Faith
Register online for Women in Leadership Retreat
One role of ministry leaders is to notice and affirm the gifts of those in your congregation. The planning committee of this winter’s Ohio Conference Women in Leadership Retreat would like you to begin thinking now about women in your congregation that you could encourage to attend. We would love to see each congregation send at least one woman, preferably more!…
Explore a call to ministry with Journey
When God calls someone to leadership, 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 is for lay leaders, pastors, church planters, and other emerging leaders who are called without specific training for ministry or…
Grateful
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister As I look toward finishing my time of serving as conference minister, I am grateful to God for the opportunity to have worked with all the many great people of Ohio Conference — the leadership teams, the staff, the pastors and other credentialed leaders, delegates, and congregational members and attenders. In the midst of challenging…
Putting the focus on social justice
By Nathanael Hofstetter Ressler Note: This year Grace & Groundings, Ohio Conference’s racial reconciliation resource team, invited Ohio Conference churches to set aside Sunday, June 18, as Social Justice Sunday. The Grace & Groundings team provided worship planning resources for Social Justice Sunday. Below, Nathanael Hofstetter Ressler, pastor of Maple Grove Mennonite Church in Hartville, reflects on his congregation’s experience…
Pastors meet for discussion and discernment
On Aug. 16 Ohio Conference hosted its annual all pastors gathering at the Upper Sandusky Community Library. There were 32 credentialed ministers in attendance, representing 24 of our congregations. The day was facilitated by our process consultant, Jeanne Zimmerly Jantzi of Design Group International. Jeanne’s focus was on helping the pastors discern God’s future vision for Ohio Conference and…
Series to explore generosity and stewardship
Starting this month MennoMedia is offering three online sessions focused on generosity and stewardship, featuring input from consultants at Everence. Beginning Thursday, Aug. 17, the monthly sessions will unpack the “why” behind our giving and provide input on specific charitable tools that you can use to support the causes and organizations that are important to you. All sessions begin at…
Gen Z challenge focuses on creation care
Mennonite Creation Care Network is challenging young people to actively care for the planet through its Generation Z Energy and Spirit Challenge, which runs through April 2024. Jennifer Halteman Schrock, director of Mennonite Creation Care Network, describes the challenge as “a friendly competition to embrace our Anabaptist calling as earth keepers, reduce our carbon footprints, nurture environmental leadership, and utilize…
RSVPs requested for pastor meeting
A reminder for pastors: On Wednesday, Aug. 16, Ohio Conference will be hosting our annual All Active Credentialed Ministers Gathering at the Upper Sandusky Community Library from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This is an important gathering, as our process consultant, Jeanne Zimmerly Jantzi, will once again be facilitating the gathering to help us discern God’s vision for the future of…
ADN creates accessible baptism curriculum
Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADN) has published Believing and Belonging: An Accessible Anabaptist Membership Curriculum for youth and adults with intellectual disabilities. Written by ADN Executive Director Jeanne Davies, this curriculum fills the increasing need for curriculum written specifically for youth and adults with intellectual disabilities. This curriculum has 36 lessons covering God’s first people, the story of Jesus, the story…
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.
New resources are available for leadership training and faith formation
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate In this column I would like to highlight two new sets of resources, one for leadership training and one for faith formation. Practical Leadership Training In August Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) is beginning a new program called Practical Leadership Training. This program is designed to equip not only pastors, but also lay…
MC USA Executive Board peace and justice ministries to include Mennonite Creation Care Network
ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) Executive Board is strengthening its ongoing commitment to creation care and climate justice by expanding its Peace & Justice ministries to include Mennonite Creation Care Network (MCCN). The transition is the result of a mutual agreement with Everence®, an agency of MC USA that has previously provided administrative services…
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.
A Vision Beyond Ourselves
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister As a conference of Anabaptist Mennonite churches across Ohio and the surrounding states we find ourselves at the beginning of our second year of discerning together God’s vision for us as we look to the future. Over the past year our process consultant, Jeanne Zimmerly Jantzi, met with our credentialed leaders and congregational delegates to…
Free study guide now available
Believe and Be Baptized, a free study guide about baptism, is now available for Ohio Conference congregations. The study guide was produced by the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism (ISGA). Written by John D. Roth in collaboration with Tom Yoder Neufeld, the study guide reflects on topics discussed during the Lutheran-Mennonite-Roman Catholic Trilateral Conversation on Baptism. Believe and…
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. A handmade comforter provides not only warmth but also a tangible message to people that their…
Check out these new Lenten resources
The Soil and The Seed Project has released a new collection of free resources for Lent, Easter and Pentecost. Included are a new album of music, “Little Liturgies,” art, and lyrics/chord/lead sheets. To download these resources, go to https://www.thesoilandtheseedproject.org/vol-6. For more information about the Soil and The Seed Project, see https://www.thesoilandtheseedproject.org/about.
