Author: Shaquez Dickens
Delegate News – December 2021
Five fall cluster meetings scheduled Please plan to join us: Five fall cluster meetings have been scheduled for delegates to the Ohio Conference Annual Conference Assembly. Each meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last approximately 90 minutes. Locations are as follows: Jan. 18 — Bethel Mennonite Church, West Liberty Jan. 27 — Salem Mennonite Church, Kidron Feb. 1 —…
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! We find ourselves nearing the end of what has been another difficult year in the life of the nation, our churches, individuals and families. The year began with violence at the Capitol Building that left many wondering just how secure America as a nation is. The COVID pandemic waned and spiked throughout the year, resulting in continued deaths…
Winter cluster meetings set
Ohio Conference is planning five winter cluster meetings for delegates to Annual Conference Assembly. Each meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last approximately 90 minutes. Locations are as follows: Jan. 18 — Bethel Mennonite Church, West Liberty Jan. 27 — Salem Mennonite Church, Kidron Feb. 1 — Tedrow Mennonite Church, Wauseon Feb. 10 — Maple Grove Mennonite Church, Hartville…
Deficit grows during November
Ohio Conference’s deficit grew substantially during the month of November, according to figures provided by Finance Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts for November totaled $19,855, including $18,262 in giving from congregations. Expenses for the month totaled $43,146, resulting in a deficit of $23,291 for the month. As of the end of November, the Conference’s operating balance was -$48,150. The 2021-22 fiscal…
Girl Named Tom wins The Voice
Congratulations go to Girl Named Tom, the sibling trio from Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold! The trio was named the winner during the season finale of NBC’s The Voice on Dec. 14. To learn more, see https://bit.ly/TheVoiceFinaleGNT and https://anabaptistworld.org/girl-named-tom-wins-the-voice.
MDS plans tornado response
Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) has Early Response Teams investigating several of the sites of last week’s tornadoes to help determine how and where MDS will respond. Many of their partners via the National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) which specialize in search and rescue, damage assessment and cleanup are already responding. Together with their NVOAD partners and local officials,…
Ohio MCC Comforter Bash set for April 22-23
Save the date for the Ohio MCC Comforter Bash on April 22-23! A handmade comforter provides not only warmth, but also a tangible message to people that their needs are not forgotten. Join others of all ages for this two-day event in Kidron to knot comforters that Mennonite Central Committee will distribute around the world. We invite you to make…
Conference seeks Regional Pastor
Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA is seeking a half-time Regional Pastor for the Eastern region of the state beginning April 2022. The individual will primarily serve as pastor to the pastors and as a liaison between the Conference and congregations. Previous pastoral experience required. Women and men from all cultural backgrounds are encouraged to apply. For a full job description, please see…
Immigration Resource List is updated
Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team would like to remind everyone that there are many opportunities to share God’s love, hope, and peace. Are you looking for ideas about how you can share God’s love with immigrants? The Immigration Resource Team has updated its Immigration Resource List, which features books, websites, organizations, and films, as well as contact information for people who have…
Transformation is theme of blog post
“As I look at the ways in which I have been transformed, it is always a result of who I am close to.” Thomas Dunn, co-pastor of Crown Hill Mennonite Church in Rittman and member of the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board, reflects on the theme “Be Transformed” in a blog post for Mennonite Church USA: http://ow.ly/8r4m50GVQey.
Webinar to discuss upcoming delegate assembly
Register today! Join Michael Danner, Mennonite Church USA associate executive director of church vitality, on Monday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. for the first in a series of webinars to help conferences and congregations prepare for the 2022 Delegate Assembly (May 27-30, Kansas City, Missouri). He will provide an overview of MC USA’s structure and decision-making, including conversation about how…
Retirement plans announced
Regional Pastor Ralph Reinford has announced that he plans to retire at the end of March 2022. He has served as regional pastor for the eastern part of the Ohio Conference since 2011.
Girl Named Tom moves to semi-final round of The Voice
Girl Named Tom, the sibling trio from Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, has continued to advance in live rounds of competition on NBC’s The Voice. The trio is one of eight remaining semifinalists and will perform again during the live semi-final shows next week. To see one of their most recent performances, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpdTXOUf7dw.
