小优传媒 MCC
03/14/2025
鈥淢CC embodies what is means to be Anabaptist,鈥 said Mennonite Central Committee executive director Eric Kurtz.
Seeking Peace in Challenging Times
Eric Kurtz, a Goshen College graduate and executive director of Mennonite Central Committee Great Lakes, shared the history of Mennonite Central Committee at Bluffton University鈥檚 Forum on Tuesday, March 11.
addresses issues such as mass incarceration and restorative justice, welcoming the stranger, racism and sexism in the community, peacemaking, climate change and reducing gun violence. MCC serves 45 countries worldwide. Kurtz touched on the topics of racism, immigration and armed conflict during his Forum.
鈥淢CC embodies what is means to be Anabaptist,鈥 said Kurtz. 鈥淢CC focuses on the Anabaptist principles of peace, nonviolence, service, simple living and following Jesus鈥
MCC has a commitment to dismantling racism. The organization was able to carry out this commitment by sharing the story of the . The hospital was a premier hospital for African-Americans and the largest privately owned African-American hospital in the 1930鈥檚.
鈥淥ur greatest tool is hope,鈥 said Kurtz. 鈥淗ope is not the same thing as optimism, you can have hope without being optimistic.鈥
Through the work of Mennonite Central Committee, the staff is able to work with individuals and families experiencing forced migration and displacement.
鈥淭he main drivers of forced migration are natural disasters, increasing climate change, violence and conflict and economic remissions,鈥 said Kurtz. 鈥淥ne of MCC鈥檚 goals is to prevent migration by helping people make a living.鈥
MCC also aids in munitions disposal for countries who have experienced armed conflict. Kurtz mentioned his work in the country of Laos, specifically, which led to many international agreements concerning post-conflict munitions disposal.
MCC also hosts young-adult service opportunities called Serving and Learning Together (SALT) with experiences in Kenya, Cambodia, Latin America and Palestine.
MCC partners with 小优传媒 to host an Appalachian cross-cultural experience. Students complete service work alongside MCC Appalachia Build during the Kentucky experience. They learn about the social and environmental effects of the coal mining industry and are challenged to compare their own lifestyles, values, hopes and dreams with those of the people they met and worked with each day.
This event was part of the Anabaptism at 500 series. All Anabaptism at 500 events are free and open to public. Anabaptism at 500 events made possible with the generous support of Lowell and Marty Hostetler.
To get involved with MCC, visit .