Mennonite Health Journal
Articles on the intersection of faith and health
Mennonite Health Journal, Vol. 17, No. 3 – August 2015
Paul D. Leichty, editor
This issue of Mennonite Health Journal presents a first round of follow-up materials from a busy summer of conferences in the Mennonite world. MHJ 2015-08 PDF
History will likely record the Mennonite Church USA Convention, June 30-July 5 in Kansas City, Missouri, as a key event in the struggles of the church around issues of sexuality. Since these are issues of emotional, physical, and spiritual health, it is fitting that Mennonite Health Journal address them in some way, controversial though they be. In his editorial, MHF Executive Director, Paul Leichty, lays out the background and rationale for presenting two articles to open the conversation. These articles are based on a workshop presented at the Convention in Kansas City.
Later in July, Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship (MHF) held its own conference, the Annual Gathering 2015, July 19-21, 2015, at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A report of that event is included in these pages.
In addition, Lyubov Slashcheva contributes another in her series of articles on Climate Change and Public Health with reflections on the discussions held at the Annual Gathering as well as several events surrounding the big Mennonite World Conference (MWC) Assembly which immediately followed the Annual Gathering. Lyubov, who has just been elected as a new member of the MHF Board, invites us all to remain active in caring for God’s creation in these precarious times.
MHF President, Eric Lehman, also reflects on the summer activities including two additional events linked to Mennonite World Conference in which Mennonites are being encouraged to build global networks of support to promote a holistic view of health around the world.
| Published by Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship PO Box 918 Goshen, IN 46527-0918 Phone: 1-888-406-3643 Email: info@mennohealth.org Web: www.mennohealth.org |
Credits: Paul D. Leichty, Editor Eric Lehman, Executive Editor Annual Gathering photos courtesy of Stanley Godshall and JJ. Additional photographs supplied by authors and MHF staff. |
About the author
Paul D. Leichty, M.Div. was the first Executive Director of Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship (MHF), serving from Sept. 2011 through May 2020. Paul has served as a pastor, church musician, computer support person, disabilities advocate, and administrator/organizer of a number of church-related ministries. In addition to responsibilities at MHF, Paul is Executive Director of Congregational Accessibility Network and was formerly Director of User Services at Mennonite.net. He is a member of Agape Fellowship of the Mennonite Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania where he lives with his wife, Twila Charles Leichty.