On Tuesday 16 February, Ed & Phyllis Shirk (who have just stepped down from the role of hosts at the LMC) welcomed previous LMC hosts in Goshen Indiana.

From left to right in the photo are:
Jerry & Becky Miller (2000-3), Glen & Marilyn Miller (2003-4), Jim & Lois Bare (2004-7), Wayne & Leabell Miller (1994-7 & 2000), Abner & Virginia Schlabach (1997-2000), Ed & Phyllis Shirk (2007-10).

[Brings back many happy memories - Will Newcomb]

The Mennonite Mission Network has the following article about our new hosts Barbara and Darrell Jantz who arrived at the end of January, 2010

From OK to the U.K.

Following the very stimulating Cross-Currents event with Ted Grimsrud on 12 September, Ted has made available unedited copies of his presentations on his website, together with an outline of his forthcoming book Mercy Not Sacrifice: The Bible’s Salvation Story and Our Hope for Wholeness.

Metanoia Book Service will be stocking this title as soon as it is published. Check at www.metanoiabooks.org.uk

The full details of the LMC's autumn programme is now available for download at www.menno.org.uk/Calendar2009Autumn.pdf

The programme kicks of with the stimulating Theology Forum in September with guest speaker Ted Grimsrud from Eastern Mennonite University exploring how Anabaptist Theology might develop in 21st century.

Bridge Builders is pleased to make available a couple of new resources through our web site. The first is a revision of an article by Alastair McKay, Director of Bridge Builders, that originally appeared as a chapter in the book How to Become a Creative Church Leader (Canterbury Press, 2008). The article is entitled “Transforming Conflict: Some Keys for Church Leaders” and aims to enable leaders to engage with conflict as a source of creativity and transformation in the life of the church.

The second resource is an annotated bibliography that gives details of a wide range of books related to church conflict which leaders and others might find helpful as they explore this area. All the titles currently in print are available from Metanoia book service.

The staff of the Centre are sad to announce the death of Kenneth Smith, our administrator from 1999 to 2004. Kenneth remained a keen supporter and friend of the LMC, visiting us just before Christmas, bringing his usual love of life and laughter to our coffee times.

He will be greatly missed.

A memorial service will be held at the All Saints Church, Church Road, Highgate, N6 4QH at 12 noon on Saturday 7 March.

Kenneth Kirk Smith, 27/04/1940 - 03/01/2009

Good news for readers of Walter Brueggemann and the New Interpreter's Bible Commentaries! For September through November we have a sale of specific Brueggemann titles and the whole range of the New Interpreter's Bible Commentaries.

Download our pdf's and mail your orders in.
Brueggemann Titles
NIB Commentaries

Beloved member of the Wood Green Mennonite Church and long-term supporter of the London Mennonite Centre, Esther Misrahi's final battle with cancer is told in this Mennonite Mission Network article.

Greg Boyd, author of The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church, founder and senior pastor of Woodland Hills Church, an evangelical megachurch in St. Paul, MN, puts a challenge to Mennonite Churches on his blog, A Word to My Mennonite Friends: "Cherish Your Treasure!"

Dr James Jacob Fehr, recent presenter of the LMC's seminar The Earliest Gospel Sources and the Gospel of Peace, and Director of the German Mennonite Peace Committee, has recently contributed 4 articles to the New Statesman's The Faith Column.