Announcements
Register for Pastor-Spouse Retreat by Sept. 1
Pastors: Are you planning on attending the Ohio Conference Pastor-Spouse Retreat? The retreat will take place Nov. 10-12 at Deer Creek State Park Lodge and Conference Center in Mt. Sterling, Ohio. Registration is due by Sept. 1, 2023. For more information, see https://bit.ly/2023Pastor-SpouseBrochure. To register, go to https://bit.ly/2023Pastor-SpouseRetreat.
Anabaptist World reports on MC USA delegate assembly
On July 7 Mennonite Church USA delegates narrowly rejected a recommendation to lengthen the delegate assembly cycle from two years to three. See the report from Anabaptist World for more details about the 2023 delegate assembly: https://bit.ly/DelegateAssembly2023Report.
Anabaptist World seeks submissions
Anabaptist World invites your original submissions for an upcoming issue focusing on the theme “resisting Christian nationalism.” Articles should be between 600 and 1,200 words. For more information about this theme, see https://bit.ly/AWResistingChristianNationalism. Submissions are due to editor@anabaptistworld.org no later than July 24, 2023.
MCC to offer immigration law training
Mennonite Central Committee is hosting an in-person Basic Immigration Law Training Sept. 11-15 in Akron, Pennsylvania. This 40-hour training will be conducted using the curriculum of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC). This course will help to provide the necessary training component for individuals who wish to apply for accreditation from the Department of Justice (DOJ). DOJ recognition and accreditation allows…
Mennonite Men to offer one-day retreat
Mennonite Men will hold a Men’s Retreat Saturday, Aug. 19, at Pathways Retreat in Goshen, Indiana. The theme of this half-day retreat will be “Living that Matters for Men.” Steve Thomas, US coordinator for Mennonite Men, will be the retreat leader. For more information, please see the flier included with this issue of Perspective. To register, go to bit.ly/pathways_Living_That_Matters.
MMN announces new service locations
Interested in short-term service? Mennonite Mission Network’s Service Opportunities with Our Partners (SOOP) offers flexible service terms for individuals ages 25+ and families of all ages. Mennonite Mission Network has added three locations to the existing 45 locations across the United States. New service locations include Amigo Centre, Sturgis, Michigan; Open Door Mennonite Church, Jackson, Mississippi; and Menno Haven Camp…
Apply for Ministry Grants by Aug. 4
Do you have an idea for a ministry that could impact your community? Why not apply for a Ministry Grant? The deadline to submit a grant proposal is Friday, Aug. 4. Learn more at http://bit.ly/OCMinistryGrants.
Run 4 Relief set for July 8
The Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale 5K/1K Run will take place Saturday, July 8. Both races will start at the Mt. Hope Event Center. The 1K Fun Run will begin at 7:30 a.m., and the 5K Run will begin at 8 a.m. Every participant will receive a T-shirt, and the top six overall runners will receive an award. Age awards will…
Relief sale auction items pictured online
Reminder: The Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale & Auction will take place July 7-8 at the Mt. Hope Event Center. See a photo gallery of the auction items at https://www.auctionzip.com/Listings/3818778.html.
Golf event to benefit Adriel
Save the date: Adriel will hold its annual benefit golf scramble Sept. 11 at Eagle Rock Golf Club in Defiance, Ohio. For more information, contact Jennifer Butler at 419-906-0228 or email foundation@adriel.org.
MEA Job Board lists education job opportunities
The Mennonite Education Agency Job Board is updated each week. Check https://bit.ly/MEAJobBoard to see job openings at MEA-affiliated schools, colleges and seminaries.
Everence adds staff in NE Ohio
Everence Financial® has announced the addition of Roger Dishong, Justin Wagler and Glenn Black to its staff in Northeast Ohio. For more details, please see Everence – New NE Ohio Staffers.
MMN seeks staff accountant
Mennonite Mission Network is seeking a staff accountant. This position is full time, and could be either in office, hybrid or remote. The staff accountant will oversee budget development and monitor budget performance. This position will also be the liaison between finance and other departments and work teams and cross-train to cover other finance functions as necessary. For more information,…
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.