From: Laura Pauls-Thomas, MCC East Coast <EastCoast@mcc.org>
Date: Mon, Feb 18, 2019 at 2:50 PM
Subject: February Church Announcements from MCC
To: info@gehmanmennonitechurch.org <info@gehmanmennonitechurch.org>
| February 2019 Church Announcements from MCC No Images? Click here New Bulletin Announcements #MCCpeace: Put your life where your faith is Calling all youth groups, young adults and community members! Join MCC on March 8 at Grantham Church (421 Grantham Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055) from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. to explore how you can put your life where your faith is through learning, serving, giving, praying and advocating alongside MCC. Then from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., MCC invites both students and community members to participate in one of two simulations at Grantham Church that explore mass incarceration and the Doctrine of Discovery. Engage with MCC's work in these areas to learn:
Both free simulations require pre-registration with dinner included. Spots are limited, so register today and find out more at mcc.org/messiah-serves! *Source: Equal Justice Initiative  Beating Guns: Book Tour Stop with Shane Claiborne and Mike Martin On March 9, 2019 from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., join author and activist Shane Claiborne and Mike Martin, founder and executive director of RAWtools, Inc. for an event that will feature a live transformation of a gun into a garden tool. The event at Neffsville Mennonite Church (2371 Lititz Pike, Lancaster, Pa. 17601) will also feature speakers, music, and stories. Please register for free by visiting beatingguns.com/tour, A free will offering will be taken to offset costs. Visit beatingguns.com for more information. This event is thanks to collaboration between Atlantic Coast Conference of Mennonite Church USA, Eastern Mennonite Missions, Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Lancaster Mennonite School, Landis Communities, the High Foundation and MCC East Coast. Download and share the event poster.  NYC Native American Learning Tour On April 23 and 24, 2019, join MCC East Coast on a Native American Learning Tour to learn about the history of social and economic exploitation of Indigenous people beginning with the 1626 $24 purchase of Manhattan. It will begin with a walking tour of historical sites including two 1643 massacre sites. Then it will trace the unfolding of the history of European settlement in the Americas that is rooted in the Doctrine of Discovery, a history of European exceptionalism which resulted in loss of Native land, slavery and economic exploitation of both Natives and slaves alike. This day and a half tour will connect the dots illustrating the interwoven link between land, race, finance and theology. Please note that participants must be able to walk 2 city miles comfortably. We will be using public transportation between sites. Spots are limited! To register by April 1, visit mcc.org/native-american-nyc or contact Curtis Book, MCC East Coast peace & justice coordinator, at CurtisBook@mcc.org for more information.  Volunteer groups, individuals and summer staff needed for SWAP program Summer will be here before we know it, so make your summer plans now to join Sharing With Appalachian People (SWAP) program in Kentucky or West Virginia. Don't miss out on your chance to serve with this home repair ministry while learning about life in Appalachia. Groups or individuals can volunteer to serve as week-long volunteers. SWAP is also looking for summer staff to serve as job site coordinators and meals coordinators/cooks for three month assignments. For more information about bringing a group to SWAP or serving as summer staff, visit mcc.org/swap or contact Angela Maggard at AppalachiaAdmin@mcc.org or (606) 633-5065.  2020 Alumni Reunions at the Welcoming Place MCC welcomes alumni to host reunions at the Welcoming Place in Akron, Pennsylvania in 2020 as we celebrate our 100th anniversary. To see if a reunion is already scheduled for the country where you served or to organize a reunion, call 888-563-4676 or contact alumni@mcc.org. Ongoing Bulletin Announcements 2019 Quilt Preview Join MCC February 28 through March 2 for this year's quilt preview of the Pennsylvania Relief Sale. Check out over 100 quilts, shop Quilter's Corner and upcycled items made by volunteers at the Ephrata Material Resources Center and support MCC! The preview runs Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the MCC East Coast Material Resources Center (517 W. Trout Run Road, Ephrata, PA 17522). For more information, call (717) 733-2847 or email EastCoastMRC@mcc.org.  Everence Stewardship University 2019 Join Everence on March 2, 2019 at Calvary Church (1051 Landis Valley Rd. Lancaster, PA 17601) for a series of workshops on stewarding your God-given resources well. Stewardship University courses invite churches and individuals to discover the solutions you need to live a God-honoring life of holistic stewardship. Attend to learn ways your use of the time, talents, money, health and relationships God has given you can enhance and deepen your faith – and make a positive difference in the world! For more information and to register by February 28, visit everence.com/stewardship-university-2019.  Pipeline to Prison Learning Tour More people are incarcerated in the U.S. than in any other country in the world, and within those people, people of color are disproportionately affected by mass incarceration. From April 29 to May 3, 2019, join MCC for a Pipeline to Prison Learning Tour at MCC's Welcoming Place in Akron, Pa. to learn about mass incarceration in the U.S. The tour will include visits to prisons and agencies working with incarcerated people and returning citizens in Philadelphia, Reading, Lancaster and Harrisburg. Through this learning tour, participants will increase awareness of the pipeline to prison cycle and be equipped to break the cycle through spiritual renewal and life skills training. The tour will also address how to accompany current and formerly incarcerated people through the judicial system and give churches the tools to lower recidivism through networking in their community. For more information and to register by April 5, visit mcc.org/pipeline-prison or contact Curtis Book, peace and justice coordinator for MCC East Coast, at 717-738-0885 or CurtisBook@mcc.org.  