MWR : Articles : Dec. 18, 2006

Last updated August 10.

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Articles : Dec. 18, 2006

Hark! The sound of heaven

When we hear, across 2,000 years, the angels announcing Jesus’ birth, they are singing. The spoken word wouldn’t match such a beautiful message: “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace . . .”

MC USA delegation to build new relationships in war-torn Congo

ELKHART, Ind. — After more than three years of exploration and joint discernment, two Congolese Mennonite conferences and Mennonite Church USA are preparing to take a step toward closer relationships.
Church gets made-for-TV makeover

RALEIGH, N.C. — Painters, roofers, volunteers and observers swarmed around Raleigh Mennonite Church during the first week in December as the congregation’s meeting place got a made-for-TV makeover.

Christmas fully alive, snakes and all

I didn’t want to be at that Thanksgiving Eve service. This was no fault of its gifted leaders; rather, it had been an unusually intense week amid sicknesses in the congregation I pastor. I just wanted to be home reading that gripping novel.

Former hostages forgive Iraqi captors

LONDON — Three Christian Peacemaker Teams activists who were held hostage in Iraq for 118 days said Dec. 8 they could not decide whether to testify against four men accused of kidnapping them and killing American activist Tom Fox.
Plumbing problems prompt church office move

ELKHART, Ind. — The 83-year-old hotel in downtown Elkhart has been home to Mennonite denominational offices since 1974. Church leaders were hoping to remain there until completion of a proposed new facility in 2010.
Longtime missionary to Puerto Rico dies at 90

GOSHEN, Ind. — Even at age 90, Gladys Widmer was a witness for Jesus wherever she went.
Visitors see church’s ‘complex’ status

HARRISONBURG, Va. — A group of retired Mennonite college professors traveled to China recently, where they took stock of progress made among churches in the communist country.
China program’s new name reflects broader work

HARRISONBURG, Va. — China Educational Exchange’s 25th anniversary and its name change to Mennonite Partners in China mark the program’s broadening work. MPC commemorated the anniversary with a program in Chengdu in October.
Mission Network program in San Antonio honored

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — DOOR San Antonio received the Father George Mader Award Nov. 11 in honor of its work in promoting faith-based volunteerism.