Aug. 9, 2010 issue
Young adults tell what’s right with church
Writers in forum discuss why they’re staying
By Jim BishopHARRISONBURG, Va. — There’s now a place where young adults can go to discuss what’s right with the church, not just what’s wrong with it.
Two Eastern Mennonite Seminary alumni launched a blog and web magazine July 19 to provide a forum for young adults who are committed to staying in the institutional church.
“We feel like there’s been much emphasis on that segment of our generation who is leaving the church,” said Laura Lehman Amstutz, a 2006 EMS alumna and one of the blog and magazine editors. “We wanted to create a place for those of us who are staying to discuss what that means for us.”
Amstutz and co-editor Jeremy Yoder, a 2010 graduate living in Baltimore, created “Work and Hope: Finding Christ in the Church.” Their blog and quarterly online magazine will attempt to bring together young adult perspectives on the church.
“We chose ‘Work and Hope’ for the blog’s title because those are the words in the inscription on many editions of the Martyrs Mirror, the historical account of Anabaptist martyrs,” Yoder said. “It also signifies the perseverance we believe the church needs to survive.”
The first issue of the magazine focused on the theme, “Why am I [still] Mennonite” or, in the case of one writer, “Why am I [still] Brethren.” Six contributors address this question, citing family connections, ethical understandings, and a commitment to a heritage and theology that makes sense to them.
Amstutz and Yoder hope to attract a wide cross section of writers from across the Anabaptist-Mennonite faith tradition and perspective. Yoder and Amstutz will also blog about other topics related and tangential to their commitment to the church.
Yoder is looking for a ministry position in a Mennonite congregation. Amstutz is admissions associate and communication coordinator for EMS.
Comment on the article Young adults tell what’s right with church
The purpose of comments is to engage in dialogue. We expect commenters to treat authors and each other as each would want to be treated. Respectful criticism is welcomed; offensive comments or parts of comments will be removed by the site administrator. Name and comment will be posted; email address is for follow-up only and will not be made public.
Download
Download a free PDF showing the populations of
Mennonite groups and other Anabaptists.
