Mennonite Weekly Review

After meeting for worship in shared spaces for 26 years, Emman­uel Mennonite Church has its own building.

Thanks to a generous bequest from the late Fred Beltram, EMC was able to take title Sept. 22 to a former office building. The meetinghouse will house the Beltram Peace Center as well as the church. The women’s group, elders and church council now meet there, but EMC will continue to meet for worship at Westminster Presbyterian Church through January.

Gainesville authorities limited the number of meals that can be served at the local homeless shelter, so EMC members make sandwiches after church for distribution to homeless people who exceed that limit. “The Sandwich Factory” began Sept. 6. Pat Galiger is coordinating the project.

EMC also helped with the Interfaith Hospitality Network families housed at Westminster Presbyterian Church Sept. 6-13. Team Emman­uel participated in the Courage Walk Sept. 12 in support of Fred and Janice Brenneman and the Gainesville ALS (Amyotro­phic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) community.

Gainesville City Commissioners presented copies of their proclamation naming October as “Diversity Appreciation and Community Tolerance Month” to Pastor Eve MacMaster, Dennis Shuman of P’nai Or Jewish Renewal, and Ruchan Kaya, president of the Silk Road Club, at City Hall Oct. 15. This was in response to our concern about interfaith relationships in Gainesville.

Kim Hunter and Richard MacMaster coordinated Farm Worker Justice Sunday as a follow-up to action by Southeast Mennonite Conference to join National Farm Worker Ministry.

Many EMC members attended a panel discussion on “Children of Abraham Making Peace,” presented Oct. 27 by United Voices for Peace. Pastor Eve MacMaster is on the steering committee of United Voices for Peace, which brings together Christians, Jews and Muslims and meets in our meetinghouse.