For students who want to explore a possible call to ministry, a summer program at 91短视频 (91短视频) allows them to experience ministry firsthand. The Ministry Inquiry Program (MIP) is a summer service-learning experience that places students in an eleven week full-time internship with a congregation or congregational setting of their choice.

This year’s Mennonite Church USA MIP participant, Elizabeth Eby, has a varied workload at Ridgeway Mennonite Church this summer: leading worship, preaching, conducting children’s services, and visiting congregants. Eby, who hails from Goshen, Indiana, is double-majoring in peacebuilding and development and Bible, religion, and theology. 

“I’m approaching MIP as an opportunity to further explore any gifts I might have related to pastoral ministry to see how I might best be of service one day. And so far, I’m really enjoying what I’m getting to do,” she said. “I’m excited to keep learning. I look forward to learning through reading, growing relationships, and growing skills such as learning how to structure a sermon.”

Program participants are also expected to delve into books and media relevant to their placement and ministry interests. Eby’s been reading books that her pastor recommended in response to her questions about theology.

“For example, I had some questions about the Christian understanding of Hell and was recommended a podcast and a documentary, Hellbound, on the subject,” she said.

MIP is a program of Mennonite Church USA held in conjunction with Mennonite colleges, conferences and congregations, designed to nurture gifts for ministry in college aged students.

Traditional MIP participants each receive a $2,000 scholarship from the program, to be applied to college or seminary tuition in the next academic year. The scholarship is paid for (jointly) in part by the Mennonite Church USA, the student’s home congregation, the home and host church conferences, and 91短视频. The host congregation also provides housing and a $500 stipend for living expenses. 

Another 91短视频 student is also engaged in a ministry internship this summer. Natallie Brown, a Bible, religion, and theology major from Bowling Green, Virginia,  is working in youth ministry at Divine Unity Community Church in Harrisonburg.

“My hope through this internship is that an affirmation of my calling will be revealed to me,” Brown said. 

She specifically chose this church because it’s part of the congregational network , which Brown hopes to work for some day.

“They purposely plant churches in college towns as they believe that leaders are found and formed on campus; I love that,” she said. “Divine Unity Community Church is a product of Every Nation and my internship gives me an opportunity to see a glimpse of what that looks like.”

As a youth ministry intern, Brown plans events and lessons for the church’s young people, and provides childcare for some of the church leaders. 

“The most exciting part about this experience is being able to plan events and create a space that is fun and engaging for our youth to know and grow in Jesus,” she said. “My prayer is that we can build a firm foundation for our youth that will lead them to Jesus and promote community.”

贰惭鲍鈥檚 faculty MIP director, Carmen Schrock-Hurst of the Bible, religion and theology department said she is 鈥渢hrilled we were able to arrange two ministry intern placements in this first summer following the intensity of COVID restrictions. It is a blessing that we had students willing to participate, and congregations willing to do so as well.鈥�

鈥淓ven though I am only an intern, the congregation looks at me as a part of the pastoral team … they want me, as well, to not just be able to speak about being Christ-centered, but also live Christ-centered. It is eye-opening to see the pastoral role up close and in real time.鈥�

Justin Odom

Six 91短视频 students are exploring church ministry this summer through internship placements that are offering them 鈥渁mazing鈥� experiences.

Seniors Luke Hertzler, Justin Odom and Mia Swartley are participating in the Ministry Inquiry Program (MIP), a partnership with Mennonite Church USA, completing tasks from across the spectrum of ministerial responsibilities and learning from the church leaders they are shadowing.

More than 300 91短视频 students have participated in MIP, a partnership of the student鈥檚 respective Mennonite college, home and host congregations and conferences, and Mennonite Church USA. Students receive a $500 stipend for living expenses from the host congregation, and, at the end of the program, a scholarship of up to $2,000 toward tuition costs at a Mennonite college or seminary for the next academic year, said , MIP director and instructor of at 91短视频.

Students interested in ministry within other denominations are also supported, said Schrock-Hurst. This summer, senior Victoria Barnes, junior Anna Cahill and 2019 graduate Fred Flores are also interning at Divine Unity Community Church (DUCC) in Harrisonburg, Virginia. 

Seeing ministry 鈥榰p close and in real time鈥�

In his MIP placement at Ripple Mennonite Church in Allentown and Whitehall Mennonite Church in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, Hertzler has tried many things: 

鈥淚鈥檝e preached, led Sunday school, led music, been to meetings, hung out with the youth, worked at the community center, worked in the garden, provided pastoral care, and done many other tasks,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut the task that I鈥檝e claimed as my number one goal is to observe. I鈥檝e learned so much from the pastors, just by watching them and their encounters with others.鈥�

A Bible, religion and theology major from Harrisonburg, Virginia, Hertzler said that being attentive means finding wisdom: 鈥淚 learned compassion and thoughtfulness from the little boy who offered me part of his supper when I hadn鈥檛 received mine yet. I learned silence and stillness from the older gentleman sitting on the bench. I learned courage and passion from the fiery mother who shared with me stories of miracles in her life that could have only been from God.鈥�

Odom, a Biblical studies major with music performance and political studies minors from Williamsburg, Virginia, said that interning at Park View Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg has 鈥渃hallenged me spiritually.鈥� He has helped with administrative duties, attended business meetings, accompanied pastors on visitations, completed assigned readings and more.

鈥淓ven though I am only an intern, the congregation looks at me as apart of the pastoral team,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 can see that they want me, as well, to not just be able to speak about being Christ-centered, but also live Christ-centered. It is eye-opening to see the pastoral role up close and in real time.鈥�

And Swartley, at Witmer Heights Mennonite Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has helped with many aspects of church ministry, an experience that has taught her that 鈥渢here is a lot more to church ministry than I realized.鈥�

鈥淪ince I am with a Mennonite Church I have also been learning about our history and how that affects us today,鈥� the social work major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, said. 鈥淥verall this experience is amazing and I am thankful that I decided to follow that nudge I felt back in March to sign up for this program.鈥�

Additional summer ministry internships

The three additional students completing summer ministry internships are also diving in. 

Barnes reflected on a day that her fellow interns and church staff from DUCC traveled for a service at another church, an experience that 鈥渨as a stretch in faith and in my own abilities,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am so grateful to have had that, to rely on God鈥檚 provision of strength, and to be obedient in what I was tasked with by my leaders as a way to glorify God.鈥�

From Wiesbaden, Germany, Barnes is majoring in organizational leadership and minoring in environmental sustainability and psychology. She plans to work in full-time ministry with a focus on hospitality and relationship building. 

Her internship has exposed her to more than just the behind-the-scenes aspects of church work such as delegating responsibilities and balancing a schedule. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 been so wonderful to learn from my supervisors about making sure that your life is consistent regardless of what environment you鈥檙e in,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been able to understand their passions behind what they do, and what God has placed on their hearts.鈥�

Flores, who majored in international business and is from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, is also at DUCC, where he leads a men鈥檚 small group, coordinates a large group fellowship of college students, and oversees finances of Valley Every Nation, DUCC鈥檚 college ministry chapter of Every Nation Ministries.

鈥淚 am getting to know more about who God is, which also is guiding me to know who I am in Him,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have surrendered my life to Him, having faith He will provide my necessities. Maturing spiritually in the Word has challenged me to realize that it is the source of truth and light in a world that needs Jesus.鈥�

Living in community is important, he said: 鈥淲e are not meant to do this by ourselves.鈥�

Such partnership means accepting differences, said Cahill, a psychology and writing studies double major from Staunton, Virginia. 

