The returning Spring 2012 Middle East Cross-cultural group shares reflections and adventures from their experiences in the Middle East this semester.

 Apr 25, 2012 Middle East CC [32:03] Play Now | Play in Popup

The returning Spring 2012 Guatemala Cross-cultural group shares reflections and adventures from their experiences in Guatemala and Mexico this semester.

 Apr 23, 2012 Guatemala/Mexico CC Chapel [24:49] Play Now | Play in Popup

In this week’s “Inside Athletics” podcast, Dave and James talk about the spring seasons as they draw to a close, including baseball Senior Recognition earlier this week and the softball team as they fight for postseason positioning.  They close the program recapping the Senior Athletic Honors Banquet, which was Tuesday, mentioning those winning awards as well as some of the Senior Reflection highlights.

Inside Athletics is a weekly podcast hosted by Director of Athletics, Dave King. The podcast offers a synopsis of what is happening in EMU athletics, but also delves deeper into how athletics at EMU shapes lives and enhances college educations by positively impacting an athlete’s understanding of self, others, and God. Sports Information Director James De Boer is a regular guest with EMU coaches and athletes making appearances as well.

 Apr 20, 2012 Inside Athletics [15:39] Play Now | Play in Popup

EMU professors Doug Graber-Neufeld, Steve Johnson, and Lester Zook share reflections of awe of the natural world and revering nature in this chapel hosted by the Earthkeepers club.

 Apr 20, 2012 Earthkeepers [19:25] Play Now | Play in Popup

In the last Chapel Gathering in the Seminary of the current academic year, Professor of Church History Nate Yoder presents the Linden M. Wenger Anabaptist Studies Award to Seminary student Jonathan Swartz for his paper “Pilgrim Marpeck and Martin Bucer: Christology and Consequences in Strasbourg, 1528-1532″ written for Christian Traditions II.

The Linden M. Wenger Anabaptist Studies Award recognizes outstanding student papers integrating Biblical and historical scholarship with pastoral application from an Anabaptist believers church perspective. Both these student’s submitted papers written for Christian Tradition II a required first-year course.

Linden Wenger served for many years as a professor on the faculty of EMS and as a leader within the Virginia Mennonite Conference.

In an effort to encourage Eastern Mennonite Seminary students to study Anabaptist history, Walter and Leanne Smith of Clearwater, Florida, established the Linden M. Wenger Anabaptist Studies Award in 2001.

The entire campus community is invited to every chapel worship service on campus. Eastern Mennonite Seminary hosts chapel gatherings in Martin Chapel every Tuesday and Thursday; EMU Campus Ministries hosts chapel gatherings every Wednesday and Friday in Lehman Auditorium. Specifics and occasional changes are noted in individual chapel listings.

 Apr 19, 2012 Linden M. Wenger Anabaptist Studies Award [9:42] Play Now | Play in Popup

University Chapel Gathering emphasizes the university’s vision of being a Learning Community as faculty and staff in several departments celebrate significant achievements of students during the Spring semester.

 Apr 18, 2012 Student Recognition Chapel [36:34] Play Now | Play in Popup

#Occupy Empire: Anabaptism in God’s Mission

In this Closing Worship Service of the #Occupy Empire Conference, members of the Listening Committee offer their reflections of what they heard during conference sessions and through informal conversations with conference participants.

Jennifer Davis Sensenig serves as the lead pastor of Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Phil Kniss serves as lead pastor of Park View Mennonite Church, also in Harrisonburg.

Conference planners Brian Gumm and Aaron Kauffman describe the conference in this way:

“Anabaptism at its best has been a series of attempts both to live into God’s in-breaking occupation and to faithfully occupy the empires of this fallen age, signaling the shalom to come. Anabaptists have gone about this work by imaginatively patterning their worship and witness after the New Testament communities of Jesus. Come explore ways in which the Anabaptist tradition can help inspire faithful occupation in today’s world. Interdisciplinary academic presentations will be infused with worship and testimonies to open our minds and spirits to where God is calling us into mission in the midst of empire.”

 Apr 14, 2012 Occupy Empire Listening Committee Reflects [14:13] Play Now | Play in Popup

#Occupy Empire: Anabaptism in God’s Mission

Session V is a series of three Lectures (Note: David Stutzman’s presence in the first lecture is via Skype)

Matthew Krabill and David Stutzman present on “Empire: The Mission Frontier of the Church.”  Matthew Krabill currently lives in Pasadena, CA, and is a doctoral candidate at Fuller Theological Seminary where enjoys studying immigration, global Christianity and Anabaptist theology.  David Stutzman works and lives in Los Angeles and is finishing up his MA in Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary.  He and his wife, Rebekka, serve in youth ministry at Maranatha Christian Fellowship, Northridge, CA.  Along with their newborn son, Immanuel, they hope to return to Europe one day (where Rebekka is from) to promote church renewal and mission. Matthew and David are both graduates of Eastern Mennonite University.

Josh Brockway presents on, “Tactical Asceticism: Transformation in the Fissures of Empire.” Josh is the Director of Spiritual Life and Discipleship for the Church of the Brethren, located in Elgin, Illinois.  Josh is also a doctoral candidate in Church History at the Catholic University of America.  His research focuses on the ascetic movements of the 5th and 6th centuries.  He is the current Book Review Editor and Blog Editor for Brethren Life and Thought.

