Faith
Credentialed ministers’ meeting set for Feb. 12
Credentialed ministers in Ohio Conference will gather again Tuesday, Feb. 12, to continue their discussion and connect with one another before Annual Conference Assembly in March. This meeting will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the library in Upper Sandusky. Everyone attending should plan to bring their coffee (if needed) and lunch. Light refreshments will be provided.…
Take a look at MWC year in review
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) invites you to share its 2018 year in review video with your congregation. Watch it to learn how the people of MWC worked together for peace and justice in the power of the Holy Spirit during 2018: http://bit.ly/MWC2018YearInReview. This video is just slightly under 4 minutes in length.
Author to speak at Bluffton Student Life Forum
BLUFFTON, Ohio — Spiritual writer Christiana Peterson will present “Searching for Koinonia: In Community with Mystics and Misfits,” at 11 a.m. on Jan. 15 in Yoder Recital Hall at Bluffton University. A blogger and author, Peterson will share her experience of living in a Mennonite intentional community and being drawn to mystics such as St. Francis, Dorothy Day and Clare…
Talking about what binds us together
When is the last time you heard someone describe a multi-hour meeting as “fun”? If you’ve never had that experience (or even if you have), listen to this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast to learn about a laughter-filled five-and-a-half-hour meeting of Ohio Conference pastors which took place Nov. 8. While the pastors’ discussion may have been about important topics,…
Online Advent devotions to begin Nov. 26
Once again Goshen College is offering an online resource to help believers make time and space in their hearts and minds to reflect during the season of Advent. Beginning Nov. 26, the week before the first Sunday of Advent, and culminating on Christmas Day, Goshen College students, faculty and staff will provide weekday reflections based on the lectionary Scripture passages,…
Bluffton students ‘reimagine’ the Church
By Tricia Bell Bluffton University BLUFFTON, Ohio – Using the theme “Reimagining the Church: Looking Back to Move Forward” as inspiration, Bluffton University students explored the relevance of the Church in the modern era during Spiritual Life Week. The week-long, student-led examination of faith is held each semester on Bluffton’s campus. For Jenny Dorsey, a Bible and theology major from…
Growing more like Jesus to be conference focus at Hesston College
Save the date: Hesston College in Hesston, Kansas, will host the 2019 edition of its Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Series Feb. 1-3, 2019. The theme for this conference will be “Growing More Like Jesus from the Outside In: Transforming Heart and Mind.” The conference will seek to answer the question, “Where can we find support to take new risks to…
Advent worship guide is for families
Anabaptist Faith Formation Network and Mennonite Church USA are offering a free, downloadable guide for family worship during Advent written by Elsie Rempel and illustrated by Megan Kamei. This resource, titled God’s Goodness, is designed for parents to use at home with their children. For use between Dec. 2 and Jan. 6, the worship guide includes Bible readings, short litanies, songs, hands-on…
CLC — A place to build relationships together denominationally
In the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast, co-hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn talk with Conference Minister Dick Barrett and Paula Snyder Belousek, pastor of Salem Mennonite Church in Elida, about their experience at the October meeting of the Constituency Leaders Council (CLC). Snyder Belousek describes the CLC as “a place to build relationships together denominationally.” This episode, which…
Credentialed leaders meet in Upper Sandusky
What does it mean when we say, “Jesus is our Center”? Thirty-six credentialed leaders from across the Ohio Conference came together to discuss that question on Thursday, Nov. 9, at the All-Ohio Conference Pastors’ Meeting. The pastors and other credentialed leaders met for a day of discussion and relationship-building at the Upper Sandusky Library in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Since 2015,…
Workshop to focus on change in business
Everence is sponsoring a Business Families and Community Leaders workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 6, from 7 to 8:45 p.m. at the Gardens at Homestead in Mount Hope. “Thriving in a fast-changing world” is the theme of this workshop, which will feature speakers Brian Miller, president of ProVia in Sugarcreek; Leon Wengerd, CFO of Pioneer Equipment in Dalton; and Dan Owolabi,…
What can we learn from others in Mennonite World Conference?
For many North American Mennonites, the words “Mennonite World Conference” bring thoughts of a world-wide gathering of Anabaptists every six years. However, as Ohio Conference Cast hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour learn in this episode of Ohio Conference Cast, there’s much more to Mennonite World Conference than these large events. Helping Thomas and Bill to learn more about Mennonite World…
Pastor-Leadership Team Retreat examines attitudes and behaviors
Forty-one people representing eight Ohio Conference congregations participated in the Pastor-Leadership Retreat held at the Quality Inn & Suites in Bellville Oct. 26-27. Presenter Duane Beck led the event, focusing on the topic “Leadership Matters: Finding God in the Changes.” He encouraged retreat participants to consider attitudes and behaviors in their congregations. Photos by Greg Bowman, Ralph Reinford and Bob Sauder
Bluffton University to celebrate Spiritual Life Week
BLUFFTON, Ohio – Hannah Troyer, a grassroots community organizer, will speak during Bluffton University’s semi-annual Spiritual Life Week Forum at 11 a.m. on Oct. 23 in Yoder Recital Hall. The title of her presentation is “Grassroots Organizing: Reclaiming and Reimagining the Church.” Troyer, of Akron, Ohio, is the co-founder of a community organization focused around challenging conversations. She is a…
Credentialed leaders to gather Nov. 8
Credentialed leaders: Have you registered for the All-Ohio Conference Pastors’ Meeting on Nov. 8? On Nov. 8, we will gather in the conference room of the Upper Sandusky Library for another installment of Gathered. Over the last few years, Ohio Conference credentialed leaders have gathered for fellowship and conversation. In these times we have built stronger relationships as we learned…
Churches celebrate World Communion Sunday together
Several Ohio Conference congregations celebrated World Communion Sunday on Oct. 7 with the Akron Swahili Community Church. Central Christian School in Kidron hosted the joint worship service, which was followed by a meal. Photos by Diane Hostetler. For more information about this gathering, see the Daily Record report at http://bit.ly/2018WorldCommunionSunday.