Sonnenberg seeks lead pastor
Sonnenberg Mennonite Church of Kidron, Ohio, is seeking a full-time lead pastor. To learn more about this position, please see the SMC Lead Pastor Job Description outlining the requirements and responsibilities of the position. Additional information about the church can be found on the church website: sonnenbergmc.org. Interested candidates may contact the regional pastor, Ralph Reinford, at ralphreinford@gmail.com, or the…
Goshen College offers online Advent devotions
Once again Goshen College is offering online weekday devotions during Advent. Goshen College students, faculty and staff are providing weekday reflections based on the lectionary Scripture passages. They are reflecting on the theme “Dare to Imagine” from Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada worship resources. These daily devotions are available online at www.goshen.edu/devotions. If you would like to receive these…
Everence scholarship applications now available
Everence® college scholarship applications for the 2022-2023 academic year are now available. Current or new Everence members (and their children) are eligible to apply for the scholarships of up to $3,000 to help pay for eligible college expenses. Recipients are chosen based on community involvement, extracurricular activities, leadership, and a written answer to a question about the applicant’s stewardship influence.…
Girl Named Tom has continued success on The Voice
Girl Named Tom, the sibling trio from Zion Mennonite Church, has had continued success in two live rounds of competition on NBC’s The Voice. The trio is one of 11 remaining finalists and will perform again during the live shows next week. To see one of their most recent performances on The Voice, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjE37v3SpG0.
Central Christian seeks superintendent
Central Christian School in Kidron, Ohio, is seeking a superintendent for the K-12 school beginning July 1, 2022. Ideal candidates will know Jesus as Lord and Savior, share a clear commitment to the Anabaptist tradition, and have excellent communication skills. They will administer the school while exercising leadership skills to fulfill the spiritual vision of Central Christian School. Interested parties…
MMN seeks staff for multiple departments
Full-time job opportunities are available in various departments at Mennonite Mission Network: human resources, finance, global partnerships, and training and resources. See full job descriptions and apply at MennoniteMission.net/Employment or direct questions to StaffRecruitment@mennonitemission.net.
SpringHaven seeks new executive director
Mark Leinbach is stepping down as executive director of SpringHaven Counseling Center, effective Dec. 31. He has served SpringHaven as executive director for seven years. The SpringHaven board has begun a search process for the next executive director. Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit resumes and make any inquires via email to board@springhaven.us. To learn more, please see the news…
Health plan open enrollment continues
Health insurance reminder: The open enrollment period for the Corinthian Plan, the health plan of Mennonite Church USA (MC USA), will continue through Dec. 31, 2021. All MC USA-affiliated congregations can enroll their eligible staff for health coverage, life and disability insurance, and/or optional dental and vision coverage. For more information, please visit The Corinthian Plan website at https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ministry/the-corinthian-plan/ or…
Deficit increases during October
Ohio Conference’s deficit increased during October, according to figures provided by Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts for the month totaled $24,986, including $24,663 in giving from Ohio Conference congregations. Expenses for the month totaled $29,615, resulting in a deficit of $4,629 for the month. As of the end of October, the Conference’s operating balance for the 2021-22 fiscal year was…
Pastor-Spouse Retreat offers time for rejuvenation
Twenty-four couples attended the Ohio Conference Pastor-Spouse Retreat Nov. 12-14 at the Mills Park Hotel in Yellow Springs. In keeping with the retreat theme, “Live and Laugh,” Christian comedian Ron Sweet performed on Friday night. The retreat offered pastors and their spouses a chance to relax and to connect with other pastoral couples from around the Ohio Conference.
Making disciples who make disciples
How do we transform individuals into active disciples of Jesus Christ? In the past several years, many Ohio Conference congregations have worked toward this goal by participating in the Missional Discipleship Initiative (MDI). This initiative was first offered by Mennonite Mission Network. A main goal of MDI is making disciples of Jesus Christ who in turn make other disciples. Starting…
The Annunciation of the Incarnation
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and…
Check out these Advent Resources
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate As we move into the season of Advent, Mennonite Church USA and CommonWord have Advent resources for individuals, families and congregations. Once again this year, Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) has prepared an Advent at Home worship guide which can be used by individuals or families. The 2021 guide follows the theme “Dare…
Prepare/Enrich training focuses on marriage
Recognizing that pastors are often called upon to counsel engaged and married couples, this fall Ohio Conference offered pastors training in a program called Prepare/Enrich. The Conference offered two opportunities for pastors to participate in this training, on Sept. 30 at Salem Mennonite Church in Kidron and Oct. 19 at West Clinton Mennonite Church in Wauseon. The training sessions were…
MEA appoints new Faith Formation Minister
(Mennonite Education Agency) — Mennonite Education Agency (MEA) has appointed Shana Peachey Boshart as Faith Formation Minister, effective Nov. 1, 2021. She will serve as the agency liaison with Mennonite Schools Council (MSC), a network of Mennonite schools from early education to grade 12. Dawn Y. Graber has served in an interim capacity since May 2020. To learn more, see…
Cluster meeting recording now available
Thank you to all delegates who attended Ohio Conference’s fall cluster meetings. If you were unable to attend any of the meetings, you can view a recording of the Nov. 4 cluster meeting, which was held on Zoom. Click on the link below to download a copy of the recording. Nov. 4 Cluster Meeting Recording