Block, a well-known expert on organizational development, community building and civic engagement, will address the conference live via video. A strong advocate for the concept of 鈥渟ervant leadership,鈥� he is the author of The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods (2010), Community: The Structure of Belonging (2008), The Answer to How Is Yes: Acting on What Matters (2001) and Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self Interest (1993).

, vice president and dean of graduate studies at 黑料正能量 and one of the primary organizers for the conference, says Block will bring an important perspective as an 鈥渙utsider鈥� to the church. Smucker says Block鈥檚 address will focus on 鈥渢hird-way leadership.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e struggling as Anabaptists with leadership paradigms and how we make decisions,鈥� Smucker says. 鈥淲e want to facilitate a conversation about how we go forward and further develop our movement in a way that brings us together.鈥�

The conference will focus on clarifying Anabaptist values related to leadership, examining historical models, critiquing current economic and social systems, and developing applied theories that can be used to build more effective and future-looking organizations.

The planning committee is emphasizing the representation of diverse voices and perspectives, and students from the various Anabaptist-related schools will be sharing during each plenary session.

Other keynote speakers include:

• Bryan Welch, CEO of B The Change Media and founder of Mother Earth News;
• John Sharp, teacher, author, storyteller, and historian;
• Lee Snyder, a former vice president and academic dean who will serve as at 黑料正能量;
• John Stahl-Wert 鈥�81, recognized expert in leadership and innovation;
• Rachel Waltner Goosen, professor of history at Washburn University;
• 鈥�82, executive director of Lancaster County Conservancy and former CEO of Isaac鈥檚 Famous Grilled Sandwiches;
• Gilberto Perez Jr. ’94 , senior director for intercultural development and educational partnerships at Goshen College;
• Jeff Boodie ’07, founder and CEO of JobSnap;
• , associate professor of organizational studies and of 黑料正能量鈥檚 MBA program;
• David Miller, associate professor of missional leadership development at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary;
• Dominique Burgunder-Johnson, Goshen College director of marketing and current collaborative MBA student;
• , professor in 黑料正能量鈥檚 Bible and religion department and former academic dean;
• Rick Castaneda, home/school liaison for Harrisonburg City Public Schools and founder of Men of Character;
• , MA ’07 (conflict transformation), doctoral student at James Madison University and instructor with the Summer Peacebuilding Institute and 黑料正能量鈥檚 business department.

Workshop topics include emergent leadership, leading innovation, people management ethics, developing resilient organizations, and authentic leadership.

The conference grew out of discussions at the (ACRS), a community of Mennonite elders and scholars who meet monthly for fellowship and intellectual engagement at 黑料正能量. Six years ago, ACRS initiated a biography project on 20th-century Mennonite leader Orie Miller; the result was a published by Herald Press in May 2015.

In the planning and conception process, the group found synergy with conversations happening in the program (a joint project of Bluffton University, Canadian Mennonite University, 黑料正能量 and Goshen College), which Smucker says had recognized a lack of scholarly work around leadership and Anabaptism. A network of partnerships began to grow.

The conference is sponsored by ARCS, 黑料正能量鈥檚 , , (MEDA), and . Co-sponsors include Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Bethel College, Bluffton University, Canadian Mennonite University, Conrad Grebel University College, Goshen College and Hesston College.

鈥淲e have never before pulled off a conference of this type with this amount of collaborative engagement,鈥� says Lee M. Yoder, chair of the ACRS steering committee and former vice president and associate professor of education at 黑料正能量. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the first of its kind.鈥�

Register at .

Orie O. Miller is a well-known name, but the reputation of this Mennonite lay leader, missionary, and businessman may grow, deservedly, in legend and stature with the publication of John E. Sharp鈥檚 long-awaited biography, 鈥� (Herald Press).

Miller was a 鈥�20th century leader, and considering his extensive leadership in his day in many, many church institutions and agencies, it鈥檚 important to introduce Miller to 21st century leaders,鈥� says ’63, steering committee chair of the (ACRS), a community of Mennonite elders and scholars who meet monthly for fellowship and intellectual engagement at 黑料正能量 (黑料正能量).

The biography, six years in the making, was initiated and partially funded by ACRS. Other funders include the Brethren in Christ church, and two organizations that Miller helped found, and , known commonly by the acronyms of MCC and MEDA, respectively.

