Laura Schlabach/Photo
These Indiana youth and sponsor dined with the homeless in response to Shane Claiborne’s message. From Left: Mark Fromer, Aaron Kauffman, John Swartley, Niles Graber-Miller, Robert Heydon and Karsten Hess.

Five young Mennonites invited three guests who live under the railroad tracks to share Greek food with them  on Friday night.

After hearing Shane Claiborne’s call to seek out the “many Calcuttas” around them, youth from Waterford Mennonite Church, Assembly Mennonite Church and Sunnyside Mennonite Church, all in Indiana, visited the homeless people living under the railroad tracks near the Hyatt Regency hotel.

“After worship, we discussed what the spirit was leading us to do,” said Mark Fromer, a youth sponsor at Waterford Mennonite in Goshen. The group ended up inviting three homeless people to dinner: Drake, Woody and Patty.

Niles Graber-Miller, of Goshen; John Swartley, Elkhart; Karsten Hess, Goshen; Robert Heydon, Elkhart; and Aaron Kauffman, Goshen, met each other only the previous day, after Claiborne addressed thousands of young people.  Fromer said they prayed together as they walked to meet the homeless.

“We had to hop a fence to go and talk to them,” said Fromer. “Drake was hesitant; he didn’t want to be paraded around.”

After assuring him it was just a meal, the group walked with the three homeless guests to Happy Greek restaurant, where Fromer had made a reservation.

Drake ordered chicken, and Woody chose a gyro. Patty ordered calamari twice, as an appetizer and the main course.

Fromer said that as they began talking,  it became clear that Woody was comfortable using profanity.  Drake pulled Woody outside for a chat. “I think he was telling him to be on his best behavior,” Fromer said.

The group had a chance to talk, laugh and share their stories. Patty talked about her experience being kicked out of the house at a young age, and alluded to abuse. Drake and Woody both had given up living with family and possessions in favor of a more nomadic lifestyle. Woody even showed them videos on his cell phone of different places he’d been.

“(Drake and Woody) chose this lifestyle,” said Heydon. “They didn’t own any possessions and didn’t hold onto stuff.”

“One of them looked exactly like Shane Claiborne!” added Graber-Miller.

Although Drake and Woody chose the lifestyle they were living, “they had had some painful circumstances,” said Fromer.

Drake and Woody talked about the risks that come with living under the railroad tracks. Since the area under the railroad is private property, they are living in illegal territory. Woody has 17 stitches in his forehead and 13 stitches on his chin from beatings by security.

The youth were struck by the community the homeless people form with each other. Even though Drake and Woody had a history of traveling together, they and many others included Patty right away when she arrived. They share things freely.

“They took their leftover food back for their buddies,” Fromer said. He added that since they travel so much, the group living under the railroad tracks share a special train list with each other.

Drake, Woody and Patty were vocal in their gratitude for the invitation to dine with the youth.

“They hugged all of us,” said Hess. “They thanked us and said they were really grateful.”

After the meal, they went in their separate directions. Hess said that Woody and Drake are now headed west to California, to visit Drake’s family.

“(The meal) was the highlight of convention,” said Swartley. Heydon encourages other people try it sometime.

“It’s amazing how much you learn in one meal,” he said.

Sensenig is helping gather 350 people in his Indiana community to participate in the voluntary gas tax in order to recognize the social and environment costs of using gas. He calls it “the craziest tax you’ve never heard of.”

If one were to consider the true social and environmental cost of gas, he said, the price would be near $15 a gallon. With a price like that, he said, people would certainly drive less.

Sensenig elaborated on this campaign and provided numerous definitions of “environmental justice” on Friday in his youth seminar entitled, “Environmental Justice: A natural ‘fit’ for Mennonites?”

“Environmental justice starts to define the places we live as nature,” Sensenig said. He explained that there are four definitions of nature: species, habitat, view (aesthetics) and cycles. According to Sensenig, the last definition is the most important because the cycles of nature are our life support.

He used video clips in his presentation to help explain the different aspects of environmental justice. In one clip, the environmental activist Marjora Carter gave a voice to poor populations.

“We feel the (environmental) problems right now, and have for some time,” Carter said. According to Carter, environmental justice means that no communities should be burdened with more environmental problems or less environmental benefits than another community.

