Faith
Winter Read starts discussion process
Conversations about race can be uncomfortable for some of us. How do we begin to grapple with issues of racial reconciliation? More than 60 people from around the Ohio Conference committed to discussing racial reconciliation this winter while participating in a new initiative called the Ohio Conference Winter Read. Led by Pastors Vikki Pruitte-Sorrells of Lee Heights Community Church in…
The centrality of Jesus Christ
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. ─ 1 Corinthians 2:2 (NRSV) On March 4 and 5, Ohio Conference hosted our Annual Conference Assembly at Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold. During the assembly delegates unanimously affirmed our new mission statement – The mission of Ohio Conference of Mennonite…
Try these resources during Lent
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate Looking for Lenten resources which you can use at home? The Soil and the Seed Project has released a new free collection of resources for this season. The Soil and the Seed Project: Vol. 2 ─ Lent–Easter–Pentecost is a collection of music, artwork, and “little liturgies” following the liturgical calendar. These resources offer…
Women leading, empowered by the Holy Spirit
By Alysa Short Coordinator of Volunteers Ohio Conference held a retreat for women in leadership Feb. 18-19 at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin, Ohio. Twenty-three women from around Conference participated in this overnight retreat led by Rebecca Slough, academic dean and professor of worship and the arts emerita at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. Focusing on…
OC coordinator of volunteers reflects on hope and growth in the wilderness
How do times of difficulty shape us? Ohio Conference Coordinator of Volunteers Alysa Short considers this question in a blog post for Mennonite Church USA titled “Hope and Growth in the Wilderness.” You can read her reflections at https://bit.ly/HopeandGrowth.
Bible study series explores diversity
Mennonite Church USA has produced “Diversity: God’s Design,” a new four-week Bible study aimed at young adults (but appropriate for intergenerational audiences) that celebrates diversity and intercultural competence. “Diversity: God’s Design” features voices from across the Mennonite church who share biblical narratives and personal experiences that invite participants to explore how and why they should join the journey of celebrating…
Mennonite Creation Care Network offers grants
Mennonite churches and Anabaptist-related nonprofits are invited to apply by April 1, 2022, for one of several $1,000 grants from Mennonite Creation Care Network’s Green Mustard Seed Fund. Past grants have funded a variety of creation care projects, from upgrading insulation to funding a church day camp featuring endangered species. Priority is given to congregations with limited means and those…
New resources for Lent now available
Looking for Lenten resources which you can use at home? The Soil and the Seed Project has released a new free collection of resources for this season. The Soil and the Seed Project: Vol. 2 ─ Lent–Easter–Pentecost is a collection of music, artwork, and “little liturgies” following the liturgical calendar. These resources offer new ways to establish daily and weekly…
Workshop to focus on Enneagram as a ministry tool
Ohio Conference will host a one-day workshop for pastors on May 3. “Exploring the Enneagram as a Ministry Tool” is the theme of the workshop, which will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the main branch of the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library, 43 W. Third St., Mansfield, Ohio. This workshop will explore how Enneagram types affect compatibility,…
Lent at Home guide is ready for download
“Seeking God’s Way” is the theme of Mennonite Church USA’s (MC USA) 2022 Lent at Home worship guide. The annual guide for home-based worship provides daily and weekly scripture readings, prayers and rituals for individuals and families observing Lent, the period of prayer and reflection from Ash Wednesday, March 2, to Easter, April 17. The guide also features at-home rituals…
Borderlands Learning Tour: No easy answers
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister November 7th through the 14th of this past year I had the privilege and opportunity to participate in a Borderlands Learning Tour sponsored by the Great Lakes office of Mennonite Central Committee. The tour focused on the border between Douglas, Arizona, and Agua Prieta, Mexico, approximately 120 miles southeast of Tucson. Both Ohio Conference’s Leadership…
Winter Read offers place for discussion
We would love to have you join us for the Ohio Conference Winter Read, which is currently underway. This winter Ohio Conference is trying something new, a Conference-wide book study offered via Zoom. We are studying Latasha Morrison’s book Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation. As of mid-January, 58 people are participating in the Winter Read. Discussion leaders…
‘Little Liturgies’ can nurture faith
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate If you are looking for ways to nurture faith at home, take a look at the free resources available online at The Soil and the Seed Project: https://www.thesoilandtheseedproject.org. This group has created “little liturgies” with downloadable music, art, prayers, scripture, and discussion prompts which can be used by individuals, families, or small communities.…
Conference to focus on how to be a good neighbor
Ohio Conference will hold a missional conference March 3-4 at Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, immediately prior to the 2022 Annual Conference Assembly. The theme of the missional conference, based on Luke 10:25-37, will be “Befriending the Neighborhood: Am I a Good Neighbor?” Presenters will be Howard and Cathy Wagler, church planters from Hutchinson, Kansas. The Waglers currently are serving…
Loving my neighbor and forbearance
