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The Latin American day will focus on endurance of faith in spite of suffering and oppression. It will start with prayers for faithfulness, hope and conviction and will feature testimonies from conscientious objectors, native persons, women and youth who have resisted oppression. The morning Bible study is titled "Faithfulness and Suffering", and afternoon workshops will cover topics such as "Nonviolent efforts in a violent continent", "Reading the Bible from women's perspective", "Evangelism and holistic growth of the church" and "Educating our children for peace".
European day will consider the decline of church membership in European Mennonite churches in recent decades and highlight stories of congregations that are being renewed. It will also celebrate the beginnings of the Anabaptist/Mennonite movement in Europe in the 16th century, presenting that movement as a source of vision for churches today.
Asian day will feature worship and Bible study themes such as "Living Christ, the Lord of the Church", "Living Word, the Strength of the Church" and "Life-Giving Deeds, the Evidence of the Church". Since Asian Mennonites are a minority in a continent of many religions, some workshops will discuss living peacefully and faithfully among neighbours of different faiths.
African planners have not finalized plans for African day, but one contribution will be the Essengo Zaire choir, a Mennonite Brethren choir whose six-month world tour will end with the Assembly.
The North American day is being planned by a committee consisting of Phyllis Pellman Good and Vern Preheim (the two North Americans on the MWC Executive Committee), Ed Boschman (moderator of the North American Mennonite Brethren Church), Owen Burkholder (of the Mennonite Church), Irma Fast Dueck and Ivorie Lowe (of the General Conference Mennonite Church) and Michelle Mann (of the Brethren in Christ Church). The theme for the day will be "Hear and Heed the Living One" from Revelation 1-3. The morning worship will focus on confession and include extensive audience participation (singing, Scripture reading and prolonged prayer), with a brief sermon and story in the middle reflecting on God's call to His people to be faithful. After morning tea, Larry Martens (assistant moderator of the North American MB Church) will lead a Bible study highlighting the challenges to the seven churches in Revelation 1-3; participants will then break into discussion groups to seek specific messages in the passages. The evening worship will feature celebration on the theme "Heeding the Living One--Stories of Faithfulness". There will be three stories of God's faithfulness (two verbal and one nonverbal); three examples of answering God's call by living faithfully; Scripture reading; a liturgical dance; songs of faith; and a prayer of the peoples. As there is no extra budget to bring presenters to Calcutta, presenters will be chosen from those already registered to go.
The afternoon of each day will feature seminars. The North American planning committee has recommended 28 possible topics, from which the MWC staff will select the seminar topics for North American day.
Each of the five continents will also have a tent displaying banners, photos and artifacts from its congregations.
from MWC news releases
Return to the M.B. Herald Vol. 35, No. 16
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