Author: Shaquez Dickens
Missional conference to focus on the rural church
Ohio Conference will hold an online missional conference during the evenings of March 4-5, just prior to Annual Conference Assembly. The theme of this conference will be “Come and See! The Mission of the Church in God’s Country.” Brad Roth, pastor and author of the book God’s Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural Church, will be the featured…
CommonWord offers Lenten resources
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This year Lent begins on Feb. 17, which means now is a great time to look for worship and devotional resources related to Lent. If you are looking for new Lenten resources, check out the website for CommonWord, a collaboration of Mennonite Church Canada and Canadian Mennonite University. In preparation for Lent, CommonWord…
Behold the Lamb of God
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister I write this in preparation for our 2021 Annual Conference Assembly, scheduled to be held virtually this year on Saturday, March 6. On March 7, 2020, we were able to meet in person at Sharon Mennonite Church. Little did we know that in less than a week our world would be turned upside down as…
Giving to Conference increases during December
Giving to Ohio Conference increased greatly during December, according to figures provided by Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts for December totaled $65,389. Of that amount $29,710 came from congregational giving. During December giving from individuals was very strong. In response to a year-end appeal letter from Conference Moderator Lynn Miller, individuals gave a total of $31,535. That amount far surpassed…
Glimpses into an unseen world
By Dan King About a year ago, pre-pandemic, one of my Guatemalan students invited me to her quinceañera. (For those who may not know, a Hispanic girl’s 15th birthday is an occasion for a no-expenses-spared party to signify her “coming of age.”) It was to be held at her evangelical church. I arrived a few minutes late, assuming the celebration…
AMBS to offer two new scholarships
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana, is offering two new scholarships. The Multicultural Church Scholarship is for students who are currently serving in or preparing for ministry assignments in a multicultural context and/or who belong to historically underrepresented racial or ethnic groups within the Mennonite Church. Each year, this award will provide a limited number of 100-percent tuition grants to…
MWC year-in-review video looks at how churches responded to pandemic
How did the pandemic affect Mennonite World Conference (MWC) during 2020, and what lessons were learned? MWC’s annual year-in-review video explores how member congregations and the organization as a whole adjusted to new realities and found new ways of following Jesus. You are invited to download this short video from the MWC website and show it to your congregation: http://bit.ly/2020MWCYearReview.
Conflict transformation is workshop topic
Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (LMPC) is offering an online workshop, “Conflict Transformation Skills for Churches,” on Feb. 13 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. Although a normal part of life, conflict is usually seen as something negative. Participants in this workshop will acquire the knowledge and skills to transform conflict into a force for positive change and spiritual growth.…
Conversations to focus on immigration
Evangelical Immigration Table is launching a series of virtual conversations about immigration which are being held each Thursday in January. The first conversation, held on Jan. 7, focused on the topic “Discipleship in Politically Polarized Times.” To learn more about this series or to register, go to https://evangelicalimmigrationtable.com/2021convening.
Delegate News — Winter 2021
Regional meetings to be held online Ohio Conference will hold online winter meetings for delegates to Annual Conference Assembly. Four regional meetings are planned: Tuesday, Feb. 2 — Wayne County/Holmes County Thursday, Feb. 4 — West Central/Southwest Ohio Tuesday, Feb. 9 — Northeast Ohio Thursday, Feb. 11 — Northwest Ohio All meetings will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m.…
Giving to Conference drops during November
Giving to Ohio Conference dropped in November, according to figures provided by Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts for November totaled just $17,320, including $11,956 in giving from congregations. In contrast, receipts for October totaled $32,631, including $30,700 in giving from congregations. Expenses for November totaled $31,680. As a result, the Conference had a deficit of $14,360 for the month. As…
Missional conference to focus on the rural church
Pastor and author Brad Roth will be the featured speaker for Ohio Conference’s 2021 missional conference on March 4 and 5. The theme of this online event will be “Come and See! The Mission of the Church in God’s Country.” Please see the event brochure for more information. To register online, go to https://bit.ly/2021MissionalConference.
Weekend College to focus on pastoring through COVID
The Center for Anabaptist Leadership and Learning at Hesston College will host a special online Weekend College event for pastors, congregational leaders and conference leaders on Feb. 20. The event is titled “What If They Don’t Come Back? Pastoring through COVID.” Event attendance is open to all. Those interested in attending can register online at www.hesston.edu/weekendcollege.
‘Thriving Together’ is conference theme
ELKHART, Indiana — Offering church leaders space to “be” while learning how to thrive as leaders and congregations in the midst of the unprecedented disruption of COVID-19 will be the focus of Pastors and Leaders 2021, an annual conference of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana. The event, which will be held online for the first time, will…
AMBS offers worship materials to congregations
Recognizing the toll that COVID-19 has had on pastors and worship planners over the last eight months, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary is offering several elements of a worship service for congregational use. Included are a call to worship and a prayer, as well as videos containing a scripture presentation, songs and a sermon featuring the story of Jesus in the…
Worldwide prayer gatherings planned
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) is hosting two online prayer hour gatherings on Jan. 15 and 16 for Mennonite church members from around the world to pray together. Both gatherings will include a chance for participants to separate into smaller language-based rooms to pray together. To learn more, see https://bit.ly/2021MWCPrayer.