The Mennonite seeks original submissions for December issue
The Mennonite, Inc., invites your original submissions for the December 2018 print magazine issue and corresponding online content focusing on the theme “Good News, Great Joy.” Submissions are due to Editor@TheMennonite.org no later than Nov. 1. For more details, please see http://bit.ly/TheMennoniteDecember2018.
Workshop will focus on healthy conversations
Sonnenberg Mennonite Church in Kidron will host a Healthy Conversations Workshop Nov. 9-10. Jes Stoltzfus Buller, the peace education coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee, will be the facilitator for this workshop. This hands-on workshop will give participants practice in active listening, centered speaking and healthy process in talking about difficult issues. There is no charge for the workshop, but…
Central Produce Table encourages sharing, raises funds for local food pantry
There are few things better than the taste of a home-grown tomato. But sometimes home gardeners can be overwhelmed with an overabundance of tomatoes, or zucchini, or beans. What to do then? At Central Mennonite Church in Archbold, the answer is simple. Church members have a standing invitation to share the bounty from their gardens each week at the Central…
MC USA encourages focus on immigration justice
Mennonite Church USA encourages people and congregations to “Learn, Pray, Join” together for immigration justice in August and September. Please visit the MC USA website to learn more about this initiative.
Putting ‘love your enemies’ into action
The Mennonite, Inc., invites your original submissions for the October 2018 print magazine issue and corresponding online content. The theme of this issue: What does it look like to put “love your enemies” into action today? Submissions are due to Editor@TheMennonite.org no later than Aug. 26. For more details, see http://bit.ly/TheMennoniteOctober2018.
MWC prepares worship planning materials for Peace Sunday
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) invites all Mennonite congregations to observe World Peace Sunday on Sept. 23. The theme for the 2018 World Peace Sunday is “A Renewed Peace Church Welcomes the Stranger.” MWC has developed worship planning materials for this special Sunday. To download these materials, go to www.mwc-cmm.org/peacesunday.
Videos have tips for leading adult Bible studies
Central Plains Mennonite Conference has produced a series of short videos with tips for leading adult Bible study groups. The series, titled “Open the Book,” features presenter Keith Slater, who has worked for SIL International and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He is a member of West Union Mennonite Church in Parnell, Iowa. The title of each video in the series refers…
Marriage Encounter coming in September
Open Arms Hispanic Ministry and several Wayne County congregations are planning a Mennonite and Brethren Marriage Encounter on Sept. 28-30 at the Comfort Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Berlin. Please see the Marriage Encounter flier for more information. You may also contact Raul Tadeo at 330-828-0040 or Haroldo Nunes at 330-933-9376 for more information and a registration form. Registration…
Meeting Mennonites in Akron — Congolese church seeks connections
Did you know that there is a growing immigrant Mennonite congregation in Akron, Ohio? In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, host Thomas Dunn and his guest co-host, Hannah Troyer, find out about this congregation, which is composed of Congolese refugees who have resettled in Akron. Helping Thomas and Hannah learn more about this congregation is Rollin Mukanza, a social…
Lockport Mennonite to host MDS fundraiser
Ted & Co. is bringing its newest event, “Boots, Buckets & Barrows,” to Lockport Mennonite Church in Stryker on Sunday, July 29, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. This event is part theater/part auction, to raise awareness, funds, and volunteers for Mennonite Disaster Service. The event will feature the show The Jesus Stories: Faith, Forks & Fettuccine, written by and starring Ted Swartz,…
Church planting and patience
What role does patience play in the church planting process? In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, host Bill Seymour and his guest co-host, Paula Snyder Belousek, talk with Sally Youngquist of Living Water Community Church in Chicago, Illinois, about the process of planting that congregation. Listen to find out how many years it took for Living Water to…
God is doing a new thing in Central America
By Dan King Instead of a luxury cruise to some tropical paradise this year, consider an “Anabaptist Church Tour” in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras this fall. Charles Geiser will be leading this tour Oct. 19-30, and it will highlight what Anabaptist churches in the region are doing. Experience firsthand and up close how God’s Spirit is working among Anabaptist believers…
Let the Bible Speak for Itself addresses common questions
Where do we find answers to the great question we all have about life and faith? Do you ever find yourself asking questions such as these: Where do we find truth? What is faith? Is my life significant? Why bother with church? Why is there so much evil in the world? Will I make it to heaven? David Eshleman has…
Christiana Peterson – Mystics, misfits and longing for a deep encounter with God
What is a mystic? Ohio Conference Cast hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn explore this question and more with Christiana Peterson, a member of Midway Mennonite Church and the author of the new Herald Press book titled Mystics and Misfits: Meeting God Through St. Francis and Other Unlikely Saints. “Being a mystic in my definition is … longing for a deep…