Newsletter #13

Mennonite Service Center is a faith based, non-profit organization. We do human service and ministry programs in rural east-central Mississippi. We believe and adhere to Romans 6:4: “Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in

Newness of Life.”      

No.13        –    February 28, 2017

Road Choices & Dead-ends                     

by Larry Miller                                                                            

The Bible tells about a crucial life (road) choice – take either the ‘broad’ or the ‘narrow’ way. Many people follow misguided crowds through a ‘wide gate’ but that is a disastrous direction.  Don’t go that way!                                               

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)                                                 

By not following the ‘interstate traffic’ of life, a Christian accepts personal accountability, rough terrain, hardships at times and the determination needed for the ‘narrow road’.  It’s not always easy!

Comes now the matter of the dead-ends and subsequent detours that Christian traveling inevitably brings.  Was this the result of stupidity and inattention? Was it from listening to bad counsel? Not necessarily. 

A life dead-end can well be a divine turnaround. From the Bible we read of Paul and Silas’ experience:                 

“stripped, beaten and thrown into prison…..around midnight (they were praying and singing) all the doors flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off.” Act. 16:22,23,26.  

Not so many years ago (in 1971) an aspiring, newly graduated teacher faced a sobering dead-end. The Noxubee School District hired him then decided to renege the contract. The young man had soul searching times. 

Sometimes life’s dead-ends and detours (on the ‘narrow road’) are in God’s plan. Recalibrating life, listening intently to  the Lord and not giving up on a calling are important. 

Viewed an educational setback, it’s seen as a necessary “in-service’ life training time. I was that teacher and that’s my take on dead-ends and detours on life’s roadway.

Mission Groups to Mashulaville.

Mennonite Service Center invites family, church and civic groups to come and engage in mission with us. It is a match you will like – we need your help and you get to share your skills. In return for a donation to us, ample food, new friendships and  unique lodging are yours!

Recent groups and individuals much appreciated are:     

Labor Day, Fairhaven Amish Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN – home repairs Kevin Harrison and Chris Huber, Alabama – Volunteer drivers/shop project Amish, Elmer Hochstetler group from LaGrange, IN – MDS at Cleveland, MS Christmas – Amish Work week(s), - LaGrange, Middlebury & Nappanee, IN January – Bethany Christian Schools, Goshen, IN – mailboxes & woodsplitting  Orie Lehman & Northern IN Amish – MDS at Cleveland, MS                          

Leonard Kennell & ‘Groffdale Mennonites’ from Hopkinsville, KY – MDS  Mifflinburg, PA ‘Groffdale Mennonites’ – MDS at Cleveland, MS                         

Northern IN Amish volunteers, by Calvin F. Miller – MD at Cleveland, MS Robert Mosley & Peter Gillespie, carpenters/painting – MDS at Cleveland Dick & Nancy Yoder, Goshen, IN – SOOP volunteers   

Keith & Kathy Springer, Illinois – SOOP volunteers

MSC’s new Shop building  

Built in summer of 2016, the new shop/shower/shed at Mashulaville Dormitory is nearing completion. Water and power were connected the first of this year. The organizing of a workbench with vice, compressor,  labeled compartments/storage slots for the Home Repair Ministry equipment is a great blessing. 

Yet to be finished are the showers and bathrooms. There is door hanging and painting work left. Come and help us?

………………………………………………

A passenger/cargo van was given to Mennonite Service Center by Marvin Martins of Goshen, IN. It will be used for transportation, home repairs and the summer food/recreation program.

The days of moving volunteers in the trunks of cars are in the past. Thanks Marvin! God bless you for this gift.

2016 Christmas Work Week(s)                    

The third annual mission trip to Mississsippi with the Northern Indiana Amish Young Adults was a great blessing to our communities. Absent this year were their friends from Lancaster, PA. However, the coordinators, Caleb and Joseph Miller, recruited a second week of hard workers for a total of 45 young persons!                                                                                         What were these energetic Amish guys and gals able to do with repairs and safety/health projects here? It would be better to ask, “What were they not able to do?” (because they did all this for 29 houses!).

• Roofing – tear offs/new roof job – 3

• New porches – 2

• Porch repairs/steps – 4

• sheetrocking – 2

• Bathrooms/water lines – 3

• Painting/repairs – 6

• Painting churches – Still Valley Baptist

• Mini-repair jobs – 4

• Mailboxes – 4

• Demolition job – 1

• Mashulaville Dormitory – many projects 

Arlen Burkholder (Napanee, IN) pre-built and installed a coffee/refreshment island in the center of the Dormitory’s dining area. Jesse Helmuth, stayed for the second week (as did eight others) and he headed up the sheetrocking and mudding in the new shop building.  Dormitory work included: wood splitting, shop work,  garden shed, sewage plumbing, cleaning and cooking.  Three couples: Jr. & Martha Borkholder, Howard & Nora Chupp and Marvin & Verna Martin, worked along with the youth.  Thank you to each of you who came:  

1st week:      

• Arlen Borkholder

• Edna Borkholder

• Jr. & Martha Borkholder

• Eva Helmuth

• Gabriel Helmuth

• Jesse Helmuth

• Luke Helmuth

• Loretta Hochstetler  

• Geneva Lambright

• Kenneth Lambright

• Harley Mast                                      

• John Mast

• Rebecca Miller

• Caleb Miller

• Doris Miller  

• Katie Miller 

• Joseph Miller 

• Robert Miller

• Andrew Mishler

• Nathan Nisley                                    

• Clara Wagler 

• Marvin & Verna Martin                                          

• Kevin Harrison

• David Mast

• Daniel Schwartz

• Arlene Yoder   

• Marlene Yoder  

2nd week:                     

• Jennifer Borkholder                           

• Maranda Borkholder                           

• Loretta Borkholder                              

• Howard & Nora Chupp 

• Gabriel Helmuth

• Jesse Helmuth

• David Hochstetler

• Julie Hochstetler

• Lucille Hochstetler

• Myron Hochstetler

• Joyce Kauffman     

• Jeremiah Lambright      

• Kenneth Lambright   

• Hannah Lehman

• Jay Lehman

• Marcus Lehman   

• Harley Mast 

• Brenda Miller                                        

• Caleb Miller   

• Duane Miller 

• Gary Miller  

• Joseph Miller

• Lyndora Miller

• Chris Huber

• Ryan Miller                                  

• Ina Mullet

• Johnny Wingard

• Noretta Yoder

Hospitality & Disaster Relief:  

Mashulaville Dormitory hosts volunteers, family/church groups and travelers. We have continued our time and efforts with Mennonite Disaster Service projects. We offer housing to relief persons at any time.           

Camp Scholarship Donations are needed to help send 45 children and youth to camps this summer. Will you send a gift?

Summer Food/Recreation needs: 

• 2 – refrigerators

• VBS materials

• sports equipment

• volunteers: cooks/playground

• 3 more mission groups

• craft supplies, a coach(or 2)

• activities coordinator

MSC Home Repair Ministry has a waiting list of widows, elderly & disabled who need safety/health issues that await volunteers. Groups are being recruited for spring and fall scheduling.

Your gifts of time & money help us. 

Mennonite Service Center

(a non-profit 501-c-3 organization)  

105 Dormitory Dr. Macon, MS 39341

phone: 662-361-0383