Montez blows a shofar during lively worship atPrimera Iglesia Menonita in Reedley; SOOP volunteers atShalom Mennonite in Tucson enjoy games after a day’s work;Shalom youth rest after finishing the Crop Walk for hungerrelief; Mennonite Community (Fresno) celebrates the lakesidebaptism of Loren Friesen and Joe Steffen.

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Pastors and spousesgather at Camp Keolafor a retreat in October,left.

Below, PeaceMennonite Fellowship,which makes table fellowship a central partof its community life,sets a beautiful table forThanksgiving dinner.

Left, kids take center stage during a service atUpland Peace Church. Below, participants in a bor-der learning tour in February from Reedley andFresno pose at the fence separating the U.S. andMexico.

Left, volunteers at Maranatha Christian Fellowship in Northridge, Calif., have fun preparing sate for sale as part of a retreat fundraiser. Thanks to Duane Ruth-Heffelbower, Janet Kroeker, Leann Elrich Augsburger and other Facebook contributors for photos on these pages.

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When people spy the quilt that hangs on the wall of conferenceminister Clare Ann Ruth-Heffelbower’s Fresno office, they allseem to say one thing: “That’s beautiful.”

At last June’s PSMC Assembly in Fresno, Ruth-Heffelbower showedoff that “amazing” quilt with its “spectacular” colors. “When I saw thisquilt,” she said, “I knew that this one was the one that described our con-ference. It’s got a lot of differences, colors and shapes –– but there arepatterns too, it’s not totally random; there’s some order.”

PSMC, she said, is a lot like the early church in Corinth: a grand mix-ture of people in a city one scholar described as the New York, LosAngeles and Las Vegas of the ancient world. Its diversity was reflectedin the church to which Paul wrote I Corinthians, describing the church asa body that needs all of its unique parts.

“There is an assortment of gifts in any given congregation, and Ibelieve each congregation is gifted in some particular way to contributeto the larger body as well; in this case, our conference,” she said. “Somehave the gift of joyful worship; some have the gift of discipleship, fol-lowing Jesus wherever it may be, as our spiritual ancestors theAnabaptists did in the 16th century; some have the gift of community,modelling how Christ wants us to relate to each other in the body ofChrist; some have the gift of sharing the good news of Jesus with thosearound them; some have the gift of serving those in need; some modelfor us the power of prayer; some have the gift of generosity and canshare their resources with others; some have a gift of radical openness tothe Holy Spirit.

“Paul makes it clear that different parts of the body need each other,and we need each other in this part of the body of Christ that we callPSMC. Together we can help each other, learn from each other. Thoseof us from northern European backgrounds can learn (from other cul-tures) to loosen up a little bit, and be more free and joyful in our worship.We can learn to depend more on the Holy Spirit and the power of prayer.And maybe those of us with northern European backgrounds can helpothers with things like administration and organizing structures to func-tion effectively to carry out the work of God’s kingdom,” she said.

PSMC Mission Committee calls for action on mass deportations

“We need each other to be faithful followers of Jesus. And to carryout the mission God’s given us, we need a strong, healthy and completebody” –– just as a quilt needs all of its pieces, each of them strong, to doits job.

But how do we keep it all together in the face of our many differ-ences? I Cor. 13, the “love chapter,” provides the answer, she said. Lovemust be a conscious choice, visible in our actions and relationships, par-ticularly with people who seem unlovable, who have hurt us, who dothings we don’t like, or who we think are wrong.

“On issues that are dividing us, the call to love comes through loud andclear. We don’t all read the scriptures the same way, but we are all seek-ing to follow Jesus faithfully. We are all called to love one another, tomake the choice to love despite our differences. ... And we can’t do thaton our own will; we need help from God’s spirit,” she said.

Ruth-Heffelbower said she believes God is calling us in PSMC “toshow those around us that people who come from different placesaround the world, who speak different languages, who worship in differ-ent ways, who may not always agree on everything, are still part of thesame body of Christ, which is held together by love. If we can do that,we can be like this quilt here, this wonderful display of diversity workingtogether. ... My prayer for us as a conference is that people will look atus and say: ‘That’s beautiful.’

The Conference Mission Committee issued a Call to Action on Jan. 21,asking PSMC churches to respond to stepped-up deportations by theDepartment of Homeland Security. Here is the text of that call:

What does it mean to be the church and respond as church togetherwhen the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has ordered

Immigration and Customs enforcement agents to go to the homes ofCentral American migrant families to take them forcibly into detentioncenters for immediate deportation?

The Department of Homeland Security began mass deportations twoweeks ago of Central American families. The media has been callingmigrants seeking safe haven in Europe “refugees.” Here, migrants fromCentral America seeking refuge are often called “illegals.” The Biblecalls them our neighbors, and asks us to love them (Lev. 19:33-34; Luke10: 25-37; Matt. 25:31-45).

Background: Mothers and children from Honduras, Guatemala, andEl Salvador have crossed the border in the thousands during the last fewyears, turning themselves in to Border Patrol agents and requesting asy-lum. They are fleeing violence, gang extortion and recruitment, unem-ployment, and poverty in their home countries, and joining family mem-bers already settled in communities around the U.S.

