Congregational Blessing
| Perfect love casts out fear. | ||
| May God build First Mennonite Church with Structures of Love. |
||
| Structures of FEAR | Structures of LOVE | |
| make demands | - | invite participation |
| tell and sell | - | listen, consult, and pray |
| lord it over others | - | regard each person equally |
| compete | - | cooperate |
| manipulate | - | wash feet |
| seek to win | - | seek peaceful resolution |
| threaten to reject | - | accept other's freedom to say no |
| seek to control | - | seek to include |
| avoid conflict | - | risk conflict to arrive at peace |
| overrule minorities | - | seek Spirit-led consensus |
| rigidly hold to the standard | - | reach for new leadings of the Holy Spirit |
"Structures of Fear - Structures of Love" from Moderator Ron Kennel's
address to the Iowa-Nebraska Conference in annual session
on August 3, 1984.
address to the Iowa-Nebraska Conference in annual session
on August 3, 1984.