This is an excerpt from an open letter by Henok T. Mekonin, introducing the Mission and Peace in Ethiopia issue of Anabaptist Witness. Mekonin is originally from Ethiopia and currently resides in Indiana with his spouse and two daughters. After graduating from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in 2021, Mekonin was asked by the leaders of AMBS, Meserete Kristos Church (MKC) and its seminary in Ethiopia to help with the Master of Arts: Theology and Global Anabaptism cohort program offered through AMBS’s partnership with Meserete Kristos Seminary (MKS). This work is also supported by Mennonite Mission Network.
Dear friends, both far and near,
I am writing to you to share a special journal release with you and invite you to be part of a project in support of the global church.
Several months ago, I received an invitation from Dr. Jamie Pitts, editor of a journal called Anabaptist Witness, to be the guest editor of an issue focused on Ethiopia and the Mennonite church in Ethiopia, Meserete Kristos Church, which is the largest national body in the global Mennonite World Conference family.
The project appealed to me for many reasons:
- I had flexibility in choosing the theme for the journal.
- There was interest in having all the articles authored by Ethiopians.
- My familiarity with MKC’s peace ministry.
The powerful stories and wisdom shared in this issue, Mission and Peace in Ethiopia, moved me so deeply that I was inspired to use this special issue of Anabaptist Witness to directly support the church in Ethiopia. Anabaptist Witness is a publication of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Mennonite Central Committee, Mennonite Church Canada, and Mennonite Mission Network. I am grateful that the council representing these organizations agreed to have proceeds from the print edition of this issue support two worthy causes:
- A scholarship fund. AMBS and MKS have a partnership, sponsored by AMBS donors, that allows MKS students to attend AMBS online, tuition free. However, students in this program have room and board expenses while in the program. MKC leadership has designated a new scholarship fund that will support the AMBS-MKS students in the Master of Arts: Theology and Global Anabaptism program to cover room and board. The scholarship prioritizes women, to expand MKC’s leadership capacity through this program.
- The Peace and Reconciliation and Prison Ministry departments of MKC. The articles in this issue of Anabaptist Witness offer several stories about how these ministries are serving God’s mission of shalom. A portion of the funds that are raised through this project will go to support these ministries.
A special invitation and request
- If you are a church leader, please consider ordering copies for members of your congregations, to be accompanied by this letter, so they can learn the impact of this project. I also encourage you to print this letter and put one in each congregation member’s mailbox.
- If you are an academic, please forward this letter to your colleagues and encourage them to read it, buy the journal and use it for their courses to include Ethiopian perspectives on various issues. This issue contains powerful articulations and syntheses on how Anabaptism is defined outside of European Christendom and post-Christendom by non-Eurocentric theologians and scholars. If you are interested in learning what it is like to be an Anabaptist Christian in the Ethiopian context, what Ethiopian Christians discuss among themselves, what their prayers are and what their struggles are, the stories in this journal have much to offer.
- As you prepare for the Mennonite World Conference Assembly in 2028, this journal will help you learn more about Ethiopia, its culture and customs. It will also help you pray for the church in Ethiopia with more connection and knowledge.
Thank you so much for considering this way of supporting the global church.
Henok T. Mekonin
Global Leadership Collaborative Specialist
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