鈥淢y experience with many different leaders has allowed me to understand how valuable differences are within the operations of the church,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 grew up in a different church, so there are some new or different aspects of Christianity at Divine Unity that I still need to learn more about. This challenge has given me the opportunity to grow more open minded and interested in the differences that divide denominations.鈥�

MIP Endowed Scholarship Fund

The Showalter Ministry Inquiry Program Endowed Scholarship Fund was created by 91短视频 alumni Stuart and Shirley Showalter to help strengthen the program.

The Showalters have served as professors and administrators at Goshen College and 91短视频 for almost four decades and appreciate the value of experiential education. They have encouraged many students to participate in MIP and similar programs over the years; many of these program alumni are now serving in the ministry and with other church-related agencies.

鈥淢IP provides excellent opportunities for college students to test the fit between their talents and a call to a possible vocation in pastoral ministry,鈥� Stuart Showalter said. 鈥淲e endorse first-hand experience with a congregation as a way for students to learn more about their leadership gifts while also contributing to the congregations they serve.鈥�

Click here to support MIP with a contribution to the Showalter Ministry Inquiry Program Endowed Scholarship Fund.

There were 鈥� about 15 youth and young adults, Shelly said.

Shelly, a junior education major from Collinsville and member of Jubilee Mennonite Church in Meridian, Mississippi, had come to the city for a placement with Philadelphia Praise Center through 贰惭鲍鈥檚 Ministry Inquiry Program (MIP).

More than 300 91短视频 students have participated in the program, a partnership of the student鈥檚 respective Mennonite college, home and host congregations and conferences, and Mennonite Church USA. Students receive a $500 stipend for living expenses from the host congregation, and, at the end of the program, a scholarship of up to $2,000 toward tuition costs at a Mennonite college or seminary for the next academic year, said , MIP director and instructor of at 91短视频.

Along with Shelly, 2018 MIP participants include Liz Marin and Anna Ressler, with Lydia Haggard participating in a similar arrangement.

Abigail Shelly: Philadelphia Praise Center

Shelly鈥檚 placement 鈥渉as provided a realistic look as to what a life of ministry could be like,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am learning that it is joyous but exhausting work that seems to be a lifestyle rather than a nine-to-five job.鈥�

Read more about .

She鈥檇 hoped to learn from a Christian community 鈥渨hose lives looked very different from my own,鈥� and had heard about the Indonesian community鈥檚 involvement at the church. Hearing the stories of families who are trying 鈥渢o hold on to their culture they left behind but also find their way in this new world has given me a new perspective on the power of a church community as each person navigates their personal journey,鈥� Shelly said.

The church鈥檚 three-week summer peace camp for kids proved to be a fun challenge 鈥� and a highlight. Although at times the camp felt chaotic and turned her prayer life 鈥渋nto a lot of desperate prayers of 鈥楧ear God, please let today go well,鈥欌�� it was, Shelly said, 鈥渆xciting to see the power in the message of peace to a lot of eager kids!鈥�

Liz Marin: Highland Retreat

Marin is a junior theater education major from Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she is a member of New Song Anabaptist Fellowship. As a counselor team leader at Highland Retreat, a Mennonite camp in Bergton, she 鈥渕inisters to the counselors.鈥� That includes helping them 鈥渓earn the value of asking for help鈥� 鈥� a skill she said she is still developing for herself.

Marin has also committed to learning each new camper鈥檚 name in order to connect with them as a 鈥淐hrist-like model of love, attitude and fellowship.鈥� In addition to leading worship, helping with fireside input, visiting with counselors or campers, and helping them when behavior concerns or homesickness surfaces, she teaches drama and humanitarian art to interested campers.

Church work is not unfamiliar to her 鈥� her parents are ministers 鈥� but Marin said she knew the MIP experience 鈥渨ould stretch me as a Christian鈥� and develop her 鈥渞eflection, organization, time management and administrative skills.鈥�

Anna Ressler: First Mennonite Church of Canton

Since her senior year of high school, Ressler has had an 鈥渦ndeveloped idea鈥� that for a long time she dismissed: that pastoral ministry might be a vocational option. However, an interest inside her and the 鈥渨ords of others regarding gifts they saw in me that I didn鈥檛 always see for myself鈥� prompted her to apply to MIP.

Now the junior psychology major from Apple Creek, Ohio, is serving about 30 minutes away from her home church, Sonnenberg Mennonite Church in Kidron. In addition to attending church commission meetings and taking on office and other tasks at First Mennonite Church of Canton, she helps in a variety of ways with Sunday morning services, has preached several sermons, and leads music for Lighthouse Ministries鈥� summer camp.

Twice each month Ressler gathers with church members and neighbors for a community potluck. 鈥淭hose hours of food, conversation and dominos create a closeness of community and can be a remarkably spiritual experience,鈥� she said.

Lydia Haggard: Ocean City Beach Project

For Haggard, the Ocean City (New Jersey) Beach Project has been a 鈥渟pace of growing and learning.鈥�

A junior biblical studies major from Norristown, Pennsylvania, and a member of Norristown New Life church, Haggard is serving with the Coalition for Christian Outreach program this summer. (Although this is not formally an MIP placement, 91短视频 is providing similar funding.)

The program and all the doing it entails 鈥� living in intentional community with 22 other students and five staff, studying leadership development and spiritual formation, leading worship and Bible studies, volunteering at a local thrift shop 鈥� has also instilled in her the taking of a Sabbath every week.

鈥淚t has been such a blessing to simply 鈥榖e鈥� present in the moment, taking a step back from the desire to always be on the go and doing something the world says is 鈥榩roductive,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚 have felt freedom and peace and renewal in being intentional about resting on Sundays and it is a practice I plan to continue back at school.鈥�

She has also learned that evangelism is not just being 鈥渄irect, bold and outgoing鈥� with words, but includes 鈥済entle and empathetic鈥� people who emphasize relationships and care for others鈥� needs.

鈥淚 feel freedom in knowing that God uses my personality for God鈥檚 glory and to spread God鈥檚 message of hope,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 no longer feel the need to pretend to be someone I am not. Praise the Lord for creating each one of us unique in God鈥檚 image!鈥�

MIP Endowed Scholarship Fund

The Showalter Ministry Inquiry Program Endowed Scholarship Fund was created this year by 91短视频 alumni Stuart and Shirley Showalter to help strengthen the program.

The Showalters have served as professors and administrators at Goshen College and 91短视频 for almost four decades and appreciate the value of experiential education. They have encouraged many students to participate in MIP and similar programs over the years; many of these program alumni are now serving in the ministry and with other church-related agencies.

鈥淢IP provides excellent opportunities for college students to test the fit between their talents and a call to a possible vocation in pastoral ministry,鈥� Stuart Showalter said. 鈥淲e endorse first-hand experience with a congregation as a way for students to learn more about their leadership gifts while also contributing to the congregations they serve.鈥�

Click here to support MIP with a contribution to the Showalter Ministry Inquiry Program Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Why did you decide to go to graduate school?

听Graduate school quickly emerged as the most appropriate step for me both personally and professionally after 91短视频. I was intrinsically motivated to apply to graduate programs because of my love of school. Throughout my studies at 91短视频 and during my gap year, I was hungry to learn. I could not keep my hands off of theology, religion and history texts from the library. I knew that I wanted to go to a graduate program where I could continue to investigate the subtle contours of Christian thought.

Graduate school also was a smart decision for me professionally because I wanted a degree program that integrates both academic rigor and ministerial training, which is how I landed in the Master of Divinity program at Vanderbilt Divinity School (VDS).

