Faith
What exactly is the Church, anyway?
By Hannah Troyer Summit Mennonite Church Hannah Troyer is a member of Summit Mennonite Church. She shared this sermon at Summit Mennonite in September 2017. When I was growing up, I attended a church that met in the old auditorium at Stark State College in Canton. I remember as a little girl, running around playing tag with all the other…
Oak Grove Mennonite Church — a profile in God’s faithfulness
By Paul J. Miller By 1815, at least 16 Amish families were landowners in Wayne County, Ohio. The small community had its first resident minister, Christian Brandt, who was ordained in Switzerland. Bishop David Zook moved into the region from Mifflin County, Pa. With ministerial leadership present, the Amish families began to meet as a congregation by 1818. By…
Missional Network to begin in summer
By Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg Ohio Conference Missional Consultant All Ohio Conference congregations are invited to join the Ohio Conference Missional Network. Representatives from this network of congregations will begin meeting and working together during the summer of 2018. The purpose and expectation of those who sign up for Ohio Conference’s Missional Network cohort is to equip congregations in both intentional discipleship…
Rooted and Grounded returns to AMBS
Save the date! On Sept. 27–29, 2018, Rooted and Grounded: A Conference on Land and Christian Discipleship will take place at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana. Imagine and embody alternative ways of relating to the land that cultivate shalom among human beings, the rest of creation and God. This three-day event will weave together worship, theology, biblical study and praxis. Keynote…
Missional conference focuses on evangelism and discipleship
Just prior to Annual Conference Assembly, the Ohio Conference held the Gathered and Sent Missional Conference at Bluffton University March 8-9. One hundred eight people from across the Conference participated in this event. During four sessions, speakers Meghan Good and Marvin Lorenzana challenged common assumptions about evangelism and discipleship. Meghan Good, the teaching pastor at Trinity Mennonite Church in Glendale,…
Laughter is Sacred Space coming to Springfield
Laughter is Sacred Space, performed by Ted and Co., is coming to Springfield, Ohio, on Friday, May 4, at 7p.m. at the John Legend Theater, 700 S. Limestone St., Springfield. The event is a collaborative effort of Southside Mennonite Church, Huber Mennonite Church and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) along with several mental healthcare resources. The Ohio Conference also has provided…
The Wheelhouse – A bicycle ministry in the city
“We don’t feel like we were particularly gifted to do this. Every time, though, we were worried about something — like where would we store the bikes, how would we learn how to fix bikes — every time we were worried about that, something came forward. An answer came from God.” — Ginny Cress, speaking about the Wheelhouse, a bicycle ministry…
Evangelism and discipleship – How are they related?
What’s the relationship between evangelism and discipleship? Ohio Conference Cast hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour discuss this question with Meghan Good and Marvin Lorenzana, the speakers at the Gathered and Sent Missional Conference at Bluffton University. https://media.blubrry.com/3716337/ohiomennoniteconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/18_03_09_MissionalConf_Submitted.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS
Stories from Tanzania – seeking peace and dealing with difficult issues
“We have been praying for you [Mennonite Church USA],” says Bishop Amos Muhagachi, a leader in the Tanzanian Mennonite Church who is currently studying at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn talk with Bishop Amos Muhagachi about his experiences with seeking peace on the national level…
Event focuses on ‘Reading the Bible with Jesus’
Updated March 26 Salem Mennonite Church in Kidron hosted a four-session Bible study on the book of Mark with Bryan Moyer Suderman, “Reading the Bible with Jesus,” Feb. 16-17. Fifty people participated. On Sunday, Feb. 18, Bryan Moyer Suderman visited Summit Mennonite Church in Barberton, taking part in the morning worship service and performing a community concert for all ages. An…
21st Century Discipleship and the Parable of the Sower: A Contemporary Rendition
By Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg A farmer knew that he was supposed to go out and sow some seeds. The seed was to bear much fruit and nourish and give life to the nations, abundant life. But the farmer didn’t want to get his shoes dirty. So he gathered little packets of seed samples with a set of instructions and hung them…
Lenten resource is for families
Anabaptist Faith Formation Network is offering a free at home Lenten worship resource for families titled Between Me & You. Written by Elsie Remple and illustrated by Megan Kamei, this resource includes daily Bible readings, songs, hands-on activities and questions to ponder together. To download this resource, go to http://bit.ly/2018LentenResource. To see more resources available from Anabaptist Faith Formation, go…
Bluffton student develops social justice curriculum
By Cara Echols BLUFFTON, Ohio – Emily Short wears many hats. A bible and theology major with three minors (psychology, sociology, and peace and conflict studies) at Bluffton University, she recently used her knowledge in all of those areas along with a desire for social change to create an innovative summer camp curriculum. A senior from Archbold, Ohio, Short constructed…
Conference to focus on evangelism, discipleship
Gathered and Sent, a missional conference, will precede the 2018 Annual Conference Assembly. It will take place March 8-9 at Bluffton University. Presenters will be Meghan Good, teaching pastor at Trinity Mennonite Church in Glendale, Arizona, and Marvin Lorenzana, discipleship initiatives director at Mennonite Mission Network. This conference will focus on growing as a good news community. Join us as…
‘Reading the Bible with Jesus’ coming to Ohio
Salem Mennonite Church in Kidron will host “Reading the Bible with Jesus,” an inspirational four-session Bible study on the book of Mark with Bryan Moyer Suderman Feb. 16-17. An itinerant Bible teacher and singer-songwriter from Kitchener, Ontario, Bryan Moyer Suderman has spent more than 25 years finding creative ways to engage people of all ages in scripture. He is a…
