Announcements
Open Arms Hispanic Ministries seeks new executive director
Haroldo Nunes, executive director of Open Arms Hispanic Ministries, has announced his resignation, effective at the end of July 2023. He plans to move to Florida to be closer to family. Open Arms is seeking a new executive director. Please see https://open-arms.us/ed/ for details. A PDF with the complete job description is available at https://bit.ly/OpenArmsExecDir.
Webinar explores best practices for technology in worship
Anabaptist Worship Network recently offered a webinar about best practices for audio visual technology in worship. A recording is available at https://bit.ly/AudioVisualTechinWorship. Viewers can learn from expert panelists on a range of issues related to practical and artistic concerns for sound and images, with takeaways for both beginning and advanced technicians.
Conference ends first month of 2023-24 with a deficit
Ohio Conference ended the first month of the 2023-24 fiscal year with a deficit, according to figures provided by Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts for the month of April totaled just $12,451, including $12,299 in giving from congregations. Expenses for the month totaled $26,545, resulting in a deficit of $14,094 for the month.
Relief sale schedule available
The Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale & Auction will take place July 7-8 at the Mt. Hope Event Center. For more information, see the relief sale poster and the most recent Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale newsletter. 2023 Ohio Relief Sale Poster 2023-Ohio Relief Sale Newsletter
SEMILLA leadership to visit NE Ohio
SEMILLA Seminary Meet and Greet — Come join us for a meet and greet with visitors from SEMILLA Latin American Anabaptist Seminary, located in Guatemala City, which provides biblical, theological and leadership training to over 700 adult students annually throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Meet the leadership of SEMILLA and hear the latest updates on Saturday, June 3, 2-5…
AMBS offers Ministry Integrity Circles
Pastors, do you need help with ministry transitions or significant challenges? Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s (AMBS) Ministry Integrity Circles program provides the support of consultants within a community of peers. The Spring 2023 cohort begins June 26 and is free to participants. This program includes an initial in-person session at AMBS on June 26-27. Other sessions will take place over…
Mental health resources available from CommonWord
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. CommonWord, a collaboration of Mennonite Church Canada and Canadian Mennonite University, has curated a collection of mental health-related resources. To view the collection, see https://www.commonword.ca/Browse/3117.
MEA launches redesigned website
Mennonite Education Agency (MEA) recently debuted its redesigned website. The new website offers user-friendly search features for degree programs and faith formation resources, a communications hub for news from across Mennonite education and Mennonite Church USA, as well as time-honored resources such as a prayer calendar, job board, and enrollment reports. To learn more about MEA’s mission and work, and…
Anabaptist World seeks poetry submissions
Anabaptist World is seeking poetry for inclusion in its digital offerings. The editors are looking for original poems that relate to the church calendar, as well as poems engaging theological themes that can speak to readers at any time of the year. When submitting poems, please do so in a Word document, and send up to three preferably unpublished poems…
MCC introduces Climate Action for Peace
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is holding a special online launch event to introduce its new Climate Action for Peace campaign. This webinar will be held Tuesday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. ET. To learn more or to register, go to https://bit.ly/MCCClimateActionWebinar. Webinar participants will learn about how people around the world, with the help of MCC’s partners, are taking action…
MWC plans online prayer hour
Mennonite World Conference will hold an online prayer hour on Friday, May 19, at 10 a.m. ET. There will be breakout rooms with a prayer leader in several languages. To register, go to https://bit.ly/MWCPrayerMay2023.
Updated office hours announced
Please note: Administrative Assistant Judy King’s office hours for answering phone calls and responding to emails will be Monday through Thursday, effective immediately. You may contact her at ohmc@zoominternet.net or 330-857-5421.
MC USA delegate to consider three resolutions
The Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) Executive Board met in Los Angeles April 13-14, 2023. The board voted to forward three proposed organizational resolutions to the Delegate Assembly, including one that recommends shifting the Delegate Assembly to a three-year, or triennial, cycle. See a full report on the MC USA website: https://bit.ly/4-23ExecutiveBoardMeeting.
AMBS offers tuition matching grants
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary offers grants of up to $2,000 per academic year to match contributions that congregations, conferences and regional churches make toward a full-time graduate student’s tuition costs — whether they’re studying on campus or at a distance. Learn more at https://bit.ly/AMBSMatchingGrants.
April issue of MWC Courier focuses on creation care
The April issue of Courier, the publication of Mennonite World Conference, includes several articles from around the world focusing on creation care. Also included are resources for Young Anabaptists Fellowship Week and a profile of the church in France. To download a copy of this issue, go to https://bit.ly/April2023Courier.
