John D. Roth, Ph.D., will be the featured speakerÊat West Union Mennonite Church,Ê3253 305th St., Parnell, IA, on October 17 and 18 at the church'sÊannual spiritual emphasis meetings. The public is invited to attend.ÊÊOn Saturday evening a potluck begins atÊ6:00 p.m.Êfollowed by the first session at 7:00. The theme on Saturday will be "Practicing the Faith: Why the Path to Renewal Leads Through Worship". The Sunday morning service begins at 9:30 a.m. with the title, "Roadsigns for the Journey" based on Jeremiah 31:21-25. Roth will also be presenting during the Sunday School hour at 10:45 a.m. on "Planting Sequoias: Why I am Hopeful about the Future of the Church". The Sunday evening service begins at 7:00 p.m. with theÊtitle of "The Beauty of Holiness: Reclaiming Baptism and the Lord's Supper as Central Practices of the Church".
Dr. Roth is Professor of History and Director of the Mennonite Historical Society Library at Goshen College as well as being editor of The Mennonite Quarterly Review. He received his Ph.D. in Early Modern European History from the University of Chicago in 1986 and has been teaching at Goshen College since 1987. Roth is the author of many publications including Practices: Mennonite Worship and Witness; Stories: How Mennonites Came to Be, and Beliefs: Mennonite Faith and Practice. John is married to Ruth Miller Roth. He and Ruth are the parents of four daughters. They are members of Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship in Goshen, Indiana. Roth is currently working on a history of European Mennonites in the 17th and 18th century.