SALT applications are now open! Serve the world and change your life! Serving and Learning Together (SALT) is a year-long, cross-cultural service experience. Through MCC's SALT program, Christian young adults from Canada and the U.S. serve internationally in a wide variety of positions in fields like education, agriculture, health care, information technology, peacebuilding and more! To learn more and apply for SALT, visit mcc.org/SALT. Download and share these SALT posters  Open positions Summer Intern: MCC Orientation & Re-entry Conferences Assistant (Salaried): The Orientation Assistant Intern will work for 12 weeks during the summer, assisting with orientation and re-entry conferences and related Human Resources tasks. During summer months, Human Resources (HR) and Global Service Learning (GSL) departments lead conferences to orient or welcome back workers. Most, but not all, of the conferences are on MCC's campus in Akron, PA. Coordinator of Projects and Relationships - Northern Mexico (Stipend): The coordinator position on Mexico's northern border region will play a key role in MCC's strategies for strengthening relations with churches and civil society organizations, as well as with past, current or potential partners. This new position is created to facilitate processes of relationship-building, dialogue and coordination in favor of local initiatives, joint projects, and national or international efforts. In addition to maintaining and continuing relationships with churches and organizations in Mexico, this position also includes collaboration with MCC offices in the United States, Canada, and the Latin American region, as supervised and overseen by the MCC Mexico Representatives. MCC Representative for Cambodia and Myanmar (Stipend): This position is supervised by the MCC Area Directors for Southeast Asia. The Representative is responsible for the administration of the Cambodia and Myanmar country programs, including projects, staff, and office. This includes leading strategic direction, management of the country budgets, supervision of partner relationships, holding the official relationship with government offices and networking with other agencies and organizations, providing overall supervision for staff and participating in regional leadership team meetings. In addition, the Representative is responsible for the primary worker care and support for MCC service workers. To learn more and to view more open positions, visit mcc.org/careers.  Donate comforters and blankets to MCC For many families who have been forced from their homes due to natural disaster or violence, a colorful handmade comforter or blanket from MCC can bring hope and comfort in the midst of challenging circumstances. MCC is still in urgent need of comforters so that we may respond to the needs of displaced people around the world. Please consider making comforters or purchasing blankets (twin or full size) to donate to MCC. For instructions, shipping information and drop-off locations, visit mcc.org/kits. For more information, contact the MCC East Coast Material Resources Center at EastCoastMRC@mcc.org or call (717) 733-2847. Resources for Church Leaders Thank You videos from MCC Does your church give to MCC throughout the year? We want to say thank you through a series of videos where MCC staff tell stories of how they've seen firsthand the way your gifts are making an impact in Syria, Haiti, Afghanistan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and beyond. For these videos and more, visit MCC's Youtube channel.  Summer Service grant money available Do you have a project or dream that you'd like to see fulfilled in your church or community? How might a young adult of color, aged 18-30, from your church/community help to further that dream or vision in a 6-10 week term of summer service? With a focus on leadership development, MCC is offering grant monies to churches/organizations who desire to utilize the skills and gifts of their young adults in summer service assignments. To learn about this program and/or request an application packet due Friday, March 15, 2019, visit mcc.org/summer-service or contact Kim Dyer, young adult program coordinator for MCC East Coast, at KimDyer@mcc.org. Download and share this flyer: ENGLISH | SPANISH Show these Summer Service videos to your church or youth group: Why participate in Summer Service? | Summer Service: Looking Forward  Who Cares About Climate Change? Pastor's Retreat Most of us do care about climate change, but we're busy with concerns that seem more pressing or we feel overwhelmed in the face of this complex problem. How does the Gospel of Jesus Christ move us toward hope and caring responses? Join other pastors, retreat leader Doug Kaufman and local presenter Lawrence Jennings on May 3 - 4, 2019 at Camp Deerpark in Cuddebackville, NY, to discuss this topic. A pastor's voice can play an important role in working toward climate solutions and have a unique ability to guide others through the theological and emotional process of reconciling world views challenged by scientific discoveries. Join other pastors in wrestling with what you might have to offer conversations around climate change. This event is FREE to Anabaptist pastors. (Other pastors pay $225.) Register online here: mennocreationcare.org/pastoral-retreats This event is co-supported by Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions (a partnership between Eastern Mennonite University, Goshen College, and Mennonite Central Committee) and Mennonite Creation Care Network. |
