A Postcard and a Prayer

Mennonite Women USA

February 2011

In This Issue

Coming in timbrel: Prayer and Fasting

Franklin Sister Care

Regional retreats

Women's Dinner at Pittsburgh

The Kitchen Table

Bonnie Stutzman offers prayer shawls

On a different track

Prayer - Today

"Compassionate listening is spiritual work."

-from Sister Care: Equipping Women

for Caring Ministry

Coming in timbrel: Prayer and Fasting

The March/April issue of timbrel is a helpful resource for those who want to prepare more deeply for Easter through the church season of Lent. timbrel focuses on Prayer and Fasting.

Hardt Juanita Read about Charlotte Hardt's experiences with fasting for the first time. "My first-ever experience did not go well," says Charlotte (pictured left).

Juanita Nunez (pictured right) tells her story of receiving an answer to prayer after 14 years.

The sister question for the May/June issue of timbrel, which will focus on Loving Our Bodies, Loving Ourselves, is:

What has helped me to love and accept myself as God created me?

Send responses to Patty by March 1. Be sure to include your name and hometown.

Bless a woman this Easter season by giving her a gift subscription to timbrel. To subscribe to timbrel, send $15 for one year or $13 per person for a group of 10 or more to Mennonite Women USA, 718 N Main St., Newton, KS 67114. You can also e-mail or call 866-866-2872, ext. 34396. We'll start your subscription and send you a bill.

Sister Care Seminar in Franklin Conference

Franklin 3 Meet some of the nearly 80 women who attended the Sister Care seminar in Franklin Conference at Marion Mennonite Church, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania on February 4-5 led by Carolyn Heggen and Rhoda Keener. Women came from six MC USA conferences as well as six local denominations including Presbyterian, Brethren in Christ, United Brethren, Catholic, and Baptist churches.

Franklin 2

Click here for more photos.

Sister Care Seminars scheduled for 2011:

August 26-27 - Illinois
September 17-18 - South Dakota
October 21-22 - Florida
November 11-12 - Kansas

For more information...

Regional retreats - Spring 2011

Atlantic Coast and Lancaster (April 9) at MCC Materials Resource Center, Akron, PA, a fellowship and service day "Chatter, Chow, Cheerful Service."

Central Plains (March 5-6) at the Leadership Center, Aurora, NE, a retreat with Diane Zaerr Brenneman on "Finding Joy in Our Lives."

Franklin (March 26) at Marion Mennonite Church, Chambersburg, PA, a Prayer Breakfast with Beth Good on "Locally Grown Missions."

Gulf States (February 19) at Pine Lake Camp, Meridian, MS, a retreat with Lynelle Adams.

Indiana-Michigan (May 7) at Waterford Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN, a Spring Inspirational Meeting with Karla Minter on "Return to Greater Mindfulness: Prayer Pauses Through the Day."

(June 18) at Amigo Center, Sturgis, MI, a luncheon with Ruth Guengerich.

Lancaster (March 19, 20) workshops at annual conference with Rhoda Charles on "Prayer Shawl Ministries."

Ohio (March 12) Women's breakfast with Rebecca Fullmer on Adriel School Inc.

(April 9) at Jubilee Mennonite Church, Bellefontaine, OH, a Day of Inspiration with Rebecca Miller on "The Gift of Hospitality."

Pacific Northwest (April 1-3) at Drift Creek Camp, Lincoln City, OR, a retreat with Charlene Epp on "The Balance of Time."

Pacific Southwest (March 11-13) at Living Waters, Cornville, AZ, a retreat with speakers from local churches on "Renew, Relax, Rejoice, Regenerate."

Southeast (April 1-3) at Lakewood Retreat, Brooksville FL, a women's retreat with Ruby Hochstedler on "Turning Obstacles into Opportunities."

South Central and Western District (March 7-8) at The Journey, Yoder Activity Center, Yoder, KS, a Comforter Blitz.

(March 17) at The Journey, Yoder Activity Center, Yoder, KS, Spring Supper with Brenda Glanzer Lilliston as guest speaker.

Virginia (May 7) at Park View Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA, Annual Missions Day with Jennifer Sensenig.

Western District (July 30) at Bethel College Church, North Newton, KS, a luncheon with Patty Burdette, timbrel editor.

Eastern Pennsylvania (March 12) Sabbath Retreat at Forest Hills Mennonite Church, Leola, PA, Jan and Heidi Siemens on sudden loss of husband/father.

For information about events in your area, contact the Mennonite Women office.

Gwen Peachey, Marilyn Denlinger, and Barbara Longenecker present at the Fall 2010 Women's Sabbath Retreat held at Forest Hills Mennonite Church, Leola, PA.

Women's Dinner at Pittsburgh Convention

Tuesday, July 5 at 5:30-7:30

Come meet ordinary women with extraordinary stories of God's faithfulness and work in their lives in the drama "Heavenly Voices." Written by Pat McFarlane and performed by Goshen College actors, this play shares the stories and music of Mennonite women of color across Mennonite Church USA- from Alabama to Montana, from Philadelphia to Los Angeles.

Briddelle
Vernell Briddell, Chambersburg, Pa., (pictured) shared her story for Heavenly Voices. She says: "When I shared my story with Pat, it gave me the opportunity to see God's hand all through my life. If we remember what God has done in the past, it helps us in the present."

All women are welcome to come hear updates on Mennonite Women USA's ministry and win door prizes. You must register for this dinner.

The Kitchen Table

by Lorraine Eby

Franklin Conference Sister Care Coordinator

Burning Bush, February 2011

As each of our boys reached the age of 15, they took an after school job near our house. Break time came at 6:00 - 6:30 PM and we tried to delay family dinner so they were included at the table. It was not always convenient to do so, for sure, and there were times when I wondered if it was really that important to eat together. But one day a comment from one of them changed my perspective. "I'm really glad you guys wait for me. I wouldn't know what happened in everyone's day if you ate dinner without me."

On a different track: Sharon Kennel, newly retired conference minister, reflects on her journey of ministry

by Joanna Shenk

The Mennonite, February 2011

Sharon Kennel of Shickley, Neb., laughed when she was approached by two people in 1999 about becoming a conference minister in what was then Iowa-Nebraska Conference of the former Mennonite Church. "I laughed because I thought this was such an unlikely idea."

After all, Sharon did not have many of the credentials expected for conference leadership. She had not pastored a church, she had not been to seminary, and she was not a man. There had never been a female conference minister in Iowa-Nebraska Conference ...

Read the entire story.

Prayer for the Journey

Today

By The Reverend Virginia Going in Women's Uncommon Prayers (2000)

Submitted by Carolyn Holderread Heggen, Corvallis, Oregon

Let me live today.

Let me open to the miracle of this day.

Let me breathe the best of today.

Let me not miss the hart of toady.

Let me find the gift of today,

Hidden like a jewel in rubble of care, duty, and detail.

Let me pause to hear

The steady beat of the heart of God-

Hoping, aching, sorrowing, expectant, patient,

Despairing heart of God.

Listen, listen.

Do you hear it?

Ever so faint but steady, steady,

Rhythmic organ, strong muscle,

Thumping, beating, pumping, sustain, encompassing,

Wildly dancing heart of God.

Let me live this day, aware, open, listening, breathing, alive.

A Postcard & a Prayer is compiled by Mennonite Women USA staff Rhoda Keener, Patricia Burdette, Berni Kaufman, and Lois Loflin.

Know of others who would like to receive "A Postcard & a Prayer" e-mails from Mennonite Women USA? Have them send name, address, and e-mail Berni.