Resource Advocate
How accessible is your congregation’s building?
Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADN) is now offering a Congregational Assessment Survey, a tool intended to help your congregation assess its level of accessibility. Learn more and use this tool by visiting the ADN website: https://bit.ly/ADNSurvey.
Resources address challenging issues
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This month I would like to highlight a new Sunday school resource from Mennonite Central Committee and RAWtools, as well as a webinar from Anabaptist Disabilities Network and Everence. FEAR NOT How do we respond to violence in our homes and churches? Does our faith have anything to say about how we understand…
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…
‘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.…
Goshen College offers online Advent devotions
Once again Goshen College is offering online weekday devotions during Advent. Goshen College students, faculty and staff are providing weekday reflections based on the lectionary Scripture passages. They are reflecting on the theme “Dare to Imagine” from Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada worship resources. These daily devotions are available online at www.goshen.edu/devotions. If you would like to receive these…
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…
Advent at Home guide now available
ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA’s annual Advent at Home worship guide is now available to help individuals and households of all ages prepare for the Advent season. The 2021 guide follows the theme “Dare to Imagine!” This resource offers weekly and daily Scriptures, worship rituals, prayers, activities, and background information. Download the Advent at Home Guide…
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…
Webinar to focus on mutual support for people experiencing mental illness
Anabaptist Disabilities Network and Church of the Brethren Discipleship Ministries are co-sponsoring a webinar titled “Churchwide Change: Strategies to reduce stigma and increase mutual support for people experiencing mental illness in our congregations.” This webinar, featuring input from Janelle Bitikofer, will take place Oct. 7 from 2 to 3 p.m. A previous webinar led in June by Janelle Bitikofer, “Providing…
Resources offer responses to pandemic challenges
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This month I would like to highlight two resources, one primarily for pastors and one for families. What Now? MennoMedia is offering the “What Now?” series designed specifically for pastors as they navigate the challenges and opportunities that have emerged as a result of the global pandemic. In August, September, and October subscribers are…
MennoMedia offers new resources for pastors
MennoMedia is offering the “What Now?” series designed specifically for pastors as they navigate the challenges and opportunities that have emerged as a result of the global pandemic. In August, September, and October subscribers will receive an email every other week with links to practical resources, worship helps, downloadable PDFs, shareable images, a mini-series of -ing podcasts, and more. There will be…
Hymnal-related resources are online
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This month I would like to highlight a resource from MennoMedia. The publisher has created a special website with information about the new hymnal Voices Together. Found at http://voicestogetherhymnal.org, the website offers a guide for introducing Voices Together to your congregation. In addition, this website has a wide variety of resources related to…
AMBS creates worship materials for congregations
Recognizing the toll that COVID-19 has had on pastors and worship planners over the last year, members of the community at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana, have prepared worship materials for congregational use for two separate worship services. The first set of worship materials is designed for the Sunday after Easter (April 11). The resources, which are based…
CommonWord calendars link to worship resources
CommonWord now has season and event calendars with links to related resources. To explore these handy references to lectionary resources and materials for other events in the church and calendar years, go to https://www.commonword.ca/Content/worship-calendar.
Invite MMN to your worship service
Mennonite Mission Network (MMN) is offering resources for congregational worship services. MMN staff members are available to join congregations in worship to preach, teach, and share stories of God at work around the world. MMN staff members can join congregations through video chat or with a prerecorded message. To request a virtual visit from an MMN staffer, go to http://bit.ly/MMNinChurches.
MennoMedia shares answers to copyright and licensing questions
Church services on Zoom, streaming, podcasting, screensharing — all of these practices raise questions of copyright, especially in relation to the new Voices Together worship and song collection. MennoMedia has assembled a comprehensive resource to answer all of your copyright questions. Up-to-date information, downloadable pdfs, and specifics about the Voices Together audio recordings and projection edition can all be found…
Goshen College offers free online devotionals during Lent
During Lent Goshen College is offering online devotions focusing on the theme “Deep Calls to Deep.” Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Goshen College students, faculty and staff provide reflections based on the upcoming Sunday’s lectionary scripture passages. You can read these devotions online at www.goshen.edu/devotions. To receive the devotions by email, go to www.goshen.edu/devotions/subscribe.
