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This Week's Newsletter
Newsletter Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship March 14, 2010
Membership Exploration Class during the nurture hour in Dan’s office. Baptism Exploration Class at 11:30 a.m. in the library. This Week Wednesday – Elders, 6:00 a.m. Wednesday – Worship Commission, 7:00 p.m. The Ministry of Prayer If you have a prayer request, please contact the church office by 9:00 a.m. on Thursday. * Many college groups participate in DOOR (Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection) over spring break. Pray for growth through their experiences – both in the lives of the students and those they serve – and the application of this new understanding in their lives. Upcoming Worship Services March 21: The fifth Sunday of Lent: “Holding on, letting go.” Scriptures for the morning are: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8. March 28: Palm Sunday: “Holding on, letting go.” Scriptures for the morning are: Luke 19:28-40 and Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29. Good Friday Service, April 2: The service will include a light meal, footwashing, and walking with Jesus to the cross through scripture and prayer. April 4: Easter – We’ll begin our celebration with breakfast, followed by worship. Scriptures for the morning include John 20:1-18 and Acts 10:34-43. Our World (courtesy of Ron Good) I am a landlocked country about two times the size of Texas, 80 percent desert, and named after my primary river. I border seven other countries. My population of 15.3 million is mostly Islamic (90 percent) and of these 99 percent are Sunni. Only five percent are Christians. I received my independence from France in 1960. My flag has a red dot in its center, and my capital’s name is Niamey. The south and southwestern portions of the country are where most of the people live because the rest is desert. My climate is subtropical and is mainly hot and dry. The northern part of my country was fertile grasslands rather than desert 5,000 years ago. My government has been unstable since my independence and I am currently ruled by a military junta. I am divided into seven regions and one capital district. My official language is French. Transportation is a big issue here. We have 6,000 miles of road of which only 500 miles are paved. Most of these roads are in the major cities or in two major paved highways. The north-south road is called the Uranium Highway and the east-west highway in the south is called RN1. Our primary river is not deep enough most of the year for large boats or barges to navigate. I have three primary airports. I have the world’s largest uranium deposits. My currency is the CFA franc, a currency shared with seven other nations. Subsistence agriculture supports nearly 82 percent of my people; 53 percent in crop production and 29 percent in livestock production. Only 15 percent of my land is arable and is mainly found along my southern border. Oasis farming of small patches in the north produces onions, dates, and vegetables for export. There are deposits of oil, coal, and gold that has not been widely exploited. Over half of the population belongs to the ethnic group called Hausa. It is estimated that eight percent of my people are slaves. I have the highest fertility rate in the world (7.2 births per woman). This means that nearly half of my people are under age 15. Primary school education is compulsory for six years. Enrollment is low, particularly for girls. Less than 30 percent attend primary school and 60 percent of those who finish primary school are boys. Radio is the most important medium of communication. Tuareg Blues is perhaps one of our most internationally known music styles. Issaka Daborg won the bronze medal as a light welterweight boxer at the 1972 Summer Olympics. This is the only medal won by my country. Foura, which consists of small balls of ground and slightly fermented millet crushed with milk, sugar, and spices, is a favorite dish. Who am I? (The answer is hidden somewhere in this week’s newsletter.) From the Leadership Selection Committee The Leadership Selection Committee, with Eleanor’s assistance, is starting the yearly gifts discernment process. Forms are in your mailboxes this Sunday, March 14, to identify possible commission members and volunteers for other positions at Berkey Avenue. (There is one form for each congregational member in the household.) Please place your completed forms in the designated box on the table by the library no later than Sunday, March 28. – LSC: Patsy Sherer, Brenda Grimes, and Ron Good From the Elders The elders have appointed the following people to the Pastoral Search Committee: Sherm Kauffman (chair), Evie Nafziger, Denise Risser, James Yoder. Please pray for them as they begin their work. Berkey Avenue Announcements Ruth Roth has agreed to head up an ad hoc committee coordinating the events surrounding Anita’s last Sunday at Berkey Avenue in August. If you are interested in serving on this committee, or have ideas on what you would like to see included, please contact Ruth. There will be no Sunday School on Easter Sunday. Next year, 20 youth from our congregation are planning to attend Bethany Christian Schools (18 at the high school, two in the middle school). Your designated, tax-deductible contributions