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister There is an old saying that goes something like, “We get to pick our friends, but we don’t get to pick our family.” Well, I would add, “We don’t get to pick our neighbors.” In the Great Commandment(s) Jesus tells us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your…
Women in Leadership Retreat to feature Rebecca Slough
There’s still time to register for Ohio Conference’s Women in Leadership Retreat, which will be held Feb. 18-19 at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin. Retreat planners are encouraging every Ohio Conference congregation to send at least one woman to this retreat. Has your congregation tapped someone to attend this retreat? The theme of the Women in Leadership Retreat…
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! We find ourselves nearing the end of what has been another difficult year in the life of the nation, our churches, individuals and families. The year began with violence at the Capitol Building that left many wondering just how secure America as a nation is. The COVID pandemic waned and spiked throughout the year, resulting in continued deaths…
Making disciples who make disciples
How do we transform individuals into active disciples of Jesus Christ? In the past several years, many Ohio Conference congregations have worked toward this goal by participating in the Missional Discipleship Initiative (MDI). This initiative was first offered by Mennonite Mission Network. A main goal of MDI is making disciples of Jesus Christ who in turn make other disciples. Starting…
The Annunciation of the Incarnation
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and…
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. Once again this year, Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) has prepared an Advent at Home worship guide which can be used by individuals or families. The 2021 guide follows the theme “Dare…
Prepare/Enrich training focuses on marriage
Recognizing that pastors are often called upon to counsel engaged and married couples, this fall Ohio Conference offered pastors training in a program called Prepare/Enrich. The Conference offered two opportunities for pastors to participate in this training, on Sept. 30 at Salem Mennonite Church in Kidron and Oct. 19 at West Clinton Mennonite Church in Wauseon. The training sessions were…
Discipleship training to be offered
How do we transform individuals into active disciples of Jesus Christ? In the past several years, many Ohio Conference congregations have worked toward this goal by participating in the Missional Discipleship Initiative (MDI). This initiative was first offered by Mennonite Mission Network. Starting in January Ohio Conference will offer training in MDI to a new cohort of church leaders. This…
Join us for the Ohio Conference Winter Read
Coming in January: The Ohio Conference Winter Read. This winter Ohio Conference is trying something new, a Conference-wide book study offered via Zoom. This year we will be discussing Latasha Morrison’s book Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation. Discussion leaders will be Pastor Vikki Pruitte-Sorrells of Lee Heights Community Church in Cleveland and Pastor Kevin Himes of Salem…
Women in Leadership Retreat set for Feb. 18-19
Registration is now open for Ohio Conference’s Women in Leadership Retreat, which will take place Feb. 18-19 at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin. The theme of the retreat is “Empowered by the Holy Spirit to lead like yourself.” The speaker for this retreat will be Rebecca Slough, academic dean emerita and professor emerita of worship and the arts…
Register for Believe and Be Baptized by Oct. 25
Ohio Conference and Central District Conference are co-hosting a workshop about baptism, Believe and Be Baptized: Conversations on a 500-year-old Tradition. Led by historian John D. Roth, this workshop will take place Saturday, Nov. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Columbus Mennonite Church. The workshop will include a time of conversation with local Catholic and Lutheran clergy, and…
MC USA initiative focuses on poverty
Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) has launched “Learn, Pray, Join: Cost of Poverty,” an initiative to raise awareness about the impact of the pandemic on poverty in the United States and how Jesus calls his followers to respond. This fall MC USA is seeking to engage people in the initiative by offering resources, prayers and ways to care for one another and…
Register for Believe and Be Baptized by Oct. 25
Ohio Conference and Central District Conference are co-hosting a workshop about baptism, Believe and Be Baptized: Conversations on a 500-year-old Tradition. Led by historian John D. Roth, this workshop will take place Saturday, Nov. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Columbus Mennonite Church. The workshop will include a time of conversation with local Catholic and Lutheran clergy, and…
Generations can grow in faith together
There are many settings in which children, youth and adults can grow in faith together rather than as separate groups. Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) has added an Intergenerational Faith Formation resource page to the MC USA website. To view, go to https://bit.ly/IntergenerationalFaithFormation. At that web address you will find a collection of the resources which were shared in a…
Laurelville to offer leadership training
Laurelville Retreat Center in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, is once again offering training in the Values Based Leadership Program, beginning this fall. The training will include both an in-person event at Laurelville Oct. 6-8 and six Zoom sessions. The Values Based Leadership Program equips individuals who want to develop their leadership skills from a values perspective. To learn more, please see…
Youth Worker Retreat has been canceled
Ohio Conference’s Youth Worker Retreat, planned for Oct. 15-17 at Camp Luz in Kidron, has been canceled due to low registration.