Jim Schrag arrived at the adult worship service with the future of the Mennonite Church, the rising median age of Mennonites and the importance of a positive vision all on his mind.

Schrag, executive director of Mennonite Church USA, began his speech with the story of Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China. At one point during the voyage, Schrag said, the wind died and the captain requested Taylor to pray for a breeze. Taylor replied, saying that only when the sails were set would he pray to God for wind.

Schrag applied the analogy to the current position of the Mennonite Church: “Yes, pray without ceasing, but first unfurl the sails.”

Schrag spoke to the wrong and right visions facing the Mennonite Church.  “God sent us on a journey, but the sea has become calm,” Schrag said. “We can drift helplessly as any other church… or we can unfurl the sails of our vessel.”

An important focus of Schrag’s talk was the avoidance of passivity and the importance of positive action. Referring to his source scripture, Ezekiel 37 and John 20, Schrag said, “We need to be aware of our own dry bones, and the barred doors in our frightened retreat, locking the world outside.”

“We’ve grown accustomed to the calm of comfort and success that surrounds us, and we judge that our own exile is not such a bad thing after all,” Schrag said, referring to the exile of the disciples after Jesus’ death.

Schrag encouraged audience members to pay attention to the cultural currents that surround and influence the church, and to take necessary action. He challenged the worshipers: “Learn to listen, to see, to feel the presence of God.”

Schrag, who is from Newton, Kan., served as a pastor and worked as secretary for the General Conference before becoming executive director for MC USA.

Before Schrag spoke, Steven Brown, vice chair of Churches Supporting Churches, discussed the church’s response to Hurricane Katrina. Also, members of the band Honeytown led songs from all three hymnals, as well as original tunes, including “Breathe and be filled,” based on the convention’s theme.

Schrag asked the worshipers to stand, clasp hands, and join Patty Shelly in her song “The Lord lift you up.” Ken Medema finished the worship service with his gift for improvisational song, which included a story about an  8-year-old named Bubba  and the chorus to “Breathe and be filled.”