Of Gods and Men

This past Sunday evening at TMC we had a movie night and watched the film "Of gods and men."  The film by French director Xavier Beauvois is the true story of a community of nine trappist monks living in Algeria during the civil war in the mid-90s.  This group of monks had lived in harmony with the Muslim population of the area for many years, prividing medical services and community support.  When the civil war broke out, foreigners were at great risk in the country.   Rather than flee the country, these monks decided to stay.  Through much stuggle, both spiritually and communaly, they ultimately decided that they had given their lives to serve God and the people in their village, and that their work was not yet complete.  Seven of the nine monks were eventually captured and martyred as a result of this decision.  

Discussion of the film was facilitated by a TMC member who had opportunity to meet the two survivors of this community while serving with Eastern Mennonite Missions in Morroco.  He shared personal stories of these two men who were willing to make great sacrifices for their love of God and the love of their Muslim neighbors in Algeria.  

At one point in the film, as the threat of violence was escalating and the monks were in great danger, the French philosopher Blaise Pascal was quoted who said, "Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."  It is true that much violence in the world, and the violence in the Algerian civil war, is justified by religion.  But it strikes me that there is another path that religion can inspire as well; the path of self-sacrificial love on behalf of one's neighbors, and even on behalf of one's enemies.  That's the type of love that Christ embodied and lived by.  And that's the type of love that guided these nine monks.  Their faith inspired them to a love that was greater than the violence and fear and hate that was all around them.  In fact, without their faith foundation, they would not have had the strength to endure to the end.  

As a Mennonite/Anabaptist church in the peace tradition, there is a lot we can learn from the example of these nine monks.  We are blessed to not face the same threat to our lives as so many around the world face.  But we still face choices every day in which are called to respond to more subtle forms of violence and hate with the power of love.  May our faith and our religion constantly move us toward being the kind of people who sacrifice and risk and endure in the way of love, just as our Savior did.  

Remembering MLK Jr.

We are mindful today of the assasination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, America's greatest prophet, who was killed on April 4, 1968.  We are also mindful of having just come through Holy Week during which one of Rev. King's most influential acts of leadership took place.  On Good Friday 1963, Rev. King led a march on Birmingham Alabama, an act of civil disobedience that resulted in his immediate arrest.  While in jail on that Easter Sunday of 1963, Rev. King wrote his infamous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”  This Easter season, we are grateful of Rev. King’s witness and his tireless work for civil rights.  You can read more about this here.  You can read the entirety of the text of his letter here.

From "Pride (In the Name of Love)" by U2 -

Early morning, April 4

 Shot rings out in the Memphis sky

Free at last, they took your life

They could not take your pride

In the name of love! What more in the name of love?

Maundy Thursday

On March 28 we will host a Maundy Thursday service at 6:00pm.  We will gather for a light meal and reflect together on Jesus' last night with his disciples, his institution of the Lord's Supper, and his model of servanthood.  

Throughout Lent we've had several opportunities to reflect on the parable of the Prodigal Son.  Our Ash Wednesday service was based on that parable, and during our Sunday worship service on March 10 we had three members of our congregation give a sermon-by-committee using this parable as the main text. So to bring this full circle, we will again draw on the parable of the Prodigal Son during Maundy Thursday.  We will again use Henri Nouwen's reflections on the parable to guide us, paying particular attention to some of his reflections that expound upon the concept of servanthood, love, and grace.  

Ash Wednesday

This year Lent begins on Wednesday February 13.  We will observe the beginning of Lent with 2 simple Ash Wednesday service; one beginning at 2:00pm and other at 7:00pm.  

The season of Lent calls us to an intentional time of seeking God through confession, prayer, and fasting (fasting from food, technology, certain behaviors, etc.)  Our Ash Wednsday service will invite us into this season using Henri Nouwen's reflections on the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke chapter 15.  Nouwen was a Catholic Priest and a prolific writer on Christian spirituality who was well-known for serving with the L’Arche community to provide living assistance to those with develomental disabilities.  A turning point in Nouwen's own spiritual journey came from reflecting on the parable of the Prodigal Son in which he said he saw "the whole gospel" anew.  

You are welcome to come join us for our services at 2:00 and 7:00.  The services will be short, about a half-hour in length, and at different times to accomodate different schedules.  

Intro on toledofavs.com

I’m relatively new to Toledo, and a typical introductory conversation goes like this:
Me:  “Hello, I’m Joel, and I’m the pastor of Toledo Mennonite Church.”
Person:  “Nice to meet you, Joel.  Hmm…  I’ve never heard of Mennonites.  What are Mennonites?  What do you believe?” 

Answering such a broad question has been one of my biggest challenges in ministry.  Do I talk about the historical origins of Mennonites, or about Mennonites today?  Do I talk about what makes us different, or about what we share in common?  Do I talk about what Mennonites have been, or about what Mennonites are becoming? 

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