News From The Pews

Volume 7, No. 3
Summer Edition 2011

Pastor's Perspective by Joel M.
Reading through the gospels, one gets the sense that if Jesus had not been an itinerant preacher/healer/prophet/Messiah he would have been an economist. He is constantly referring to economics through his parables and teachings, and his vision of a just and vibrant economy of generosity is a significant piece of what he called The Kingdom of God.
The ongoing recession, and new normal? of our nation's and world's economic picture, lifts the issue of economics to the front of our consciousness. We see people with education and skills unable to find quality work that brings out the best of their gifts, and we see people who have completely missed out, for
whatever reason, on the opportunity for quality education and skill building, in the ranks of the unemployed, or, worse, ``unemployable.''
The search for a just economics will be a significant part of the mission of the church in the years and decades to come and it will most likely need to start on the micro, relational scale. Congregations have opportunities to be implementers of fresh economic practices. More and more people might be looking to historical Mennonite practices of simplicity, community, and mutual aid as a model for these practices.
One way of starting to address one's personal economic situation is through a free service offered by Everence, our Mennonite stewardship agency. They offer four free sessions of financial counseling for households seeking to better clarify money matters. They can address issues of debt, spending priorities, giving, family planning, etc. The sessions are confidential, and free, and easy to set up. Call toll free (877) 809-0039, let them know you are a member of a Mennonite congregation, and they will help you set up these phone counseling sessions. If this interests you but you have more questions before starting I'd be glad to talk about it. This sticks with a fairly personal, individualized approach to finances, but it could be a good start if you would find something like this helpful.
Another idea would be if someone wanted to start a CMF Journey Group centered around finances, economics, education about money, financial justice, etc. There are a number of Mennonite congregations I'm aware of where small groups share and give advice on household budgets, and pool some of their tithe money together to support programs they value. It could be a way of creating webs of support, education, mentoring, and discernment in money matters.

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Council's Corner by John K.

We are pleased to welcome Joel, Abbie, Lily and Eve back from their summer's absence. We feel whole again. It was a good summer for us. We tried some different things in worship. The worship committee will determine which of those experiences to build upon. We are very grateful for the hard work of the Worship Committee during Joel's sabbatical. They were outstanding. The members of that committee were Mary S., Dustin M., Neil W., Connie B. and Naomi G.. The Spiritual Life Team was the other group that assumed additional responsibilities during Joel's absence. That team consisted of Joe L., Linda H., and Judy H.. These two groups of persons made it possible for the Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship to continue as a vital and growing community during Joel's sabbatical. We thank you.

At the end of the year before becoming more dispersed over the holidays, we affirmed a strategic vision and set some deadlines for decisions about the larger issues facing the congregation. We need to move ahead in response to God's call for our congregation as a whole and for its members. We are called to be exiles, always on the move. That is where the Hebrew Scriptures conclude, that is what Jesus calls us to, that is what the life of discipleship lived out in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition has meant for us. We are called to be comfortable with the discomfort of movement. That is the irony of the gospel.

What our strategic vision should mean for us is not simply more work. As Mennonites, many of us seem to feel that a little more work, a little more commitment, a little more time is what God wants from us. That is a difficult and sometime unfulfilling way to live. I am wondering whether we might rather want to ask, ``How does God want us to change?'' We have many ways of acting and being that have been characteristic of CMF for a long time. Most members were not here ``in the beginning,'' but many joined us because they were comfortable here. What are the discomforts we should take on in this place at this time?

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Reflections on Pittsburgh 2011

This was my second Mennonite Convention and my first as a youth sponsor. Our Megabus ride to Pittsburgh was even better than I thought it would be with comfy seats and time to relax or talk. Ron H. met our bus in Pittsburgh and helped us orient to the area. The girl's room at the hotel was pretty full with 4 youth and myself. Neil, Jake and Luke had a room down the hall which was kept much cleaner than the girl's room. The highlight for me was the youth worship services with their energetic youth worship band and dynamic speakers. We had a great experience with our service project working on abandoned community garden. It was hard, hot work but the youth made a difference in just a few hours. The youth seemed excited to attend their seminars. I attended two seminars: Financial Foundations- Stewardship Curriculum for High School Students and Creating a Faithful Sexual Counter-Culture. Both were excellent and provided some fresh ideas for youth Sunday School. We did some activities as a group, but the youth also spent time on their own at the Convention Center. It is a wonderful experience for our small youth group just to see the thousands of other Mennonite youth that attend the Convention. Thank you to all in the congregation that made this experience possible for our CMF youth!
Judy VH
I once again presented the drama at Junior Youth Convention. John the Baptist the rock star put in an appearance, as did some new characters: Ginger Jack the rootin' tootin' varmint and Pierre the French Ambassador. I also presented a workshop on creating a children's story that was well-attended! I even did some activities for the children's convention! After I got home, I slept for several months and just woke up an hour ago.
John B.

