MVS 2013-14 Schedule:

MVS 2013-14 Schedule:

a.     August 19, exiting MVSers complete and move out of JH

b.     August 20-24, house is prepared for new MVSers

c.     August 25, new MVSers arrive; new term begins

d.     August 26-30, local orientation see below

e.     September 1, welcome and blessing in worship followed by carry-in meal at PSMC; September 15 at FoH

f.      September 2, begin assignments

g.     September 15, welcome and blessing in worship followed by carry-in meal at FoH

h.     October 24-27, regional retreat/orientation

i.      December 29-30, household retreat

j.      March 6-9, 2014, local leaders gathering

k.     May 2-3, 2014 (first weekend) regional retreat

Elkhart MVS Orientation schedule
Sunday	·      Arrive and move in; dinner together as unit
Monday	·      Lunch with mentors? Or another day; mentors will initiate. ·      SC hosts unit for dinner Informal time to learn to know each other. Talk about vision/mission of Elkhart MVS and SC structure.
Tuesday	·      1-4:30 p.m. telling faith stories, with mentors and pastors present
Wednesday
Thursday	·      1-3 p.m. conversation about communication and conflict styles Anna Ruth? Others? ·      To Catholic Worker house 5-8 “Come around 4:30 or 5:00 to help cook a little and talk to staff during dinner prep, then have dinner at 6:30 and stay for prayer if you like around 7:30.” MVSers only or others?
Friday	Community ·      Morning, lectio visio with Sylvie Gudin, 9-noon ·      1-2 p.m. conversation about community, led by Joanna Shenk others? ·      2 - ? Unit conversation and creating community covenant with others? See below.
	To schedule during the week: ·      Exploring the neighborhood—around JH and AMBS ·      Going to placements (Matthew and Seth) for introductions, training, etc. ·      Visiting churches to learn about congregational life
	For September: ·      Learn about the history and issues of Elkhart, People’s History of Elkhart ·      Mennonite Church history, John Bender? ·      Tour of Elkhart County, with Krieders? Nick? ·      Dinner with former MVSers, hosted by Nicole and Maisha

Covenant making—how will we live together as the Elkhart MVS unit?

How will we live out/be our mission, vision, and values? (This incomplete list is meant to stimulate conversation...from big imagining to the mundane of everyday. The conversation will not be finished and not all the issues covered...it will continue through the year!)

·      What kind of community do I/we want to be as a unit? What will it look like?

§  What does it mean to be an MVS unit? A Mennonite/Christian unit?

§  What are the distinctions between unit and households?

·      What kind of relationships do I/we want to have with each other? With our neighbors? With PSMC and FoH? With the broader Elkhart community?

·      What does it mean to be thriving, healing, saved? As a community? Individuals in community?

·      How do we want to grow and journey this year? How will we support each other? How will we be accountable to each other?

·      How do we live with differences—gender, age, experience, opinions, preferences, ways of communicating and investing, etc.?

·      How will we extend hospitality? To the neighbors? The congregations? The community?

·      How do we live and make choices that are just and sustainable?

·      What is the role of eating together? Praying together? Playing? Grocery shopping? Cooking? Working (housekeeping)?

§  How often shall we eat together?

§  When and how will we play?

·      What will our unit meetings look like? How often will we meet? For how long? Who will lead the meetings? How do we set agenda?

·      What about spiritual practices? As individuals? As a unit? As a part of the supporting congregations?

·      How will we keep the house clean?

·      How will we make decisions about money and keep track of spending and budget? Who will be the unit treasurer?

·      What about overnight guests?

·      Will there be alcohol in the house?

·      How will the car be shared?

·      Other?

Outcome: Elkhart MVS Unit Covenant, a list of commitments that the household agrees to make, as individuals and as a community. (The document is, at some level, always a working document, that can be revised during the course of the year.)

The practices I/we will commit to this year:

·      Unit practices:

·      Personal practices:

·      Community practices:

·      Congregational practices:

Topic	Materials provided by
Getting acquainted	Local leadership
History/Issues of (location)	Local leadership
Explore (location) neighborhood	Local leadership
Introduction to the host church	Local leadership
Anti-Racism training	MVS Staff - Regional Retreats Oct 24-27
MVS Overview ·      Support Structures (Local Leadership, Advocates)   ·      Financial Structure ·      Health Plan	MVS Staff – Local orientation
Mission Principals	Christian Service – Local orientation
Christian Formation/Community Life	Christian Service – Local orientation
MMN Structure	Christian Service – Local orientation
Enneagram / personality test  Materials will be provided for local leaders by MVS to assist with this exercise. A follow-up discussion of personality tests and the impact this has on group dynamics will be had at Regional Retreats.	Local leadership/Regional Retreats Oct 24-27
Recruitment presentation	Recruitment
Faith Stories	Local leadership
Vocational Discernment?	MVS Staff – Regional Retreats
AmeriCorps/Loan Deferment	MVS Staff – Local orientation