While the environmental movement has historically involved the affluent devoting their resources to issues like protecting polar bears or manatees, a new wave of environmentalists highlight the need to include communities of all socioeconomic levels.

“You can’t deal with ecological issues without dealing with poverty, and you can’t deal with poverty without dealing with ecological issues,” Sensenig said.

He also referred to Van Jones, who recently became special adviser for green jobs in the Obama administration. Jones founded Green For All, an organization devoted to sustainable jobs like insulation installation, which provides a salary and improves the environment.

Illustrating the important role of poor populations, Jones says a green economy doesn’t include throw-away resources or throw-away people.

Sensenig acknowledged that this is the first time in history we as society have questioned whether humans are a sustainable system.

“Over the past 100 years the temperature of the earth has increased over half a degree Celsius, which on a global span has catastrophic effects,” Sensenig said. He also noted that at 387 parts per million, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has reached the highest level it’s been in the last 600 years.

Sensenig said that although personal choices such as biking more and switching to a diesel-fueled cars are important, the most effective thing people can do is work for political change.

“The best solution right now is a policy solution,” he said. Sensenig explained that by the time the Kyoto Protocol, a multinational movement to reduce CO2 emissions, runs out in 2012, we should already have other measures in place.

Our chance comes in December, when world leaders meet in Copenhagen to discuss climate change policy.

Sensenig advocated the call from Bill McKibben, the author and environmentalist, to make a statement on Oct. 24, which has been designated as an international day of action.

Given the crisis, making a difference is a daunting task, but Sensenig highlighted the potential we have to create a healthier earth.

“What planet do you want your kids, or niece, or nephew to live on?” he said.

Sensenig will offer his seminar again on Saturday at 3 p.m. in D143.

Tyler Falk/Photo
Laura Schlabach and Abri Houser run the hill on the 5 km road race course.

Approximately 3.2 percent of conventiongoers will make history on Sunday morning simply by running.

Months ago, 235 runners registered for the first ever Mennonite convention 5K run. Ten-year-old Elora Neufeld, from Ontario, represents the youngest registered runner.

“It’s a trial year; we’re seeing how it goes,” said Abby Miller, a convention planning intern.

Runners registered before May 22 with a $10 fee to cover the T-shirt and water costs. Other interested runners may join the run at the North Bank Park, although they will not receive a T-shirt or prize.

The top female and male finishers can choose from a sweatshirt donated by each Mennonite college. Other participants are eligible to win one of the remaining three sweatshirts in a raffle.

To better prepare the corps of runners, we decided to test run the course for Sunday. Even though Fourth of July festivities interfered with our completion of the run, we hope these tips give you a head start.

The race begins at the glass pavilion at North Bank Park, the end of Neil Avenue. Be sure to check in by 7 a.m.! Hopefully there won’t be much Fourth of July celebration debris from the night before, but, on the bright side, the sidewalk chalk art may still be there. If so, take a glance down as you take both sidewalk forks to the left to stay by the river.

The downhill is easy at first, but beware — right after you pass under the railroad bridge be ready to climb the rolling hills of Columbus. Be prepared to share the path with bikers (mostly friendly in our experience).

After you cross the river, follow the path that borders the parking lot of a riverside restaurant. Try to ignore the traffic noise to the right. After your second time around the loop, head back toward the pavilion on the same path you came. Repeat!

Following your second batch of restaurant parking lot loops, when you come by the glass pavilion stay to the right for your finish! Enjoy making convention history.

A relief pitcher, an Amish bench, the EPA paradox (named for Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen) and a Global Positioning System.  June Alliman Yoder and Mandy Yoder Schrock used these images and text from Psalm 121 to encourage worshipers to engage in a partnership with the Holy Spirit.

In the joint worship service on Thursday, over 6,500 adults, youth, junior youth and children filled the Nationwide Arena with their songs and conga lines.

Alliman Yoder, a retired professor at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, and her daughter Yoder Schrock, who is a pastor at Belmont Mennonite Church in Elkhart, Ind., shared the story of a group of sisters in Calcutta who witnessed a mother’s grief when rats quickly ate her newborn baby after the baby had died.  When they asked Mother Teresa, “Where was God?” she replied, “God was there. The question is: where were God’s people?”

Yoder Schrock responded with a question to the audience: “If God was there that day, why didn’t the Spirit make everything OK?”

