Missional videos are now available

Ohio Conference now has a series of mission-focused videos on the Conference website. These videos, origi­nally designed for a missional workshop, are available for your use. The following videos are included: Matt Pritchard — Consid­erations for Emerging Faith Communities Wild Church — Innova­tion/Creative Church Planting Piedra Viva Men­nonite — Partnership Homestead Mennonite Church Experience — Revitalization For more information and…

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Called to make disciples, even in a pandemic

COVID-19 has changed our daily lives in many ways, but even so, God is still at work in the world. And despite the challenges of living through a pandemic, the Ohio Conference Missional Resource Team is encouraging people to keep participating in God’s mission. “We still want to be a missional people,” said Missional Resource Team member Jacob Dodson, the…

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Pastor gatherings to be held regionally

A note from Conference Minister Dick Barrett: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will not be holding one large pastor gathering in the fall as we have during the past several years. In place of the one gathering we are planning on meeting in person in smaller groups. Taking into account social distancing practices, we will gather during the…

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Engaging Mission 2020 is for all ages

Please note: Due to the uncertainty about when restrictions will be lifted for public gatherings, the Ohio Conference Leadership Team has decided to cancel this event.    Save the date: Ohio Conference will hold a missional festival, Engaging Mission 2020, at Bluffton University June 26-28, 2020. Featured presenters will be Seth and Theresa Crissman of Virginia Mennonite Missions. (See http://bit.ly/VMMCrissmans…

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Credentialed leaders meet in Upper Sandusky

Forty of Ohio Conference’s credentialed ministers gathered Sept. 12 at the Upper Sandusky Public Library as part of the Conference’s continued Gathered and Sent initiative. It was a day of dwelling in God’s Word (Ephesians 5:1-21), reflecting on the Conference’s Identity Statement released by the Leadership Team in April, fellowship and looking forward to what lies ahead for the Conference.…

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Pastors gather for relationship building, discussion

On Feb. 12, 27 credentialed ministers from across Ohio Conference gathered together at the Upper Sandusky Public Library once again for relationship building and discussion about the possibility of creating a covenant of the Conference’s core beliefs/values and practices. The meeting was a follow-up to their meeting on Nov. 8, 2018. It was a good day of fellowship, discussion and…

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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,…

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What does it mean when we say, “Jesus is our center?”

 

 

What does it mean when we say, “Jesus is our center?” What are our core beliefs? Ohio Conference credentialed leaders will be discussing these questions on Nov. 8 when they meet at the Upper Sandusky Library in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour talk with Dan Hooley, one of…

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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…

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Ralph returns refreshed — a reflection on time away and re-engaging in ministry

What happened to Ohio Conference Regional Pastor Ralph Reinford during his three-month leave earlier this year, and how were rhinos and crocodiles involved? Listen to this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast to find out. Reflecting on his time away from his Ohio Conference work, Ralph talks with Ohio Conference Cast hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn about things he…

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Pastors’ meeting set for Nov. 8

An All-Ohio Conference Pastors’ Meeting will take place Nov. 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Upper Sandusky Library in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Everyone attending should bring a packed lunch. Coffee is not available on site, so those desiring coffee should bring their own coffee thermos. For the first all-pastors’ meeting of the year, pastors will focus on…

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A conversation with Dick Barrett

In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast, hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour talk with Dick Barrett, the new conference minister for the Ohio Conference. Listen to this conversation to learn more about Dick’s background, his journey to becoming an Anabaptist, and his hopes for the Ohio Conference in the coming years. As a bonus, this episode also…

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Dick Barrett hired as conference minister

The Ohio Conference Leadership Team has hired Dick Barrett of West Liberty to serve as conference minister of the Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA. Dick comes to the conference minister position after serving Oak Grove Mennonite Church in West Liberty, Ohio, for 16 years, the first four as associate pastor and the last 12 as lead pastor. After being…

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Why missional?

By Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg Ohio Conference Missional Consultant What is my motivation? Why do I do what I do? What is my end goal? What am I valuing above anything else that would inspire me to behave the way in which I am behaving? As Mennonite people, deeply rooted in tradition, history, and a strong communal story, we need to ask…

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Training begins for Missional Network

The Ohio Conference Missional Network is beginning this summer. Ohio Conference Missional Consultant Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg is conducting an initial training session for participating congregations. This training session will be offered on four dates in June and July. Participants are encouraged to choose the date which best fits their schedule: June 24 — 6-9 p.m., First Mennonite Church, Canton June 26 — 9:30…

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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…

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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,…

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Have you registered for ACA yet?

The deadline to register for Annual Conference Assembly (ACA) is approaching quickly. Have you registered yet? ACA will take place March 9-10 at Bluffton University, and the Gathered and Sent Missional Conference will take place immediately prior to ACA on March 8-9, also at Bluffton University. Registrations for ACA and the Gathered and Sent Missional Conference are both due by…

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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…

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Bluffton University to host ACA

Bluffton University will host the 2018 Annual Conference Assembly (ACA) of the Ohio Conference March 9-10. The theme of this year’s gathering will be “Gathered and Sent,” based on 1 Peter 2:9-10 and Luke 10:1-12. Ohio Conference also will hold a missional conference at Bluffton University immediately prior to ACA, on March 8-9. See page 3 for more missional conference…

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Cliff Brubaker to move to half-time status

Cliff Brubaker has asked to be relieved of his involvement with the Gathered and Sent initiative at the end of January. He has come to realize that attempting to focus his time and energy on three jobs is more than he desires to tackle at this time. He will continue his half-time role as regional pastor for the Ohio Conference…

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Register for pastors’ meeting by Jan. 11

Berlin Mennonite Church will host a meeting for Ohio Conference pastors Jan. 18 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. All credentialed leaders of the Ohio Conference are encouraged to attend. There is no registration fee for this meeting, but lunch will be provided on a donation basis. Registrations are due Jan. 11. To register, contact Judy King at the Ohio…

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Missional conference to precede ACA

Meghan Good and Marvin Lorenzana will be the featured speakers at Gathered and Sent, the missional conference at Bluffton University March 8-9, 2018, immediately prior to Annual Conference Assembly. To download the event flier, click here: 2017 Missional Conference Flier.

Cliff Brubaker to take on new role

Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold has voted to call Regional Pastor Cliff Brubaker to a .25 FTE role in its collaborative ministry team, and Cliff has accepted the congregation’s call. He will begin his work at Zion on Jan.1, 2018. Cliff currently has two half-time roles with the Ohio Conference. He will continue his half-time role as regional pastor for the west…

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Top five reasons we really don’t want to be missional

By Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg Missional. We’ve been hearing this word for 20 years. Our seminaries have been teaching it, our agencies have been producing books on it and our congregations have been using the word “missional” to justify programs, mission efforts and other worthwhile “regularly scheduled” activities the church has done for the last 20 years. But as I question why…

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Delegate News – Summer 2017

Conference Leader Announcement At the 2017 Annual Conference Assembly, the Leadership Team was tasked with finding a Conference leader who is passionate about mission and who would encourage and lead us in our desire to become more missional as well as pick up the pieces that have over-burdened our staff for the past two years. As the Leadership Team began…

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Missional Discipleship Initiative signup deadline is July 31

Ohio Conference is partnering with Mennonite Mission Network to offer the Missional Discipleship Initiative (MDI) to Conference congregations. This program includes both leadership development and small group discipleship training. To learn more about MDI, check the Ohio Conference website at http://bit.ly/OhioConfMDI and listen to the podcast about MDI at http://bit.ly/OCCast-MDI. If your congregation is interested in participating in MDI, contact…

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Leadership Team continues work on staffing

The Ohio Conference Leadership Team, with the help of Regional Pastor Cliff Brubaker, has been diligently working at finding leadership for the Conference to address several needs. We are looking for leadership to guide the missional movement that has become the desired focus of the Ohio Conference. In addition, the Leadership Team is seeking to ensure that executive functions are…

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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,…

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