Call for immigration reform renewed
A note from the Immigration Resource Team: The Evangelical Immigration Table soon will be introducing a series of policy recommendations for the new Congress and new presidential administration. These recommendations will be guided by biblical principles, but one core element of those proposals will be renewing a call for an earned legalization process for undocumented immigrants based on the principle…
Online spiritual direction retreat set for Feb. 16
Ohio Conference will hold “The Joy of Rest,” a spiritual direction retreat for pastors, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Zoom videoconferencing platform. Led by pastor, teacher and spiritual director Dan Schrock, this retreat will focus on spiritual practices, including sabbath. The registration fee for this event is $15. For more information, please see…
Four winter delegate meetings planned
Update: Two of the winter regional meetings for delegates have been rescheduled. The revised meeting schedule is listed below. Ohio Conference will hold online winter meetings for delegates to Annual Conference Assembly. Four regional meetings are scheduled: Tuesday, Feb. 2 — Wayne County/Holmes County Thursday, Feb. 4 — West Central/Southwest Ohio Tuesday, Feb. 9 — Northeast Ohio Thursday, Feb. 11…
Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday is Jan. 24
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) invites all Anabaptist congregations to celebrate Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday on Jan. 24, 2021. Each year MWC provides worship planning resources for use on Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday. Worship materials for 2021 were prepared by Asian church leaders on the theme “Following Jesus across barriers,” based on the texts Isaiah 55:1-6, Psalm 27, John 4:1-42 and…
Explore Anabaptist approaches to scripture
Online through AMBS: Understanding Anabaptist Approaches to Scripture (Feb. 10 – March 23). Join Loren Johns, Ph.D., to study ways in which 16th-century Anabaptists approached Scripture both similarly to and differently from Catholics and other Protestants. This six-week online short course from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary now includes weekly video conversations with Loren. Sign up by Jan. 13 and save…
MCC podcast tells stories of migration
Check out the new “On the Move — En Movimiento” podcast from Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) that uses storytelling to challenge current narratives of migration. In the first episode, Ron Byler, recently retired executive director for MCC U.S., reflects on his January 2020 pilgrimage along the southern U.S. border. Ron drove and walked along the border wall and visited with…
Peace Center plans online workshops
Update: Please note that the date for Healthy Congregations has been changed to Jan. 30. Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (LMPC) is offering two of its workshops, Conflict Transformation Skills for Churches and Healthy Congregations, online during January. Both workshops will take place on Zoom. Conflict Transformation Skills for Churches will take place Jan. 16 from 8 a.m. ET to 3:30 p.m.…
Voices Together dedication is Dec. 13
A reminder for music lovers: MennoMedia is holding an online dedication launch event for the new Voices Together hymnal on Dec. 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. ET. The event will include both a time of worship and an overview of the creation process for the hymnal. Although the event is free, registration is required to receive the Zoom link.…
Goshen College offers online Advent devotions
As the Advent season begins, Goshen College is offering online devotions once again. Beginning Nov. 23 and culminating on Christmas Day, Goshen College students, faculty and staff will provide reflections three days each week based on the upcoming Sunday’s lectionary Scripture passages, available online at www.goshen.edu/devotions. To receive these devotions by email, go to www.goshen.edu/devotions/subscribe. Writers will reflect on the…
Deficit increases slightly during October
Ohio Conference’s deficit increased slightly during October, according to figures provided by Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Expenses for October totaled $33,829, while receipts during the same time period were slightly lower, $32,631. As a result, the Conference had a deficit of $1,198 for the month. As of Oct. 31, the Conference showed a deficit of $22,502 for the 2020-21 fiscal…
Ohio MCC Comforter Bash is postponed
The Ohio MCC Comforter Bash originally scheduled for April 2021 has been postponed for one year. In the meantime, MCC encourages you to continue making comforters for MCC in your homes or churches. These handmade comforters bring hope and comfort to the people who receive them. They provide not only warmth, but also a tangible message that their needs are…
Hurricane recovery donations sought
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) asks for support for Central American hurricane recovery: Not one hurricane, but two hurricanes within two weeks have caused extensive flooding in Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Hurricanes Eta and Iota have destroyed crops and forced people from their homes. MCC is working with churches and community organizations to provide emergency food, hygiene supplies and cleanup support.…
Journey program at AMBS offers theological training
When God calls someone to ministry, a journey begins. Perhaps you are on that journey. Perhaps you are looking for mentors and companions along the way. Ohio Conference invites you to join Journey: A Missional Leadership Development Program. This program from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary is for pastors and other congregational leaders who are called without specific training for ministry…
Board to discuss 2020 relief sale results
The Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale Board will discuss results from the 2020 sale during a Zoom meeting Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. If you would like to join this meeting and hear about the results, see https://bit.ly/ReliefSaleWrap-Up.