MENNONITE CHURCH USA PROGRAMS
Mennonite Church USA Congregational and Ministerial Leadership: Ministry Inquiry Program (MIP)
Contact: Keith Harder
Phone: 866-866-2872
MIP is designed for students attending Mennonite colleges and universities. It allows the student to experience what it is like to serve in pastoral ministry. Students with interest in pastoral ministry are chosen by a campus coordinator who also makes arrangements with a local congregation where the student is located for 11 weeks during the summer. (On occasion, students from other than Mennonite colleges/universities have also participated.) The student receives a $500 cash stipend from the congregation where the student is located and a $2,000 scholarship that comes from the Mennonite college/university where the student is attending, area conferences, the student’s home congregation and Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership. Since its inception in the late 1980s, more than 300 students have participated in MIP.
Mennonite Church USA Congregational and Ministerial Leadership, Mennonite Mission Network: Instituto Bíblico Anabautista
Contact: Gilberto Flores and Violeta Ajquejay
Phone: 866-866-2872
IBA is a biblical and theological studies program for ministerial preparation. Its objective is to train men and women for the ministry within the church in the United States. The institute functions by study centers in the local congregations and a tutor is assigned to each center. It has two study levels, certificate and diploma. Each level is based on two-year study. The majority of the students take an active part in the leadership of their congregations, such as serving as Sunday School teachers, deacons, and others as pastors and church planters.
Mennonite Mission Network: Mennonite Voluntary Service Program
Contact: Diana Cook
Phone: 800-866-866-2872; direct line 574-523-3064
MVS invites young adults age 20 and older to join together in Christian ministry for one- or two-year terms. Participants serving at least one year receive room, board, a monthly stipend for personal expenses and are eligible to receive health coverage.
Americorps provides up to $4700 per year of eligibility (maximum of two years) for persons who complete 1,700 hours of direct service. These funds may be used to repay existing or future student loans, to pay all or part of the cost of attending a qualified institution of higher learning (including certain vocational programs), or to pay expenses incurred while participating in an approved school-to-work program. Details at
www.cnvs.org. Check the Americorps Education Awards Program link.
Mennonite Mission Network: Service Adventure Program
Contact: Diana Cook
Phone: 800-866-866-2872; direct line 574-523-3064
Service Adventure offers young adults age 17-20 to make a difference by serving others through community-based organizations. Participants live in a household community with a leader for 10 months in eight locations across the United States.
The Americorps Education Awards Program described above is available to participants in Service Adventure.
MMA: MMA College Scholarship
Contact: Phyllis Mishler
Phone: 800-348-7468 Ext 301
The MMA College Scholarship is one way MMA encourages young people to explore how stewardship has impacted their lives. This scholarship program is available to an undergraduate student who own an MMA product (policy), is a member or attender of an Anabaptist congregation with an active MMA Advocate, is enrolled full time in an accredited two- to four-year undergraduate or trade school program with a grade point average at or above 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. The student also writes a 400-500 word essay on a specific stewardship topic.
MMA: MMA Ministry Preparation Grant
Contact: Phyllis Mishler
Phone: 800-348-7468 Ext 301
To encourage exploration of pastoral ministry, MMA created this grant for students who are attending seminary with the intent to pastor a congregation when they have completed their schooling. The student must be enrolled in a pastoral leadership program through a seminary or Bible college or area conference/denominational program associated with an accredited college. This is a grant matching an Anabaptist congregation’s assistance up to $500 for a part-time student and $1,000 for a full-time student.
MMA: Pastor’s Continuing Education Grant
Contact: Phyllis Mishler
Phone: 800-348-7468 Ext 301
MMA wants to encourage pastors to participate in educational events that will equip them in their leadership role. This grant will help with registration fees, travel, food and lodging. The educational event must be a half day or more in length and could include Pastor’s Week at denominational seminaries, seminars and workshops, annual conferences, educational events or a Stewardship Leadership Conference.
Native Mennonite Ministries: Scholarship fund
Contact: Miles Reimer
Phone: 316-283-5100
NMM has a small scholarship fund that is designed to encourage members of the Native congregations as they study (without regard for field of study or institution attended). The students need to maintain a GPA of 2.0. They are welcome to apply each semester for the grant. The grant is usually $100-200 per semester, depending on funds available.
Racial/Ethnic Leadership Education (RELE) programs
The church’s Racial/Ethnic Leadership Education programs are designed to help students from underrepresented groups in the church gain access to training and education. Mennonite Education Agency has oversight of these programs on behalf of Mennonite Church USA. While mainly serving the recognized Racial/Ethnic groups of the church, a portion of the fund is allocated to other people groups.
African-American Mennonite Association, Eastern Mennonite University, Mennonite Education Agency: LARK Leadership Scholarship Program
Contact: Cynthia Guyton
Phone: 757-825-1133 x209
The Lark Leadership Scholarship Program is designed to enhance the ministry and church leadership skills of persons serving African-American Mennonite Association (AAMA) congregations. This includes African-American and African-American integrated churches. By empowering leaders, the program also promotes the development of AAMA congregations. AAMA church leaders receive financial assistance to enroll in college-level courses which will enhance their ministry skills. Students can enroll in a school in their home area, allowing them to remain active in the ministry of their congregation and immediately apply new learning. The program emphasizes urban and Mennonite/Anabaptist perspectives.
Hispanic education program
Contact: Carlos Romero, MEA executive director
Phone: 866-866-2872
The Comité Ejecutivo and Comisión de Educación of Iglesia Menonita Hispana, together with Mennonite Education Agency, are envisioning the next phase for leadership training for Hispanic Mennonites. Leadership training remains key, and planners are seeking new ways to meet that need in today’s context through an academic program with the flexibility to be delivered to various parts of the church – a holistic program of theological and pastoral training and various levels, providing diplomas through graduate degrees.
Native Mennonite Ministries, Hesston College and Mennonite Education Agency: Native Education and Training (NET) Program
Contact: Clark Roth, vice president for admissions
Phone: 620-327-8212
Web: 620-327-8300
The NET program was developed to form a link between Native American Mennonite congregations and the Mennonite colleges and universities and to provide an affordable Mennonite college option for Native American students. The program encourages those with church leadership gifts to attain higher education. Students may receive a degree at any Mennonite college.