VDS made an impression on me due to its ecumenical status and commitments to social justice. I wanted to be in an environment where I would interact with others who did not bring my same Anabaptist assumptions to the room. I wanted to be in a place where I could stretch myself and engage in conversation with a wider sample of future leaders of faith from across the Christian spectrum on some of today鈥檚 most pressing social demands.

Describe your field of study and research.

听The Master of Divinity degree is the more professional clergy-track route compared to the more research-oriented Masters of Theological Studies degree. My coursework is well-rounded with classes in homiletics, Christian theology, church history, biblical studies and pastoral care providing the foundation of my program.

My research concentration, however, is in 鈥淩eligion and the Arts in Contemporary Culture.鈥� One of my primary research interests is to critically examine how popular culture and media interface with religion. Music, film, and Internet memes have a way of raising everyday theological questions, such as the value of money or suffering, that invite a spirit of playfulness and imagination. I often look to blur the lines in what is conventionally dismissed as 鈥渟ecular鈥� culture in order to see what contributions, critiques and commentaries these artistic expressions are making about religious life.

How did your academic studies and professors at 91短视频 prepare you for graduate studies?

贰惭鲍鈥檚 Bible and Religion Department is a real gem. Working closely with professors Peter Dula, Nancy Heisey, Ted Grimsrud, Linford Stutzman, Christian Early and Carmen Shrock-Hurst each helped prepare me for graduate studies in unique ways. Peter taught me that the beginning of a nuanced position means knowing how to read with charitable criticism. Nancy鈥檚 skills as a researcher and editor helped to strengthen my writing style. Ted always encouraged showing up to class ready to ask at

least one question from our weekly reading assignments. Linford modeled for me how to think more like an anthropologist and not to overlook or undervalue the interdependence of religion and culture. Christian introduced me to some of the most groundbreaking literature in philosophy and science. And Carmen stressed the importance of attending to my spiritual life in addition to my intellectual life. So much of my current program relies on knowing how to read, write and speak with efficiency. The strengths of the Bible and religion faculty became critical ingredients that laid a solid foundation for my communication skills.

What do you think made your application to graduate school stand out among others?

My letters of recommendation were the strongest part of my application, hands down. I felt confident asking my professors to write letters of recommendation for me because of our relationships both inside and outside of the classroom. I knew that they would help to paint a more complete picture of me beyond just my academic potential.

What are some of your favorite memories from your time at 91短视频?

Some of my favorite moments from 91短视频 were all of the times that I stood around talking to my peers and professors after class. I love how our class discussions rarely ended with the period, but rather carried over into coffee conversations, long walks or lunch at the cafeteria. The real power of these more casual conversations is that they always seemed to invite at least one or two people from outside of the classroom to weigh in on the topic at hand. I believe 91短视频 embraced a culture that encouraged both a natural curiosity and a spirit of collaboration, which makes all of these little moments and side conversations stand out in my memory.

What is your advice to undergraduates?

Don鈥檛 sell yourself short on the college experience. Everything that you do is an ingredient to help you grow and mature and be a more thoughtful person in the world. Building strong relationships with your classmates, going to special lectures, and getting involved in the broader Harrisonburg/Rockingham area are all invaluable parts of sharpening your perspective. Most of all, take time to review your perspective regularly and document how it is changing in light of these new experiences. I believe it is important to be upfront with ourselves about how we have changed and appreciating the processes that have contributed to our growth.

So it happened that Willie Nelson鈥檚 rendition of the old gospel song 鈥淲hispering Hope鈥� provided the background music for a collective exercise in 鈥渉ope-building鈥� among the nearly 60 people in attendance at the seminary鈥檚 fall convocation.

Inscribing on small slips of paper their hopes that are both anchoring and calling to action, those present contributed to what will become a collective art project in the weeks to come.

Convocation, an annual event marking the beginning of each new academic year, invites the seminary community to join in greeting, worship, sharing and blessing. Students, returning students, faculty, staff and guests were each recognized at the beginning of the service as vital contributors to the community鈥檚 spiritual journey.

A special 鈥淟itany of Hope for the New School Year,鈥� written by instructor and pastor and read by associate dean , gave voice to sufferings around the world and in personal lives, pain and violence in society, and transitions and challenges on campus and elsewhere. The congregation responded with 鈥淟ord, whisper your hope in our hearts.鈥�

鈥淲e are here to companion one another to discover and name hope,鈥� the litany concluded.

Asked to bring the first meditation on the theme of hope that will be explored by other seminary faculty and staff throughout the academic year, Kniss delved into biblical texts and hymn lyrics to provide a deconstruction of his own definition of hope.

Hope is not always, or only, action toward change, he said.

In his exegesis, Kniss moved toward the conclusion that 鈥渜uiet, persistent, steadfast hope,鈥� made possible with the gracious receiving and generous sharing of God鈥檚 love, can provide an anchor, an 鈥渦nchanging rootedness,鈥� to couple with the active pursuit of change.

鈥淭he 鈥榳hisper鈥� of hope and the noise of action, the internal anchor and the external engagement are two sides of the same coin,鈥� he said.

Turning towards the role of the seminary in enacting, encouraging and inspiring hope, Kniss points to its founding theological framework and to the strengths of deeply rooted Anabaptist identity and tradition, as well as engagement with the world.

鈥淥ur deep persistent, anchoring hopes [are] our alignment with God鈥檚 mission, our Anabaptist communal vision of shalom, our love for God and one another, and our pursuit of truth and wisdom,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he seminary is a place that protects and nurtures the deep hopes of the church and the world. At a time when the institutions of the church, of our political systems, and of our civil society seem to be disintegrating, the seminary has a unique opportunity, not to say a sacred duty, to hold our traditions, hopes, and dreams, sustaining them until the world is ready to receive them again. We need to be a model of shalom where differences are respected, where conflict is constructive, and where every person is treated with dignity and respect.鈥�

Learn more about the seminary’s new degree program

Of the four churches where Perry Blosser, Caleb Schrock-Hurst, Hannah Shultz, and Elizabeth Witmer are serving, one congregation is Spanish speaking and another is bilingual, two are located in urban areas, and one is a more traditional heartland congregation, said , MIP director and instructor of at 91短视频.

This summer, MIP participants have stretched their talents and learned new skills in a diverse range of experiences. Students 鈥渉ave preached in English and Spanish, led worship, helped design a Taize-inspired prayer service, led music for a peace camp, choreographed worship dance with church youth, worked in church gardens, visited patients in their last days of life, led a joint congregational choir, killed a chicken, visited senators on Capitol Hill, attended a protest around the Philando Castille verdict, led workshops on immigration and incarceration issues, and gotten up at 4 a.m. for prayer meetings with congregational leaders,鈥� according to Schrock-Hurst.

More than 300 91短视频 students have participated in MIP, a partnership that includes the student鈥檚 respective Mennonite college, local congregations and conferences, and .

At the end of the program, each student receives a scholarship of up to $2,000 toward tuition costs at a Mennonite college or seminary for the next academic year, along with a $500 stipend for living expenses from the host congregation.

A student鈥檚 placement depends on 鈥渉is or her own interests in size and type of congregation, the availability of a congregation and pastoral mentor, and a fit between the intern and the host congregation,鈥� said Schrock-Hurst.

Perry Blosser: Salford Mennonite Church

Senior Perry Blosser, from Blooming Glen, Pennsylvania, and Harrisonburg, is at Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville, Pennsylvania. A and major, he has been preaching, leading music and working with other projects such as a summer choir, getting to know members and families over dinners in their homes, and balancing the responsibilities of a full schedule.

