By Celeste Kennel-Shank
Mennonite Weekly Review

	The fall/winter 2007 issue of OurFaith Digest, which will be published by The Mennonite begininning in April. — Photo from ourfaithdigest.com

The Mennonite, the official magazine of Mennonite Church USA, has announced it will publish the financially struggling OurFaith Digest, which collects writings from other Mennonite periodicals.

After one year, The Mennonite will evaluate whether continuing to publish the digest is financially possible.

The board of directors of The Mennonite Digest Inc., which publishes OurFaith, met Feb. 21 and decided to transfer the publication to the board of The Mennonite beginning April 1. The digest had suspended publication in late January because of lack of funds.

“Our board all feels that this is an answer to prayer for us, to see the magazine continue for at least another year, hopefully beyond that,” said J. Allen Brubaker, chair of the OurFaith board. “We are delighted with this transition and glad to see The Mennonite staff and board can pick this up and carry forward.”

OurFaith, which began 2001, is published three times a year. More than 50,000 copies are sent free to MC USA congregations, schools, retirement communities and camps.

Advertising, donations and subscriptions have paid for costs. The OurFaith board determined in January that advertising revenue was down for the spring issue and that they could not afford to publish further issues. They looked for a Mennonite-related agency to take on publishing.

“One of the reasons we think this is a good move now is because [The Mennonite has] the systems already in place, and they have staff in place to do some of the administration, production, circulation, reader follow-up, which will free the editor to concentrate on editing,” Brubaker said.

After hearing in January that the digest would suspend publication, Everett Thomas, editor of The Mennonite, said they asked if they could help in any way.

The Mennonite decided to make a one-year commitment to publish OurFaith Digest, reserving the right to make the digest subscription-based after the spring 2008 issue to be published in late April, Thomas said.

“So much of that viability will depend on advertisers and people who contribute to the magazine,” Thomas said. “If it is a valuable resource for congregations and folks step up to support it, then we can go forward.”

The agreement transfers the digest’s assets to The Mennonite, including staff, cash and the Web site, Thomas said.

“The Mennonite does not intend to subsidize OurFaith Digest,” he said.

The Mennonite plans to keep the editor, printer, designer and format for all three issues, Thomas said. However, instead of the five associate regional editors and more than 30 editorial advisers currently serving the publication, OurFaith Digest will have an editorial advisory board. Some of the current board members, regional associate editors and editorial advisers will be invited to join the editorial advisory board, Thomas said.

OurFaith Digest editor Joe Miller said the administrative and financial structures of The Mennonite provide stability, without loss of the digest’s independent editorial voice.

“Editorially, they are saying, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing,’ ” Miller said.

Miller will continue to work from Honey Brook, Pa., with Thomas as his supervisor in Goshen, Ind. Miller began his job in July, following editor and founder Eugene Souder.

For the publication to continue, advertisers and supporters will need to increase their commitment, Miller said.

“This has a reach into the church and the pews like nothing else does,” he said.

Miller also hopes being freed from many administrative tasks will allow him to work more on the publication’s Web site, which could be key to reaching new readers, he said.

Susan Sommer, board chair of The Mennonite and an editorial adviser to OurFaith Digest, said that while The Mennonite seeks to serve all MC USA members, its editors and board members know many of its readers are congregational leaders.

“It’s a service to have a magazine for our leaders, but we’re looking at whether our mandate is a little wider than that,” Sommer said. “There is a hunger for more inspirational stories, which is exactly what OurFaith Digest does. We were interested in whether we could pick up that niche.”