Publications
To act — or — to react
We live in an age of “reactivity.” Certainly this is obvious in Facebook posts and the mutually disdainful and corrosive responses of our political candidates to one another. And who can blame those who respond with anger or disdain to others who have so treated them? Many consider this quite natural in human interactions, and find no need to apologize…
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…
Excuse Me
My wife and I sometimes reply to one another when some oversight or discourtesy on our part is expressed with “Sorry!” At times the phrase comes back, “You don’t sound sorry to me!” Apparently at times our tone seems to mean more than our words and to negate their natural meaning. I was pondering the word excuse and noticed the…
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,…
“Spiritual Physics” of God’s Creation
“Spiritual Physics” of God’s Creation — “For every Spiritual action, there is an opposite and equal Spiritual reaction.” In quite a number of passages in the Scriptures, the above “Spiritual Law of Creation Physics” is either implied or directly stated. For example, Matthew 7:1-2 (NLT) — “Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you…
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…
The Axioms of Creation’s Spiritual Physics
Over time I have been drawn to a notion of “spiritual physics” to convey how the Scriptures teach that certain principles in the spiritual matters of life are just as “built into” creation as are those “physical laws” of nature we learned in science. This principle is seen fairly readily in Galatians 6: “Do not be deceived; God is not…
Trust
Is trust extended or earned? We generally consider this question focusing on others — especially people with whom we have some tension or disagreement. But answering how the balance of “earning” or “extending” trust is best approached should likely be considered first in regard to God. One of my favorite verses speaks to this question: “And without faith it is…
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…
Soccer camp builds connections
By Dave Maurer Pastor, Bethel Mennonite During the evenings of July 27-30, 2015, Bethel Mennonite Church in West Liberty, Ohio, hosted its fifth annual soccer camp for the community. The camp, which took place from 6 to 8 p.m. each day, was done in partnership with the West Liberty Soccer Association, which helped the congregation get the word out about…
The need for radical self-honesty
During a pastors’ event with teaching by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove the topic of truth was raised. A paraphrase of his response might run something like this: “A deep need exists in the church today for radical self-honesty. So often in the church today when we speak to one another what we say is not exactly lies, but often something other than…
A good beginning
A good beginning — As the very recently hired Transitional Conference Leader for Ohio Conference, I find myself amid a flurry of activity and a considerable range of complexities! And yet I can say without reservation that for me this has been a good beginning! I have already begun to sense how much graciousness and warmth will characterize my relationships…
Words from Tom 8-12-15
As I bring my work in Ohio Conference to a close, I am in a reflective mood. I did not aspire to the conference minister role. I was attracted to and invigorated by the regional pastor assignment. After 18 years of congregational ministry, I had a clear idea of what kind of pastoral resourcing I would have liked to have…
Sisters to share at OMW Retreat
“Where’s the Pause Button? Making Space for God in Every- day Life” will be the theme of the Ohio Mennonite Women’s Retreat Sept. 18-20 at Camp Luz in Kidron. In our busy lives, sometimes finding time to connect with God can feel like just one more thing on a long “to do” list. And when we do carve out some…
New pastors learn about Conference
Five of the new pastors serving Ohio Conference congregations, along with their spouses, took part in the New Pastor Orientation June 7-8. Sixteen new pastors and their spouses were invited, but only five couples were able to participate. The two-day orientation began with an overnight stay at the Comfort Inn in Berlin. Following breakfast the next morning, Regional Pastor Ralph…
Leadership Team plans for transition
The Ohio Conference Leadership Team is making plans for a transition in Conference staffing. On June 21 Regional Pastor Wanda Stopher informed the Leadership Team that she is a candidate for the role of lead pastor of First Mennonite Church in Bluffton. She anticipates ending her work with Ohio Conference effective Aug. 31, 2015. In recognition of Wanda’s resignation and…
Words From Tom 6-3-15
I have often been intrigued by “liminality.” To be in transition is to be in an in-between place – neither here nor there. Anthropologists and theologians call this ‘liminal’ space. Since announcing that this is my last year as conference minister, I have entered that liminal space, the transition from this work and set of relationships to another that is…
Words from Tom 3-31-15
My daily devotional readings are guided by the Upper Room devotional called A Guide to Prayer for All Who Walk with God. As it prepares us for Holy Week in anticipation of Easter Sunday, the authors provide a brief commentary on the season of Easter. In churches that observe the liturgical church calendar, Easter is not merely one day, but…
Words from Tom 3-4-15
Because we had to make a last-minute change of plans for the pastors’ day meeting last month, all the pastors learned of my wife’s pending surgery to remove her thyroid, which was cancerous. This precipitated a great deal of prayer for which my wife and I were profoundly grateful. As the surgery approached, I was informed many times that we…
Words from Tom 2-6-15
Once again I have been reminded that our context plays an important role in how we hear and understand the biblical stories. People who have been marginalized read biblical stories differently than people who have been a part of the dominant culture. This is a point made by Lloyd Pietersen in his book Reading the Bible After Christendom. The example…
Words from Tom 1-5-15
The Gospel accounts provide us with four distinctly varied recollections of Jesus’ life and ministry. All of them include many elements of similarity, yet each one has its distinctive aspects. The infancy narratives of Jesus are only included in two of the gospels — Matthew and Luke. And only Matthew records the visit of the Magi, which wraps up the…
Words from Tom 12-2-15
Advent is the season of waiting. When our children were young, we often bought an Advent calendar that had a small door to open for each day of the week. The anticipation would grow as we got closer to Christmas Day. Opening a door each day was one way of measuring the waiting that had to occur. It was almost…
Words from Tom 11-4-14
“Holy Spirit, power of God, transform me, your new creation.” This sentence completes my Trinitarian Prayer that has been a constant companion for me since my sabbatical of 2006. As I have reflected in the previous two Grapevines, each one of these phrases has been significant to me. “Abba, God, Creator, I bow down and worship you” begins with an…
Words from Tom 10-6-14
“Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This sentence, or a variation of it, represents the “Jesus Prayer” that has a long history as a meditative prayer within the Christian tradition. It finds its roots in the parable Jesus tells in Luke 18:9-14 of the contrasting prayers of the Pharisee and tax collector. As I wrote…