鈥淚 have been learning that there is no definitive pastoral style,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s exciting to encounter the living spirit within the story of scripture, and to guide people to insight through creative worship and meditation.鈥�

Caleb Schrock-Hurst: New Hope Fellowship/Nueva Esperanza

Caleb Schrock-Hurst, a senior major from Harrisonburg, is at New Hope Fellowship/Nueva Esperanza of Alexandria (Virginia). In addition to making pastoral visits, playing guitar in the church鈥檚 worship band, preaching, attending a young adult Bible study, 鈥渞eading a lot more scripture and theology than I do on a regular basis,鈥� and working on a variety of projects, Schrock-Hurst has traveled with pastor and supervisor Kirk Hanger to visit member congregations from Mexico to Philadelphia.

鈥淪eeing the faith communities of small rural villages puts my traditional worship experiences into much-needed global context,鈥� Schrock-Hurst said. 鈥淭rying to speak and write in Spanish in the context of ministry is much harder than simply getting by conversationally. Still, I’m overall pretty happy with how I’ve done with it so far and am happy to be learning new vocabulary on a regular basis.”

Hannah Shultz: Manatial de Vida

At Harrisonburg鈥檚 Manantial de Vida, Hannah Shultz, a senior major from Harrisonburg, said she is learning 鈥渟o much鈥� this summer, including 鈥渄aring鈥� to 鈥渟tep out in faith.鈥�

鈥淟istening to God is similar to a muscle in that it has to be exercised,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is fun to witness God using me to further His purposes.鈥�

Shultz鈥檚 responsibilities include sharing her testimony, praying, helping children learn about gardening and Earth care, leading children鈥檚 worship, translating documents from Spanish to English, choreographing worship songs for a dance ministry and preparing Sunday school activities for three classes.

She said she is also learning about fasting, deliverance, spiritual warfare, speaking in tongues and prophecy.

Elizabeth Witmer: Faith Mennonite Church

And at Faith Mennonite Church in Minneapolis, junior major Elizabeth Witmer, from Newville, Pennsylvania, who said she is 鈥渧ery much an introvert,鈥� is building her comfort level with being around lots of people.

鈥淚鈥檓 learning how to be myself in a place with no one I know,鈥� she said.

In addition to leading worship, visiting a terminally ill church member, preaching, planning and attending actions and workshops with a local immigrant-led organization, attending protests, and various other activities, Witmer said that she is enjoying being within walking distance of 鈥渁nything I want do鈥� and being 鈥渨ell connected to causes and actions I鈥檓 passionate about.鈥�

Maddie List: summer service with Coalition for Christian Outreach

Also gaining experience in ministry this summer is senior Maddie List, a Bible and religion major from Arlington, Virginia, who plans to become a campus minister. She is in a summer service program called in Ocean City, New Jersey.

As part of the program, run by the for students who want to develop further as campus leaders, List and 30 other participants live in a two-bedroom house (the bedrooms are 鈥済iant,鈥� she said) and attend classes, participate in Bible studies, lead worship, and engage in faith-based discussions in small groups. They each also have jobs in Ocean City, where they practice discussing faith with coworkers.

List is serving as co-director of the program鈥檚 Bible study program and in that capacity guides small-group leaders in creating and leading their studies. 鈥淚t has been fun to learn about my own gifts in this area,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd I have enjoyed helping others to grow in their leadership abilities, as well.鈥�

Read on to learn more about the history of YPCA/Y-Serve.

听

***

If asked to identify the most influential student organization in 91短视频鈥檚 100-year history, the answer is easy: the Young People鈥檚 Christian Association, known popularly as YPCA or the Y.

For many years, the student body and YPCA were one and the same: if you were a student at what was then called Eastern Mennonite School in its earliest years, you were a member of the YPCA.

The organization continues today under a new name: Y-Serve. This recent change, in spring 2016, has puzzled some alumni, but advisor and Campus Pastor Brian Martin Burkholder says the mission and vision of the organization remain the same. 鈥淭he new name reflects more about the organization to a new generation of students that doesn鈥檛 necessarily know the acronym,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he organization鈥檚 mission of taking ministry into neighborhoods, communities, retirement homes and other places hasn鈥檛 changed. The Jesus-centered focus continues.鈥�

Under its charter, Y-Serve still occupies a unique place as one of two student organizations on campus (the other is the Student Government Association). In contrast to clubs, Y-Serve 鈥減rovides resources, opportunities for service projects and service-related trips to all students. That鈥檚 a key difference.鈥�

Another difference: the old structures of commissions and committees are gone, replaced by 鈥渁 more responsive, less obligation-driven structure,鈥� he says.

Burkholder, who has advised the group for 12 of the nearly 14 years he鈥檚 been at 91短视频, likens the need for change to a 鈥渂ig church that spends so much time trying to fill committees that it hinders responding to God鈥檚 call in the community 鈥� this structure will allow members more time to serve and do service and ministry instead of working to fill the commissions.鈥�

The new Y-Serve continues the important legacy of the YPCA on campus. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a rich history of contributing to this institution鈥檚 vibrancy and Christian character,鈥� Burkholder said.

That legacy was honored at an 85th anniversary celebration, in which Carmen Schrock-Hurst 鈥�81, who was co-president (with Harry Kraus ’82) from 1980-81 and is now an instructor in the Bible and Religion department, eloquently linked the YPCA of old to its modern membership.

Perhaps at this anniversary celebration it behooves us to ask ‘Why?’ of the Y. Why, when there is pressure to study and work to pay the tuition bills, and infinite opportunities to socialize and participate in extra- curricular activities – why do students consistently continue choose to give of their time and money to keep alive the Y?

The answer, she said, is at the heart of what makes 91短视频 unique: a belief in God’s word and the call to find one’s life by losing it. Y participants have exemplified and continue to model the “desire to have education be rooted in the real world and not tucked away in an ivory tower of isolationism,” she said.

Decades of Christian education and witness

From its first meeting on March 17, 1922, the group was involved in all aspects of student life on campus, mobilizing student cooperation to 鈥渟trengthen the spiritual life of the school; to promote growth in Christian character, fellowship and aggressive Christian work; and to train its members for Christian service and to teach them to devote their lives to Jesus Christ.鈥�

The organization enveloped all students and infused Christian devotion into every aspect of student life, from planning on-campus ministry activities and social activities to forming a quasi-student government and initiating fundraising efforts to support the school. YPCA also was active in off-campus ministry and service learning trips, which often served the dual purpose of weekend social activities.

听Impact over the years

Here鈥檚 just a sampling of the impact YPCA had on EMC/91短视频:

鈥擣谤辞尘 1922-46, YPCA published the student handbook, a combination rulebook, welcome packet, calendar, and social guide.

鈥擣und drives provided financial backing for campus buildings, social activities and the evangelizing Christian witness. Examples include a 1926 fundraiser of $1,200 [$16,200 in 2016 dollars] that helped build a new chapel in the south annex of the Administration Building.听Nearly 40 years later, in 1960, a spring fund drive raised $4,746 [$38,650 in today鈥檚 dollars], with pledges coming from 330 students, faculty and staff. The planned budget breakdown for usage of that money was 鈥�42% for city evangelism, 25% for rural evangelism, 10% for the foreign student fund, and 6% for institutional evangelism. The remaining 17% will go for literature evangelism, itinerary evangelism, and miscellaneous expenses.鈥�

鈥擨苍 1938, the 鈥淭ract Distributors鈥� would, once a month, place a tract on every doorstep in Harrisonburg. It took 36 students a full day to distribute the 1,700 tracts.

