In this powerful episode, the Mennonite Action national team reflects on their journey as they enter their third year of activism. Nick Martin is the co-founder and Campaign Director at Mennonite Action. Adam Ramer is the co-founder and the Fundraising and Partnerships Director at Mennonite Action. Holly Harris serves as the Digital Communications Coordinator. Rhea Clymer and Lorren Oesch serve as distributed organizers.

The conversation highlights the lessons learned over the past two years, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and adaptability in response to changing political landscapes. We hear insights on the Courage Tour, which successfully trained over 1,000 individuals across the US reinforcing the organization's commitment to countering Christian nationalism and Zionism. The team discusses the significance of building community connections and the role of faith in motivating public action, while also addressing the ongoing struggles faced by marginalized communities, particularly in relation to Palestine and immigration issues.

Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing.

Keywords

Mennonite Action, Courage Tour, Christian nationalism, Palestine, immigration, grassroots activism, community organizing, faith-based action, social justice, anti-authoritarianism

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Mennonite Action Team

01:31 Reflections on Growth and Lessons Learned

07:06 Impact of Political Events on Organizing

12:25 The Interconnectedness of Struggles

17:43 The Role of the Church in Social Justice

21:40 Strategies Against Authoritarianism

25:20 The Ceasefire Illusion and Its Implications

27:28 Grassroots Organizing for Palestine

33:21 Local Solidarity and Immigrant Support

37:37 Red Line Moments: Community Mobilization

45:16 Looking Ahead: Plans for the Future

We pull Front Light editor and producer Ken Ogasawara from behind the curtain to reflect on an amazing first season of Front Light! Ken is a writer and podcaster with Mennonite Central Committee Ontario during the day and by night and weekends a co-director of Mennonite Action Canada. We whet our appetite with some tasty stats from the year before diving into the full course of highlights from our amazing guests over the past year.

Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. 

In this episode, we interview Jonathan Smucker and Janna Hunter-Bowman, two academics who have participated with and researched Mennonite Action. We talk about the Peace Theology in Movement: A Lunchtime Colloquium of AMBS and Mennonite Action, and Mennonite Action’s role in the greater Anabaptist and activist world. They offer unique and personal insights into our circumstance and our organization. 

Buy Mennonite Action’s organizing guide, Courage To Enter The Song, here: https://www.amazon.com/Institute-of-Mennonite-Studies-4-book-series/dp/B0C7J3VYTH

Reckoning in Mennonite Peace Theology: Reinhold Niebuhr’s Realism and Four Waves of Development by Janna Hunter-Bowman: https://jmt.scholasticahq.com/article/142713-reckoning-in-mennonite-peace-theology-reinhold-niebuhr-s-realism-and-four-waves-of-development 

Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. 

In this conversation with Anna-Lisa Gross and Daniel Hunter, we explore the intersection of peace traditions and organizing against authoritarianism, emphasizing the importance of community, nonviolence, and the teachings of Jesus.

Daniel is a prolific writer, here are his articles are Waging Nonviolence:

https://wagingnonviolence.org/author/danielhunter/

His most recent article is about the response in DC to Trump deploying the National Guard.

Anna Lisa is rooted in the Church of The Brethren and recently wrote two articles for Anabaptist World focused on Gaza:

https://anabaptistworld.org/i-wont-eat-again-until/ 

https://anabaptistworld.org/entrapment-stew-and-murderous-aid-recipe-mediterranean-stew/

Together they are organizers with Choose Democracy, and among other things, are thinking about tax resistance as a tool of mass noncooperation. 

Choose Democracy launched the One Million Rising trainings, which is an effort to get people organized to resist authoritarianism following all the No Kings marches. 20,000+ people were at the first training! They also led Freedom Trainers, which is the training that Nick did. Here’s the Noncooperation Library provided by the Freedom Trainers.

