Author: Kevin Kanagy
Joy and Reflection at Pastor/Spouse Retreat
Pastors and their spouses experienced times of fun and personal reflection at the 2015 Pastor Spouse Retreat which was held at Mohican State Park.
How We Worship – FMC
On Sunday, August 23, Friendship Mennonite Church in Bedford Heights, Ohio, celebrated a “World Conference Sunday” during our worship service. Several of our church members and attenders were able to attend the July 2015 Mennonite World Conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and were eagerly anticipating the chance to share these experiences with the congregation. The worship service had several elements: an…
My Trip to a Farm
Girl Talk is a ministry of Friendship Mennonite Church in Bedford Heights, Ohio for girls ages 9 to 13. The majority of the girls who attend are from Bedford Heights Daycare, a 35 year old community daycare that rents space from the church. Pastor Nan Kanagy leads the group. My name is Michelle and I am here…
3 Things I Loved About MWC
by Dan King Pastor, Beech Mennonite Church Thanks to my church Beech for allowing me (and 14 others) to attend the unforgettable MWC in PA. Here were my top 3 things I loved most about MWC. The worship. Singing praises to God in many languages, in an arena with 7,000 plus, gave us a very real foretaste of John’s vision…
Mennonite World Conference Concludes in Harrisburg, Pa.
Mennonite World Conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania came to a close on Sunday, July 26. Many who attended reported hope and appreciation for seeing and hearing stories of God’s faithfulness from around the globe.
Don’t miss the 2015 Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale
The annual Ohio Relief Sale takes place the first Friday and Saturday of August every year. This year the sale begins Friday, July 31. At 4 p.m. Friday food is available and the booths are open; the evening program begins at 6:30 p.m. Then at 7 a.m. Saturday, breakfast is served. The 5K Run and Walk start at 8 a.m.…
Ohio Mennonite Conference unveils new website
Ohio Mennonite Conference unveiled a new website on Friday. The Conference enlisted the help of web designer/developer Greg Yoder and has been working with him over the past few months to give the website a much-needed update. The goal of the redesign is to provide an easier and more intuitive way to access news and information from around the Conference,…
Location chosen for 2016 ACA
Central Mennonite Church in Archbold will host the 2016 Annual Conference Assembly March 11-12.
Summer 2015 Delegate News
Leadership Team to seek transitional conference leader A message for delegates from the Ohio Conference Leadership Team: The Leadership Team received the following in a letter from Wanda Stopher, regional pastor, on June 21, 2015: “I have been invited and accepted a call to candidate at First Mennonite Church in Bluffton, Ohio, for the role of Lead Pastor on June…
Spring 2015 Delegate News
Leadership Team announces plans The Ohio Conference Leadership Team would like to keep Ohio Conference delegates informed about several developments. Please see the following announcements for details: Five-Year Plan Review The Ohio Conference Leadership Team has appointed a four-person team to review the Five-Year Plan*. This team is comprised of Doug Zehr, lead pastor of Oak Grove Mennonite Church in…
Spring and Summer Delegate News issues are available
The Spring 2015 and Summer 2015 issues of Delegate News are now available. Both issues include information from the Ohio Conference Leadership Team: Spring 2015 Delegate News Summer 2015 Delegate News
Sisters to share at OMW Retreat
“Where’s the Pause Button? Making Space for God in Every- day Life” will be the theme of the Ohio Mennonite Women’s Retreat Sept. 18-20 at Camp Luz in Kidron. In our busy lives, sometimes finding time to connect with God can feel like just one more thing on a long “to do” list. And when we do carve out some…
New pastors learn about Conference
Five of the new pastors serving Ohio Conference congregations, along with their spouses, took part in the New Pastor Orientation June 7-8. Sixteen new pastors and their spouses were invited, but only five couples were able to participate. The two-day orientation began with an overnight stay at the Comfort Inn in Berlin. Following breakfast the next morning, Regional Pastor Ralph…
Leadership Team plans for transition
The Ohio Conference Leadership Team is making plans for a transition in Conference staffing. On June 21 Regional Pastor Wanda Stopher informed the Leadership Team that she is a candidate for the role of lead pastor of First Mennonite Church in Bluffton. She anticipates ending her work with Ohio Conference effective Aug. 31, 2015. In recognition of Wanda’s resignation and…
Aug. 17 deadline for Ministry Grants
Is your congregation looking for ways to fund a ministry that impacts your community? Aug. 17 is the deadline to submit a grant proposal to the Ohio Conference Ministry Development Team (MDT). For the fourth year in a row, the MDT is accepting proposals from Conference congregations and related organizations for projects and mission initiatives. This year the MDT has…
Transitional Leader Search
The Ohio Conference Leadership Team will be accepting applications until Aug. 1 for the position of transitional conference leader. Please see the job description (PDF) for details. If you have interest in this position, please submit your name to the Ohio Conference Office using the form below. If you are applying and your MLI (Ministerial Leadership Information form) is not…
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be…
Methodist Covenant Prayer
I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, exalted for you, or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things,…
Call to Prayer and Fasting
OC Ministry Development Team (Dana Short, Prayer Coordinator) May 3, 2014 This is a call for Ohio Conference congregations to engage in a three day fast between now and the August 9th special delegate session. At this session, delegates will discern OC’s response to the Concerned Pastors’ Letter and Resolution in response to Mountain States decision to license a…
Mentoring in the Bible
Type in the word “mentor” in a word search on Bible Gateway…and you get 0 Results! Type in the word “mentee” in a word search on Bible Gateway…and you get 0 Results! You get the same results when you enter “mentored” or “mentoring!” But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing in the Bible on the subject! Consider this list of the…
How We Use Our Child Protection Policy
By Kris Nussbaum Kidron Mennonite Church Minister of Christian Education A child protection and abuse response policy benefits everyone in our congregation. Not only does it work to create a safe environment for children, but it also protects volunteers from the appearance of wrong doing and the church from potential accusations. Our entire child protection and abuse response policy fits…
Words From Tom 6-3-15
I have often been intrigued by “liminality.” To be in transition is to be in an in-between place – neither here nor there. Anthropologists and theologians call this ‘liminal’ space. Since announcing that this is my last year as conference minister, I have entered that liminal space, the transition from this work and set of relationships to another that is…
2015 ACA Sermon by Rick Stoner
Saturday, March 14, 2015 ACA Message: “Burning with Love” Romans 12:9-13 Tangle Leaves Paralyzed Fear is a funny thing, isn’t it. In our fear we can do some wild and irrational things. However, we know that if we name our fears then we can have power over our fears and they will not control us. So, I have a confession…
2015 ACA Sermon by Larry Augsburger
Faith Rolling Up Its Sleeves Romans 12:9-13 March 13, 2015, Ohio Conference ACA I. Okay, so there are 452 words in Romans 12 and 64 words in vv. 9-13, but six of us preachers are supposed to speak on only two of them…..? A.I’m sure glad I get to go first. B.Now the two words we six preachers were encouraged…
Leadership Experience Benefits Mission
By Anita Shetler Ask any leader in the church or business world and they will likely tell you that leadership skills did not necessarily come easily or naturally for them. A case in point is Berlin Mennonite Church member and local businessman, Jeremy Kauffman, the Executive Director of Walnut Hills Nursing Facilities. He said, “At an early age, I was…
2014 Special Delegate Session
Information and documents from the 2014 Special Delegate Session.