Author: Shaquez Dickens
Training to focus on Doctrine of Discovery
MCC Great Lakes is excited to offer a unique training opportunity for individuals to explore and engage with the legacy of colonialism and to understand the intersecting history between Native people and European settlers. This training will use the framework of the Doctrine of Discovery to explore the taking of land from Indigenous people, which led to the justification of…
Deficit increases during May
During May giving to the Ohio Conference was lower than expenses for the second month in a row, according to figures supplied by Ohio Conference Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts during May totaled $19,256, including $18,914 in giving from congregations. Expenses for May were $24,260, resulting in an operating balance of -$5,004 for the month. After the first two months…
Strawberry Festival set for June 22
Salem Mennonite Church in Waldron, Michigan, will hold its third annual Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 22, from 4 to 7 p.m. This fundraising event will feature a variety of foods, including strawberries, ice cream, pulled pork sandwiches, and popcorn. The festival will include activities for all ages, such as inflatables, a car and tractor show, a petting zoo, wagon…
MDT to award Ministry Grants
Ministry Grants are back! Is your congregation looking for a way to fund a ministry that impacts your community? Aug. 5 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. This year the MDT has $24,750 available for grants. Please note…
Pine Grove’s closing service marks 70 years of ministry
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister On June 9 Pine Grove Mennonite Church, just outside of Stryker, Ohio, held its last worship service. It was a time of both grief and celebration. Many recent and former members shared memories of God’s faithfulness during the congregation’s 70 years of ministry in the community. Pastors Gary and Sandy Stuckey led the service with…
Therapy dog assists in ministry
By Vickie Yoder In this essay, Vickie Yoder, a recently retired chaplain, describes the way that Shadow, a therapy dog, has helped in her ministry. Shadow became a certified therapy dog in 2013. He takes his visitation responsibilities quite seriously. When he puts on his vest, he is ready to bring joy and smiles to those he comes in contact…
Laughter, tears and truth-telling at SENT 2019
By Travis Duerksen Mennonite Mission Network ENGLEWOOD, Colorado — More than 80 church leaders from across the country came together for SENT 2019 at Beloved Community Mennonite Church on April 26-28 in Englewood, Colorado. The SENT conference, now in its fourth year, is a peace church conference hosted by Mennonite Mission Network that helps connect, inspire, and equip church leaders…
The Good News people
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” — Luke 4:18-19 (NIV) Jesus…
Newest issue of Vision deals with fear
A new issue of Vision has been released! The Spring 2019 issue of Vision: A Journal for Church and Theology — on the theme “Be not afraid” — is now available for free online. The authors of the essays reflect on resources within the Christian tradition to help us cope with, and even overcome, our fears. You can download this…
New Mennonite Mission Network booklet focuses on making disciples
By Ann Leaman Marvin Lorenzana is the author of the newest booklet in Mennonite Mission Network’s Missio Dei series titled Not just disciples but disciple makers. The director for discipleship initiatives at Mennonite Mission Network, Marvin Lorenzana was one of the speakers at Ohio Conference’s 2018 Annual Conference Assembly and 2018 Gathered and Sent Missional Conference. “Biblical discipleship,” he says,…
MCC plans Peace Camp for young adults
Coming this summer: Peace Camp. Mennonite Central Committee Great Lakes is offering a week-long Peace Camp at Amigo Centre in Sturgis, Michigan, July 21-26. This experience is for young adults ages 18-22 who are interested in learning about a biblical approach to peace and justice. During Peace Camp, young adults will explore the theme of “Responding to Violence” through hands-on…
Anabaptist Disabilities Network offers Barrier-Free Grants for congregations
Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADN) is announcing a new Barrier-Free Grant program that offers financial assistance to congregations for projects that facilitate barrier-free community life. Some examples of projects which would qualify for this grant are accessible restroom projects, classroom support persons, hearing devices, and mental health awareness events. The grant application lists many other examples of qualifying projects. You may…
New resource advocate named
Ohio Conference Editor Ann Leaman has agreed to serve as the Ohio Conference resource advocate. The role of the resource advocate is to be aware of the latest resources from the various Mennonite Church USA groups and to find creative ways to make these resources useful to pastors and lay leaders in congregations. If you have questions about what resources…
MDS has urgent need for volunteers
Mennonite Disaster Service has an urgent need for volunteers at several locations in the United States and Canada during May and June. To learn more, please see https://mds.mennonite.net/volunteer/current-needs/.
Sharon Mennonite to host 2020 ACA
Mark your calendar: The 2020 Annual Conference Assembly of the Ohio Conference will be held March 7, 2020, at Sharon Mennonite Church in Plain City.
