Evangel
Stories shared at Fall Mission Events
People from all across the Ohio Conference came to three regional gatherings to talk about how God is working in their congregations and communities. Jubilee Mennonite Church in Bellefontaine, Central Mennonite Church in Archbold and Berlin Mennonite Church hosted the three Fall Mission Events in October and November. These events are part of the Ohio Conference Year of Mission, which…
Bluffton junior explores vocation and faith in Guatemala
Bluffton University — During the summer of 2016, Blake Hershberger ’18, an international peace, justice and conflict studies major from Canton, Ohio, immersed himself in the Guatemalan culture. Hershberger, a member of Beech Mennonite Church in Louisville, lived in Guatemala City for one month with the aid of a $1,500 Summer Discovery Grant awarded by Bluffton University to students who are…
Calling and caring for pastors
By Ralph Reinford Regional Pastor As a regional pastor, a fair amount of my time is spent working with congregational search groups and looking for new pastors. These are uncertain times, and I often get asked if there are available pastors. I also get asked why anyone would want to be a pastor. It is obvious to me that God…
Pastors meet for Year of Covenant discussion
Pastors from around the Ohio Conference gathered Sept. 28 at Maple Grove Mennonite Church in Hartville for a Year of Covenant meeting. David B. Miller, associate professor of missional leadership at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, was the presenter. Covenants contain both privileges and commitments, but it is the commitments which tend to be neglected, Miller said. He noted that in…
MMN has new mission bank teaching tools
By Lois Bontrager Ohio Conference Resource Advocate Has your congregation used the mission banks available from Mennonite Mission Network (MMN) with the children in your congregation? Introducing MMN’s newest mission bank teaching tools — Joining God’s team in Congo. These materials will help you teach your children and congregation about mission in Congo, and can be used a number of ways…
Fall meetings to focus on mission
How have you seen God at work in your congregation during the Ohio Conference Year of Mission? This fall, members of all Ohio Conference congregations are invited to gather together at Fall Mission Events to share stories of how their churches are engaging in God’s mission in their local communities. Everyone in Ohio Conference is invited to attend the Fall…
Conference awards eight grants
The Ohio Conference Ministry Development Team (MDT) has awarded eight grants totaling $21,614 to Ohio Conference congregations and Conference-related groups. The Ministry Development Team approved the grants at its Aug. 1 meeting in Upper Sandusky. Funding for these grants comes from surplus funds that had accumulated during years in which the Conference ended its fiscal year with a surplus. The…
Cliff Brubaker accepts additional assignment
The Ohio Conference Leadership Team has invited Interim Regional Pastor Cliff Brubaker to work with the Conference on a full-time basis, beginning Sept. 18. Since April he has been serving as regional pastor on a half-time basis. This additional half-time assignment will have two areas of focus: Working with the continuing process of the Ohio Conference Year of Covenant Identifying…
Donation to support church planting
Cornerstone Mennonite Fellowship has closed its doors, but one of the last actions of the congregation will further church planting. Members of the congregation, which was located in Plain City, decided to close the church as of Dec. 31, 2015. A closing worship service was held Jan. 10, 2016. Following the church’s closing, the church’s board decided to make a…
Overplayed focuses on youth sports
By Lois Bontrager Ohio Conference Resource Advocate Now available from MennoMedia: Overplayed: A Parent’s Guide to Sanity in the World of Youth Sports by David King And Margot Starbuck. This book equips parents with concrete tips such as the following: Encouraging kids to play a different sport for a season Grabbing coffee with a friend during soccer practice (instead of…
Resource Teams can meet shared needs
Do you see a need that Ohio Conference should address? One way to work at these needs is by forming a Resource Team. A Resource Team is a temporary group that carries out specific tasks identified by the Ohio Conference Ministry Development Team (MDT). Resource Teams exist to respond quickly to the needs of congregations within the Ohio Conference. As…
Task force wants to hear from you
At Annual Conference Assembly (ACA) 2016 the delegate body affirmed an Ohio Conference “Statement on Remaining with MC USA.” One key element of this statement was that Ohio Conference would “remain a part of MC USA in order to articulate to the denomination our perceptions of differences in doctrine and practice.” The Ohio Conference Leadership Team…
Birthday blessing crosses cultures at Salem
By Raul Tadeo The Hispanic members of the Salem Mennonite Church of Wooster love LuLu Miller, the oldest member of the bilingual congregation. LuLu has learned to accept the “besos”(kisses on the forehead and cheeks) and “abrazos” (hugs) that the Hispanics use to greet her with every Sunday morning when she arrives at church. On Sunday, May 22, she reached…
Salem breaks ground for new facility
By Bob Sauder Editor’s note: How does a congregation decide when to build a new facility? The journey to new construction is often a long one, and the path is not always a straight line. Bob Sauder, the new moderator of the Ohio Conference, is a member of Salem Mennonite Church in Waldron, Mich. He reflects on the years-long process…
Women’s retreat to focus on sharing stories
“Sharing Your Story” will be the theme of the annual Women’s Retreat Sept. 16-18 at Camp Luz in Kidron. Guest speakers for the weekend will be Vickie Esh and Kim Leichty. Women’s Retreat is designed for women of all ages to come and spend time with others worshipping, laughing, and relaxing. The cost of the retreat is $90 for those…
Spiritual competence
