Author: Shaquez Dickens
MEA suspends executive director search, pursues collaboration with MC USA Executive Board
ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Education Agency, Mennonite Church USA) — The Board of Directors of Mennonite Education Agency (MEA) has suspended its six-month search for an executive director to pursue a possible leadership collaboration with the Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) Executive Board, according to Dick Thomas, MEA board chair. MEA is an agency of MC USA. MEA has a history…
Apply for a grant by Aug. 6
Is your congregation looking for ways to fund a ministry that impacts your community? Aug. 6 is the deadline to submit a grant proposal to the Ohio Conference Ministry Development Team (MDT). The MDT is accepting proposals from Conference congregations and related organizations for projects and mission initiatives. The MDT has $19,630 available for grants in 2021. Since 2012 the MDT has awarded grants…
Scripture resource focuses on immigration
The Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team has compiled a list of scriptures related to immigration for personal and congregational use. “A Biblical Guide to Immigration” includes scriptures grouped by topic. It is intended for use in sermons and in Sunday school classes or for personal reflection. Download the Guide
Resource offers conflict transformation tools
Conflict is a normal part of life. It arises in our workplaces, in our churches and with our families. To help people learn to work through divisive issues, Mennonite Central Committee U.S. has produced a new adult Sunday school curriculum, Peaceful Practices: A guide to healthy communication in conflict. It invites churchgoers to follow Jesus’ call to peacemaking through dialogue with…
Conference remains in the black during June
Giving to Ohio Conference increased during June compared to the previous month, according to figures provided by Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts for June totaled $25,467, up from the $20,720 received in May. Expenses for June totaled $26,878, which led to a deficit of $1,411 for the month. Even so, the Conference ended the first quarter of the 2021-22 fiscal…
Breaking stereotypes one quilt at a time
From MCC Great Lakes: Growing up in northeast Ohio, Paul Seling always admired beautiful quilts and hoped to learn how to make them someday. Stuck at home during the pandemic this past year, he decided to tackle that goal. A 34-year-old father of two young children, he doesn’t fit the stereotypical mold of a traditional Mennonite quilter. But he uses…
Workshop looks at pastor-congregation relations
Lombard Mennonite Peace Center is offering an online workshop, “Facilitating Healthy Pastor-Congregation Relations” on Tuesday, Oct. 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. Held on the Zoom videoconferencing platform, this workshop will offer strategies for church leaders who want to help their congregation function in healthier ways. Attention will be given both to structural changes and emotional processes. See…
Peace Sunday is Sept. 19
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) invites all Mennonite congregations to observe Peace Sunday together with brothers and sisters in the global Anabaptist church family on Sept. 19, 2021. The theme for this year’s Peace Sunday is “Finding hope and healing in crisis.” The MWC Peace Commission has created worship resources for celebrating Peace Sunday. Download the Worship Materials
MMN video series seeks to ‘Stir Up Peace’
From Mennonite Mission Network: Check out the brand new Stir Up Peace video series! Learn the tools to seek positive change in nonviolent ways. All nine video episodes are less than six minutes long. See the videos at https://bit.ly/StirUpPeace.
Living the dream!
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister One of the responses that I seem to get more and more frequently from people whom I encounter, after asking them how they are doing is, “I am (just) living the dream!” Of course, for almost all of them that response is meant to be sarcastic and negative. What they really want me to know…
Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale will be an in-person event this year
Wooster, Ohio — For 56 years, the Mennonite, Brethren, Apostolic and Amish churches of northeastern Ohio have worked together to create a festive event that raises funds for the work of Mennonite Central Committee. After a COVID-limited virtual auction in 2020, the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale will return in person Aug. 6 and 7. The event will take place in…
Resources deal with considerations for in-person worship
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate As the COVID-19 pandemic enters a new phase and many local health restrictions are lifted, how should our congregations approach in-person worship? Anabaptist Worship Network has explored this topic in a recent webinar titled “Worship and Reopening Churches.” If you would like to watch a recording of this webinar, you can find it online…
Climate Riders seek to raise awareness
The Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions (CSCS) is leading a cross-country bike ride to raise awareness regarding climate change and related issues, as well as to learn and to connect with people along the way. CSCS is a collaborative initiative of Goshen College, Eastern Mennonite University, and Mennonite Central Committee. The Climate Ride started in Seattle May 31 and will…
Registration is open for OC retreats
Online registration is open for three upcoming events sponsored by the Ohio Conference. Ohio Conference will hold a New Pastor Orientation Aug. 15-16 at the Sleep Inn & Suites in Mt. Hope. This free event is designed for all pastors new to the Ohio Conference in the past several years. Register online at http://bit.ly/2021NewPastors. Glen Guyton, executive director of Mennonite…
Concert to feature ‘Songs and Stories of Peace, Hope, and Justice’
Oak Grove Mennonite Church in Smithville will host a concert featuring Anthony Brown on Saturday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m. The theme of this concert will be “Songs and Stories of Peace, Hope, and Justice.” An offering will be taken to help cover expenses. Please see the event flier for more details: Anthony Brown Concert at Oak Grove.