鈥擜t least 20 local congregations were either begun or significantly boosted by YPCA students: Beldor, Big Spring, Broad Street, Crossroads, Elkton, Gospel Hill, Morning View, Mt. Hermon, Mt. Jackson, Mt. Vernon, Ridgeway, Staunton, Valley View, and Zion Hill are just a few.

鈥擳丑别 1950 Annual Report listed 鈥�129 conversions鈥� and 鈥�5,690 service opportunities,鈥� with 111 student leaders and two YCPA-owned cars.

鈥擸PCA activities and structure provided the foundations for three now-separate student organizations: Campus Activities Council, Celebration, and Peace Fellowship. Many other clubs should also trace their organization鈥檚 beginning to the Y, when it filled their roles in slightly different ways when it was the only student led social organization for years.

鈥擶ell before the cross-cultural experience became a graduation requirement, many students traveled to new areas with YPCA. The 1967-68 report states 鈥渢here is an increasing awareness among student groups that many times a more practical experience than just 鈥榖ook learning鈥� is necessary in order to relate well to the world.鈥�

鈥擨苍 the 1980s, the main ministries were the Saturday Adoption Program, Y-Church, Western State mental hospital outreach, Wilson Rehabilitation, Gospel Outreach Teams, Work Teams, and Jail Ministry.

鈥擨苍 the 2000s, YPCA launched and strengthened partnerships with ministries including the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale, Virginia Mennonite Retirement Center, Sharing with Appalachian People, Mennonite Disaster Service, Jubilee Partners, Alterna Community and area Kid鈥檚 Clubs.

鈥擨苍 2016, Y-Serve paired with Gospel Choir and the Black Student Union to fund and coordinate a鈥淐ivil Rights Tour鈥� through the American South during Spring Break. Additionally, four other Y-Serve groups traveled to work sites.

Junior Caleb Schrock-Hurst contributed research and analysis to this article.

鈥淪he鈥檚 lots of things to lots of people,鈥� as 91短视频 (91短视频) instructor and Restorative Justice Coordinator said, introducing Millsaps to his 鈥淓thics in the Way of Jesus鈥� class this past week.

Millsaps brought those varied experiences and gifts to 91短视频 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Sept. 19-23, serving as visiting pastor and leading important conversations around the topics of racism and unjust structures. Venues included chapel services, classes, meetings with administrators and student groups, and a late-evening 鈥淨uestions After Dark鈥� residence hall discussion.

During “Questions After Dark,” students were encouraged to write questions on slips of paper, which were then answered by Millsaps. 鈥淭he first question drawn during our time asked her to tell a story that was dear to her heart,鈥� said Scott Eyre, residence director. 鈥淭he story was raw and personal and I think it created an intimacy and honesty right away 鈥� students were captivated by her personality and honesty.鈥�

Reflecting on her time on campus, Millsaps said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 been more than interesting to be in this space, to see the love and commitment of a university that is stretching itself, pushing itself, farther and farther.鈥�

Millsaps, an alumna of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, continued to push 91短视频, too. In a chapel address Friday morning, Millsaps challenged the very title: 鈥淕rounded in Christ Amid Systemic Racism.鈥�

鈥淐hristianity amid systemic racism is an oxymoron,鈥� Millsaps told a large crowd in Lehman Auditorium. She recounted some of the acts of racism that have occurred in the nation鈥檚 history and then observed, 鈥淎ll the history of things that have happened in the U.S. happened under the watch of Christianity.鈥�

In her presentation to Swartz鈥檚 class, she told more personal stories of ways that racism had affected family members and others close to her. In one incident, her son was arrested after being involved in a bank robbery, during which another young man she knew well was killed.

鈥淚t was the hardest thing I ever had to go through,鈥� Millsaps said. 鈥淚t changed my entire life. Who I believed God to be was challenged.鈥�

She criticized a justice system 鈥渄esigned to grab them all and wrap them all up in one little package鈥� and one that only works if 鈥測ou鈥檙e white and have money.鈥� A good attorney was able to provide fair representation for her son, she said, but many others go through the system without that advantage. She encouraged students to consider entering the field of law and providing counsel for those who can鈥檛 afford it.

Millsaps also noted issues such as unfair jury selection practices, the number of children in Black communities who grow up without fathers, the punitive nature of justice in the United States and other factors.

鈥淚t is amazing, the things that happen and why they happen,鈥� she said. 鈥淯ntil you are on the margins, you don鈥檛 really understand what I鈥檓 speaking about.鈥�

In another class, 鈥檚 鈥淐ovenant and Community: Introduction to the Bible,鈥� Millsaps touched on Anabaptist values and spoke about the role the Bible plays in her life, and about people of faith who have made a difference in her life.

鈥淚 sensed that students appreciated her honesty and strong convictions,鈥� Schrock-Hurst said. 鈥淎t a university that lacks diverse faculty, it was a gift to have Cyneatha in the classroom.鈥�

At the Friday chapel, Campus Pastor praised Millsaps鈥� 鈥渨ealth of experience鈥� and thanked her 鈥渇or being present and listening and receiving and giving鈥� during the week.

鈥淲e will be sending you with our prayers,鈥� he said.

In June, Derstine, a rising junior at 91短视频 (91短视频), traveled from her home in Harleysville, Pennsylvania, to serve in Albuquerque Mennonite Church under the supervision of Pastor Tom Kauffman.

There, she鈥檚 experiencing a bit of what it might be like to work as a pastor, a new career prospect for this major.

Experimenting is part of the point of MIP, an 11-week summer internship sponsored by Mennonite Church USA. Students serve in congregations to experience church leadership from preaching to pastoral care. 听Mennonite Church USA provides a stipend to students, who can also receive credits. The program attracts many Bible and religion majors, but students in any major can participate.

‘Hands-on’ experience

For the past six years, the program at 91短视频 has been directed by , an instructor in the She speaks highly of MIP鈥檚 potential to teach students about ministry.

鈥淩ather than just sit in a classroom talking about church leadership, or mentoring, or working with youth, MIP lets students get out there and experience ministry first-hand with an actual congregation and actual people,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity for learning and personal growth.鈥�

Much of that personal growth is driven by the unique format of MIP. Each day is different: Students might lead worship, preach, observe committee meetings, shadow pastors on pastoral care visits, attend church events and fill in gaps in pastoral staff. This opportunity gives students an accurate image of the diverse duties of a pastor.

While Derstine headed across the United States for her internship, the second student participating this summer stayed closer to home.

Serving in urban ministry

Christina Hershey, a rising senior from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is serving with Whitehall Mennonite Church. A ministry major, she鈥檚 shadowed pastors for classes and participated in camp ministry in the past, 鈥渂ut I wanted to experience church ministry in a congregational setting.鈥�

At Whitehall Mennonite Church, Hershey works with Pastor Rose Bender, an adjunct faculty member at .

Though she has had a positive experience, Hershey has encountered a few unexpected challenges.

鈥淥ne of the most difficult parts for me has been adjusting to a new community and situation. I was unconsciously expecting it to be fast-paced and crazy busy like my camp experience, but I have had to learn to take it at a slower pace, to enjoy the downtime and to listen to what God is leading me to here.鈥�

Derstine has enjoyed seeing connections between her peacebuilding and development studies and the possibility of a career in ministry. 鈥淚 was not explicitly interested in becoming a pastor,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut I saw a series of connections between peacebuilding and the work that pastors and other ministry leaders do. After taking part in MIP, I can envision a future in being a pastor as I never did before.鈥�

Commonalities

Some MIP participants do not have much in common besides their interest in ministry, but this summer鈥檚 participants share several experiences. They both participated in Service Adventure after high school 鈥� Derstine in New Mexico and Hershey in Raleigh, North Carolina 鈥� and they are both transfer students from Hesston College.

