Table of Contents 1991-2014

Signifying

The Education of Levi Miller

Table of Contents 1991- 2014

1991  Southmoreland and White Water Rafting. School board, a culture of conflict, a difficult vote, Bill Porter, John F. Kenney; biennial Mennonite Assemblies, Eugene, Oregon, San Francisco vacation, Berkley People’s Park, white water rafting, Miller family exceptionalism, Kenneth Reed.

1992  Alte Menist and Gulf War. Mowing Alte Menist cemetery, Hannah and Elizabeth softball, three volunteer coaches, Alexis de Tocqueville, Ben’s Wayne sequel, a trip to Newton, Kansas; Berdella Miller, Meeting the Venezuelans again, a folk opera;  Andrew A. Miller (January 8, 1918 – December 5, 1992),  fiftieth wedding anniversary;  Andrew’s music career, Walnut Hills, Homestyle cassettes, a non-profit ministry, Andrew’s last days and funeral.

1993  Goshen, Indiana. Moving to Goshen, Indiana, a long-distance marriage, Gloria, Hannah, Elizabeth on moving, a sleepless night, comparing northern Indiana and southwestern Pennsylvania; Ruth Ann and John D. Roth, Nora M. Wingard (1913-1997) and 482 descendents, James A. Miller (1951-1993), a return to  Christianity, James and the Kratzers, last months on earth; my returning to Scottdale. 

1994  Denominational Affairs. The Clintons, Tribune-Review; Mennonite Church Coordinating Council, healing and hope,  Albert Meyer, gender politics, Howard Brenneman, naps, Leonard Gross, Dennis Stoesz, Marilyn Voran, Abe Hallman; Jakob and Lisen Reichenbach, Hanover College, Hannah and Anson Miedel, European trip, Elizabeth, Mattie moves, Paul and Carol, Roy and Ruby, David and Brenda, Rhoda and Jon, Miriam and Veryl, Scott and Sheri Holland rescue.     

1995  Mennonite Publishing Redux. Mennonite Publishing House finances, Reuben Savanick, J. Robert Ramer, Nelson Waybill, Jack Scott, Awanda Pritts, Paul M. Schrock, Faith & Life Press, Congregational Publishing, John W. (JW) Sprunger, Faith & Life cooperation and conflicts, Gospel Herald ends, Neuenschwander Brothers, neo-conservatives, people and ideas, publishing issues, Good Books, Merle and Phyllis Good.

1996  Israel and Palestine. Travels, hearth and home, Allegheny Airlines, Pittsburgh Airport, Committee on Uniform Series Meetings, New Orleans,  Boston and New England; Israel and Palestine, the historic biblical story, current life and politics, Thomas Stransky, the Mennonite and Jesus’ tradition of moving, love and forgiveness.

1997  Life Passages.  Lydia O. Kretzinger (1897-1997), Maurice and Carla Stutzman, marriage of Hannah and Anson Miedel, Daniel Hertzler, singing, the Laurelville reception  and Hannah; Mennonite men’s prayer breakfast, Daniel (Dan) Lint, Kent Hartzler’s counsel, gender groups, Kingview fun Night, an African evening in 1998, John Howard Yoder (1927-1997). 

1998  Mennonite Publishing House projects: Jubilee curriculum, agency and congregational language use, Christian Living magazine, Sarah Kratzer,  Hymnal A Worship Book and earlier Anabaptist hymnals, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, family singing, J.D. Sumner, Mennonite Youth Fellowship counselors, August Wilson plays, Connellsville High School football, immigrant ancestors John Miller and Magdalena Lehman, other family events.

1999  Khortitsa, Moscow, and Tolstoy. Russia, “Khortitsa 99: Mennonites in Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union,” Harvey L. Dyck,  Orris Basinger, Sarah Kratzer (now Kehrberg), Delbert Plett, Svetlana I. Bobyleva,  Jack Thiessen, “Not Totally with Honor: US Mennonite Church Responses to Soviet Repression,” Derek Fraser  comments, West Overton Overholts, Moscow, Leo Tolstoy, Tula and Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoy and the Mennonites.  

2000  Barcelona, Spain. A New Year and new century, reflections on transcendence, Venezuela, Family: Jakob, Hannah, Elizabeth, Anson, Gloria. Barcelona and Catalonia, Jakob’s mental illness, visiting London, Wimbledon, US Open, Gordon Parks, a suicide attempt, Philhaven, Kidron, Miriam Kratzer, the Liberian acapella choir, Ruth Miller, Michael Yoder, visits to Cuba.

2001  Recreation and 9-11. Tennis and friends, skiing, running, The Great Race, Elizabeth at Goshen College, Sony Corporation, South Side Chicago, South Texas, Hannah and Anson, Philadelphia medical schools and friends, visiting Peru, the normal ones; Mennonite Publishing House financial crisis, leadership changes, Dennis Good and Paul Silcox, job searching, book publishing, the Lancaster Mennonite history, Where was God on Sept. 11?