Nathan Hershberger presents on “Power, Authority, and Renewal: The Concern Movement, Paul Peachey, and the Fragmented Institutionalization of Mennonite Life.” Nathan is a senior History and Philosophy/Theology major at Eastern Mennonite University.  He was born in Managua, Nicaragua and grew up in Harrisonburg, Va.  He is married to Kaitlin Heatwole.

Conference planners Brian Gumm and Aaron Kauffman describe the conference in this way:

“Anabaptism at its best has been a series of attempts both to live into God’s in-breaking occupation and to faithfully occupy the empires of this fallen age, signaling the shalom to come. Anabaptists have gone about this work by imaginatively patterning their worship and witness after the New Testament communities of Jesus. Come explore ways in which the Anabaptist tradition can help inspire faithful occupation in today’s world. Interdisciplinary academic presentations will be infused with worship and testimonies to open our minds and spirits to where God is calling us into mission in the midst of empire.”

 Apr 14, 2012 Anabaptist Witness in the Empire, Part 2 [1:02:18] Play Now | Play in Popup

#Occupy Empire: Anabaptism in God’s Mission

Janna Hunter-Bowman offers a lecture, “Embodied Discourse as Truth Claims and Behavior Change: A Constructive Alternative to Human Rights,”  followed by a response by Mark Thiessen Nation.  Janna Hunter-Bowman is pursuing a Ph.D. in peace studies and theology from the University of Notre Dame.  She earned an M.A. degree in peace studies from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary while teaching as an adjunct peace studies professor at Goshen College, her alma mater.  As a senior program officer for Justapaz, a Mennonite NGO in Bogota, Colombia, Janna developed and directed a national program monitoring political violence and peacebuilding.  She also led and translated for fact-finding missions, authored in-depth investigative reports on the effects fo U.S. plicy and published numerous book chapters and popular journal articles.  She served overseas through Mennonite Central Committee.  Janna also led policy advocacy efforts for Witness for Peace.  Her research interests–including rights talk, embodied ethics, and peacebuilding–are informed by her experience.

Mark Thiessen Nation is professor of  theology at Eastern Mennonite Seminary.  Prior to coming to EMS, Mark was the director of the London Mennonite Centre and previously led an ecumenical peace and justice organization in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.  One of the world-s leading scholars and interpreters of John Howard Yoder, Mark is also completing work on a forthcoming book about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, contesting the common assertion that Bonhoeffer was involved in the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.  Mark holds a Ph.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Conference planners Brian Gumm and Aaron Kauffman describe the conference in this way:

“Anabaptism at its best has been a series of attempts both to live into God’s in-breaking occupation and to faithfully occupy the empires of this fallen age, signaling the shalom to come. Anabaptists have gone about this work by imaginatively patterning their worship and witness after the New Testament communities of Jesus. Come explore ways in which the Anabaptist tradition can help inspire faithful occupation in today’s world. Interdisciplinary academic presentations will be infused with worship and testimonies to open our minds and spirits to where God is calling us into mission in the midst of empire.”

 Apr 14, 2012 Alternatives to Empire Session I [53:48] Play Now | Play in Popup

#Occupy Empire: Anabaptism in God’s Mission

Session II is a series of three Lectures:

Paulette Moore and friends from the local “Occupy” movement present on “Occupy Harrisonburg and the Local Church.”  Paulette is a filmmaker, educator, journalist, and activist.  Through her work with established and emerging media she explores how art, power, conflict, and justice inspire, inform, and transform.  Moore is Associate Professor of the Practice of Media Arts and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University.  She holds an MA in trauma healing from EMU’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and is pursuing a PHD in Media and Communication through European Graduate School in Saas Fee, Switzerland.  Moore is a founding member of Occupy Harrisonburg and runs the group’s social media.

Bethany Tobin presents on, “Art in a Trinitarian World: Kenosis and Generativity.” Bethany is a visual artist who grew up in Thailand where her family helped plant a church.  She received a BFA in painting and drawing from James Madison University in 2006 and an MTS in theology and art from Duke Divinity School in 2009.  Her work revels in text and Asian patterns as it seeks to explore Christian symbols that are Asian.  Pervading her work is the sense that the universe is charged with the generous pleasure of God.  Bethany and her husband Stephen Horst and daughter Anjali live in Harrisonburg, where they are still learning how to live missionally.

JR Rozko presents on “The Role of Seminaries in Subverting Empire: Toward a Missional Vision of Theological Formation.” JR and his family are part of Life on teh Vine, a (covertly Anabaptist!) church community in the NW suburbs of Chicago.  JR is part of a DMiss cohort focused on Anabaptist Perspectives in Missional Ecclesiology through Fuller Theological Seminary, and serves as the Director of Operations and Advancement for the Missio Alliance, a new initiative of and for theological practitioners.  JR blogs at lifeasmission.com and contributes to resources and initiatives relevant to theological education through thefutureoftheologicaleducation.com

Conference planners Brian Gumm and Aaron Kauffman describe the conference in this way:

“Anabaptism at its best has been a series of attempts both to live into God’s in-breaking occupation and to faithfully occupy the empires of this fallen age, signaling the shalom to come. Anabaptists have gone about this work by imaginatively patterning their worship and witness after the New Testament communities of Jesus. Come explore ways in which the Anabaptist tradition can help inspire faithful occupation in today’s world. Interdisciplinary academic presentations will be infused with worship and testimonies to open our minds and spirits to where God is calling us into mission in the midst of empire.”

 Apr 14, 2012 Occupy Empire: Alternatives to Empire [1:06:51] Play Now | Play in Popup