鈥淚n my years as MIP coordinator, I have had several Hesston transfer students,鈥� Schrock-Hurst said. 鈥淭he Hesston program has prepared students well for congregational ministry.鈥�

Schrock-Hurst also had plenty of praise for Hershey and Derstine in particular.

鈥淐hristina and Adrienne are receiving extremely positive feedback,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey are young women who are mature beyond their years and are contributing a great deal to their placements.鈥�

Little did I know at that time how much sight, or lack thereof, would become the theme of my life鈥檚 journey. Faith and Sight, Sight and Faith. Which comes first, the seeing or the believing?

Fast forward 11 years to the summer of 1988. I鈥檝e had my bachelor鈥檚 degree in social work from 91短视频 for nine years. I鈥檝e had several jobs. My husband and I had just completed three years of service in Honduras with Mennonite Central Committee. We had a one-year-old daughter. And out of nowhere the word 鈥済laucoma鈥� tumbled into our lives. At theage of 31, I added eye drops and frequent eye exams and pressure checks to my life routine. On a day-to-day basis 鈥済laucoma鈥� had not yet become a bad word in our household. We could not see what was ahead.

In the fall of 1993, we left our pastoral job in Richmond, and moved to Indiana to pursue seminary degrees. One year in, when our children were three and five years old, glaucoma came barreling into our lives again, this time with a storm-like force. I was losing peripheral vision at an alarming rate. Eye drops no longer controlled the pressure. It was time for the first of many surgeries on both eyes. I dropped all of my classes mid-semester and sat on our porch swing fighting depression, waiting to see if the surgeries would help to slow the progression of my loss of vision, waiting to see how much vision I would regain after the surgeries. I began to be drawn to the hymn, 鈥淚n the Bulb There is a Flower.鈥� The chorus repeats: 鈥溾�ome things God alone can see.鈥� I had to learn to relinquish control. I was invited to choose to believe, that God could see, and that God did care.

I begged God that fall to allow me to see my children鈥檚 graduations, their weddings, and dared I even ask, to maybe get to see my grandchildren? I remember my terror as I tried to imagine raising children as a blind mother. I couldn鈥檛 figure out how I would keep them from drinking Clorox. How would I keep them from putting forks the toaster? How would I keep them from darting in front of cars? I remember anger at God, and many doubts.

Why would a good God move us half way across the country to go to seminary, only to encounter crisis in our personal lives? Had I done something wrong? I didn鈥檛 feel like I was living out that Bible verse from my 91短视频 days. I was not walking by faith, or by sight. I was indeed, already blind. Blinded by anger, blinded by doubt, and most especially blinded by fear. So much fear. But slowly, slowly I began to see again, both physically and perhaps also spiritually. And so we celebrated a milestone in my recovery with a 鈥減in the tail on the eye chart鈥� party. I was proud to read more than just the big E. I was able to go back to school, to graduate, and to drive again.

Five years later in 1998, we were co-pastoring in Pittsburgh. Our children were 2, 8 and 10. My eyes had been stable for a number of years and we allowed ourselves to be lulled into complacency. Then, once again glaucoma reasserted itself. One day, my eye pressure dropped so low that my eyeball nearly collapsed like a deflated balloon, and then after surgery it went so high I experienced excruciating migraine-like headaches.

The now familiar routine of living with a crisis kicked into action: wonderful friends and family fed us, drove me to appointments, cared for our children. I had good doctors and access to some of the best eye care in the world. But once again I wrestled with God about what this all meant, asking questions like Where is God?

But after multiple surgeries and procedures, my eyes seemed to be stable once again, and so we carried on. By 鈥渟table,鈥� I do not mean that my eyes were better, I simply mean that for the time being the doctors had stopped things from getting worse.

In 2005, we were living in the Philippines, in Manila, a city of 14 million people, working for Mennonite Central Committee. Our children were about to enter fourth, tenth and twelfth grades. We had been in this city for three years. We planned to stay one more year to finish a four-year term, so that our eldest could finish high school there.

And then, like the typhoons that frequently slam the Philippines, our lives were once again upended by glaucoma. In a short period of time, I lost half of the vision in what we had affectionately called my 鈥済ood eye,鈥� the eye I鈥檇 been counting on for old age. This news, combined with some financial difficulties with our sending agency, meant that we returned to the states one year early.

Our children were devastated, and I felt like it was my fault. This was by far the most difficult eye crisis, because it cost people that I loved something they loved. We moved to Harrisonburg, unemployed and depressed. I was unable to drive.

Soon after our arrival, I had an eye surgery to implant a shunt in my right eye. It never functioned correctly, yet it can鈥檛 be removed. We were told we were at the end of the road medically. There was nothing left to do but slowly lose my remaining sight due to elevated pressure. Where was God?

My life came full circle five years ago when I returned to 91短视频 to teach in the Bible department. It has now been nine years since my last eye surgery, an experimental procedure that has stopped the loss of additional vision. I have had almost a decade of visual stability, something I never thought I鈥檇 have. I consider this a gift from God, a miracle that came to me through the skilled hands of many eye specialists, held on the wings of the prayers of the faithful. And I ask myself, who am I to have the gift of sight? And who are you?

You see, the truth is that most of us have what I have come to call 鈥渟piritual glaucoma.鈥� We are unable to see the whole picture. We stumble through life hitting our head on things, and misjudging where things are, sideswiping other people鈥檚 grocery store carts simply because we can鈥檛 see. And what we do see, we see as the apostle Paul said, is through a glass dimly.

We grope our way around through life, sometimes, blinded by glare, and sometimes blinded by the night. And we might need an angel to show up and shout, 鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid.鈥� But we are afraid. Sometimes on our faith journeys we are afraid of what we cannot see. And sometimes, perhaps, we are even afraid of what we do see. Maybe, as bizarre as it sounds we need Jesus to spit on some dirt, to make mud to place on our eyes, to ask us, 鈥淲hat do you see?鈥� or even, perhaps, 鈥淒o you really want to see?鈥�

Today I am grateful. Grateful to have been able to raise my children without any of them drinking Clorox or putting forks in toasters. I am grateful that I have been able to see five graduations and my daughter鈥檚 wedding and that this week, I will be able to see my two grandsons when they get off the airplane from Indonesia. And here at 91短视频, I am grateful each spring and fall, when I stand beneath my favorite trees and look up at the colors. The trees on this campus are visual miracles and each spring and fall, I try hard to memorize images of them, because I have to ask myself if I will be able to see them next year.

And sometimes I wonder what my life would look like if my eyes of faith were as similarly attuned to the wonders of God.

What have I learned from 27 years of living with the uncertainty of glaucoma? I have learned that there is an intersection between sight and faith. Healing and the ability to see clearly after a surgery, takes time, both physically and spiritually. True vision or healing rarely come in the form we imagine, or on the timeline we would prefer. To see almost always involves community. We are meant to be a community that sees for one another.

To see involves facing our fears. It involves wrestling with God, admitting doubts, asking hard questions, and perhaps needing to rely on someone else鈥檚 faith to carry us through. As a person who is night blind, one of my favorite phrases comes from the song 鈥渨ill you let me be your servant?鈥� The phrase is this: 鈥淚 will hold the Christ light for you in the night time of your fears.鈥� Can we do that for one another? Can we hold the Christ light when someone else is temporarily blinded by fear, anger, doubt or grief? Can we hold it for them until they can see?

