This article is from the EMU News Archive. The approximate date of publication was in October 2003. Current EMU news is available at www.emu.edu/news
TO EMU HEADLINE NEWS | ALUMNI OFFICE
EMU Gives Alumni Service Awards
The Alumni Association of Eastern Mennonite University has honored three of its graduates for their work in reflecting the school’s vision, mission and values.
D. Michael and Virginia A. (Ginny) Hostetler of Nazareth, Israel, were named joint recipients of EMU’s 2003 “alumnus of the year” award presented during the Sunday, Oct. 12, worship service of homecoming and parents weekend.
The award is given annually to a graduate who has been recognized for significant recent achievements in their profession, community or church.
David W. Shenk, most recently of Lithuania, received the “distinguished service” award during the same service.
The EMU Alumni Association has given a "distinguished service" award annually since 1984. The honor seeks to recognize graduates who have demonstrated in notable ways the Christian service and peacemaking emphases of the university.The Hostetlers were cited for their “visionary careers in communications and global service.” Mike is a 1975 EMU graduate; Ginny graduated in 1977. They have lived in the Middle East since 1996.
The couple has worked as a free-lance team on projects for a host of film and other visual projects, he as videographer or producer and she as writer, editor, researcher and interviewer. They have done projects for Eastern Mennonite Missions, Mennonite Central Committee, Mennonite Disaster Service and Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada and other organizations.Mike Hostetler’s media credits include serving as executive producer of the 1989 feature-length film, “The Radicals,” shot in France, Switzerland and Germany on the life and death of early Anabaptist leaders Michael and Margaretha Sattler. He has been a board member of Sisters and Brothers, Inc., a non-profit film and video production group and served as assistant cameraman for “The Weight,” a dramatic film for youth.
Ginny Hostetler served from 1984 to 1989 at Mennonite Publishing House, Scottdale, Pa., as editor of “On The Line,” a weekly story paper for children ages 10-14, and has since been a free-lance writer/editor of book manuscripts, curriculum guides, brochures and film and video scripts.
Since going to the Middle East under the auspices of Mennonite Mission Network, the couple has worked to develop "Nazareth Village,” a replica of the Middle Eastern town in the midst of the modern town of 70,000, as it would have appeared at the time of Christ.
Mike Hostetler led a team that researched, designed and constructed Nazareth Village on a 12-acre site that features four houses, a synagogue, an olive press building and sheepfold. A well-trained, 15-member staff gives guided tours, hosts visitors, manages the gift shop and other daily operations.
The Village seeks to depict a cross-section of daily life and typical dress of first-century Nazareth and to capture details that influenced the teaching ministry of Jesus," according to Hostetler. "I believe it's as close as one can get to the first-century Middle East context," he said. The Village aims to make the life and teachings of Christ accessible to Muslim, Jewish and Christian visitors.
Ginny Hostetler has done writing and editing for the Village and is currently doing research about ancient foods. She also trains tour guides and leads tours herself and has helped host several EMU cross-cultural groups in the Middle East.
They have a son, Stefan, 15; and daughter, Sofia, 13.
Shenk was born and grew up in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), the son of pioneering missionaries J. Clyde and Alta Barge Shenk, who served with Eastern Mennonite Missions, Salunga, Pa.
Most recently, Shank has been academic dean and professor of theology at Lithuania Christian College in Klaipeda, Lithuania, following nearly 40 years of service with Eastern Mennonite Missions. Much of this time was spent as an urban church planter, university teacher n Nairobi, Kenya and administrative secretary for the Kenya Mennonite Church.
Stateside, he did pastoring and evangelistic work with the Mountville (Pa.) Mennonite Church and served as director of the home ministries department at EMM during much of this period. He later gave leadership EMM’s overseas ministries programs.
Shenk has written several books, including “God’s Call to Mission,” released in 1994, and “Surprises of the Christian Way,” published in 2000. His collaborative book with close Muslim friend Badru Kateregga, “A Muslim and a Christian in Dialogue,” published by Herald Press in 1997, quickly sold out after the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
"It is characteristic of this man with life springs formed on two continents and with a vibrant heart for others to stay up late any day of the week to converse with the very sharpest critics of the faith he holds," said Richard Showalter, president of Eastern Mennonite Missions and a 1968 EMU graduate. "It’s no accident that much of his dialog has been with Muslim friends, but he gravitates just as quickly to the Hindu, Buddhist or secular westerner who is open to serious conversation about the truth," Showalter added.
He is married to Grace Witmer Shenk, also a 1959 EMU graduate. The couple are veteran conversationalists with Muslims in Somalia, Kenya and the United States and continue as global consultants for EMM. They have four children – Karen, Doris, Jonathan and Timothy, three of whom are EMU alumni.
Posted: October 13, 2003
