People from all across the Ohio Conference came to three regional gatherings to talk about how God is working in their congregations and communities. Jubilee Mennonite Church in Bellefontaine, Central Mennonite Church in Archbold and Berlin Mennonite Church hosted the three Fall Mission Events in October and November. These events are part of the Ohio Conference Year of Mission, which is taking place during the 2016-17 Conference year.

At each Fall Mission Event, participants were reminded of several reasons for having an Ohio Conference Year of Mission:

• Mission is integral to the life and future of Ohio Conference and its congregations.
• Local congregations need practical training and opportunities in mission.
• Engaging in mission helps our congregations build relationship and partnership with one another.

The Year of Mission began in March 2016 with a training event titled “Becoming Missional: Re-Learning How to Be Sent.” Fall Mission Event organizers reviewed some of the information from that training event, stressing that mission is being sent and that to engage in mission, we need to cross cultural barriers instead of expecting others to cross cultural barriers to come to us.

In each location, a representative of a local congregation shared a brief story of how the congregation is engaging in mission in its context. Then the participants, who were seated in small groups around tables, talked with each other about how they are engaging in mission, and several examples were shared with the entire group.

Participants also saw a brief video featuring mission strategist and speaker Alan Hirsch and learned more about the missional conference planned for March 2017. Alan Hirsch and his wife, Debra, will be the presenters for that conference. To learn more about the missional conference, see http://bit.ly/2017MissionalConference.

Each Fall Mission Event concluded with a report of several Conference business items.

To see photos from the Fall Mission Events, see https://ohiomennoniteconference.org/fall-mission-events.