make it possible for them to go to Bethany. The total cost for these 20 students will be $184,806.80. With the amount coming from the general budget, our current balance in the Bethany fund is $104,071.90, leaving $80,734.90 to raise by April 30. At this point 56.3% of the tuition cost is covered. Please mark your contributions for the “Bethany Fund” and place them in the offering. Thank you! Anna Showalter will perform her Senior Recital on March 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rieth Recital Hall with works by Janacek, Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin. You’re invited! The following books have been donated to the library: * The Face by Angela Hunt: She was hidden from the world, and then given a new identity. Now she must discover who she really is. * Without a Trace by Colleen Coble: A whodunit, set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with a wide-ranging cast of characters that captures the essence of small-town America. * Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark: an exciting novel full of hidden dangers, Cajun mystery, and the glow of God’s unending grace. * What Does the Holy Spirit Do in our Lives? from RBC Ministries Discovery Series: explains the hope Jesus offers through the presence and power of the Spirit. * The Maker’s Diet by Jordan S. Rubin: Biblically based and scientifically proven, this book leads you on a journey that can change your life. Our Schools The Goshen College Theater Department’s Think for Yourself season continues with “Tartuffe,” the comical portrayal of difficult issues such as the exposure of religious hypocrisy, the hunger for personal wealth at the expense of others, and the unveiling of true allegiances. This classic French comedy by Moliére, directed by Doug Liechty Caskey, will be performed in the Umble Center on March 19, 20, 26 and 28 at 8:00 p.m. and March 21 and 28 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the GC Welcome Center (535-7566) or at the door: $8 general/$5 for students and seniors. The play runs just over two hours and is rated PG for all ages. An All-Bach Organ Recital celebrating the 325th birthday of J.S. Bach will be held Sunday, March 21, at 5:00 p.m. in Rieth Recital Hall of the Goshen College Music Center. Performing selected Bach works will be GC organ professor Christine Thögersen and several of her students. Admission is $7 / $5, with tickets available at the door one hour in advance of the recital. Come listen to the annual C. Henry Smith Peace Lecture at Goshen College, given by Professor of History Jan Bender Shetler and 2007 alumnus Dawit Yehualashet Kebede, on “What We Can Learn from Ethiopia and the Meserete Kristos Church about Building Peaceful Relations between Muslims and Christians.” Over the last four years, Shetler and Kebede have been exploring how Muslims and Christians (Orthodox) have been able to maintain relatively peaceful relations, particularly in the walled city of Harar in eastern Ethiopia over the last century of close and potentially volatile interaction. The lecture will be presented on March 22 at 10:00 a.m. in the Church-Chapel during convocation and on March 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Administration Building Room 28. It is free and open to the public. Bethany Christian Schools’ Fun Fest is Friday evening, March 26. Auction items are now available to preview at bethanycs.net, and auction catalogs are available at church. You may also request a catalog from or 534-2567. Please mark your calendars for this family event which includes a live and silent auction, carnival, good food, and fellowship. Indian environmental activist Vandana Shiva, Ph.D., will present a lecture on “Soil, Not Oil: Food Security in Times of Climate Change” at Goshen College on Saturday, March 27, at 7:00 p.m. in the Church-Chapel. Shiva is a physicist, ecologist, activist, editor, and author of many books. In India, she has established a movement for biodiversity conservation and farmers’ rights, as well as a network of researchers specializing in ecology, health and sustainability, and a school for sustainability. Her most recent books are Earth Democracy and Water Wars. Tickets cost $10/$5 (in advance), $12/$7 (at the door), and can be purchased by calling the Goshen College Welcome Center at 535-7566. Community Announcements The fourth ecumenical Lenten Centering Prayer service takes place tomorrow, Monday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. at College Mennonite Church. Signs on the door and in the hallway will lead to the room. Good parking is available on the south side. The guided prayer service begins promptly and will last about a half hour, followed by a teaching via CD of this prayer practice from James Finley, retreat leader and author, about praying and living contemplatively. Our time together will end by 8:45 p.m. The focus is deepening our relationship with the Living Christ. Come to any or all of the remaining sessions. When God calls someone to ministry, a journey begins. Perhaps you are on that journey. Perhaps you are looking for mentors and companions along the way. Indiana-Michigan Conference invites you to join Journey: A Conference-based Leadership Development Program. This program is for those who are exploring a call to pastoral ministry but who do not have