Alliman Yoder described the relationship between human beings and the Holy Spirit as collaborative interaction.

“The spirit of God needs the help of human beings to accomplish God’s mission,” she said.

To demonstrate this idea, the mother-daughter duo used a four-part model.

The image of a relief pitcher was used to describe when the Holy Spirit is used as a last resort.

The title “Amish bench” is used to describe the process that Amish ministers go through before preaching.  The group of preachers decides minutes before the sermon who will deliver the message, leaving everything to the Holy Spirit.

Yoder Schrock described the EPR paradox as two particles correlated at birth, but continuing to relate no matter the distance between them.  Reversing the spin of one particle affects the spin of the other.

“There’s some form of communication in the universe that we don’t understand,” she said. “We are connected in a profound way.”

This connection could be described as the power of the Holy Spirit.

Reaching for a model easier to understand than one from quantum physics, Alliman Yoder likened the interactions between humans and the spirit as similar to a GPS.  The satellites in the heavens interact with the receiver on earth.  Despite any wrong turns the user may take, the GPS does not give up — it keeps recalculating.

“Ultimately, the spirit can guide us only if we are willing to follow its directions,” said Alliman Yoder.

Alliman Yoder stressed the importance of an elevated view of humans.  “We are just a little lower than the angels,” she said.  In that sense, our role is more important than we may often think, she said.

Ultimately, they said, the goal is to be centered in the spirit.

Yoder Schrock said, “To be centered in the spirit is to be partners with the spirit.”

Ken Medema, Trent Wagler and Ted Swartz added to the message with song and humor.

An offering was taken to support the education of pastors at Iglesia Evangelica Menonita in Fort Meyers, Fla.

Described by a worship leader as the “best kept secret of the convention,” the children’s choir, 180 kids strong, helped the audience catch the rhythm of God through interactive songs. The adult choir, directed by Hal Hess, also performed two pieces.

As Swartz concluded, it all comes down to digestion.  “Faith: chew it up, pass it on.”

Q & A with June Alliman Yoder and Mandy Yoder Schrock:

If I had to choose one person in the world to have a conversation with, it would be:

JAY: Mother Teresa and Mary Magdalene

MYS: My husband! Just kidding…Princess Diana, Michelle Obama and the biblical Lydia

My favorite quote is:

JAY: ”Too much of a good thing is wonderful!” – May West

MYS: “The human being is the sanctuary for the Holy Spirit.” — Archbishop Tutu

One thing I’ve always wanted to do, but never have is:

JAY: Visit the Terracotta Army in China.

MYS: To feel called to serve overseas. I know that it’s not what I’m meant to do, but I think it would be a great experience.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in life so far is:

JAY: There are times in life when you need to focus on taking care of yourself, but it’s always important to remember that it’s not all about me.

MYS: Control what you can, but realize that some things are out of your control.

I would consider some of my role models to be:

JAY: My mother has been a major force in my life, as well as my Aunt Clysta Richard. My aunt was the first professional in the family, so she paved the way for everyone else. Also my daughter for her spiritual depth and passion for God.

MYS: Umm…I should probably say Jesus…but I would say my Mom and Janice Yordy Kauffman, among others. She modeled how to practice effective pastoring and parenting, and how to juggle the two.

Chase Snyder/Photo
The youth worship band, joined by Tim Shue of Honeytown, second from right, performs during the combined youth and adult worship service Thursday night at Nationwide Arena.

While most conventiongoers slowly file out of the Nationwide Arena each night after worship, six people always remain longer, ready to talk about song transitions and selection flow.

The six are members of the youth worship band, headed up by the returning lead singer, Jeremy Kempf. Kempf is joined by drummer Kyle Baker, of Henderson, Nev., who is also a returning band member from San Jose. The other band members are vocalists Erin Weaver, of Bluffton, Ohio, and Erica Weston, of Cleveland, Ohio; and guitarists Kaleem Kheshgi, of Evanston, Ill., and David Kempf, of Libertyville, Ill.

Each band member brings a unique musical background to the team, some with overlapping careers.

“(Weston and I) knew each other from Bluffton University,” said Weaver.  Both vocalists were part of the university’s music ministry team “Shining Through.”

Jeremy Kempf and Baker had played together in the band “Thirstborne.” As second cousins, Jeremy and David Kempf have played together before. Weston sings in the gospel choir of her home church, Lee Heights Community Church.