EMU to host peacebuilding conference
Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, will hold the third Global Mennonite Peacebuilding Conference and Festival June 15-18. The theme of this gathering is “Coming Together: The Journey of Faith and Peace.” The Global Mennonite Peacebuilding Conference and Festival brings together Mennonite practitioners, artists and theologians from around the world to learn, share and discuss their work for peace. The…
CLC meets in San Antonio
The Constituency Leaders Council (CLC) of Mennonite Church USA met March 23-25 in San Antonio, Texas. The CLC provided feedback on three proposed organizational resolutions from the Executive Board at its meeting. See a report about the meeting at https://bit.ly/3-23CLCMeeting.
Journey Award honors stewardship role models
Who is your role model when it comes to being a responsible steward of their gifts and resources – including time, talent, money, health and the earth? Nominate them for the annual Everence® Journey Award! Nominations are due by April 30. See https://evrnce.com/igf for more information or to nominate someone.
2023 Missional Workshop has been canceled
The 2023 Missional Workshop scheduled for April 15 has been canceled. Registration fees are being refunded.
MWC requests prayer for victims of cyclone
Mennonite World Conference is requesting prayer for Anabaptist-Mennonite church members in Malawi and Mozambique who have been affected by Cyclone Freddy, an exceptionally long-lived tropical storm that battered the region for more than five weeks with heavy rains and high winds. See https://bit.ly/PrayerRequestCycloneFreddy for more details.
Summit Mennonite Church is meeting in new location
Summit Mennonite Church, formerly located in Barberton, is now meeting nearby in Norton. The congregation is renting space at the Grace United Church of Christ of Loyal Oak, 3285 S. Cleveland Massillon Road, Norton. Summit Mennonite’s email address is summit2mennonite@gmail.com. The congregation’s mailing address is as follows: Summit Mennonite Church, PO Box 296, Wadsworth OH 44282. To contact Summit Mennonite…
MDS March newsletter is now available
The March edition of On the Level is now available from Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS). In this issue: Executive Director Kevin King shares his experiences of working on an MDS project in Dulac, Louisiana; a home dedication in Kentucky provides visible reminders that God cares; and MDS Canada returns to Cape Bretton to repair damage from Hurricane Fiona. To read this…
‘Dealing with Crises’ is webinar topic
“It’s not a matter of if, but when a crisis will happen.” — Dr. Curt Bechler Anabaptist Communicators is hosting a webinar on the topic “Dealing with Crises.” This webinar featuring Dr. Curt Bechler, a specialist in crisis and conflict management, will take place on Thursday, March 30, from noon to 1 p.m. EST. The webinar is free to all,…
Relief sale board to hold kick-off meeting March 28
The Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale & Auction Board will hold its annual kick-off meeting Tuesday, March 28, at 6 p.m. This meeting will take place the home of board member Leroy Yoder at 1865 State Route 62, Wilmot, Ohio (located just outside of Winesburg). This year the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale & Auction will have a new date and new…
ACA photos are online
Photos from the 2023 Annual Conference Assembly are posted online at https://bit.ly/ACAPhotos. You also can view them on the Ohio Conference Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OhioConferenceMCUSA. A brief summary video of ACA 2023 will be available by the end of this week. The video also will be posted on Facebook and at https://bit.ly/ACAPhotos.
Register by March 31 for missional workshop
Do you have ideas for ministering to your community, but need motivation to begin making those ideas come to life? Plan now to attend Ohio Conference’s 2023 Missional Workshop at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin on Saturday, April 15. The theme of this interactive workshop is “Outward Church: Mobilizing the church wherever you are.” During this one-day workshop, teams…
Pastor-Spouse Retreat to be held Nov. 10-12
Ohio Conference will hold a 2023 Pastor-Spouse Retreat Nov. 10-12 at Deer Creek State Park Lodge and Conference Center in Mt. Sterling, Ohio, about 32 miles south of Columbus. The theme of this weekend event will be “Fill My Cup.” Cost for this retreat is $250 per couple. Registration is due by Sept. 1, 2023. For more information or to…
MennoCon23 registration has begun
Online registration is open for MennoCon23, Mennonite Church USA’s (MC USA) leading faith formation event, at the Kansas City (Missouri) Convention Center, July 3-6, 2023. Registration is also open for the Youth & Young Adult Climate Summit, July 7, and the Delegate Assembly, July 7-8. Please see the MC USA website for more information and a registration link: https://bit.ly/MennoCon23Registration. The…
Development conference set for Oct. 3-5
The 2023 Everence Development Conference will take place Oct. 3-5 at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This conference is a biennial event designed to equip fundraisers, development professionals, leaders and board members with the tools they need to fund and care for their organization’s mission and vision. Registration for this event opens on April 4. For more…
Ohio MCC Comforter Bash set for April 21-22
Mennonite Central Committee will hold the second annual Ohio MCC Comforter Bash on Friday and Saturday, April 21-22, in the recreation building at the Kidron Community Park, 4434 Kidron Road, Kidron. Everyone is invited to knot comforters for Mennonite Central Committee at this event. MCC will distribute the comforters to people in need around the world. The Comforter Bash will…