A quilt ofmany colors

In response, the Department of Homeland Security opened new large“family detention centers” in Texas. Most families cannot find or affordimmigration attorneys, without which it is very difficult to win an asy-lum application in our country. Most of these families, according to non-profit immigration attorneys, have not been given thorough due process.Our asylum categories are outdated and do not reflect the realities creat-ing migration from Central America. Our immigration system is back-logged and dysfunctional. The families whose asylum applications havebeen denied are now being targeted for deportation from the U.S., caus-ing fear and more trauma among these families.

How can we respond, as communities of faith?• Learn more: go to resources listed in the recent Mennonite CentralCommittee Action Alert: http://bit.ly/1o0gzwt• Talk and pray together as church communities about a possible call-ing to provide sanctuary or to support sister churches offering sanctu-ary: http://bit.ly/1O1qSFa • Learn the rights one has if confronted with an immigration raid, andshare with neighbors who may need to know: http://bit.ly/1LelC0T

May we prayerfully discern together our callings, and take a varietyof creative actions led by the Spirit to support and protect these most vul-nerable neighbors among us! ~ Conference Mission Committee

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Today’s refugee crisis brings to mind another suchtime that has left a legacy in Pacific SouthwestMennonite Conference. Kou Lee, who was

licensed as a pastor in August at the Hmong MennoniteCommunity Church in Fresno, reflected at the SummerAssembly in June on his own people’s exodus as refugeesfollowing the Vietnam War.

The Hmong are members of an ancient clan-based cul-ture that began in China and migrated into Southeast Asia,primarily Laos. Many received the gospel in China, Leesaid, thanks in large part to a Methodist missionary whoarrived around 1854, offering medical help and literacy.Alliance and Catholic missionaries carried on that work inLaos, converting many of the traditionally animistHmong to Christian faith.

As the Vietnam War spilled into neighboring coun-tries, the Hmong were drawn into the so-called “secretwar” in Laos, in which U.S. forces participated. At thewar’s end, with communists in control, many of thosewho had participated militarily were immediately impris-oned if they came down out of their hiding places in themountains and tragically disappeared.

Lee told movingly of his own story of exodus, and howit cemented the faith of those who put their trust in God.The village his family lived in was under siege by thearmy; people were disappearing, and it was only a matterof time before the soldiers took full control.

“We knew we had to leave,” Lee said. The villagersbelieved Thailand would be safer for them, but the jour-ney would be dangerous; going in groups of less than 20would greatly increase the risk of being robbed and killeden route.

A Hmong man who was among the soldiers secretlylet the villagers know that there would be a certain timewhen the soldiers would be away, a gap of an hour ortwo. And during that time, Lee said, “the whole villagetook off. There were me, my older brother, my youngerbrother and my sister. My grandfather carried one, mymother carried one, my older brother walked, and my dadcarried one. Dad carried a rifle.

“There were several soldiers behind us who knewabout it and came after us. My mom said we had to makea run over the mountains, down the hills, and they werepraying to God that God would do something to helpthem. While we were running up the hills, there was gun-fire, shooting, it was getting pretty bad. My mom says thesky was as clear as day and they started praying to God,and a big cloud covered the mountain, and there was a bigstorm of wind and rain that helped us escape down thehills and through the rivers. Because of that storm,because of God, we made it to Thailand and eventuallyhere.”

Because of promises made by the United States, manyof the Hmong eventually made their way to this countryas refugees, often with the help of Christian sponsors.They brought with them skills and a strong clan structurethat encouraged them to cluster in particular places,including the Central Valley.

“You have a lot of people here in Fresno because thefirst generation were all farmers, so they were looking forland to farm, and income. And Fresno was a big farming

area, so many people moved here,” Lee said. The secondgeneration often struggled to get an education and manymigrated to parts of Colorado and Minnesota that hadmanufacturing jobs that didn’t require a diploma or fluentEnglish.

“The third generation, who grew up in elementary andhigh school, became more educated and were able tomove anywhere and go into professional fields,” Lee said.

Mennonite Pastor James Wenger was among the firstto reach out to the Hmong in the Fresno area. PastorShoua Moua, who had migrated first to Australia and thentrained for ministry at Hesston College in the late 1980s,was asked to shepherd Fresno’s Hmong Mennonite flockin 1990. (He later went on to do mission work inColorado and other states, and established churchesthere.)

Hmong people are either Christians or believe inshamanism, which holds that the supreme God is notknowable and encourages prayer to ancestors, Lee said.The Hmong wrestle with issues of black magic anddemonic possession. Seeing the power of Christ in thelives of his followers has proven to the Hmong people“that the gospel is legitimate, that Jesus Christ can deliveryou,” Lee said.

“When Pastor Shoua first came here,” addedConference Minister Clare Ann Ruth-Heffelbower, “hewas ministering to a lot of people who were in shaman-ism, and as they would see the power of Christ at work,they would say, ‘Christ is stornger than our shaman, somaybe we should be Christians.’ So that’s been an excit-ing thing to see.”

