Ludwigshafen, Germany--Suddenly Menno Simons appeared on the stage of the Pfalzbau theater and addressed the 940 Mennonites who had come from all over Europe to participate in the seventh Mennonite European Regional Conference (MERK), which was held in Ludwigshafen June 1-4, 2000.
     Displeased at seeing the conference participants in clothes which were quite different from what he was used to in the sixteenth century, Menno strongly admonished them. He then kissed a lady on stage--mistaking her for his wife Geertruyd--who then invited him to sit down with other contributors to the "Europe Evening." The people on stage came from Siberia, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, England, Serbia, Switzerland, France and Germany. Menno, of course, was the Dutch contribution.
     The "Europe Evening" was one of the highlights of the MERK meeting. Other activities included worship services, workshops, addresses and even a full-scale performance of Goethe's Faust.
     The general theme was "God's Wide Space." The main addresses were given by Deenabandhu Manchala, from the World Council of Churches, and by Marie-Noelle von der Recke, a French Mennonite theologian who now lives in Germany. Both focused on the justice God wants us to do. The Sunday morning sermon was given by Moyse Majordomo, a Mennonite pastor from Bern, Switzerland.
     This MERK assembly was attended by only 17 French Mennonites. Most of the French delegates stayed away in protest against a workshop on homosexuality. They were missed by many. But those who attended went home filled with new spiritual strength and joy.
     The next MERK meeting will take place in 2006 in Barcelona, Spain.

by Ed van Straten, MWC's Editor for Europe