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Vietnam Recognizes Mennonite Church

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Vietnam's national Religious Affairs Committee presented a “Certificate for Religious Activities” to the Vietnam Mennonite Church this morning in a ceremony to mark the occasion. The ceremony was held at a restaurant in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City.

The document recognizes the church's purpose to "Worship the triune God and love all people according to the Word of the Lord in the Holy Bible, live the Gospel, serve God, serve the country and the people."

The ceremony opened with a time of worship in which the gathering of over 100 pastors, evangelists and members of the six districts from 24 different provinces sang a hymn, followed by the reading of Psalm 23 and prayer. The Western (Mekong Delta) District presented a choir singing, “How Great Thou Art” as well as a liturgical dance trio. The Highlands District choir of about 20 persons presented a hymn in four-part harmony in their traditional Bahnar language.

During the ceremony, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Xuan, the Deputy Director of the national Religious Affairs Committee noted the long term involvement of the Mennonites in Vietnam beginning with the work of Mennonite Central Committee and later joined by Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM). He expressed appreciation for the uniqueness of the Mennonite contribution to Vietnam as a Protestant denomination with its emphasis on both religious and social concerns.

Following the receipt of the Certificate, Pastor Nguyen Quang Trung, Representative and President of the Vietnam Mennonite Church, presented a brief history of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam and a summary of the work of both Eastern Mennonite Missions and Mennonite Central Committee including the locations of operations of EMM up until 1975. Other remarks included a commitment on behalf of the Vietnam Mennonite Church to be involved only in religious activities according to the purposes noted in the Certificate of Activities and to follow the way of the Mennonites as written in the constitution and according to the laws of the country. Finally, Pastor Trung expressed appreciation to the Religious Affairs Committee for their support of the Vietnam Mennonite Church.

Time was provided for a congratulatory response from the international Mennonite presence in Ho Chi Minh City. Rev. Gerry H. Keener, spoke on behalf of Eastern Mennonite Missions and Mennonite World Conference, congratulating Pastor Trung and the Vietnam Mennonite Church and thanking the Religious Affairs Committee for this positive development. He concluded his remarks by reading the favorite verse of Menno Simons — 1 Corinthians 3:11, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Other international Mennonites also in attendance at the ceremony were Lowell and Ruth Jantzi, MCC representatives in Vietnam; Orpha Gehman, EMM appointed medical English teacher in Ho Chi Minh City; and Irvin and Kathleen Peifer, visiting from Elizabethtown, PA.

Following the ceremony, the participants enjoyed a luncheon in an adjoining banquet hall.

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Photo available on request:

Pastor Trung (left) receiving the “Certificate for Religious Activities” from Dr. Nguyen Thanh Xuan, Deputy Director of the national Religious Affairs Committee.