Kennel/Charles Endowed Fund

The Kennel-Charles Anabaptist Endowed Fund

The purpose of this fund is to stimulate an interest in Mennonite-Anabaptist history among young people.

The funding is used to host a guest Mennonite-Anabaptist historian, pastor, teacher or other individual to speak to and interact with students lecture format and in classrooms. A presentation open to the general public is also part of the series each year.

Another priority is to stimulate student interest in Anabaptist history and heritage by providing a forum for student research projects which could be presented to the school and community. (See list of past paper titles below.)

The Elmer Kennel and Edith Charles Anabaptist Endowed Fund was started with an initial commitment in December 2000.

Benjamin Bixler is the current coordinator. Contact him with questions or to suggest speakers.

John Sharp, historian and Hesston College professor, delivered the 14th annual Kennel Charles Anabaptist lecture, Feb 8, 2016 speaking about the life of Orie O. Miller.
John Sharp, historian and Hesston College professor, delivered the 14th annual Kennel Charles Anabaptist lecture, Feb 8, 2016 speaking about the life of Orie O. Miller.

Past Speakers

  • 2023-24 -- Strength Through Peace, panel discussion
  • 2022-23 --  Jonny Rashid
  • 2021-22 -- Osheta Moore
  • 2020-21 -- No speaker (COVID-19)
  • 2019 -20 -- Caleb Schrock-Hurst '15 Mennonite Central Committee Vietnam.
  • 2018-19 -- Glen Guyton, Mennonite Church USA Executive Director
  • 2017-18 -- Nathan and Kaitlin Hershberger, Mennonite Central Committee Iraq workers
  • 2016-17 -- Todd Wynward, author, educator, small-scale farmer, wilderness trip leader, and Mennonite minister for watershed discipleship
  • 2015-16 -- John Sharp, Hesston College history professor
  • 2014-15 -- Regina Wenger, Mennonite historian, Baylor University
  • 2013-14 -- Steven Nolt, formerly at Goshen College and current professor of history and Anabaptist studies at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College
  • 2012 -- Colleen McFarland, Mennonite Church USA Historical Committee director and denominational archivist from Goshen, Ind.
  • 2011-12 -- Cancelled
  • 2010-11 -- Daryl Byler, Mennonite Central Committee representatives from Jordan
  • 2009-10 -- Loren Horst, Virginia Mennonite Missions
  • 2008-09 - John Roth, Mennonite historian, and Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach, Mennonite Central Committee Washington Office
  • 2007-08 -- Author on books related to Mennonite and Amish life; professor emeritus of history at Bethel College, Newton Kansas
  • 2006-07 -- James Krabill,  Mennonite Mission Network and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
  • 2005-06 -- Jeff Wright, author, preacher, teacher
  • 2004-05 -- Nancy Heisey, Mennonite World Conference executive secretary and professor, Eastern Mennonite Seminary
  • 2003-04 -- Lawrence Yoder, Eastern Mennonite Seminary; expert on Indonesian Mennonite Church
  • 2002-03 -- John Ruth, historian, author and speaker who has contributed significantly to the understanding of Mennonite history, faith and culture
  • 2001-02 -- Nathan Yoder, Eastern Mennonite Seminary

Student Paper Awardees

Cash prizes are awarded each year to students writing papers on Mennonite-Anabaptist themes as part of the endowed fund programming.

2023-2024

Noelle Rankin -- Anne Askew: Burned by the Narrative
Catherine Scherpereel -- Church and State in Harmony
Lili Lehman -- Modesty in Christian Society

2019-2020
Karla Hostetter -- Menno Simons
Elisabeth Fink -- Eucharist
Abby Garber -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Fiona Mitchell -- Icons

2018-2019
Caroline Hayes -- Neil Showalter
Sukainah Abid-Kons -- Joan of Arc

2017-2018
Perla Guerrero -- Billy Graham
Virtue Adowei -- Existentialism
Felicity Zimmerman -- Hutterites

2015-2016
Erin Rhodes -- Analysis of Mennonite Youth
Luke Hertzler -- Hans Herr
Mike Mi -- Christianity in China

2014-2015
Jason Yu -- Christianity in China: History and Today
Alan Liu -- Mennonites during the Russian Revolution
Drake Wagner -- Emperor Constantine: Our First Christian Emperor

2013-2014
Aaron Yoder -- Dirk Willems
Mario Hernandez -- Ulrich Zwingli and Radicals
Stephen Lowe -- Joseph Funk

2012-2013
Rebekah Hertzler -- The life, mission, and legacy of Susanna Hartman Brunk
Leona Good -- Deaconess Nettie Pearl Suter
Megan Good -- Digital project on Community Mennonite Church

2011-2012
Hannah DePoy -- Narcissa Whitman’s Missionary Life
Benjamin Ghaemmaghami -- The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther
Rebecca Hardy -- Georgia Harkness, the Radical Theologian

2010-2011
Rachel Shenk -- Beyond Ordinary: The Life and Ministry of Roy Kiser
Kiara Boettger -- Christmas Carol Kauffman
Hannah Shultz -- Daniel Suter: A Man of great Importance and Accomplishments in the world of Science

2008-2009
Hannah Bendfeldt -- Mennonite Response in the Shenandoah Valley, Civil War
Ranita Shenk -- True Friends of God: The Story of Michael and Margaretha Sattler
Jacque Zook -- Karl Stoltzfus: An Ordinary Man Living an Extraordinary Life

2006-2007
Risa Heatwole -- The Bloody Reformation
Nathan Hershberger -- The Cycle of Russian Anabaptism

2005-2006
Jessica Pease -- The Journey of Menno Simons

2004-2005
Lindsay Kisamore -- Pacifism: Past and Present
Christopher Burkholder  -- A More Civil Way

2003-2004
Monika Burkholder -- Glendon Blosser: An Effective Leader

2002-2003
Sara Hershberger -- Pacifist Nurses during WWII
Isaac Beachy -- George Blaurock
Andrew Fairfield -- George R. Brunk I

2001-2002
Steven Glanzer -- John L. Stauffer, Faithful Servant of the
Lord
Sharon Kniss -- John Longacre Stauffer, Servant of the
Lord
Paul Yoder -- Brother John Mumaw
Dano Heatwole -- Legions of Peaceful Mercenaries