The Mennonite seeks submissions for July issue
The Mennonite Inc. invites your original submissions for the July 2019 print magazine issue and corresponding online content focusing on the theme “The Breath of God restores us.” Submissions are due to Editor@TheMennonite.org no later than June 5. For more details, please see http://bit.ly/TheMennoniteJuly2019.
MCC offers to waive fee for borderlands tour
Mennonite Central Committee is sponsoring a Mexico-U.S. Borderlands Learning Tour May 22-26, 2019. A few openings remain for this tour, and MCC has offered to waive the $550 registration fee for pastors and church leaders from its Anabaptist constituency. The only cost for these participants will be the flight to Arizona. For more information, see http://bit.ly/MCCBorderlandsTour.
Walking Roots Band is coming to Ohio
Everence is sponsoring a summer tour of the Walking Roots Band, an acoustic folk and roots music group based in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The tour will include concerts at Salem Mennonite Church in Kidron on June 25 and Lockport Mennonite Church in Stryker on June 26. For more information about this tour, see http://bit.ly/WalkingRootsTour.
Conference begins 2019-20 with a deficit
Ohio Conference is beginning its 2019-20 fiscal year with a deficit, according to figures provided by Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts for the month of April totaled just $13,253, including $12,305 in giving from congregations. Expenses for the month totaled $27,705, resulting in an operating balance of -$14,452 for the month. Even so, expenses were well below the amount budgeted…
Former OC missional consultant to develop new ministry program at Hesston
Hesston College has hired Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg, who formerly served on the pastoral team at Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, as the director for a new ministry program that will begin in development stages this spring. The new ministry program will provide Anabaptist theology and nurture missional leadership for pastors and other church leaders in a distance-based format. It comes as…
Pastor-Spouse Retreat planned for Nov. 15-17
Ohio Conference will hold a Pastor-Spouse Retreat Nov. 15-17 at the Mills Park Hotel in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The theme of the retreat will be “Rest. Rejuvenate. Reconnect.” Because of the number of rooms available at this venue, the retreat is limited to the first 22 couples who register. For more information, please see the 2019 Pastor-Spouse Retreat brochure. To…
Missional festival planned for June 2020
Mark your calendar: Ohio Conference is planning a 2020 Intergenerational Missional Festival to be held at Bluffton University June 26-28, 2020. This event will be for people of all ages.
Healthy Boundaries training available prior to MC USA Convention
Pastors, do you still need to complete the Healthy Boundaries 101 training? This training event will be offered at MennoCon19 in Kansas City, Missouri, for the reduced price of $30. The training will be available in both Spanish and English and will take place on July 2 beginning at 9 a.m. Registration for all pre-convention training events has been extended…
Registration deadline nears for MennoCon19
For all those planning to attend MennoCon19, the Mennonite Church USA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, July 2-6: Time is running out to register at the regular registration rate. Beginning May 1, the registration fee increases to $350 per person. See https://convention.mennoniteusa.org/registration/ for details.
2019-2020 pastor salary guidelines now online
The 2019-2020 MC USA pastor salary guidelines are now posted on the Mennonite Church USA website at http://mennoniteusa.org/resources. This year there is a new link to the Everence website which will help pastors and/or congregational representatives complete the form, which can be printed out when completed.
Peacemaking representatives from Ohio Conference sought
On Tuesday, July 2, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., just prior to the start of the Mennonite Church USA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, there will be a gathering of peacemakers from across the denomination. The gathering planners are looking for two or three representatives from each conference. If you are planning on attending the convention, have a passion…
Pine Grove Mennonite Church to close June 9
Recently the Pine Grove congregation in Stryker, Ohio, discerned God’s will that it was time to close the church after 70 years of faithful ministry in its community. A final worship service marking the closing and celebrating God’s faithfulness over the 70 years will be held Sunday, June 9. Please keep the congregation and its pastors, Gary and Sandy Stuckey,…
Register now for Peacebuilding Institute courses
The 2019 Summer Peacebuilding Institute (SPI) at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, starts in less than one month. Space is still available for additional participants in many of the courses being offered. Matching and partial scholarships are still available, as well as organizational discounts for organizations that send three or more people to SPI. For more information about SPI, please see the…
Central Mennonite’s Prayer Path is missing
Update: Central Mennonite Church’s Prayer Path has been found. Central Mennonite Church in Archbold is looking for its Prayer Path. Have you seen it? It is a labyrinth of sorts painted on fabric. When last seen, it was folded and in a fairly large box. If you have any information concerning the Prayer Path’s whereabouts, please contact Alysa Short at alysashort@gmail.com.
Discount extended for Mediation Skills Institute
Utica United Methodist Church in Sterling Heights, Michigan, will host a Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders May 13-17. This training will be led by staff from the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center. The deadline to register for this training and still receive a $200 registration fee discount has been extended until tomorrow, April 26. For more information, see the…