MC USA offers Lent at Home guide
(Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA’s (MC USA) 2021 Lent at Home worship guide is now available. 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, Feb. 17, to Easter, April 4. “In today’s divided society, we are…
CommonWord offers Lenten resources
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This year Lent begins on Feb. 17, which means now is a great time to look for worship and devotional resources related to Lent. If you are looking for new Lenten resources, check out the website for CommonWord, a collaboration of Mennonite Church Canada and Canadian Mennonite University. In preparation for Lent, CommonWord…
2020 Advent at Home theme is “We Wait for Jesus”
In a time when many people are spending more time at home due to COVID-19, Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is again offering an Advent at Home devotional guide. MC USA’s 2020 Advent at Home devotional, “We Wait for Jesus,” is now available for free download. The annual guide for home-based worship provides daily and weekly scripture readings, prayers and activities…
MC USA, Together in Worship offer free resources
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This month I would like to highlight free worship resources, both for corporate worship and for worship at home. Together in Worship Are you looking for Anabaptist worship resources? Together in Worship (togetherinworship.net) is a new website containing a wide variety of free worship resources. A partnership with CommonWord, Together in Worship is a…
Video training available for abuse prevention
The Dove’s Nest, an organization committed to empowering faith communities to keep children and youth safe from abuse in their churches, homes and communities, has a new video resource available. This new safety and abuse prevention training video for adult volunteers is now available to churches for a one-time fee of $75. In 38 minutes, the video covers these topics:…
MC USA website has faith formation resources
Looking for faith formation ideas or curriculum? The Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) website now includes all the content from AnabaptistFaithFormation.org. You can find formation resources for people of all ages at MennoniteUSA.org/ff. One resource highlighted on MC USA’s Faith Formation page is a webinar focusing on children’s faith formation during this time of pandemic. The webinar, titled “It Can…
MC USA webinar offers ideas for children’s faith formation
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate How is your congregation handling faith formation for children during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you seeking ideas for working with children? Mennonite Church USA is hosting a webinar titled “It can be done! Children’s Sunday school during COVID-19.” This webinar will take place Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 2:30 p.m. EDT. If you haven’t…
Anabaptist Worship Network develops website
The Anabaptist Worship Network, which began as a group on Facebook, now has its own website at http://anabaptistworship.net with worship resources and information about courses and events. The Anabaptist Worship Network is dedicated to supporting worship and song leaders in making intentional, theologically grounded, and spiritually inspired choices about worship practices that respond to their local contexts.
MennoMedia offers free devotional resource
MennoMedia is offering a second special issue of its daily devotional magazine, Rejoice!, as a free download. The special publication, titled Rejoice! A Time Enduring, was written, edited, and designed by individuals volunteering their time to contribute their gifts for the benefit of their communities of faith. To download a copy, go to https://bit.ly/RejoiceATimeEnduring.
Website offers faith-based resources for abuse response and prevention
Mennonite Central Committee, with support from CommonWord, has launched a resource website addressing issues of abuse for faith communities and their members. The website includes resources on intimate partner abuse, healthy relationships, sexual violence, clergy sexual abuse, and how to offer support to survivors of abuse and assist those perpetrating harm. To access these resources, go to abuseresponseandprevention.ca.
Peaceful at Heart explores healthy masculinity
What does Anabaptism have to teach us about healthy masculinity? Don Neufeld and Steve Thomas, coordinators of Mennonite Men Canada and Mennonite Men USA, respectively, have edited a collection of essays, Peaceful at Heart: Anabaptist Reflections on Healthy Masculinity, with support from the Institute of Mennonite Studies to answer this question. This project of Mennonite Men is a collaborative effort…
MC USA releases video series about technology best practices
Mennonite Church USA has released a new video series, Technology Best Practices for Service, that offers best practices for holding virtual meetings and worship services, as well as effective technology tools for working from home. Created by Crystal Washington, a technology strategist and certified futurist, this series is broken into short videos that offer tips and suggestions for navigating today’s leading…
CommonWord and AMBS offer resources for dealing with COVID-19
CommonWord has compiled a curated list of worship, family, and other resources for use during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to downloadable documents, the list includes links to articles on topics such as “An Examen for Life During COVID-19” and “How to Livestream Your Church Service: A Practical Guide.” To view these resources, go to www.commonword.ca/go/2005. Another source for COVID-19-related…