ADNet Associate Licensed for Specialized Ministries
by Paul D. Leichty

"Astonishment--jaw-dropping astonishment!"  That's how Christine Guth described her feelings as she was licensed by Central District Conference (CDC) on October 12, 2008 for specialized ministries with persons with disabilities through Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADNet).  Lois Kaufmann, CDC Conference Minister, represented the member conference of Mennonite Church USA which provided the credentials. The license was requested by Guth's home congregation, Eighth Street Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana, where the licensing service was held during the morning worship service.

Christine serves on staff as Program Associate for ADNet, a Goshen based national advocacy ministry on behalf of persons with disabilities and mental illness.   ADNet provides encouragement and resources to help congregations include such persons into the full life of the congregation and community.

As a part-time student at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) for eleven years before graduating with an MDiv degree in 2007, Christine gradually claimed her own identity as a person with disabilities and a minister.  She discovered an increasing desire to minister to other persons and families out of the brokenness and healing that she had experienced.  In 2006, she shared her sense of call with ADNet and the result was the formation of ADNet's Associates Program.  In early 2008, Christine was named as a permanent (albeit still volunteer) member of ADNet's staff as a part-time Program Associate.  At the same time, a new, one-year Student Associate Program evolved out the original vision, offering college, seminary, and graduate students a small scholarship in exchange for focusing coursework on material that can benefit ADNet's ministry.

"Christine exceeded all of our original expectations for the Associates Program," explained Paul Leichty, ADNet's Executive Director.  "She and her husband, Bob, have given ADNet and the larger church a tremendous gift by freeing her time for this important ministry."

Guth sought licensing for specialized ministries in order to gain more formal accountability to the wider church for this ministry.  She believes that licensing expresses and invites wider recognition that "the church's mission includes the call for greater inclusion of people with disabilities."  She hopes that the affirmation from the wider church will also facilitate access to greater opportunities for ministry.

In explaining what the relationship with ADNet has meant, she went on to say.  "I am at times utterly astonished that I am doing what I am doing -- that I can write things people find worth reading, that I have found a voice that was suppressed for so long. ADNet provides a context, a home, a grounding for the writing that I am doing, so that I'm not just out there tooting my own horn but can speak prophetically to the church on behalf of its members with disabilities, and on behalf of those with disabilities who have felt shut out of the church."

Christine and her husband, Bob, live in Goshen and are the parents of two young adult sons.  More information about the ministry of Christine and ADNet is found at www.adnetonline.org.