Mutual Aid with Ben Janzen

Faith and money are very much connected, whether we like it or not. Often we try to avoid making the connections, because thinking about faith and money can lead to some pretty difficult decisions - ones that force us to think about how and how much we spend, give, and save (give and save?)...


And many of the habits that we develop (ones that you and I are developing right now) stick with us for most of our lives. Unless, of course, we are willing to consider some pretty tough questions, and also consider the possibility that we may have to change the way we spend, give, and save. And maybe even where we bank...

About 47 years ago, a group of Waterloo Mennonites got together to explore a response to what they were seeing and feeling in their churches around faith and economics. At the heart of their discussion was the concept of mutual aid, “bearing each other’s burdens”. That led to a discussion about how a faith-based credit union could be an ideal way for church members to support each other, their churches and to conduct financial business in keeping with their faith.

“Why a credit union and not a bank?” you might ask.

Here’s a video (thanks to some credit union friends in Alberta) that shows some of the reasons why:

Fast forward to today and Mennonite Savings and Credit Union has over 17,000 members who come from Mennonite, Amish, and Brethren churches as well as other Christian traditions who share our common values. And mutual aid is still the central theme of the “Menno-bank” (which you now know is not a bank at all!).

Member deposits are loaned out to other members, directly "bearing each others burdens" at affordable rates. MSCU has a program called Member Assistance Services that goes even further to provide lower interest rates (sometimes even 0%) to families in need.

Mutual aid is also central to my work in heading up the Stewardship in Action program that “advances peace, social justice and mutual aid in our communities”. I get to support and be a part of tons of really exciting faith-centered initiatives that help our churches, church families, and broader communities. I’m excited to share those stories with you on this blog and to engage you on the concepts of mutual aid and how faith and finance can go together.

Until the next post, I’ll leave you with these questions: “How have you participated in mutual aid?” “What are you doing to help bear someone’s burdens?”

If you have made it this far you deserve a Happy Thanksgiving...!

Ben*

PS There are also some great videos about credit unions, using cows as action figures (seriously!), at http://www.beremarkable.com/. (“Moo-tual aid” anyone? Too much?)

*Ben Janzen is the Stewardship in Action Advisor at Mennonite Savings and Credit Union, and all around good guy. He works at the head office in Kitchener (which isn’t at 50 Kent). As a rep of MSCU, one of MCC's partners, he will be a regular contributor on this blog. Previously, you may have seen him at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate or Silver Lake Mennonite Camp helping connect the church to youth and vice versa.