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By Lorie Ham

Madera Ave. Bible Church (MABC) celebrates its centennial this year. They had their first service on October 19, 1919 and started with 10 charter members. “The church began in the Dixieland area of Madera County about 10 miles north of the city,” shared Christine Wall, who has been the moderator of the church for 13 years. “Most of the members were farmers who lived in that area.” In 1969, the church built a new facility in southeast Madera and made the big move into town.

“The church started out with no paid staff, leaders were chosen from among the members. Attendance was about 40 people in the Dixieland church. The church now has a full-time pastor, a part-time youth pastor, an administrative assistant, and a janitor. Attendance runs between 60 and 75 people on Sundays.”

Around twelve of the Dixieland Church members still attend MABC. While the programs have changed through the years, corporate prayer time has always been a part of MABC, as has tithing to missions outside the church. They also strive for a strong feeling of family.

For their Centennial Celebration, MABC will begin their festivities on Saturday afternoon October 12 with a tour of the Dixieland area, beginning at their current location of 124 Walnut in Madera. “At the church there will be displays and 3 slide shows going continually with photos from throughout the 100 years,” continued Christine. The dinner that evening will take place at the 4th St. Church of God at 222 North N St. in Madera.
They will be serving traditional German food such as verenika, beerocks, and German sausage and there will be a program afterwards with District Minister Gary Wall speaking.

On Sunday morning, October 13, there will be a service at MABC with former pastor Greg Langley speaking and a BBQ meal will be served. Both programs will feature videos from former pastors and youth leaders and memories shared from the past.

Everyone is welcome to attend this celebration at no cost, however you must RSVP to Christine at 559-232-1751  by September 15. You can learn more about the church and its history on their website.

Mennonite Aid Plan’s computer records don’t go back 100 years, but MAP found an application from the church dating back to 1983.

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) takes the adage about teaching a man to fish to a whole new level with its work fighting poverty through entrepreneurship.

Founded in 1953, MEDA helps poor people in developing countries start or grow their own businesses by providing access to training programs, global markets, improved technology, financial services, and equity investment.

It provides this assistance in the hopes the businesses will provide their communities with a sustainable source of income and that their founders – many of whom are women and youth from rural areas – will inspire others to do the same.

Visit MEDA’s website at meda.org to learn more about the association and how you can get involved in its work. It provides visitors with opportunities to make cash donation and learn more about how they can invest in the businesses it helps.

You’re committed to helping your community thrive, giving students the tools for success, and rewarding those who exemplify positive values. Why should your financial institution be any different?

Founded in 1945, Everence is a faith-based financial services organization that provides banking, charitable giving, Medicare supplemental insurance, and financial planning services to members of the Anabaptist faith community.

It’s also given more than $267 million back to the community over the past four years through programs like:

• the Everence Sharing Fund, that helps people meet their basic living expenses,
• the MyNeighbor credit card that donates part of each transaction to charity,
• and a community development investing program that channels 1 percent of its mutual fund family’s assets toward providing economic opportunities in disadvantaged communities.

Everence also supports communities around the globe with college scholarships, grant programs that help churches protect children, and a “Journey Award” program that recognizes role models by making a charitable donation in their name. Visit www.everence.com to learn more about Everence, its services and its commitment to the community.

Mennonite Insurance Services is proud to be a partner with Everence at local events throughout the years. We are a sponsor of the upcoming night of insight, inspiration and stories of generosity hosted by Everence at Willow Avenue Mennonite Church in Fresno, CA on Sept 13, 2018. Click here for details.

Five principles guide the Mennonite Central Committee as ministry of Anabaptist churches prepares to mark its first full century of service over the next two years.

Founded in Sept. 1920, the committee has grown from being an organization focused exclusively on feeding starving Mennonites in Ukraine to one that this past year sent volunteers and much needed supplies to 56 countries across the globe.

Whether its running workshops on conflict transformation and peacebuilding or sending comforters, hygiene kits and canned meat to people in the most desperate of times, the projects the committee’s 1,100 workers and their partners devote their time and energy toward the following:

• Caring for the lives and futures of uprooted and other vulnerable people,
• Providing water, food, and shelter to people whose lives have been touched hunger, disaster, or conflict and then following these gifts with education and ways they could earn an income,
• Working with churches and communities to prevent violence and promote peace and justice,
• Investing in opportunities for young people to serve in the United States, Canada, and the rest of the world, and
• Serving with humility and in partnership with local organizations as its members work to meet local needs with local solutions.

None of this, though, would be possible without the many people who donated their time, their money, and their prayers toward furthering the committee’s work. Mennonite Aid Plan is a proud supporter of Mennonite Central Committee(MCC). Visit mcc.org to learn more about the organization and how you can get involved.

Last year alone, the Mennonite Disaster Service’s 5,000+ volunteers repaired 252 homes in the United States and Canada that had been damaged by floods, hurricanes, tornados, or wildfires. They also built 66 new homes and 17 new bridges to help people living in disaster-stricken areas get back to their normal lives.

“When I look at the work of the Mennonite Disaster Service,” MDS Executive Director Kevin King wrote in his organization’s 2017 annual report. “I see volunteers and donors, all with different levels of ‘talents,’ yet the same willingness to serve.”

Visit the Mennonite Disaster Service website to learn more about the Mennonite Disaster Service and find out ways you can use your gifts – whether they be your physical abilities, leadership skills, powers of prayer, or your financial resources – to help people recover from a disaster and get back up on their feet.