A Postcard and a Prayer from Mennonite Women USA

A Postcard and a Prayer

Mennonite Women USA

March 2011

In This Issue

International Women's Day

The Liberating Message for Women

From the Liberating Message of Jesus

In timbrel: Prayer and Fasting

Carolyn Heggen new Sister Care co-facilitator

International Group Visits Mennonite Women USA.

Strength for the Journey

March 8 is the 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day

"All women, theologians, dreamers, servants...come. Let us walk together in the way of Jesus! Let us go in the paths of justice and fairness, having, bringing, and carrying out love and hope everywhere."

-Elizabeth Vado, Nicaragua, from timbrel, Nov/Dec 10, "Women of the Way" inspired by the growth of the Latin American Women Theologians Movement; Elizabeth is one of 14 women receiving a scholarship in 2011from MW USA's International Women's Fund for church leadership training.

About International Women'S Day

International Women's Day on March 8 is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. International Women's Day celebrates women's success, and reminds of inequities still to be addressed. The first International Women's Day event was held in 1911. 2011 is the Global Centenary Year.

IWD

Prayer: "Your love, Jesus, is an ocean with no shore to bound it. And if I plunge into it, I carry with me all the possessions I have. You know, Lord, what these possessions are, the souls you have seen fit to link with mine."

-Therese of Lisieux, France (1873-1897) in Women's Uncommon Prayers, edited by Lyn Klug (1996)

The Liberating Message for Women Today

Olga Piedrasanta of Guatemala, coordinator of the Movement of the Latin American Anabaptist Women Theologians shared on the pilgrimage of Latin American women and introduced the newly published study guide,

El mensaje liberador de Jesús para las mujeres hoy (The liberating message of Jesus for women today).

The book contains reflections and presentations from the 2009 Assembly of Mennonite World Conference (MWC) in Paraguay, as well as eight Bible study guides produced by Latin American women. Piedrasanta, editor of the study, expressed hope that it would "contribute to a more just and equitable world for men and women engaged in building the kingdom of God here and now."

The Liberating Message for Women Today is available in Spanish. For a copy of the English translation, contact Linda Shelly. See excerpts below.

ConoSur Leaders Ester Bornes (Argentina), Gladys Siemens (Brazil), Martha Basualdo (Paraguay) and Olga Piedrasanta (Guatemala) respond to questions after they shared about the Latin American Anabaptist Women Theologians Movement with representatives of the Mennonite churches of the Southern Cone of South America.

Excerpts from The Liberating Message for Women Today

Olga Piedrasanta (pictured above) in the introduction states: "During the Women Theologians' Gathering in Paraguay we heard some women speak who challenged us to genuinely pursue Jesus. Their papers are in this book."

Alix

Alix Lozano from Colombia brings the message: "Jesus and the woman meet in the borderland". She challenges us about the need to address the status quo that enslaves and deforms women's lives.

Soto

Elizabeth Soto reminds us as women we are called to take peace into a broken context. She says, "We as women want churches that are free of machismo and patriarchy which limit us as men and women of God. Therefore, we need churches that encourage freedom in Christ."

Rebecca The African theologian, Rebecca Osiro invites us to think about the theme: "The great commandment for families of faith." She reminds us, "It is because of obedience to God's command that we have abundance that is beyond mere physical things. It is due to obedience to God's command that we take important steps forward in the Kingdom of God."

The Panamanian women say: "Having faith in God is a blessing to us each day. Prayer is the most important thing for Christian families. We must be like the Canaanite woman and have faith in God."

Cuban women challenge us with the following questions: What do you think faith is, and what does it mean to have faith? How can we affirm that having faith is best for handling any kind of crisis in our lives?

In timbrel: Prayer and Fasting

Beyler

"Tea ceremony has given me an appreciation for the Japanese arts, an understanding of polite language, close friends, graceful manners, and new ways of relating and being. Tea ceremony has profoundly affected my orientation and also my ministry-culturally, socially and spiritually," says Mary Beyler (right), worker with Mennonite Mission Network in Japan as she describes her understanding of Japanese life.

Siemens

Also in the March/April issue, Rachel Siemens (pictured left) shares "A journey with prayer" saying, "My conversations with God are becoming more 'two-sided' as my relationship with God grows." Charlotte Hardt and Juanita Nunez also reflect on the Christian practices of prayer and fasting. Don't miss their insights as they tell their stories.

The sister question for the May/June issue of timbrel 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 15. Be sure to include your name and hometown.

Is there a woman in your life who would enjoy receiving a 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.

Carolyn Heggen new Sister Care co-facilitator

Women leaders hope to translate, contextualize materials for other cultures.

by Heidi Martin for Mennonite Women USA
The Mennonite, March 2011

Carolyn Holderread Heggen, psychotherapist specializing in women's issues, trauma recovery and healing, has accepted a role as co-facilitator of Mennonite Women USA's Sister Care.

During the past year she provided leadership in the revision and expansion of the manual and seminar, collaborating with Rhoda Keener and Ruth Lapp Guengerich.

"Sister Care brings together the best of our theology and psychological understandings in practical ways that are accessible for lay women," Heggen says. "It provides training women can use for their own healing and as they reach out to help others." Read more...

International Group Visits Mennonite Women USA

Peacock

The Mennonite World Conference (MWC) traveling delegation visited MW USA on February 6 at Heisey Road in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania at the home office of Rhoda Keener, executive director. The group discussed how Sister Care seminar materials could be contextualized when shared internationally.

Left to right: Cisca Ibanda, DR Congo, Carolyn Heggen, Oregon, Cynthia Peacock, India, Rhoda Keener.

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Bird

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Strength for the Journey

-Sent by Maria Calderon, Nicaragua. Maria is pursuing a BA in theology from SEMILLA and is a candidate to become a teacher at the seminary. She received an International Women's Fund scholarship to support her training in 2010 and will receive a grant again in 2011. "Thanks for your support," she wrote and shared this prayer.

Lord God, our father and mother

I come before you in the name of Jesus

to honor you, worship, and thank you

for the example of your love personified in Jesus, your son,

who came to do your will and give his life a ransom for all.

Thank you Lord for everything,

for life, health,

and the trials and hard times as well,

for our families

and for putting your eyes on us,

so that we become builders of your kingdom.

Thanks for trusting us.

Thanks for your guiding spirit.

Enlighten us, prepares us, equip us,

and convince us of our sin to turn to you, oh God.

Thanks for the Deborah's in every nation of the world.

Thanks for the group of women theologians

who make the dreams come true for those women

who want to be prepared for a better job in the work of the Lord.
Bless those women who don't think of themselves, but of others.

Bless their families.

Give them the requests of their hearts, father.

Send your words of comfort and hope where there is pain,

healing where the disease is terminal,

unity, love, and respect in each family in the world.

Thanks for the hands and hearts who share food, clothing, and footwear.

Bless each and all of your servants who proclaim words of life

in every nation, city, village,

district, and very remote areas.
Father, like your beloved son Jesus,

who prayed for his disciples to not be removed from the world,

but for you to keep them from evil,

so I ask you to take care of the brave Deborah's,

children, elderly, and young

because you are, oh Lord, our shield and strength

and you have great prowess.

I pray God's peace, success, and prosperity

for each one of you

in all the areas of your lives

in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.

Translated by Fabiola Flores, Mennonite Mission Network

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.