Announcements

Donations sought for van purchase

Grant funds have been approved toward the purchase of a van for the Akron Swahili Mennonite Church, but more funding is still needed. Please see the Akron Swahili Mennonite Van Project Flier for details on how you can contribute.

Holy Land tour planned for April 2023

In partnership with Friendship Tours (friendshiptours.com), Pastor Ryan Harker (West Clinton Mennonite) will be leading a group on a 10-day tour of Israel on April 18-27, 2023. If you are interested in taking the trip, please sign up as soon as possible. The deadline for signing up is Oct. 1.  For more information, email pastor.ryan@westclinton.church, or call West Clinton at…

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Lee Heights pastor to speak at ‘Women of Faith

Vikki Pruitte-Sorrells, pastor of Lee Heights Community Church in Cleveland, will be one of the featured speakers at “Leaders Inspiring Leaders: Women of Faith Conference,” Friday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, Oct. 2. This conference, hosted at the Mennonite Church USA offices and the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary campus in Elkhart, Indiana, is sponsored by Mennonite Mission Network and Mennonite Women…

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Youth ministry webinar recordings available

This spring Ohio Conference hosted a series of webinars for youth workers. If you missed them, don’t worry: Video recordings of four of these webinars are now posted on the “Youth Ministry” page of the Ohio Conference website. To view them, go to https://bit.ly/OCYouthMinistry.

Sent Network equips church planters

Interested in church planting? The Sent Network is a resource from Mennonite Mission Network designed to explore, equip, and send church-planting leaders where the Spirit leads. The resource’s goal is to assess and educate aspiring church planters, as well as give them information and tools to create new communities of faith. This online resource allows potential church planters to work through 12 modules,…

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Emergency relief supplies distributed in Ukraine

Partners of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Uman, Kharkiv, Nikopol and other places in Ukraine recently distributed emergency relief supplies to more than 16,000 people. Learn more about this relief effort at https://mcc.org/stories/rockets-rosebushes-relief.

Webinar to explain health care plan

Did you know that Mennonite Church USA has a health plan? The Corinthian Plan provides health coverage for eligible pastors, church employees and their families. Learn more about the Corinthian Plan during an upcoming webinar on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. ET. Current participants of the plan are also welcome to ask questions. To register, go to https://bit.ly/Sept20CorinthianPlan.

MEDA event to highlight work in Haiti

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites you to learn more about MEDA’s work of economic development in Haiti. On Tuesday, Sept. 13, the Northeast Ohio Hub of MEDA will host a gathering from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Venture Heritage Farm, 13777 Arnold Road, Dalton, Ohio. The event will include authentic Haitian hors d’oeuvres and updates from the field with…

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Has your congregation appointed ACA delegates?

A reminder for congregations: Please be sure your congregation has delegates appointed prior to the fall delegate gatherings in September and early October. Once your congregation has appointed delegates, please send their names and contact information to Judy King at the conference office at ohmc@zoominternet.net. This year the Ohio Conference Leadership Team is encouraging each congregation to appoint an alternate…

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Congregation offers hymnals

Salem Mennonite Church in Elida has used copies of Hymnal: A Worship Book, Sing the Journey and Sing the Story that they would like to pass on to a congregation or ministry that would put them to good use. If you are interested, contact Pastor Paula at pastor@salemmennonite.com.

Retreat will focus on ‘Joy in the Journey’

Ohio Conference will hold a retreat for wives of Ohio Conference pastors on Nov. 4-6, 2022, at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin, Ohio. Miriam Zehr will be the speaker for this retreat, which will explore the theme “Joy in the Journey.” For more details, please see the retreat brochure. Register online by Oct. 7 at https://bit.ly/JoyintheJourneyRetreat.

Grant supports conflict transformation program

Eastern Mennonite University has been awarded a grant of $998,606 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support Eastern Mennonite Seminary’s development of a new interdisciplinary pastoral leadership institute that will offer workshops, courses and trainings on conflict transformation. The institute opens this fall. For more information about this grant, see the EMU website: https://bit.ly/ConflictTransformationGrant.

LMPC to offer ‘Restorative Conversations’

Coming in 2023: Lombard Mennonite Peace Center will be offering a new one-day workshop called “Restorative Conversations: Storytelling, Healing and Community Building.” This one-day workshop will introduce church leaders to the key concepts of circle processes and ways in which circles can be used within their congregations. Restorative conversations are useful when working through difficult or polarizing topics, processing shared painful experiences,…

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MEA schools seek staff members

Central Christian School in Kidron and a number of other schools affiliated with Mennonite Education Agency are still seeking staff members for the 2022-23 school year. Please see https://bit.ly/MEAJobs8-4-22 for a listing of these job positions.

Register for Mentor/Mentee Retreat by Aug. 16

Last call: Aug. 16 is the deadline to register for the Ohio Conference Mentor/Mentee Retreat. This retreat for newer pastors and their mentors will take place Sept. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin. Terry Shue will provide input, along with representatives from Ohio Conference. Register online at https://bit.ly/2022Mentor-MenteeRetreat.

Column shares thoughts on words for worship

Darrin Snyder Belousek, a member of Salem Mennonite Church in Elida, shares thoughts about the words we use in worship in a recent “Menno Snapshots” column on the MC USA website. Read his column at https://bit.ly/WordsforWorshipColumn.

Mentor/Mentee registration deadline is Aug. 16

Aug. 16 is the deadline to register for the Mentor/Mentee Retreat. This event, which is designed for newer pastors and their mentors, will take place Sept. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin. Terry Shue will provide input, along with representatives from Ohio Conference. To register, go to https://bit.ly/2022Mentor-MenteeRetreat.

You’re invited to Dwell in the Word with us

As Ohio Conference enters into a period of review and discernment, Conference Minister Dick Barrett is inviting all members of Ohio Conference congregations to read through the entire New Testament. To download a copy of the scripture reading schedule, go to https://bit.ly/OCDwellingintheWord.

Ministry Grant proposals due Aug. 1

Last call: Aug. 1 is the deadline to submit a grant proposal for an Ohio Conference Ministry Grant. The Ministry Development Team (MDT) is accepting proposals from Conference congregations and related organizations for projects and mission initiatives. The MDT has $15,225 available for grants this year. Learn more and apply online at http://bit.ly/MinistryGrants.

MWC Assembly 17 report and photos available

Mennonite World Confer­ence’s Assembly 17 in Sema­rang, Indonesia, concluded on July 10. For a report on Assembly 17, see https://bit.ly/MWCAssembly17Report. An album of photos from Assembly 17 is available on Flickr: https://bit.ly/Assembly17Photos.

Workshop to focus on conflict transformation

Lombard Mennonite Peace Center is offering a one-day work­shop, “Conflict Transformation Skills for Churches.” This train­ing event will be held in person in September and online in No­vember. “Conflict Transformation Skills for Churches” will be offered in person on Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Trinity Cathedral in Phoenix, Arizona. In addition, the same training will be…

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MEA-affiliated schools seek staff members

Central Christian School in Kidron and a number of other schools affiliated with Mennonite Education Agency are seeking staff members. Please see https://bit.ly/MEAJobs7-7-22  for a listing of these job positions.

MCC raises $8.8 million for Ukraine relief work

Thanks to the donations of many individuals, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) has raised $8.8 million to respond to the needs of the people of Ukraine. See MCC’s website for details: https://bit.ly/MCCUkraineDonations.

AMBS offers Transition to Leadership Program

Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary is offering a Transition to Leadership Program. This program guides new pastors during the crucial first years of ministry through one-on-one mentoring, regular gatherings with peers, and learning sessions. It is free to participants who begin in Fall 2022. The Fall 2022 cohort starts Nov. 10; apply by Oct. 10. Learn more at https://www.ambs.edu/transition-to-leadership.

Golf event to benefit Adriel

Adriel will hold a benefit golf scramble Monday, Sept. 12, at 12:30 p.m. at the Eagle Rock Golf Club in Defiance. Proceeds benefit children in Northwest Ohio and throughout the state through Adriel’s foster care and adoption, clinical services, family preservation, and training programs. For more information, see https://www.adriel.org/adriel-golf-outings.

MC USA invites applications for Justice Fund grants

Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is seeking applicants for its Justice Fund grants. The Justice Fund supports MC USA congregations that are working to combat poverty, dismantle racism, address immigration reform or reimagine policing. For more information, see the MC USA website: https://bit.ly/2022JusticeFundGrants.