To prepare for an audience of about 4,000 youth, the Kempfs, Kheshgi and Baker devoted two days to song form and instrumentation.  Weaver and Weston then joined them for two eight-hour practice sessions.

“There’s a certain amount of connection we made before we sat down to work,” said Baker. “We all had a common goal to work towards.”

According to Weaver, the team would go through each song, practicing and talking about the different components such as vocals.

The band considers both convention theme and musical transitions in picking each night’s songs.

“(The song list) is going to change each night depending on the message,” David Kempf said.

Since several band members switch instruments between songs, Jeremy Kempf also keeps instrumentation in mind when developing the song lists. He consulted the “Top 10 Praise Music” charts and used his background in working with youth and music composition to come up with song lists.

After Jeremy Kempf gives an initial outline of songs, the rest of the band members collaborate with ideas.

“Every once in a while I say, ‘Executive decision!’” Jeremy Kempf said.

Part of performing for convention is getting used to having their images shown on large projection screens.

Baker said his previous experience playing in front of large audiences made it easier to endure the cameras this week.

“It didn’t faze me as much as I thought it would,” Weaver said.

Kaleem Kheshgi, Evanston, Ill.
Instruments: base guitar, flute, vocals
Favorite worship song: “Let it Rise”

Erin Weaver, Bluffton, Ohio.
Instruments: violin, vocals, keyboard
Favorite worship song: “David Danced”

Kyle Baker, Henderson, Nev.
Instrument: drums
Favorite worship song: “Everybody Praise the Lord”

Erica Weston, Cleveland, Ohio.
Instrument: vocals
Favorite worship song: “Our God is Faithful”

David Kempf, Libertyville, Ill.
Instruments: acoustic and electric guitar, percussion, backup vocals
Favorite worship song: “Let it Rise”

37 T-shirts stamped by Mennonite Mission Network

10 frisbees to be given away at the Canadian Mennonite Education booth

12 rose bushes and 12 rocking chairs, from Dutchmen Hospitality, in the living landscape display

217 outfits from Goodwill at Eastern Menonnite University’s display

100 Starbucks gift cards hidden in 450 Hesston College tumblers

46 leaves on the Prayers for the Nations tree

11,000 U.S. dollars to attend Canadian Mennonite University for one year

1,700 purple gumballs in Bluffton University’s display

20 hammers used to help build the Mennonite Disaster Service house

5,000 patches at the Goshen College display

A maple tree is growing in the middle of the exhibit hall. Eventually, that tree will be planted outside the Adriel School in West Liberty, Ohio.

The landscape display located next to the college and university booths also includes butterfly bushes and rose bushes; it sits next to a circle of 12 hickory rocking chairs for people to relax in.

The Communications Reference Council, which created the layout for the exhibit hall, provided funds for the living landscape. The council is made up of representatives from five organizations: Mennonite Education Agency, MMA, Mennonite Publishing Council, Mennonite Mission Network and Executive Leadership.

“We’re trying to bring a sense of cohesiveness,” said Ron Gingerich, art director for Executive Leadership. “We should be more about relationships than organizations.”

Gingerich said creating a display with living plants and bushes was a small, almost symbolic, way of bringing about environmental awareness.

“The idea of using a living landscape seemed to resonate with the convention theme,” Gingerich said. “Trees are life giving, oxygen producing and sheltering.”

Dutchman Hospitality loaned the 12 rocking chairs, which are available for purchase at $200 each. Each chair is handcrafted by an Amish family from Holmes County, Ohio.

Gingerich hired a landscaping company from Ohio, Winnscapes, to design the display, which is watered every other day. The company chose plants and bushes ideal for indoor conditions.

Coffman Stone, also an Ohio company, provided the concrete border for the display, which was designed in a half circle shape at the request of the Communications Reference Council.

The landscape display will find a new home on the grounds of Adriel, a child welfare school located in West Liberty, Ohio, after convention. Marty Lehman, Mennonite Church USA director of communication and development, knew the administration and staff from having worked there.

“It was something local we could support,” said Gingerich.

Brenda Matthews wants young people to step into their spiritual destiny.

Adorned with glow sticks, youth and sponsors were standing and cheering within minutes of Matthews taking the stage. Matthews, a poet from Chicago known as “Mama” Brenda, spoke Tuesday night in the opening worship at the youth convention.

