Local Events and Opportunities
Eastern Mennonite School Student Visitation Day for Middle and High School will take place Monday, January 18. Students may visit for a half or whole day to experience the EMS difference first hand. Parents are invited to a morning informational session and chapel as well. Contact admissions@emhs.net or call (540) 236-6021 to register.
Not sure if your child is ready for Kindergarten? Come to "Ready, Set, Kindergarten" on Tuesday, January 26 from 6 -7 pm at Eastern Mennonite Elementary School, 314 Cornerstone Lane, Harrisonburg. You'll learn signs of school readiness from a panel of early childhood experts and learn things to look for in a quality Kindergarten program. Babysitting provided for free. Register in advance by at admissions @emhs.net or call (540) 236-6021.
All are invited to The Christians of Syria: Caught in Another Round of History, a presentation and discussion led by John Haddad, UVA history student and Christian from Syria and Roy Hange, who spent 6 years working with Christians in Syria in the 1990s under Mennonite Central Committee, will be January 20, 7:00 – 8:30 pm at Charlottesville Mennonite Church, 701 Monticello Ave., Charlottesville, VA 22902.
Coffee and conversation with Hannah Heinzekehr, executive director of The Mennonite. You are invited to join Hannah Heinzekehr, the new director of The Mennonite, Inc., for a conversation about the past, present and future of The Mennonite magazine and its growing online presence on Thursday Jan. 21, 7:00 p.m. in Park View Mennonite Church’s fellowship hall. Shirley Showalter will host the conversation, and small refreshments will be provided. If possible, please RSVP to Hannah Heinzekehr: HannahH@TheMennonite.org. You can learn more about The Mennonite online: www.TheMennonite.org. We hope to see you there!
Church World Service and Skyline Literacy will hold a Naturalization Information Session on January 23rd, 1 – 3:30 PM at Skyline Middle School. Gloria Williams-Brevard, US Citizenship and Immigration Service Community Relations Officer, will be our session presenter. This is a good opportunity to learn more about the naturalization process and have questions answered by a USCIS officer. All are welcome to attend!
The Highland Benefit Auction and Scholarship Brunch is designed to subsidize camp tuition and provide scholarships for families in need. Save the date and join Highland Retreat on Saturday, February 13 at Eastern Mennonite High School. Contact info@highlandretreat.org if you have a new item, service, or baked goods you would like to contribute or see highlandretreat.org for details.
Musikgarten at Eastern Mennonite University is now registering students for winter classes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners (birth to age 5). Classes are offered at various times on Mondays. The ten-week session begins February 1. Classes will include folk songs, movement, making music with instruments, music games and more in a fun, educational environment. Call (540) 432-4277 for more information or visit www.emu.edu/musikgarten
Groundhog Day Celebration: February 2, 2016 – The 7th Annual Pennsylvania Groundhog Day Feast will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2016, at Park View Mennonite Church (1600 N. College Avenue, Harrisonburg, Va) fellowship hall. Gathering at 5:30 p.m., meal at 6:00 p.m. This is for anyone with Pennsylvania roots! Spouses are included! Please bring generous portion of an old-time favorite Pennsylvania dish that can be shared with others. We will supply fresh, smoked Belleville sausage and scrapple butchered by an Amish farmer. Last year we had 29 pies and 14 different kinds of pies! Come prepared to have a good time visiting with friends and sharing memories of good old PA food from yesteryear. We will also have singing and storytelling. Table service and drinks will be provided. There will be a donation basket available to cover expenses for this event. Contact: Mary Ann Heatwole at maryann@heatwoles.us or Call (540) 434-7678, or Lee M. Yoder at Leeyoder2008@comcast.net or Call (540) 209-1180.
CrossRoads Heritage Center Annual Meeting & Dinner–Friday, February 5, 6:30 p.m. at Dayton Mennonite Church. We are pleased to have John D. Roth, Professor of History at Goshen College and editor of The Mennonite Quarterly Review, as our guest speaker. His presentation is entitled: Tap Root or Rhizome? Retelling the Brethren and Mennonite Stories as if the Global Church Mattered. Enjoy a delicious meal prepared by Janet Wenger and hear updates on program and capital projects at the Heritage Center. There is no cost for the meal. All we ask is that you bring a generous contribution for the CrossRoads Annual Fund. Reservations are required and can be made through our website at www.vbmhc.org or by calling 540-438-1275.
"Holy and Beloved" is a gathering for women who minister in many ways. Come to share your passions and encourage each other on April 16, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Discipleship Center, Eastern Mennonite University. The day includes worship, workshops and lunch. Cost is $20 and childcare is provided. www.emu.edu/seminary/women-in-ministry.
Upcoming VMC events:
Winter Delegate Session, February 6 at Waynesboro Mennonite Church, Waynesboro, Va. Cost: $15 for meal/expenses.
