Peace United Church of Christ, 37 E. Swartzville Road, Denver, will welcome Herman Bontrager to speak at the church on Sunday, March 3, at 6:30 p.m. A coffee hour and time for sharing will take place in the fellowship hall following the presentation. The public is invited to attend.
During his presentation, Bontrager will reflect on Amish culture and its relationship to the wider culture in the aftermath of the Nickel Mines tragedy in October 2006. He will share his experience acting as an interpreter of Amish beliefs and practices as they relate to the spectrum of Christian faith, especially around the themes of forgiveness and grace.
For more than 35 years he has worked with Amish and Old Order Mennonite people providing advocacy and support to them as they manage their traditional way of life in a modern world. Those relationships led to the request for him to serve as the official spokesperson for the Nickel Mines Amish community following the tragedy.
Bontrager grew up in an Amish farm family in Indiana. He completed bachelor's degrees in sociology and Bible at Eastern Mennonite University and a Master of Arts in sociology and Latin American studies at the University of Florida. From 1976 to 1990 he worked for the Mennonite Central Committee in Akron, serving as program director for Latin America and the Caribbean for most of these years. He has served on numerous boards and is currently chair of the board of the Clinic for Special Children.
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