Today many of you may be blinded by depression or anxiety, blinded by the grief of a recent loss that is raw, blinded by a broken relationship. Much of our country seems to be blinded by anger that is fueled by fear. We want to see. But we are blind. Who can help us to find our way in the dark? Who can help us to see again? Where is this man who others claim can offer us vision? How do we find him? If we call on his name will we be made whole?

鈥淟ord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on us, for we are blind and we want to see. Lord Jesus Christ, give us enough faith to see, and enough sight to have faith. Lord Jesus Christ, teach us to walk by faith and not by sight. And help us to truly trust that 鈥渟ome things God alone can see.鈥� Amen.

Carmen Schrock-Hurst 鈥�81 teaches youth ministry, spiritual formation, and introduction to Bible courses in 91短视频’s Bible and religion department, in addition to overseeing 91短视频’s Ministry Inquiry Program. She is an ordained minister in Virginia Mennonite Conference with 12 years of church leadership experience and six years of international service with Mennonite Central Committee.

The students are rising junior Jeremiah Knott and rising seniors Daniel Barnhart, Rachel Schrock and Wes Wilder.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited about the unique gifts and talents of each MIP student, and about the opportunities for experiential learning they will encounter,鈥� said , MIP director and instructor of at 91短视频. 鈥淢inistry gifts and skills are best tested and learned within the context of real life, not simply in a classroom. MIP provides a safe way for students to explore their interest in ministry.鈥�

More than 300 students have participated in the MIP program, a partnership that includes the student鈥檚 respective Mennonite college, the student鈥檚 home congregation, the student鈥檚 home and host area conferences, the congregation where the student is in ministry, and Denominational Ministry.

At the end of the program, each student receives a scholarship of up to $2,000 toward tuition costs at a Mennonite college or seminary for the next academic year, along with a $500 stipend for living expenses from the host congregation.

A student鈥檚 placement depends on 鈥渉is or her own interests in size and type of congregation, the availability of a congregation and pastoral mentor, and a fit between the intern and the host congregation,鈥� said Schrock-Hurst.

Taking action on their calling听听听听听听听听听听听

This summer鈥檚 MIP participants include three students enrolled in religious studies at 91短视频.

Daniel Barnhart, from Grottoes, Virginia, is a congregation and youth ministries major who will serve with his home congregation of in McGaheysville. He has been interning this last semester with , a United Methodist faith community in Harrisonburg.

Barnhart says he is participating in MIP 鈥渇or the simple reason that I feel this is a call from God, but like any of us, I am tempted by the outside world,鈥� he said, adding that this summer will 鈥渉elp me determine if I want to be a pastor.鈥�

He looks forward to returning to his home church with the new intellectual skills and knowledge he鈥檚 acquired at 91短视频, he said, and with a new interest in liberal and conservative biblical views.

Wesley Wilder, of Hesston, Kansas, is a double major in psychology and Bible and religion. The firsthand experience he鈥檒l gain at in South Hutchinson, Kansas, will help him discern his path, he says. Wilder knows he鈥檒l be working primarily with youth, joining them for the trip to the Mennonite Church USA convention in Kansas City, Missouri.

鈥淚 look forward to preaching a sermon and jumping into whatever the congregation asks of me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 am most looking forward to finding my own niche in ministry and learning more about what I have to offer the church.鈥�

His home congregation is in Hesston.

Jeremiah Knott, of Elkton, Virginia, will serve at his home congregation, , as well as the church he was raised in, Bethel United Church of Christ. For many years a professional musician, Knott plays guitar, sings and writes songs on the Faith Alive worship team.

A Bible and religion major who plans on going into the ministry and pursuing graduate studies, Knott says the MIP opportunity appeared while he was waiting to visit a professor during office hours.

鈥淚 saw the flier [for MIP] and I had a hunch and I listened to my hunch,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always known since I was about 13 that I was supposed to go into ministry, so I鈥檝e had a calling, but now I鈥檓 taking action on a calling.鈥�

Fresh lens in a spiritual setting

Rising senior Rachel Schrock, an art major, says her interest in MIP came from a 鈥淒ivine moment,鈥� while speaking during a winter break church service about her cross-cultural experience.

鈥淚t felt electrifyingly right,鈥� Schrock said, adding that the decision to explore ministry was encouraged by her family and close friend Hanna Heishman, who participated in MIP last summer.

Schrock will head to her home state of Iowa, dividing her time between in Washington and her home congregation of of Iowa City.

鈥淚t will be a new experience for me 鈥� entering a community that I am already familiar, with a fresh lens,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 want to see the ins and outs of leadership within a spiritual setting.鈥�

Schrock looks forward to mentorship from two female leaders she already knows well, the spiritual director at the camp and the pastor of her home church. She鈥檒l spend her summer organizing a children鈥檚 peace camp, working in the office, giving a few sermons, and making visits to people in hospitals, retirement homes and home care.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been able to replace under-utilized space with well-utilized space, develop classrooms that would accommodate bigger classes, and create a better working environment for faculty,鈥� said vice president for finance .

In recent years, 贰惭鲍鈥檚 growth called for more classrooms and consolidation of office space. Various academic departments occupied available space across campus, usually in former homes acquired by the university. The faculty who occupied these houses often felt disconnected from the greater community, according to , who provides special projects support for the provost鈥檚 office. One goal of the renovation, then, was to consolidate scattered faculty and provide more opportunities for interdepartmental communication and collaboration.

That goal was first met on two consecutive Saturdays in September, when an interdisciplinary group of volunteers and faculty members began the move-in process.

The , , and departments were the first of the five academic departments to occupy Roselawn; and soon followed.

During the lunch break on that first move-in day, faculty and volunteers gathered in one of the new office spaces to share a meal. For Bible and religion instructor , the value of the move was reflected in this small experience of breaking bread with faculty she had occasionally seen in past semesters.

鈥淚t is fun to have a sense of collegiality,鈥� said Schrock-Hurst, whose office was previously located across campus in Blosser House. Being in Roselawn 鈥渉elps me to feel part of the bigger picture.鈥�

Although university planners considered several ideas for occupants of the new space (including moving the advancement division into Roselawn), they settled upon allocating the space to academic departments with a natural 鈥渟ynergy,鈥� said Bert, the vice president who monitors construction and renovation projects.

Bert is also one of the supervisors of the much bigger across campus. Undergoing two major renovations at the same time was not ideal, Bert said, but neither was leaving Roselawn mostly unused for another couple of years. The project reached completion on a very tight schedule 鈥� almost entirely over the summer of 2014.

Built in 1969, Roselawn began as a women鈥檚 residence hall. Until the mid-1980s, it was considered one of the 鈥渘icer鈥� dorms, said vice president , who was a community assistant there from 1985 to 1986.

By 2011, when the dorm ceased to be used for residence life, it desperately needed renovation and was considered the most undesirable on-campus housing option, said Smeltzer.

In 2012, 91短视频 revamped the first floor of Roselawn for occupancy by the rapidly growing , which moved from its former cramped location in a small house near the seminary building.

91短视频 leadership, in tandem with contractors, paid special attention to energy and design principles that would make Roselawn as sustainable as possible, as has been done for all recent 91短视频 buildings and renovations.

View more photos of the renovated Roselawn through

Heishman, a junior majoring in at 91短视频, was part of the of . She spent 11 weeks at in a stately old church shared by three congregations and numerous ministries. She got a taste of what it would be like to be a pastor by participating in the day-to-day activities of church ministry.

