Monday, September 12, 2011 through November 13, 2011
Good Library Gallery

Exhibit: Brought Home: Objects and Stories from Mission and Service Workers

"Brought Home: Objects and Stories from Mission and Service Workers" is an exhibit in the Goshen College Good Library Gallery and features objects brought home by Mennonites working on mission, relief and service projects around the world. The exhibit will be up from Sept. 12 through Nov. 13, with a reception on Sunday, Sept. 18 from 3 to 5 p.m. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

The exhibit features objects that reflect the work done by Mennonites in mission, relief and service projects, from the earliest missions in India and the earliest relief work in Ukraine, to the present time. Most have been borrowed from local community members. The display features trench art, fine art, ethnographic art, garments, textiles, tools, and commemoratives. Church programs represented include American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Mennonite Mission Network (MMN), Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Pax, Civilian Public Service (CPS), Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) and other projects in the United States, India, Africa, Europe, South America and elsewhere.

The Brought Home exhibit presents not souvenirs bought for their beauty or oddity, but objects that embody in some way and to some degree the actual work and meaning of their owners' service and mission work. Sometimes, the objects were used in work assignments, and often they were gifts of appreciation to their owners from people who benefited from their work.

Faye Pottinger is the curator for the exhibit, which is sponsored by the Mennonite-Amish Museum Committee of Goshen College. Ervin Beck completed the research for the exhibit.

The Good Library Gallery is located in the north end of the basement of the Good Library. When classes are in session, the gallery hours are: 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday through Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays; and 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays. Hours vary during academic breaks, summer and holidays. For gallery hours, call (574) 535-7418.

Contact: Ervin Beck, phone (574) 535-7418, email ervinb@goshen.edu

See also: Read the press release about this exhibit