A Conference for Business Professionals and Entrepreneurs

Jesus intended his disciples to "be with him, and to be sent out" into the world (Mark 3:14). But Christians sent out into business, education, or politics can get so swept up in the whirlwind of responsibilities that we lose the richness of being with Jesus. We feel the tug between family and office, between congregation and civic responsibilities, between the Sermon on the Mount and the Bottom Line. We get too busy to pray. We want to be part of the Kingdom of God but much of our work is in the Kingdom of the World.

Nelson Kraybill asserts that Christians are supposed to live with this tension, that the most creative witness happens when followers of Jesus live on the boundary. But to do so faithfully we need a deep sense of mission. We need keen expectation of the day when "the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah" (Rev. 11:15). Most of all, we need an undivided life, a sense of integration between our personal spiritual values and our engagement of the world. With a biblical framework and with reference to key Anabaptist understandings of discipleship, Kraybill will tell stories of early Christians and modern disciples whose witness inspires and encourages. With ample time for discussion, participants will explore ways to be with Jesus even as we are sent out into the maelstrom of the world.

Registration

• Click here to register online!
• Click here for a downloadable registration form (PDF)
• Click here for a downloadable conference brochure (includes schedule) (PDF)
• Please call Carol Eby-Good at (800)665-7026 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you have questions.

Bible Study Leader

Nelson Kraybill is lead pastor at Prairie Street Mennonite Church in Elkhart, Indiana, and previously served as president of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. He is author of Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation (Brazos Press, 2010), and a frequent speaker in church and academic settings. An alumnus of Goshen College, he received a master's degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in New Testament from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Virginia. He is a sailor, woodworker, amateur astronomer and storyteller.

Business Leader Presenters

An important part of the conference is faith-business sharing by business and professional entrepreneurs.

Friday Presenter: Dale L. Weaver (pictured below with his wife, Karen)

From the "Land of Goshen" to wandering in the desert, Dale's life has taken him through the worlds of farming, religion, immigration, business, boards and sports. He'll talk about the influence of prophets and plastics in his life, the interweaving of academics and business, of religion and politics, of patriots and expatriates. Growing up a Mennonite pastor's home and attending Mennonite schools as well as foreign and Catholic universities, and living for years in other countries, Dale returned to his roots to do what he had not been raised or educated to do: build a business in a competitive market and challenging environment.

Dale was co-owner of Rollpak along with his brother (even 50-50 split) and CEO. His brother and he shared duties and his included overall responsibility for sales, administration and finance. Their forte and competitive advantage was their service which was the result of good quality control and emphasis on automation and efficiencies in all aspects of operations.

For the past several years Dale has been involved in various smaller projects as an investor as well as some operational duty. He still serves on several boards, including a retirement community and regional hospital along with two companies in the Goshen/Elkhart, Indiana area.

Saturday Presenters: Curt and Jackie Hartman have lived west of Bridgewater, Virginia, on the hill above Jordan Stretch since 1995. With their friends Phil and Lois Kreider (Misty Ray Winery), they began planting grapes on the hill in 2003 to make wine for personal use. In 2007 they decided to make their vineyard, Bluestone Vineyard, a business and with advice from the researchers at Virginia Tech they laid out the vineyard, tested the soils, and chose the grapes to plant. They are active members at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church.

Song Leader

Shirley Bestvater will once again lead singing during our sessions. She currently directs the Bethel Men's Chorus at her church and directed the Faith and Life Women's Chorus in Manitoba for 12 years. Music gives voice to her faith, gives expression to her creative energy and provides tremendous joy and satisfaction.

Free Time

• Golf outings will be organized for the group on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
• A Friday afternoon tour to the Oasis Date Garden, a date processing plant, is planned. This year is their 100th year in business. Pat Laflin, whose father-in-law started the business, will talk with our group about how the business got started and the experiences she and her husband had when they took it over. They will be pollinating the dates at the time of our visit, so it should be very interesting to be there.
• An optional women's gathering is being organized for Saturday afternoon. This will be a book discussion on books we've read recently. Come prepared to talk briefly about 2 or 3 books--what you liked and didn't like about them, what was inspiring to you and why you'd recommend them to others.
• Shopping and the art museum in downtown Palm Springs are accessible on the complimentary Doral shuttle. The area features many interesting places to visit such as the Palm Springs aerial tram, Joshua Tree National Park, and Indian Canyons.

Doral Desert Princess Resort

Come and relax in the comfortable setting of the Doral Desert Princess Resort in Palm Springs, California. Palm Springs lies at the foot of the Jacinto Mountains and the San Bernardino National Forest. The views of tall, snow-covered peaks and warm, desert golf courses make for a memorable visit to this unique area.

The Doral Desert Princess Resort, 67967 Vista Chino, Cathedral City, CA 92234, is just 10 minutes from the airport. It is surrounded by spectacular desert beauty, yet secluded within a lush oasis. The facilities include two sparkling pools, ten tennis courts and a fitness center with racquetball. The hotel has a 27-hole, PGA-rated golf course on site. Visit www.doralpalmsprings.com for information about the hotel.

Reservations

Make your hotel reservations by calling the hotel at 1-888-386-4677 by February 14, 2012. (Indicate that you are attending the Mennonite Entrepreneurs Conference to receive the conference rate of $159.00).

The conference cost is $299 per person or $249 for first-time attenders. After February 14, add a late fee of $50 per person. (This includes the cost of sessions, materials, handouts, Thursday dinner, Friday lunch and Saturday night's banquet.) Green fees are an additional cost. Optional tours may include additional costs. Please send conference registrations to MEDA, 32-C E. Roseville Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601, or fax 1-717-560-6549.

The Mennonite Entrepreneurs Conference, organized under the umbrella of Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), is for Christian business professionals and entrepreneurs to seek God's direction in their lives, support one another and encourage the integration of faith and business activities. The conference has been held annually for over 20 years. Everyone is welcome.