Everence to hold development conference
Registration is open for the Everence Development Conference, which helps charitable organization leaders stimulate and nurture generosity to strengthen their missions. The event, Invest in What Lasts, is scheduled for Sept. 28-30 at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. You can register now at everence.com/devcon21. The event is offered every two years.
MDS program offers travel reimbursement for pastors
Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) welcomes active, constituent pastors and their spouses to a hands-on MDS experience at an MDS project site in the U.S. or Canada. To encourage pastor participation, the Pastors to Projects program offers travel reimbursement. To learn more, see https://mds.mennonite.net/pastors-to-projects.
Anabaptist Disabilities Network offers suggestions for dealing with hearing loss
The Summer 2021 e-newsletter from Anabaptist Disabilities Network focuses on inclusion of those who are deaf or who have hearing loss. The newsletter includes information about technology for making audio during worship services more accessible for people with hearing loss. Go to https://bit.ly/ADNSummer2021 to read this newsletter.
Military service from a Mennonite perspective
Picture this scene: Three Mennonite pastors, two of whom are military veterans, sit down for a discussion of Mennonites and the military. This scenario may sound unlikely, but it’s actually a description of the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast. In this podcast episode, hosts Corben Weaver Boshart and Ramon Lianez talk with Lucas Johnson, pastor of Valley…
MDT to award Ministry Grants
Ministry Grants are back! Aug. 6 is the deadline to submit a grant proposal to the Ohio Conference Ministry Development Team (MDT). The MDT is accepting proposals from Conference congregations and related organizations for projects and mission initiatives. The MDT has $19,630 available for grants in 2020. Since 2012 the MDT has awarded grants each summer, providing funds for a wide variety of projects…
Leadership development opportunities available
Ohio Conference has two opportunities for leadership enrichment and development beginning in September. The first, a Thriving in Ministry cohort, is for pastors who are already serving in a congregation. It will run from September 2021 to April 2022 and will focus on the well-being of pastors, effective practices in ministry, and leadership development. Please see the description of the program and…
Giving to Conference drops in May
Giving to the Ohio Conference was significantly lower in May than in April, according to figures provided by Conference Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth.
Receipts for May totaled just $20,720, compared to $35,960 in April. Giving from congregations totaled $20,481, down somewhat from the $23,264 received in April. However, giving from individuals dropped to $200 for the month, compared with the $12,657 received in April.
Expenses for May totaled $27,719, resulting in a deficit of $6,999 for the month. Even so, as of the end of May, the Conference had an operating surplus of $5,415 for the year to date. The Conference fiscal year ends March 31, 2022.
Open Arms fundraiser set for July 17
Save the date! Open Arms Hispanic Ministries is sponsoring a Summer Fiesta Picnic on Saturday, July 17, at 4 p.m. at Oak Grove Mennonite Church, located at 7843 Smucker Road, Smithville. After more than a year of COVID-related restrictions, we will enjoy a safe, enjoyable time in Oak Grove’s beautiful picnic area. Activities include live music, a program at 5…
MCC offers virtual tour of borderlands
Mennonite Central Committee is offering a Virtual Borderlands Learning Tour June 28-July 2. Sessions will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. each day. This virtual learning tour is designed to engage participants with the reality of immigration from a different perspective. The Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team is encouraging everyone to consider participating in this learning tour. See http://bit.ly/VirtualBorderlandsLearningTour for…
All-Ohio Conference Pastor Gathering set for Aug. 5
The next All-Ohio Conference Pastor Gathering will be Thursday, Aug. 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Upper Sandusky Community Library. Pastors, if you still need to RSVP, you can do so by sending an email message to Conference Minister Dick Barrett at ohioconferenceminister@gmail.com.
Anabaptist World article focuses on women in ministry in Ohio Conference
Anabaptist World has published an article about women in ministry in the Ohio Conference. You can read it at http://bit.ly/AWorldWomeninMinistry.
MDS newsletter details partnership with the Brethren Church
The June edition of On the Level is now available from Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS). In the current issue: MDS and the Brethren Church formalize a partnership of caring, the last houses in the Land of Hope are dedicated, bringing to completion a three-year effort, and youth across the U.S. are packing their bags to embark on MDS Summer Youth programs.…
Showing God’s love to immigrants: Will you join us?
The Immigration Resource Team of Ohio Conference is aware of many immigrants seeking asylum at our southern border. We ask: “How can we here in Ohio show them God’s welcoming love?” We remember the amazing way a dozen or so Ohio Conference churches came together to assemble 175 immigration welcome kits in the fall of 2019. Covid-19 precautions prevent this…
Workshop recordings available
Ohio Conference held a series of online workshops during March and April. If you missed them, don’t worry. You can watch recordings of the workshops. See the Workshops page for the recordings. Watch the Recordings
MWC webinars will focus on baptism
On Sunday, June 6, and Sunday, June 13, Mennonite World Conference will be sponsoring a two-part webinar series titled Believe and Be Baptized: A Global Conversation on Baptism. Each webinar is 90 minutes long, and both webinars will be offered twice (at 7 a.m. EDT and 1 p.m. EDT) in order to make the event accessible to members of the…