Drop Site News: https://www.dropsitenews.com/

From Christians for a Free Palestine, written by Rev. Margaret Ernst, this prayer on the news of a ceasefire:

God of Life

We lift voices that are hoarse from screaming for justice

Eyes that are wet with tears

Or that can cry no more.

2 years, God. 

Do you hear our cries?

Do you hear the cry of Gaza? 

There is news of a ceasefire.

There is dancing in the streets. 

There are children who have lost everything

Telling us the war is over, for good.

Preserve their hope, oh Lord.

Stop the bombs.

Release the prisoners.

Feed the people. 

You are a God that saves.

And yet, where has that salvation been, these past two years?


And so much longer before.

Over 67,000 dead, and likely so many more

Hundreds of thousands wounded

Under the rubble


What shall we say to the 

Woman who wakes to news of ceasefire

And then must ask,

“Where am I to go?

What do we do with our lives?

Where shall we live?"

What shall we say to  

The parent of a child

Bloodied just hours after news of the ceasefire broke

As the world slept and then cried “Free Palestine”

And yet we still yell it

We refuse to accept 'peace'

Defined by those who profit from war.

You are a God that liberates. 

Preserve the faith of Palestinians, God,

And show your saving power. 

Let every tear of joy shed
in these

Days of anticipation

Water the future.

May every laugh and song of children

Lifted to the sky 

Defend against planes and drones

From here on forward.

You are a God that heals. 

May there be quiet in Gaza, God. 

And while there is quiet there, Lord,

Strengthen our cries across this globe for true justice

A true peace

For the kingdom coming

That we glimpse 

And is not yet

Firm up our souls to keep marching

To keep singing

Keep going

Till liberation is won.

Amen.

In this episode, we hear from two Mennonite Action national leadership team members: Tim Seidel and Tim Nafziger. Seidel lives in Harrisonburg and helped to lead a disruptive action in DC. Nafziger is on the West Coast and has been engaged in organizing against. They give us an idea of what local chapters are up to in Mennonite Action, and how we are focused on addressing the twin evils of Christian Nationalism and Christian Zionism. You’ll also hear about the courage tour and an organizing conference.

Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. 

Instagram posts of the DC action: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOoxBUej919/?img_index=1, https://www.instagram.com/p/DOoxBUej919/?img_index=1, https://www.instagram.com/p/DOY1nYwkY73/  

Sign up for the Courage Tour here: https://www.mennoniteaction.org/tour 

Sign up for EMU’s organizing conference here: https://emu.edu/seminary/shalom/events/2025-organizing-symposium/ 

Mosab Abu Toha poem: 

Every child in Gaza is me. 

Every mother and father is me. 

Every house is my heart. 

Every tree is my leg. 

Every plant is my arm. 

Every flower is my eye. 

Every hole in the earth is my wound.

Support and follow Mosab Abu Toha: https://linktr.ee/mosababutoha

In this episode, we hear from Isaac Villegas, author of “Migrant God” as we explore the intersection of faith, immigration, and justice. We hear personal stories, theological reflections, and the historical context of immigration policies. We talk about the sanctuary movement, the implications of Christian nationalism, and the connections between the struggles of immigrants and the plight of Palestinians. Throughout, Isaac highlights the need for a Christian vision of justice that actively engages with the realities of suffering and oppression.

Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. 

Connecting the dots between the occupation of Palestine and ICE repression:

​​https://www.newsweek.com/blueprint-ices-future-being-drawn-west-bank-opinion-2103201

An account of the political organizing in Durham that resulted in the resolution against police training partnerships with Israel: https://scalawagmagazine.org/2021/05/israel-palestine-durham-police/

Perfect Victims by Mohammed El-Kurd: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2499-perfect-victims

Healing Resistance by Kazu Haga: https://www.parallax.org/product/healing-resistance/

Joanna Macy and The Work That Reconnects: https://www.joannamacy.net/main

In this episode, we interview Tyler Goss, he/him, from Harrisonburg Virginia on the land of the Siouan, Monacan, Monahoac, Catawba, and Cherokee. He shares stories from Mennonite Action’s delegation to Palestine in June. We talk about tourism for good, the weight of hopelessness, air raids and more.

Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing.

“None are free until all are free” is a quote attributed to luminaries working for justice throughout history: Emma Lazarus, Fannie Lou Hammer, Martin Luther King Jr., and Maya Angelou. 

In this episode, we interview Annabeth Roeschley (they/she), the Director of the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests. They are a long-time activist and advisor for queer intersectional justice within and beyond Mennonite Church USA. Annabeth embodies this role as a queer abolitionist theologian, spiritual care curator, and politicized chaplain who dwells at the intersections of individual and collective healing. A graduate of Bluffton University, Annabeth holds a Master of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary with a concentration in LGBTQ+ Religious Studies. After a decade in Washington, DC and now in Chicago, Annabeth and their partner are active with the local Hyde Park Jewish community and with a queer house church. Annabeth draws deeply from rural Illinois roots (Potawatomi, Peoria and Myaamia land) and loves watching the moon rise over the edge of Lake Michigan.

Resources:

5 Patterns of Legal Escalation by Maki Ashe Van Steenwyk: https://makiashe.substack.com/cp/161466693  

On denationalization by M Gessen, drawing on Hannah Arendt: https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2025/03/23/opinion-trump-isnt-just-attacking/ 

Unmasking Christian Zionism for Queer, Palestinian, & Jewish Liberation: https://www.bmclgbt.org/palestinian-jewish-liberation-resources  

Creating Cultures of Care: Blessing LGBTQIA+ Kin Across MC USA: https://www.bmclgbt.org/creating-cultures-of-care-blessing-lgbtqia-kin-across-mc-usa

Everyone is invited to BMC's 50th anniversary celebration! 

www.bmclgbt.org/50th 

“The Memory Librarian” by Janelle Monae, noted as Joanna’s front light this month:

https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/the-memory-librarian

Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. 

“They’re trying to equate anti-racism with comfort: ‘everybody should get along.’ But nobody is entitled to comfort. We are entitled to respect.”

In this episode, we interview Palestinian-American scholar and attorney, Noura Erakat. She is a Professor of Africana Studies and Criminal Justice at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, author of Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine (Stanford University Press, 2019) and an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Palestine Studies. Also in this show, Joanna shares about the anniversary of the Nakba, and Jonny about his favorite new band.

Noura’s instagram reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJUSwcxN_6R/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Ahmed the Little Farmer: https://www.instagram.com/tasnemaaed?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

“Fabulously Melancholy” by Plastic Hacks: https://plastichacks.bandcamp.com/

If your congregation or ministry observes ICE or CBP activity in or around your place of worship, please contact Iris de León-Hartshorn ([email protected]) immediately and copy your Conference Minister so that we can document any encroachment into sacred spaces with the court.

Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing.

In this episode, we speak with Michael George who serves on the steering committees of Mennonite Action and the Mennonite Palestine Israel Network (MennoPIN). He shares his family's history in Palestine, their migration journey, and the cultural identity shaped by his Palestinian and Mennonite heritage. He discusses the complexities of navigating biculturalism, the impact of faith on activism, and the importance of speaking out for justice. During the past five years, Michael has helped to facilitate MennoPIN’s “Twinning with Gaza” Initiative in which Mennonite congregations in the United States have built relationships with Palestinian-led non-profit organizations in Gaza.

Re: Mennonite Church USA et al vs Department of Homeland Security:

If your congregation or ministry observes ICE or CBP activity in or around your place of worship, please contact Iris de León-Hartshorn ([email protected]) immediately and copy your Conference Minister so that we can document any encroachment into sacred spaces with the court.

Slideshow from Michael George featuring his family history and travels to Palestine.

You can learn more about MennoPIN here: https://mennopin.org/

The Encampments documentary: https://www.watermelonpictures.com/films/the-encampments

Email us at [email protected] to give us your feedback and we’ll feature you.

Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing.