ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Two books from “The Christians Meeting Muslims Series” are making new inroads for Christian-Muslim relations in Ethiopia and Somalia.

SALUNGA, Pa. — Rhoda M. Sauder, 83, a pioneer and career missionary, passed into eternity on March 23, 2019, in Ephrata, Pa. Rhoda and her late husband, James Sauder, served with Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) for 30 years.

Gerry Keener, president of Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM), is pleased to announce that Lorri Bentch has been appointed as the Mission Team director. Bentch will begin employment on April 3, providing leadership to 111 global workers serving in 33 countries, including regional representatives, and five Central Administrative Office staff members.

NAIROBI, Kenya — A little more than a decade and a half ago, Bud and Shari Yordy owned and ran a hardware store in central Illinois. Responding to an urging they felt came from God, they started to actively seek out volunteer opportunities.

LANCASTER, Pa. — Authors Shane Claiborne and Michael Martin will forge guns into garden tools as they release their new book “Beating Guns: Hope for People Who Are Weary of Violence.” On the first day of their book release tour, March 9, at 6 p.m., Claiborne and Martin will be at Neffsville Mennonite Church in Lancaster.

SALUNGA, Pa. — The Board of Directors of Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) announces the appointment of Gerald “Gerry” H. Keener as the president of the organization.

CATEL, Guinea-Bissau — During its 2018 annual conference, Mennonite Church West Africa (MCWA) celebrated its first-ever credentialed leaders.

LANCASTER, Pa. — Five hundred fifty Lancaster Mennonite High School (LM) students were challenged to go 48 hours without using their smartphones or social media. Smartphone addiction is becoming an increasing concern for 21st-century society, especially for adolescents.

CHEPILAT, Kenya — In 2015, Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) gave a $250 grant to Kenyan pastor and entrepreneur, Kefa Moirore, to fund his business, Loafstar Bakery. “The amount has multiplied like the ‘loaves of bread and fish’ in the Bible,” said Moirore, allowing him to acquire a plot of land worth 1 million Kenyan shillings (about $10,000).

LANCASTER, Pa. — Before moving to Lancaster County 18 years ago, Donna Becker had little exposure to Mennonites. In fact, she was not aware that she had ever met a Mennonite until she began studies with Eastern Mennonite Seminary in 2015. Becker spent most of her life in the Baltimore area, in the Lutheran and United Church of Christ traditions.