Jennifer Halteman Schrock

Education

M.Div., Chicago Theological Seminary, 1990
B.A., English Education, Goshen College, 1983

Contact Information

I’ve been at Merry Lea since 2002. I began as a grant writer for Rieth Village, and had the privilege of witnessing its evolution from unfunded vision to platinum-rated green building alive with students.

More recently, I’ve coordinated Merry Lea’s public programs. I plan events such as the spring NatureFest, the Autumn Hope Conference, the friends of Merry Lea dinner and assorted other hikes and activities. My job also includes writing and editing.

Merry Lea is a sponsoring agency for the Mennonite Creation Care Network, so I also serve on the MCCN Creation Care Council and manage the organization’s web site. We work with congregations to help them think about how care for the earth might be part of their ministry.

Lastly, I am on the team that developed the Sustainability Semester in Residence (SSR). I teach a course in this program called Faith, Ethics and Ecojustice.

The course I teach and how I teach it

Faith, Ethics and Ecojustice explores the contributions that disciplines like biblical studies, theology, ethics and Christian spirituality might make to the task of keeping our planet viable. Throughout the course, students are asked to practice and reflect on one spiritual discipline that focuses on nature and one related to food. Another assignment asks students to choose a theological term such as shalom, justice, eschatology, etc. and explain how it is used in creation care circles. For the environmental problem-solving component of the SSR, students choose an idea, person or biblical text they encountered in this course, show how it speaks to the issue at hand and demonstrate how to share these insights with the people involved.   current syllabus

Available to Speak?

I would be happy to introduce Mennonite Creation Care Network to your congregation or look at biblical texts with you through the lens of 21st century environmental crises.

Publications

Much of my writing energy goes into forms such as press releases, web sites, Mennonite Creation Care Network newsletters and the Merry Leaflet, Merry Lea’s quarterly newsletter. Now and then, I push beyond that:

     Curricula: 

          Just Eating: Practicing Our Faith at the Table
          A joint project of Advocate Health Care, Church World Service and
          the Presbyterian Hunger Project, 2005.

     Essays: 

          13 biblical  essays for teachers for God's Good Creation, Gather Round Curriculum, 
          Summer 2013. (forthcoming)             sample essay (book of Ruth)

     Sermons:      

          "A River, Bright as Crystal" on Revelation 21 and 22.

          "The Magi, the Shepherds and a Case of Unauthorized Revelation," on Matthew 2:1-12