黑料正能量 President says he鈥檚 looking forward to reading the biography. 鈥淔or many years, I have heard fascinating stories about Orie O. Miller and his legacy from those who worked directly with him,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o many Anabaptist ministries and institutions launched by Orie have improved the lives of people around the globe. I am pleased this project was sponsored by ACRS and rooted at 黑料正能量.鈥�

At the ACRS May 11 Annual General Meeting, a handful of Miller鈥檚 contemporaries will share anecdotes and stories about this consequential man who, from his first pioneering trip as a relief worker to Russia in 1919, forever changed Mennonite education, business, relief work and peacemaking.

The meeting, which begins at 7:30 a.m. with coffee and pastries in the west dining room on the 黑料正能量 campus, is open to the public.

‘Visionary and hard-nosed realist’

Former colleague Calvin Redekop, the ACRS representative to the editorial committee, says Miller鈥檚 鈥渨ork and leadership are difficult to condense.鈥�

鈥淗e was a person who represented best the challenges and opportunities of his time, an unusual combination of visionary and hard-nosed realist who expected persons to be accountable,鈥� Redekop said. 鈥淗e was one of the most disciplined persons I ever knew.鈥�

Redekop served under Miller as administrator of a post-war alternative service program called Pax. Redekop and colleague Paul Peachey ’45 had conceived this program in August of 1950, and a mere eight months later, with Miller鈥檚 support and that of MCC, 鈥淧axers鈥� arrived in war-ravaged Europe to help resettle refugees.*

Born in Indiana in 1892, Miller attended Goshen College before answering the call to engage in relief work in 1919 and shortly after, helping to form MCC, for which he served in various capacities, including executive secretary, from 1921-1963.

Miller helped to engage and steer Mennonite values and ministry into a global perspective, while integrating sound business and organizational principles.

He was 鈥渁n incredible catalyst鈥� with unique organizational skills, and 鈥減assionately committed to the church with a vision for mission,鈥� says ACRS founder , who was director of an Anabaptist-Mennonite bookstore financed by Miller and other Lancaster businessmen in the mid-1960s in Luxembourg, Belgium. 鈥淗e would start a project, then find the personnel and the organizations to carry it on.鈥�

Seeing a need often meant forming an organization to meet that need: Miller was the motivating force behind the founding of many Mennonite organizations, including Mennonite Mental Health Services, Mennonite Indemnity, Mennonite Mutual Aid, Mennonite Travel Service, and several others.

Hundreds of young men were indebted to Miller 鈥� and had their lives changed forever 鈥� because of Miller鈥檚 creation and administration of Civilian Public Service, the alternative to military service that allowed conscientious objectors to fulfill their civic responsibilities.

Miller married into the shoe manufacturing business and ran it with acumen and dedication throughout his life. Yet 鈥渢o the end his life, he maintained his vision for service, never allowing his considerable wealth to determine his needs,鈥� Gingerich said, adding that Miller could have easily afforded a Lincoln Continental, but instead drove a Ford Falcon.

Miller died in 1977 at the Landis Retirement Home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, yet another enterprise he was instrumental in founding and supporting.

Keim鈥檚 work provides inspiration

A standard feature of the ACRS Annual General Meeting is a time to discuss the group鈥檚 ongoing work and vision. At one of those times, many years ago, members noted the need for a comprehensive biography of Miller that would address the full range of his personality and involvements not covered in a previous 1969 biography by Paul Erb.

Another inspiration for the Miller project was the work of the late Albert N. Keim ’63, professor emeritus of history at 黑料正能量 and an ARCS member. Keim鈥檚 biography of Harold S. Bender, a professor of theology at Goshen College and Goshen Biblical Seminary, was published in 1998.

鈥淗arold Bender was tremendously influential on theological matters in the same way that Orie Miller was tremendously influential in shaping Mennonite influence today,鈥� said ’64, ACRS interim director.

Miller鈥檚 accomplishments as a leader are widely recognized. 黑料正能量 houses an , which promotes interdisciplinary activities and scholarship modeled after the man鈥檚 visionary integration of business, mission, development, education, justice and peace.

In addition, 黑料正能量, ACRS, Mennonite Central Committee, and Mennonite Economic Development Associates are in the early stages of planning a leadership conference at 黑料正能量 in early April 2016 that will highlight Miller鈥檚 leadership within the Mennonite church, according to, vice president and dean of the .

Editor鈥檚 note: In April 2015, the Pax program was chosen as the recipient of the annual Gandhi Center Community Service Award. To read about this event, click .