2023 Lent at Home guide now available
ELKHART, Indinana (Mennonite Education Agency) — “Created in the Image of God, Shaped By Jesus” is the theme of the Lent at Home 2023 worship guide, now available for free at the Mennonite Education Agency (MEA) website: https://bit.ly/2023LentatHome. Using the theme developed for Leader magazine, the guide weaves weekly and daily Scriptures with worship rituals, prayers, activities, and background information…
Winter Read discussion begins
The Ohio Conference Winter Read has returned! Once again this winter Ohio Conference is holding a Conference-wide book study using the Zoom videoconferencing platform. 2023 marks the second year for the Winter Read. Last year, more than 60 people participated in discussions about the book Be the Bridge by Latasha Morrison. This year Winter Read participants are studying Just Mercy, a…
Radical Love and Radical Discipleship
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister 2023 marks 25 years since I joined the Mennonite Church. It has certainly been an interesting journey, first as a congregational member, then an associate pastor, lead pastor, and now as a conference minister. As I found myself on a one-month sabbatical during December, it caused me to reflect on why I joined the Mennonite…
Dwelling in the Word together
Participants from across the Conference reflect on Scripture reading initiative When Sue Short, collaborative minister at Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, heard about Ohio Conference’s Dwelling in the Word Scripture reading initiative, she was excited about the plan. “That’s something that’s important to me — encouraging folks to read Scripture, and however that can happen, I’m on board for that.…
Register now for the Winter Read
Coming in January: The Ohio Conference Winter Read. This winter Ohio Conference will once again hold a Conference-wide book study using the Zoom videoconferencing platform. This year we will be studying Just Mercy, a book by Bryan Stevenson. Bryan Stevenson was the speaker at Eastern Mennonite University’s spring 2022 commencement ceremony. He is the executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative…
Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.
Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This is a day that remembers the nonviolent approach to racial justice that was led by minister and activist Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Grace & Groundings,” Ohio Conference’s racial reconciliation resource team, invites you to use the previous Sunday – Jan. 15, 2023 – to remember the work…
Holy Indifference
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister In my last article for the Evangel, I wrote about the spiritual discipline of Christian discernment. As individual Christians we should be discerning the will of God in our beliefs, decisions and actions each and every day. Our discernment of God’s will for our lives should be based on what has been revealed to us…
Check out these Advent resources
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate As we move into the season of Advent, Mennonite Church USA and CommonWord have Advent resources for individuals, families and congregations. “Restoration is Near!” is the theme of the Advent at Home 2022 worship guide, now available at the Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) website: https://mennoniteusa.org/adventathome. Using the theme developed for Leader magazine, the…
Camp Luz to offer personal retreat
Camp Luz in Kidron will hold a personal retreat Nov. 11-12. Check in will be from 6:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday, and the retreat will end at 6:45 p.m. Saturday. Cost for this retreat is $60 per person. The registration cost covers three meals and lodging. The retreat will feature a silence and solitude schedule, including a handout. Register…
Podcast features OrrVilla CEO
Myron Weaver, CEO of OrrVilla Retirement Community and chair of Ohio Conference’s Credentialing Ministry, is the featured guest on the most recent episode of “On Leading,” a video podcast from Mennonite Health Services. See this brief (five minute) interview at https://bit.ly/MHSPodcast-MyronWeaver.
Anabaptism at 500 seeks 500 study groups
HARRISONBURG, VA — The Anabaptism at 500 project is looking for 500 study groups from a broad spectrum of Anabaptist communities to participate in creating the first-ever Anabaptist Bible. People from all Anabaptist traditions, including Mennonites, Amish, the Church of the Brethren, Brethren in Christ, Hutterites, and the Bruderhof, are invited to form study groups and submit their insights for…
Foundations for Justice webinar series planned
As part of Ohio Conference’s continuing education regarding anti-racism and intercultural competency, we are offering a three-part “Foundations for Justice Series,” to be held virtually from 7 to 8:15 p.m. on three Thursdays — Oct. 20, Nov. 3, and Nov. 17. This training series will be led by Nekeisha Alayna Alexis, Intercultural Competence and Undoing Racism Coordinator at Anabaptist Mennonite…
Women’s Retreat planned for October
“Light of the World,” based on Matthew 5:14-16, will be the theme of the annual Women’s Retreat at Camp Luz in Kidron on Oct. 14-15. Although the final input session will take place Saturday afternoon, retreat participants also will have the option to stay at the camp overnight until Sunday morning, Oct. 16. Speaker for this year’s retreat will be…