By George O’Reilly Year of Covenant Facilitator The Church of today is in a crisis of credibility. Not just with those who never entertained the possibility of Christian faith, but especially with many who tried the Church and found it “wanting.” If the Church just had problems with intellectuals and materialists, the Church would have much higher standing with our…
West Clinton congregation sees value in being blessed by a dress
By Pam Graber Outreach ideas come in many ways, but by far the most successful come when God does the nudging. West Clinton’s “Prom Trend: Beauty Comes from the Heart” event is the result of one such nudge. “If someone had told me five years ago that I would be coordinating a prom dress event, I would have told…
The power of congregational support in a long, difficult journey
By Howard Nikkel My particular journey began seven and a half years ago when I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. The journey has included many visits to the cardiologists, medications to help the heart function better, a procedure called ultrafiltration done in a Venezuelan hospital, an implant that contained a pacemaker, defibrillator and a resynchronizer, and ending up with…
Volunteers accept Conference positions
Members of Ohio Conference congregations who volunteer their time play a vital role in Conference life. Without the help of numerous volunteers, many of the programs and functions of the Ohio Conference could not take place. Much of the work of Ohio Conference is done by the Leadership Team, the Ministry Development Team, the Credentialing Ministry, the Stewardship Ministry…
Working together as a body
By George O’Reilly Transitional Conference Leader As I write this, many of us have just returned from several days of working together as Ohio Conference on our mission and trajectory for the next year certainly, and on into the foreseeable future. We began with a special Missional presentation from Forge Network titled “Becoming Missional: Re-Learning How to Be Sent.” This…
Shepherding sheep
By George O’Reilly Transitional Conference Leader Having never been to present-day Israel or Palestine, the historical setting of much of the biblical stories and events of our Christian heritage, I have never observed “shepherding” in that regional and cultural context. I have seen sheep freely pasturing on the Mourne Mountains of Northern Ireland and in the lush green fields of…
‘Becoming Missional’ training session to precede Annual Conference Assembly
Coming in March: This year before Annual Conference Assembly (ACA) you have the opportunity to grow in your knowledge and passion for God’s mission right in your own neighborhood. On Thursday and Friday, March 10-11, immediately prior to the start of ACA, Brad Brisco and Lance Ford of Forge Network will lead a training workshop focusing on how we can…
Salem receives National Clergy Renewal Grant
Salem Mennonite Church in Elida has received a grant of $50,000 to enable its pastor, Paula Snyder Belousek, to participate in the 2015 National Clergy Renewal Program. Salem Mennonite is one of 144 congregations across the country selected to participate in this competitive grant program, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and administered by Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis,…
A day in the life
By Erin Dye Adriel Chaplain It is difficult to describe residential life at Adriel and our youth to who have never spent significant time in such a program. Often we get questions of “where do youth come from?” “Why are they there?” “Do they not have family?” These inquiries certainly play a role in our youth’s identity, but these details…
Wayne County churches work together
By Raul Tadeo Crown Hill, Chestnut Ridge, Salem of Wooster, Orrville and Martins Mennonite churches, all located in Wayne County, have been cooperating on special programs for more than a year now. These churches are moving forward in their evangelistic programs by working together and supporting one another in various projects. This year the five congregations united to have a…
Why do we think that we shouldn’t be having these problems?
Pastor George O’Reilly Transitional Conference Leader “Why do you think you shouldn’t be having this problem?” This question from a marriage counselor to a couple who had come to him complaining, “We shouldn’t be having this problem!” struck me as a good one to ask ourselves when we find ourselves disgruntled about difficulties we are experiencing relating to others within…
Leadership Team works on next steps
On Sept. 23, 2015, the Ohio Conference Leadership Team met with a full agenda. The Leadership Team discussed the Sept. 2 All-Ohio Conference Pastors’ Meeting which was held in Bellville, Ohio, and the review of the Five-Year Plan which had been submitted by Myron Weaver, Paula Snyder Belousek, Wes Graber and Doug Zehr. At the Sept. 2 All-Ohio Conference Pastors’ Meeting,…
Retreat focuses on spiritual practices
By Roxanne Kauffman Camp Luz hosted the 46th annual Ohio Mennonite Women’s Retreat from September 18-20, 2015, where 69 women were in attendance throughout the weekend. Sisters Michele Rae Rizoli, Willie Stoltzfus and Ginny Hostetler shared their various gifts by leading music, worship and providing input to encourage and challenge the women to slow down and find new ways to…
FAQs regarding Ohio Conference funding
Part of the work of the Ohio Conference Stewardship Ministry is responding to questions about Ohio Conference finances. Below are answers to some frequently asked questions. I heard that the Ohio Conference has a lot of money in the bank but is asking for more. Is this true? In the current fiscal year, the Ohio Conference is experiencing a deficit.…
Randy Keeler reflects on his sabbatical with Ohio Conference
By Randy Keeler During the 2014-2015 academic year I had the privilege of spending my sabbatical year as youth ministry resource person for the Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA. Besides serving as a resource to congregations in specific situations when called upon, I also planned six workshops for youth workers in different locations around the state in an attempt…