Promoting healthy boundaries in our churches
Pastors and church leaders are called to the sacred trust of serving and nurturing others, but it can be a challenge to fulfill this calling in a culture that celebrates the absence of limits and boundaries. Without boundaries, trust can be destroyed. To deal with this serious issue, Ohio Conference is providing healthy boundaries training for all credentialed persons in…
Immigration workshop planned in Millersburg
Millersburg Mennonite Church will host a workshop, “Immigration Myths, Realities and Public Policy,” on Saturday, Jan. 27, 1-2:30 p.m. This workshop will seek to bring clarity around immigration issues, as well as share the impact that immigration policy has on families affected by it. If you are interested in having your immigration questions answered, learning creative ways to respond or…
‘Reading the Bible with Jesus’ coming to Ohio
Salem Mennonite Church in Kidron will host “Reading the Bible with Jesus,” an inspirational four-session Bible study on the book of Mark with Bryan Moyer Suderman Feb. 16-17. What can followers of Jesus today learn from Jesus’ approach to scripture? What if today’s Christians not only sought to imitate how Jesus lived and how he treated people, but also how…
Missional Conference Preview with Meghan Good
How do we communicate our faith as Anabaptists? What is the mission that God has entrusted to the church, and how do we actually, practically go about doing that effectively? The guest for this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Meghan Good, is interested in helping believers think about these questions. Meghan Good is the teaching pastor at Trinity Mennonite…
Advent At Home guide is for families
Central Plains Mennonite Conference and www.AnabaptistFaithFormation.org are offering a free, downloadable guide for family worship during Advent written by Elsie Rempel. This resource, titled Yes! Let it Be!, is designed for parents to use at home with their children. For use between Dec. 3 and Jan. 6, the worship guide includes a daily Bible reading, short litany, songs, hands-on activities and…
Pastor-Spouse Retreat offers time away for couples
Twenty-five couples took part in the Ohio Conference Pastor-Spouse Retreat at Mohican State Park on Nov. 10-12. Resource speakers for the weekend were James Lapp and Miriam Book, and Tim Shue led music. The weekend also included a chance for couples to enjoy the outdoors in the state park during free time. Photos by Cliff Brubaker
Litany of Lament, Celebration and Hope
Ohio Mennonite Women — A Patchwork Quilt Litany of Lament, Celebration and Hope Sept. 16, 2017 Leader: Lord God, Designer and Creator, Quilter and Weaver of all, We come to you in lament, celebration and hope. Women: We are your patchwork quilt, fabrics and pieces, all brought together, intricately interwoven, Leader: Quilted together by the love of God. Women: You…
Camp Luz to host Jr. High Retreat
Glenn Nofziger, associate pastor at Martins Creek Mennonite Church, will be the featured speaker at the Jr. High Retreat at Camp Luz Jan. 12-14. The theme for the retreat will be “Rooted,” based on Colossians 2:6-7. The retreat will begin with check-in at 7 p.m. on Friday and conclude at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Cost of the retreat is $90 per…
Promoting Healthy Boundaries
How can we make sure our congregations are safe places for everyone? In a blog post on the Mennonite Church USA website, Terry Shue, director of leadership development for Mennonite Church USA, said, “Recent episodes of ministerial misconduct in our system have again alerted us to the ongoing task of making our congregations a safe place for everyone — both…
Website lists service opportunities for older adults
LANCASTER, Pa. — You’re 55 or older, and you want to put your faith into action. Wondering where to go? Visit Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) and Mennonite Central Committee’s (MCC’s) newly created Anabaptist Service Opportunities Portal at ASOPortal.org to discover all the short-term, international service opportunities being offered by both EMM and MCC for volunteers ages 55 and older.
Missional Work Camp — You can do this!
Many church youth groups go on summer service trips, but this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast features something different — a summer work camp in the local community. Instead of traveling to a far-off location to serve, youth and adults at Sharon Mennonite Church in Plain City use the church building as a home base for the week and spend…
MWC Peace Sunday worship materials are now available
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) is encouraging congregations to celebrate Peace Sunday on Sept. 24. The theme for Peace Sunday in 2017 is “A Renewed Peace Church Builds Bridges.” This theme picks up on two elements. The first builds on the Renewal 2027 process which MWC has embarked on. Second, in light of the rising nationalisms around the world, which separates…
Hispanic Retreat focuses on peace
By Raul Tadeo On the weekend of June 16-18, Hispanic families came together at Camp Luz in Kidron, including 42 children, and 102 youth and adults. Families came from churches of western Ohio, Salem Mennonite Church of Wooster and Iglesia Christiana of Columbus, Ohio. Local Hispanics appreciated getting acquainted with Hispanic Mennonites from other Ohio churches. Meal times were the…
Mennonite Mission Network offers training in discipleship, mission
Ohio Conference is partnering with Mennonite Mission Network (MMN) to offer the Missional Discipleship Initiative to Conference churches. The Missional Discipleship Initiative (MDI) helps local congregations work at leadership development and intentional disciple-making. MDI uses two main tools to achieve these goals. First, MDI uses online Learning Circles (also known as “Huddles”) for leaders. Second, MDI utilizes Missional Discipleship Groups,…
Festival raises funds, builds community
What started out as a fundraiser turned out to be something more. On June 24 Salem Mennonite Church in Waldron, Michigan, held a Strawberry Festival on the church grounds to showcase the congregation’s new unfinished building and to help raise funds to complete it. Salem’s new building sits behind the current structure in the middle of a hay field more…