Hmong church a legacy of faith amid turmoil

Women from theHmong congregationsing at last June’sassembly in ornate traditional clothing.

James Wenger, the firstMennonite to ministerto Hmong families inthe Fresno area, andfounding pastor ShouaMoua share the joy withKou Lee and his wife atthe celebration of hislicensing for ministry.

We’re onFacebook!Add Pacific SouthwestMennonite Conference toyour newsfeed and invite oth-ers to join, too. PSMC has anopen group, so you cancontribute your own thoughtsand church news. You canalso “like” our Full Circle ThriftStore page.

to the stories of those on the racialized margins? Howmight the church be changed by the trouble they’ve seen?Available through MennoMedia: store.mennomedia.org.

What does keeping Sabbathmean in our fast-paced

world? Rob Muthiah, a profes-sor of practical theology atAzusa Pacific Seminary andmember of PasadenaMennonite Church, exploresthat question in The SabbathExperiment: SpiritualFormation for Living in a Non-Stop World (Cascade Books,$15). This is a book for busyChristians, who long for some-thing more –– or perhaps something less. The ancientpractice of Sabbath contains incredible riches waiting tobe rediscovered, but is it realistic today? Bringing togetherstories, scripture, and theological reflection, the bookwrestles with that question and the broader implicationsof Sabbath: rest, celebration and relationships, but also theissues of consumerism, technology, and the need to pur-sue God’s justice on behalf of all people. This bookinvites us to ponder and embrace specific weekly choicesin relation to a rich understanding of Sabbath. For moreinformation, visit wipfandstock.com

Surprise! Stories ofDiscovering Jesus is the new

MennoMedia Vacation BibleSchool material for 2016. In manyof the stories told in the Gospels,Jesus does or says surprisingthings that reveal new facets ofJesus and his teachings –– storiessuch as Jesus in the temple, withchildren, in the crowd, during thenight, and while walking along aroad. Created for children aged 4 through grade 5, withfree options for junior youth available on the VBS web-site (www.mennomedia.org/vbs), the materials feature atime of worship that includes a drama to present the Biblestory. After worship, children rotate among various activi-ties that relate to the Bible story. Surprise! Stories ofDiscovering Jesusmay be ordered in an all-in-one boxedset including everything needed for planning and prepara-tion. All items are also available separately. Visit:mennomedia.org/vbs.

Want to learn moreabout Anabaptisthistory? Need a

good resource for teachingyouth or new members?Living the Anabaptist Story: AGuide to Early Beginningswith Questions for Today(Cascadia, $19.95) is anaccessible new history by Lisa D. Weaver and J. DennyWeaver that tells the story of how adult Christians of the1500s first shaped the Anabaptist believers church tradi-tion, and of how it lives on today and can be joined byany who identify with Anabaptist understandings of fol-lowing Christ. Lisa D. Weaver is president of the CentralDistrict Conference board and a teacher who has servedas a member of the historical Bearing Witness project.J. Denny Weaver has written and edited many books,including Becoming Anabaptist, and is a frequent speakerin academic and church settings. Available atcascadiapublishinghouse.com/

What if racial reconciliationdoesn’t look like what

you expected? The high-profilekillings of young black men andwomen by white police haveconvinced many whiteChristians to re-examine theirintuitions when it comes to raceand justice.

In Trouble I’ve Seen:Changing the Way the ChurchViews Racism (Herald Press,$16.99), theologian and bloggerDrew G. I. Hart places police brutality, mass incarcera-tion, anti-black stereotypes, poverty, and everyday acts ofracism within the larger framework of white supremacy.He argues that white Christians have repeatedly gotten itwrong about race because dominant culture and whiteprivilege have so thoroughly shaped their assumptions.He also challenges black Christians about neglecting themost vulnerable in their own communities. Leading read-ers toward Jesus, Hart offers concrete practices forchurches that seek solidarity with the oppressed and arecommitted to racial justice. What if all Christians listened

PSMC contactsModeratorFemi Fatunmbimoderator@pacificsouthwest.org323-779-4363

Conference MinisterClare Ann Ruth-Heffelbower559-281-5664clareann@pacificsouthwest.org

Minister of MissionDavid Gray510-775-4231davidgray@pacificsouthwest.org

Menno MediaResource AdvocateBarbara Ewyabewy@cvip.net

Conference Office379 N. Campus Ave.Upland, CA 91786agneschigoji@pacificsouthwest.org909-243-5003

Panoramapanorama@pacificsouthwest.org905-829-9640

PSMC Website: www.pacificsouthwest.org

Facebook: https://facebook.com/PacificSouthwestMennoniteConference

News you can use: Resources for congregations

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Support for PSMCWe are a community of Mennonite congregations across California,Arizona, and Nevada. We are a diverse body, gathering for worshipin many languages and coming from all corners of the globe. We areAnabaptist Christians who embrace various expressions of worshipand theological points of view – charismatic, evangelical, liturgical,pentecostal and progressive, among others. Donations may be

made via PayPal at www.pacificsouthwest.org/donate, or mail to:PO Box 39038, Phoenix, AZ 85069