specific training for it. The deadline to apply for Fall 2010 is August 1. For more information, visit journeyprogram.net or contact your pastor or Dan Miller at or 534-4006. Amigo Center is pleased to announce the launch of their online registration process for Summer Camps this year! Follow the links on their homepage to determine which camp is right for your child or grandchild and register them quickly, easily and securely online! If you register before April 15, with at least a $50 deposit, you can save $45 dollars off the cost of our overnight camps. Go to AmigoCenter.org for all the details. We look forward to seeing you this summer! Church Women United of Goshen is sponsoring a Haystack Supper to benefit The Window at Waterford Mennonite Church on Thursday, March 18, 4:30 p.m. -7:00 p.m. Tickets purchased at The Window in advance are: adults, $6.00; children ages 5-12, $3.00; children under 5, free. The price of the meal includes drink and dessert. Tickets purchased at the door will be $7.00. The Window, an agency of Church Women United of Goshen, Inc. located at 223 S. Main Street, provides services to help meet basic needs of the elderly and anyone with a limited income. Services include a food pantry, soup kitchen, clothing closet, and Meals on Wheels. Menno-Hof’s
second event in 2010 emphasizing believer’s baptism in the 485th
anniversary year of the first Anabaptist baptisms is a presentation of
The Center for Peace and Nonviolence will host a service of remembrance and mourning on the anniversary of the commencement of the war in Iraq on March 20. The service will be held at the Islamic Society of Michiana Mosque, 3310 Hepler Street, South Bend at 4:00-5:30 p.m. For more information, see the flier posted on the bulletin board. Would you like to begin Holy Week by worshipping with the words and music of Handel’s Messiah? Please join us at Benton Mennonite Church (15350 CR 44) on Sunday evening, March 28 at 6:30 pm for a Messiah sing-a-long under the direction of Darrel Hostetler. Come to sing or to listen. Bring music if you have it; extra copies will be available. (Interested string players may contact Lyn Buschert at 533-7824.) (Niger) Mennonite Mission Network seeks a Mennonite Voluntary Service Unit Administrator to provide administrative supervision and support for MVS units, local leaders, and volunteers. This person will participate as part of the MVS leadership team to sustain and develop the MVS program; initiate and nurture individual, group, and corporate relationships; relate to people with differing theological and cultural assumptions; and relate to young adults in their faith development. Qualifications include computer literacy and an ability to travel frequently and communicate comfortably by telephone and email. Passion for mission and service and an ability to forge trusting and productive relationships is important. For more information, see Staff Opportunities at MennoniteMission.net, email your resume to , or call Linda Krueger, Human Resources Coordinator, at 523-3009. God’s creation will nurture you through canoe trips, cabins, yurt, and retreats at Wilderness Wind , a Mennonite camp based in Ely, Minnesota near the Boundary Waters. WW is taking reservations for summer 2010. Special retreats include the Lakeside Writer’s Retreat with Jeff Gundy and Julia Spicher Kasdorf, Quilter’s Retreat, Primitive Living Skills for those who want new challenges, and fishing for smallmouth bass, walleye, and northern pike. Check wildernesswind.org or call (316) 217-1129. The Center for Community Justice / VORP needs volunteer mediators committed to peace and justice principles, who have a passion for working with people and the community. The volunteer training for the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) will be on Thursday, April 15, 4:00-8:00 p.m. and Friday, April 16, and Saturday, April 17, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Registration fees are: early-bird before March 26, $30 ($20 for students and seniors); after March 26, $50/$30. Please contact Connie Caiceros at CCJ at 295-6149 to register or email . Our Church Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m. Statistical Report for March 7, 2010 Attendance: 185 Today, March 14, 2010 Greeters: Ruth Hathaway, Diane Nafziger , Bulletins: Abe Thorne Nursery: Dee and Tom Albrecht Offering Counters: Ron Good Rick Hostetter Audio/Visual: Evan Grimes Next Sunday, March 21, 2010 Greeters: Ruth Hathaway, Diane Nafziger Bulletins: Abe Thorne Nursery: Diane Beam, Jim Alvarez Offering Counters: Lowell Nafziger Denise Risser Audio/Visual: Evan Grimes ___________________________________________ Pastors: Anita Kehr, Dan Schrock Youth Pastor: Lois Mast Elders: Evan Bontrager, David Heusinkveld, Dan Nafziger, Laverne Nafziger, Trish Shenk, and Renae Yoder
Called to be Christ’s loving, healing, caring presence
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Member Login
Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship 2509 Berkey Ave Goshen, IN 46526  Map & Directions
E-mail: office@berkeyavenue.org Founded: 1979 Pastor(s): Daniel P. Schrock, Pastor Anita Yoder Kehr, Pastor 
Weekly Schedule
Sunday: Worship - 9:00 am Fellowship - 10:20 Nurture - 10:40 Office Hours: T-F 8:30 am -11:30 am 12 noon - 2:00 pm 
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