Diversity: God's Design

Storytelling and biblical foundations for intercultural capacity

Diversity: God’s Design is a four-week study that serves as a basic introduction to the celebration and acknowledgment of difference. This curriculum centres intergenerational voices and perspectives from the Mennonite church by sharing biblical narratives and personal experiences that invite curriculum participants to take notice of how and why we should join the journey of celebrating diversity.

The study is recommended for young adult and intergenerational audiences in faith-based settings, such as churches, Mennonite and other Christian schools, small groups and self-study.

Each 45-60-minute lesson includes:

• A featured sermonette video and biblical passage
• A video sharing a young adult’s perspective
• A spoken word poetry video
• Reflection and engagement questions
• Weekly action steps
• Supplemental resources

Curriculum topics are:

• The gift of difference with sermonette by Rev. Michelle Armster, executive director, Mennonite Central Committee, Central States Region
• We are God’s family with sermonette by Jason Storbakken, pastor at Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship, and co-founder and president of the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Peace Center in Brooklyn, New York
• Do I belong here? with sermonette by Hyacinth Stevens, executive director for Mennonite Central Committee East Coast
• Us vs. them with sermonette by Sue Park-Hur, MC USA denominational minister for Transformative Peacemaking

Young adult participants in the curriculum are:

• Felix Perez Diener, undergraduate student at Harvard University
• Abby Ednashaw, young adult program coordinator at Mennonite Central Committee – Central States
• Erick Martinez, undergraduate student at Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana
• Laura Pauls-Thomas, communications and donor relations associate at Mennonite Central Committee

In addition, Tiara Downer, worship coordinator at King of Glory Tabernacle, New York, provided spoken word poetry and Lynn Hur provided the artwork for the curriculum.

The Diversity: God’s Design curriculum was developed in response to a request from an MC USA-affiliated college seeking to address students’ questions about the intersection of faith and diversity.

(4 sessions)

The curriculum is available free of charge, but donations are appreciated. To support Mennonite Church USA’s peacebuilding work, donate to #BringThePeace initiatives at https://www.mennoniteusa.org/give.