2002   Paul Silcox Visits MPH. Mennonite Publishing House (MPH) downsizing, Reuben Savanick, Ferne and Myron Hostetlers' resignation, a soap opera, why I cooperated, MPH leadership styles, executive visitors: Norman Shenk, Kathy Kellogg, and Phil Bontrager; visiting David Luthy and working at the Mennonites’ institutional pariah

2003  Truth and Reconciliation. Mennonite Publishing House (MPH) abuse complaints, local mediation sessions, a self-imposed ban, positive publishing developments, Simply in Season, Amish or folk fiction,  post-2003 developments, leaving Southmoreland school board, Berdella Blosser Miller (1920- 2003), Les Miller; Iraq War and "The Persistence of Nonresistance."

2004  717 Stauffer Kingview. Building a house. Gloria’s design, many neighbors helped, sub-contractors, Bob Taxacher, Bill Byler, Greg Schultheis, Robert Cressman, Joseph Yoder, Ken Cramer, Jr., Dan Froble family, an August funk, Sarah Elizabeth (Sadie) June 2 birth, Mattie, Paul and Carol, Roy and Ruby, David and Brenda, Rhoda and Jon Mast, Miriam and Veryl Kratzer, Sarah and Kevin Kehrberg, Ruth and John D. Roth.

2005  Jakob Miller (1973-2005). Henry Adams, Elizabeth, Jakob, Michael Yoder, Ruth Miller in Pittsburgh, Julie at Cohen & Grigsby, Jakob’s women friends; Jakob’s depression, anxiety and passions, disappearance and death August 23, 2005, burial and memorial service September 2, 2005.  

2006  Life Goes On. Littleton, New Hampshire, Robert Frost, August Wilson's death, Anson and Hannah to Roanoke, Virginia, dizzy spells, holidays with one missing, Super Bowl and Pittsburgh sports, Gloria, breast cancer, female solidarity, Roy’s Honduras project, Bluffton Mennonites Writing conference, Aaron Thomas Miedel born August 9, 2006.

2007 Scottdale Mennonite church merger, Charles Shenk and pastors, showing up, the old Kingview, Lawrence O. Gainey,  Gene Herr,  a spa weekend, natural cures, The Met’s “War and Peace.”

2008  Leaving Mennonite Publishing. Leadership Retreats. Frederick Arnold, Protestant Church Owned Publishers (PCPA), Mattie’s 90^th birthday, Billy Graham, political melodrama, visiting Puerto Rico, Rodriguez family.

2009  John Updike (1932 - 2009), Forty Years of Peace and Justice, Mennonite Central Committee, Ervin Stutzman’s Eastern Mennonite University consultation, Polyglossia editors, Chris Huebner, Mennonite Publishing “workers”; Gloria’s leaves Spanish teaching.    

2010   Frida and Diego. Community of Latin American and Caribbean countries, a Mexico visit, Hugo Chavez, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Leon Trotsky, Ricardo and Yanet Ochoa, Elizabeth and Mennonite Central Committee Mexico, Ocean City, New Jersey; grand parenting, Gloria, Sadie, Four brothers biking Pittsburgh to Washington D.C.,  Naomi Moon (1924-2010), Charles (Chuck) Fausold (1929 -2010). 

2011  Mary Elaine Miedel birth January 26, 2011. Gloria at Marty Savanick’s stores, her birthday group, the Goshen College sisters; the Lancaster Book Group, Elvin Kraybill; Menno House in New York City, El Camino de Santiago; Carlos and Elisa Diaz,  Luis and Patricia Sarmiento, Rob R. Schlabach (1945-2011).

2012  Paul A Miller.  Hiland High School basketball, Mark Schlabach, Perry Reese, Malone University, Alumnus of the Year, Holmes County, Public schools, Holmesville Elementary, Southmoreland School Board, Catherine Fike, The Tea Party, Southmoreland achievements, John Molnar,  Poultry farming, Carlos and Sophia, Handel’s “Messiah,” Reading through the Bible.

2013  Mattie Schlabach Miller (1918-2013). National and international events, Barach Obama; Anabaptist Mennonite and Amish church growth and contribution, Anabaptist abberations; Next generation take their turns; Helen Alderfer (1919 -2013), health and Mattie Schlabach Miller (1918-2013), 95^th birthday, funeral, burial, legacy.

2014  Blessed Jesus, Hold My Hand. travels in Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, moving from Scottdale, Pennsylvania, to Wooster, Ohio, family gatherings and singing, Paul and Carol, Roy and Ruby, David and Brenda, Rhoda and Jon Mast, Miriam and Veryl Kratzer, Ruth and John Roth, being a Rip Van Winkle, a benevolent God.