Was Heishman still intimidated by the end of the summer? 鈥淣o,鈥� she said, 鈥淚 was pleasantly surprised by how well we all got along.鈥�

鈥淗anna brought new energy to our church office,鈥� said Pastor Lorie Hershey. 鈥淪he values self-awareness, listening and learning, and brought that into her tasks and responsibilities, such as facilitating a weekly women鈥檚 group.鈥� Hershey, who is a 2005 graduate of 贰惭鲍鈥檚 , said she enjoyed her many in-depth conversations with Heishman.

Three other 91短视频 students participated in the 2014 Ministry Inquiry Program:

Nathanael Ressler, a junior major from Mount Vernon, Illinois, was a pastoral intern at in Goshen, Indiana. 鈥淢y father is a pastor, so I had some idea of what to expect,鈥� he said. His duties included visitation, planning and leading worship, writing for the newsletter, attending meetings and even preaching. 鈥淏ut I found that the life of a pastor is filled with miscellaneous jobs as well,鈥� said Ressler, a transfer student from two-year in Kansas.

Chris Parks, a senior major from Philadelphia, was a pastoral intern at in Maryland, just outside Washington D.C. He spent time with the youth in their various activities, led worship and singing, preached, worked at a soup kitchen and met individually with members. One day a week he volunteered at the . 鈥淚 learned that in order to truly follow God, I need to serve on my knees, live in God鈥檚 abundant gifts and grace, and 鈥榳aste鈥� my life for the Kingdom,鈥� he said.

Evan Knappenberger, a senior major from Charlottesville, Virginia, had a different kind of experience. He interned with the peace education director of and the peace/justice coordinator of Mennonite Church USA. He helped build a 鈥減rayers for peace鈥� resource, worked on a Sunday school curriculum, wrote web content, and interviewed military veterans who are members of Mennonite Church USA or involved in the .

鈥淭his summer project was interesting both from a veterans鈥� community point-of-view and from a Mennonite point-of-view,鈥� said Knappenberger, an Iraq War veteran who is now a pacifist. 鈥淢y long-term project is the founding of the field of veterans鈥� studies.鈥�

The Ministry Inquiry Program is typically funded by Mennonite Church USA, the participating colleges, area conferences, the students鈥� home churches and the host congregations. Heishman, Ressler and Parks each received a $2,000 scholarship for application to their fall semester. Their host churches provided housing and a $500 allowance. Knappenberger鈥檚 internship was funded differently, through Mennonite Central Committee, the peace office of Mennonite Church USA, and 91短视频.

鈥淭hrough this program, students experience first hand what ministry is, and they test their gifts and sense of call,鈥� said , the 91短视频 coordinator of the program and instructor in the .

Reprising themes she explores in her books, 听 (Zondervan, 2010) and (Thomas Nelson, 2012), and on her popular blog, Evans repeatedly urged faith communities to nurture diversity and honor differences.

That message was one that Davis also wanted to celebrate.

鈥淚 was raised Pentecostal, attended a Brethren college, go to a Methodist church, and study at a Mennonite seminary,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淲hen I found Rachel鈥檚 blog, I was struggling with faith and doubt and being a woman wanting to pursue pastoral leadership yet being told I couldn鈥檛. What she talks about has resonated with me and inspired me.鈥�

Similar feelings brought audience members to Harrisonburg from as far away as Pennsylvania and Indiana.

Evans鈥� thoughtful, often humorous explorations of her evangelical faith and the Christian tradition have earned her both controversy and acclaim. She鈥檚 appeared on , , and in a host of national newspapers. She was named one of Christianity Today鈥檚 鈥溾�� in 2012.

Church is where we 鈥榯ell the truth about ourselves鈥�

During a chapel talk titled 鈥淜eep the Church Weird 鈥� Millenials and the Future of Christianity,鈥� Evans said that she鈥檚 often asked to speak about reasons why teenagers and twenty-somethings are leaving the church. Though at 32, she barely qualifies as a millennial, Evans thinks her (in one month last year, it received more than 272,000 visits) has come to resemble what the younger generation wants in a church: a haven for fellow-seekers and fellow-questioners, where alternative viewpoints are welcomed and explored.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we want,鈥� Evans said, reciting from what she termed a 鈥渓itany鈥� of millennial needs. 鈥淲e want the church to be a safe place to doubt, a safe place to wrestle with tough questions about everything from sexuality to science to Biblical interpretation. We want the church to be where we can tell the truth about ourselves and about the world.鈥�

She urged a change in style 鈥� to a 鈥渢ruer, more authentic Christianity鈥� 鈥� instead of the all-too-popular and much too superficial 鈥渃hange in substance鈥� of updated music, cool hangouts, and hip youth pastors. Too often, she said, branding and theology, denominational differences and the culture wars 鈥済et in the way.鈥�

One of Evans鈥� themes is that the story of Jesus is powerful and that God鈥檚 grace is 鈥渁lways enough.鈥�

鈥淟et鈥檚 get out of the way,鈥� she repeated throughout the day. 鈥淲e get in our own way. We get in God鈥檚 way.鈥�

Clearing that path to God means letting in 鈥� and leading the way for – the marginalized, the poor, the 鈥渓east of these鈥� (Matthew 25:40), including the LGBT community, Evans said during an afternoon discussion with an Anabaptist Biblical Perspectives class. She is not merely stating her own beliefs, but sharing those of many millenials, according to polls by the Barna Group and Pew Forum.

鈥淲hat gives you hope?鈥� asked Bible faculty member at the end of the Q & A session.

The empowerment of the marginalized through the online community, Evans replied. 鈥淭hey are still coming. They still want to be part of this family, this church story. People from the margins will have positions of leadership and start changing things and have a voice. That鈥檚 exciting. That is really good news.鈥�

Afterward, Schrock-Hurst said it was an honor for the campus to host Evans.

鈥淪ince her visit I have had numerous students share about how much they enjoyed her chapel presentation about millenials and the church,鈥� Schrock-Hurst said. 鈥淩achel has a gift for sharing concerns about her doubts and the church, and yet also models an inviting spirit that doesn’t let us off the hook on faith issues.鈥�

The Bible as a conversation starter

Evans鈥� evening presentation about her bestseller, The Year of Biblical Womanhood, drew a near-capacity crowd to Lehman Auditorium. The book chronicles Evans鈥� year-long exploration of the Bible, during which she searched, exhaustively and humorously, for a single, cohesive formula of what it means to be a Christian woman.

In the process of exploring Biblical values such as gentleness, domesticity, obedience, justice and fertility, Evans also discovers that gender roles 鈥済et in the way of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.鈥�

鈥淭raditions that overemphasize gender roles reduce womanhood down to a list of acceptable roles, especially being a homemaker, a wife, a mother,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not about acting like a man or acting like a woman. What matters is where you find yourself as a follower of Jesus. It鈥檚 not really about roles, it鈥檚 about character.鈥�

That discovery led to a new relationship with the Bible, Evans said. Rather than seeking a 鈥渂lueprint鈥� for behavior and tradition, she now sees 鈥渢he Bible as this beautiful, ancient collection of stories, proverbs, songs, and prophecies that pulls us into communion and community, that gives us something to talk about, precisely because it鈥檚 difficult to understand, it鈥檚 complex and complicated.鈥�

For this reason, the Bible should be a 鈥渃onversation starter, not a conversation ender,鈥� she concluded. 鈥淥f course, we鈥檙e going to disagree. But no matter that we disagree, we鈥檙e still brothers and sisters in Christ. We can still break bread, share communion, be a family.鈥�

All of Rachel Held Evans’ talks at 91短视频 on March 19 can be accessed online: