MVS participant Amanda Talstra at the UN where she serves. Photo: Mark Wasser

Manhattan, N.Y.

(212) 677-1611

Service
The Manhattan MVS unit is affiliated with Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship. Both seek to bear witness to Christ by engaging in a mission of peace-seeking and evangelism in the heart of New York City. The unit and the fellowship seek to enact a "gospel of reconciliation in the city" by active engagement in "reflective evangelism" and in peace and service ministries. The focus is on urban ministries, particularly to those on the margins (e.g., the homeless, immigrants, people with AIDS) who are being increasingly left behind by the exploding technology and service industries.

MVS Application To apply for one of the service opportunities below, complete an online application, or print and mail a PDF application (Adobe Reader required) and send it to: Mennonite Mission Network ATTN: Human Resources 500 S. Main P.O. Box 370 Elkhart, IN 46515-0370

Location
There are roughly 7.5 million people living in the five boroughs of New York City--one of the few places on earth where people from nearly every corner of the globe co-exist. Some of the largest immigrant groups include West Indian, Chinese, Dominican, Mexican, Guyanese, Russian and West African. Immigrants often congregate in certain neighborhoods where visitors might feel as if they have been suddenly transported to some far-flung place.

Summers can range from mild to hot and humid. Some winters feature no snow and others blizzards that dump two feet. The Manhattan unit is one of the few with no unit car, but between subways and the bus lines, a reasonably priced public transportation system covers almost every need. Walking will be required so comfortable shoes are essential.

There is almost any kind of activity in New York City, ranging from free to high-priced. There are many museums, concert halls, theaters, dance troupes and places to shop. Eating out is a popular activity in one of the city's roughly 1,000 restaurants. While New York initially seems intimidating, once you have been there long enough to recognize the owner of the corner grocery, learn the name of the homeless person you pass every day on your way to work, pet the same dog twice and recognize the traffic rhythms on your street, you begin to realize that New York is also made up of many small neighborhoods.

The MVS unit is on a quiet, tree-lined street at the edge of Gramercy Park, just north of the East Village. The most notable feature of the neighborhood is that it contains a half-dozen hospitals. The unit was established in this neighborhood in 1958 to provide an opportunity for Mennonites to do service as an alternative to joining the military, and many worked in the nearby hospitals.

Unit
Members of the Manhattan MVS unit live in Menno House, a 4-story brownstone owned by the local Mennonite churches that also serves as a home for other residents and short-term guests. The unit thus functions as part of a larger, loose-knit, community. The house is one of several brownstones on a block across the street from an elementary school and playground. It is about 5 blocks from the Quaker meetinghouse where Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship gathers for worship, and a 10-minute walk from Union Square, the entrance to several subway lines. The MVS support committee, made up of three people from Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship, meets with MVSers--roughly once a month--to provide personal, spiritual and administrative assistance.

Menno House has 13 bedrooms. Two on the second floor are used for guests while the rest are resident (including MVS) rooms. Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship and Mennonite Central Committee use one room for an office and meeting space. The living room, dining room and kitchen are considered common space, where much eating, joking and fellowship happen. A back yard provides a favorite place for gardeners, barbequers and those who just need a breath of (somewhat fresh) air.

Church
Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship has 30 members and 50 participants, the majority between 30 and 50 years of age. There is Sunday worship and study as well as weekday study groups. The fellowship operates Menno House as a place of hospitality for long-term residents, such as MVSers, as well as short-term guests. The fellowship also maintains the Peace and Anabaptist Library, located in Menno House.

Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship follows a generally traditional style of worship with some use of drama and new music. Peacemaking and evangelism are seen as essential expressions of the Gospel. The fellowship cooperates with other denominations in various ways. The MVS support committee helps to link the unit and the fellowship. Several church members are involved in agencies that place MVSers. Unit members are welcome at Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship, which sees the unit as an extension of its ministry. Manhattan MVSers are expected to participate in the life of the church in any way they feel comfortable (e.g., leading worship, sharing from MVS experiences).