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Church News by John K.
Cincinnati Service Opportunities

At the congregational meeting it was noted that voluntary service programs are going through a transition at present along with some other parts of Mennonite Church USA. The result is that Mennonite Mission Network (MMN) is not currently accepting applications for new VS units. More responsibility for their conception and development is being given to local congregations. This means that we can no longer simply proceed with the filing of an application to start a VS unit as had periodically been discussed in the past. We would need to develop a vision and program for service that would enhance and/or extend the ministries we are committed to in Cincinnati and then see how MMN could help or partner with us to carry them out. Church council intends to keep open the possibility of developing a service unit in Cincinnati, but will not be working with a specific time line . If you think we should be developing these opportunities in Cincinnati and are interested in working on such a project, please speak to a member of church council.

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Clothing Protector Project ,
An outreach project for Cedar Village Revisited by Violet S.

As you may have read in the last newsletter, Brianne B. along with some friends and the help of the Art and Spirituality Journey Group made 204 clothing protectors for the Cedar Village Retirement Community of Mason, OH. The protectors were such a hit that the center has asked for an additional 800 protectors be made for the residents. Art and Spirituality has agreed to help with the construction work again, but on behalf of Brianne and Judy VH, I would like to solicit your help as a congregation. There is NO SEWING involved. The only requirement is that you have sharp scissors and can cut around a simple pattern.
Judy is working with a neighbor to acquire the needed material. A specific cut date has not been set, but has been suggested for after church in the near future. If you are interested in joining this outreach endeavor, please let Judy and Brianne or the office know as soon as possible. The more people we have, the quicker the work will be finished, and the residents may enjoy.
Thank you for considering to join this outreach project! 

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Spotlight on
Newer Faces at CMF
Daniel H.
After having moved 7 times in the last 6 years, Cincinnati has become what I hope is my home for at least the next two years. While change and newness always bring along a scent of excitement, too much can be overbearing. And so I am glad to ``settle down'' here, if two years in one place can be considered such.

After getting my degree in Youth Ministry from Bluffton University, I hit the road. First stop was a one year stint in Germany with the Intermenno Program, where I taught English to elementary school students. Upon return, I resided for periods of time in Indiana and Virginia before returning to Germany for two years. During this time, I counseled U.S military members stationed in Europe who were seeking to be discharged from the military, specifically, and worked to help them stand up for their rights within the military system, generally. After coming home from Germany the second time, I decided to pursue my masters in Community Planning, and chose the DAAP program at UC, which is why I now call Cincinnati home.

I am a fan of maps, hikes, bicycles, and books. I enjoy racing road and mountain bikes, and doing pretty much anything active and outdoors.

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A Guide to Hospitality for Greeters
excerpt from The First Thirty Seconds by S. Joan Hershey
·         Focus your efforts on communicating a genuine welcome to everyone who comes-long time members, newer members, and visitors.
·         True hospitality does mean putting visitors first when you have to make a choice in your use of time. Visitors need a little more attention than regulars.
·         Avoid the temptation to let side conversations distract you from focusing attention on those you are serving as a greeter or usher.
·         As this booklet stresses, greeters and ushers are the front line of hospitality, but the work of hospitality needs to literally involve the whole congregation. Ask others to help you if someone has a particular need. For example, if a visitor expresses a desire to meet a pastor and you can't leave your position, ask another person to take the visitor to the pastor.

·         Make positive eye contact with people and SMILE. :-)
·         When health and circumstances permit, greet children at their level by bending down. That makes eye contact possible and helps you appear less intimidating.
·         Be sure to wear your name tag, and encourage others to do the same.
·         Even if you have a name tag system, those who are doing the initial greeting may not always know if someone who is arriving is new to the congregation. Rather than immediately asking if the person is new, consider a simple introduction like: "Hi, I'm not sure we've met. My name is _________________________________.''

·         If a single adult is present with a child, remember that you may be meeting a single
parent rather than one member of a couple. Don't say things like: "Where is your wife at today?"

·        Be careful not to give the impression that a visitor has to pass some kind of litmus test to be accepted. Don't appear disappointed if an initial conversation doesn't reveal a person you know in common or shows that the visitor is from a different denominational background. Rejoice that the person is present in your church!

·         While you want your personal appearance to be neat and attractive, there is nothing wrong with diversity in dress by those who are greeters and ushers. In fact, some congregations encourage greeters and ushers to dress in a variety of ways as a means of communicating to visitors that how they are dressed does not matter. Casual dress has become the norm in many businesses around the country, and some young adult males do not even own suits or sport coats. We want them in church; we don't care about the attendance of their suits.

·         Make an active effort to learn the names of visitors. People are very impressed if you greet them by name at the end of the service or when they arrive the following week.

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Please be reminded :

Have your completed Congregational Tasks volunteer list returned to the office no later than October 23, 2011. We'd like to hear from everybody, including the youngsters. Also, please feel free to ask if you have any questions about any post. Something new for this year, Community Meal has expanded their list to help explain the variety of ways that you may help. If you have any confusion as to whom to ask, please contact Violet S. in the office. She will help direct you to the correct person.

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May God's Peace be with You.