Times are hard, Matthews said, and youth of all Christian denominations are well placed to spark a spiritual revival nationwide.

“It’s time to get suited and booted, and get your butt in gear,” said Matthews, who was speaking at a Mennonite Church USA convention for the third time.

She reminded the youth that they are in a crucial time of life, urging them to take what they learn home with them and get to work.

“It’s time for you to step into your spiritual destiny,” Matthews said. “Don’t take this time for granted.”

Matthews spoke passionately about claiming one’s faith and seeking God, especially as young people can be drawn into sex, alcohol and drugs.

Even when youth make poor choices, God cares for them intimately, Matthews said.

“The Holy Spirit knows our faults and never gives up on us,” she said.

Matthews is also praying for youth to have a renewed experience of the Holy Spirit.

“The Holy Spirit is the part of God that lives inside of us,” she said.

Matthews compared the Holy Spirit to the battery in a car, giving us the power we need to work for God’s kingdom.

“The Holy Spirit is the juice,” she said.

Matthews invited youth to stand and raise their hands as she prayed for the Holy Spirit to fall afresh on their lives.

“We need you to be a witness and not be ashamed!” she said.

71 average temperature inside convention center

649 bathrooms in the Hyatt Regency hotel (connected to the convention center)

1 Irish dancing competition hosted in this space last year

239 volunteer meals served on Monday night

1 vegetarian and gluten-free meal served at the volunteer dinner

4” x 3” size of name tags

3.5” x 2.25” size of plastic name-tag holders

Of course, these inflatable mattresses and rollaway beds were not the sole reason the 2009 Mennonite convention is meeting in Columbus. But it was a factor as Columbus bid for the third time to host the convention.

Hyatt, the largest hotel in the city, offered to stock 300 twin rooms with additional high-quality inflatable mattresses for the youth groups who will be staying there. The committee thought about putting adults at this hotel, but the Hyatt wanted to host the youth.

Choosing a convention location is a long-term process, beginning with narrowing down a list of possible cities to three primary candidates at least three years before the convention will take place. The director of convention planning, Jorge Vallejos, along with Ron Byler, associate director of Mennonite Church USA, and  Rachel Swartzentruber Miller, the associate director of convention planning, travels to each city for evaluation.

“What I do is a site inspection,” Vallejos said. Each city is critiqued on numerous aspects such as the price of meal plans, average hotel rates and traveling distance for participants. Even factors such as sales tax and hotel tax rates are considered to estimate the true cost of living in a given city for convention week.

“It took three tries to get it right,” added Vallejos, but this time Columbus was a more competitive option compared with the other cities.

After evaluating all three cities, Vallejos, Byler and Swartzentruber Miller rate each city and make a final recommendation to the board of directors of Mennonite Church USA, who then make the final location decision. “My job is to bring the best recommendation based on space and costs,” said Vallejos.

As expected, the decision for Columbus included a combination of these factors of space and cost. Columbus had been considered as an option in both 2005 and 2007.

There is no official rotation based on ease of access for the East and West coasts, but the board takes geography into account. “We never go back to a city twice because we always want to reach a new group of people,” said Swartzentruber Miller. Along with Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis were top contenders for 2009.

Meal plans also favored Columbus. Vallejos gave the Greater Columbus Convention Center reasonable meal plan prices and sample menus,and  the center  returned the most competitive meal package offer.  On his visit over three years ago, Vallejos met with the general managers of Columbus’ hotels to discuss the Mennonite convention’s needs, concerns and price range. According to Vallejos, these general managers then went back to their sales representatives and said, “Make this work.”

Once a convention site is officially chosen, the work for Vallejos and Swartzendruber Miller is far from over. They attend every convention, serving as the on-site managers.  ”There are a million things going on behind the scenes,” Vallejos added. “If the participants think things have gone smoothly, we’ve done our job.”

Pittsburg will host the convention in 2011. This decision was made earlier than usual due to shifts in the economy. According to Vallejos, choosing and securing a location before economic issues became more complicated was key in keeping the convention affordable.

Mennonites will travel to Phoenix in 2013 for the first convention in the Southwest. “Phoenix put together a phenomenal package for 2011, but we needed to get to another area of the country before we went to back to the West Coast,” said Swartzentruber Miller. “They were able to keep their rates very similar to the 2011 prices.”