VMC Youth Workers’ Retreat on “Keeping Peace with God” with Carmen Schrock-Hurst, January 22-24 at Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center. Learn more at virginiaconference.org/ministries/youth-ministry/2016-youth-workers-retreat/
VMC Senior High Retreat on “Peace & Nonresistance” with Titus Peachey and Earl & Pat Martin, February 19-21 at Highland Retreat. Learn more at virginiaconference.org/ministries/youth-ministry/2016-senior-high-retreat/
VMC Ministry Retreat on “Changing World, Everlasting Word,” featuring Dr. John Roth, February 26-28 at Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center. Learn more at virginiaconference.org/news/2016-vmc-ministry-retreat/
Travel experiences:
Experience one of the world’s 'best kept secrets.' Ethiopia is sometimes referred to as the tourist world’s “best kept secret”. Designed to lift the covers, our next Experience Ethiopia Tour is open for you. Be our guest and we will introduce you to the unique and little known history, culture, and religions of Ethiopia! You won’t be disappointed! This tour is sponsored by Meserete Kristos College, directed by Darrell & Florence Jantzi, and interpreted by Carl & Vera Hansen. Plan now to join us February 2-20, 2016 for an experience of a lifetime! For more information contact Darrell Jantzi at jantzi@golden.net or phone (519) 669 4356, or Carl Hansen at carlverah@yahoo.com or phone (540) 830 0902.
Registration is now open for the upcoming Nazareth/Bethlehem Work Group (May 6-23, 2016) sponsored by VMMissions as a Partners in Mission program. The work group will engage in work projects at Nazareth Village (Nazareth, Israel) and at Diyar Consortium, a ministry of Christmas Lutheran Church (Bethlehem, Palestine). The group will be co-led by Dorothy Jean Weaver (Eastern Mennonite Seminary) and Lee Martin (Mount Clinton Mennonite Church). Registrations will be accepted on a "first come, first served" basis. For more information, contact Dorothy Jean Weaver at (540) 432-4276 or at weaverdj@emu.edu.
"Markets, Museums, Mosques, and Ministries in West Africa" a learning tour to Burkina Faso, Benin, and Ghana, July 11-25, 2016, will be led by James and Jeanette Krabill along with Ed Bontrager. The Krabills were missionaries in West Africa for some 20 years, and now James works with Mennonite Mission Network as Senior Executive for Global Ministries. For more information, contact Ed Bontrager at eebontrager@comcast.net or call 540-438-8304. The full itinerary is online at www.travelventuretours.com
Job and Volunteers Opportunities:
Eastern Mennonite University is seeking applicants for a full time Information Office Coordinator. Serve as receptionist to persons entering the campus center. Provides public service at the information desk by answering questions. Operates the central telephone service and facilities communication services within the university system. Serves as coordinator of all information office staff and services. Provides proofreading, general office work, and website support for Marketing & Communications. High school diploma required. Computer skills are necessary. Submit letter of application, resume and the contact information for three references to: Human Resources, 1200 Park Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22802, hr@emu.edu. For more information visit our website at www.emu.edu/humanresources. Eastern Mennonite University is an equal opportunity employer, committed to enhancing diversity across the institution. EMU conducts criminal background investigations as part of the hiring process.
Choice Books, LLC seeks a Chief Executive Officer. Choice Books, LLC is a faith-based organization that distributes over 5 million inspirational books annually to retailers in the secular marketplace. The current CEO is retiring in 2016 after 22 years of service. The successful candidate will have a passion for Christian ministry, strong servant-leadership skills, and solid business/management experience. Skills/Qualifications: Business degree or equivalent. Willingness to lead in a complex, competitive, and rapidly changing environment. Understanding of accounting systems, computer systems, and financial management systems. Ability to work with board of directors and to engage a broad and diverse group of distributor organizations. Experience in retail/wholesale operations preferred. Strong communication skills. Innovative and visionary, bringing new ideas and strategies. The position is located in the Harrisonburg, VA office and will begin May-June 2016. Please send resume with cover letter to: duanemdoc@icloud.com
MCC Service Positions, Akron, PA – Do you know someone interested in service? Mennonite Central Committee needs service workers in our Akron, PA, office for these positions: Administrative Assistants, Canner Operators, Instructional Technologist, Receptionist. Assignments are one- or two-year commitments. MCC covers the cost of transportation to and from assignment, housing, daily living expenses, medical insurance and assistance with student loans. For more information see serve.mcc.org or email akronconnection@mcc.org.
MennoMedia is in the process of filling various paid and volunteer positions for Project 606, our project to produce a new Mennonite Church hymnal in 2020. Get details about the timeline and staffing needs at www.MennoMedia.org/hymnal.
Virginia Mennonite Missions Prayer Request:
January 17
Pray that God will meet the current need for teachers at the Lezha Academic Center, Lezhe, Albania. Ask God to send the right people who can join in the mission and vision of LAC.