Resources
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…
Bible study series explores diversity
Mennonite Church USA has produced “Diversity: God’s Design,” a new four-week Bible study aimed at young adults (but appropriate for intergenerational audiences) that celebrates diversity and intercultural competence. “Diversity: God’s Design” features voices from across the Mennonite church who share biblical narratives and personal experiences that invite participants to explore how and why they should join the journey of celebrating…
Lent at Home guide is ready for download
“Seeking God’s Way” is the theme of Mennonite Church USA’s (MC USA) 2022 Lent at Home worship guide. 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, March 2, to Easter, April 17. The guide also features at-home rituals…
Check CommonWord for Lenten resources
Are you looking for resources to help you get in the Lenten spirit this spring? CommonWord, a collaboration of Canadian Mennonite University and Mennonite Church Canada, has a curated collection of resources for Lent. Visit commonword.ca/go/2213 to see the entire collection.
Immigration Resource List is updated
Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team would like to remind everyone that there are many opportunities to share God’s love, hope, and peace. Are you looking for ideas about how you can share God’s love with immigrants? The Immigration Resource Team has updated its Immigration Resource List, which features books, websites, organizations, and films, as well as contact information for people who have…
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…
Immigration Resource Team shares resources
The Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team is continuing its work of raising awareness and sharing resources related to immigration. Scripture resource This summer, the Immigration Resource Team released a resource titled “A Biblical Guide to Immigration.” This guide, which includes a compilation of scriptures related to immigration, is suitable for both personal and congregational use. “A Biblical Guide to Immigration”…
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…
Scripture resource focuses on immigration
The Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team has compiled a list of scriptures related to immigration for personal and congregational use. “A Biblical Guide to Immigration” includes scriptures grouped by topic. It is intended for use in sermons and in Sunday school classes or for personal reflection. Download the Guide
Resource offers conflict transformation tools
Conflict is a normal part of life. It arises in our workplaces, in our churches and with our families. To help people learn to work through divisive issues, Mennonite Central Committee U.S. has produced a new adult Sunday school curriculum, Peaceful Practices: A guide to healthy communication in conflict. It invites churchgoers to follow Jesus’ call to peacemaking through dialogue with…
Peace Sunday is Sept. 19
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) invites all Mennonite congregations to observe Peace Sunday together with brothers and sisters in the global Anabaptist church family on Sept. 19, 2021. The theme for this year’s Peace Sunday is “Finding hope and healing in crisis.” The MWC Peace Commission has created worship resources for celebrating Peace Sunday. Download the Worship Materials
MMN video series seeks to ‘Stir Up Peace’
From Mennonite Mission Network: Check out the brand new Stir Up Peace video series! Learn the tools to seek positive change in nonviolent ways. All nine video episodes are less than six minutes long. See the videos at https://bit.ly/StirUpPeace.
Anabaptist Disabilities Network offers suggestions for dealing with hearing loss
The Summer 2021 e-newsletter from Anabaptist Disabilities Network focuses on inclusion of those who are deaf or who have hearing loss. The newsletter includes information about technology for making audio during worship services more accessible for people with hearing loss. Go to https://bit.ly/ADNSummer2021 to read this newsletter.
Leadership development opportunities available
Ohio Conference has two opportunities for leadership enrichment and development beginning in September. The first, a Thriving in Ministry cohort, is for pastors who are already serving in a congregation. It will run from September 2021 to April 2022 and will focus on the well-being of pastors, effective practices in ministry, and leadership development. Please see the description of the program and…
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.
Video series promotes discussion
A group of Ohio Conference congregations from Wayne County has joined together to create a video series focused on intercultural ministry and racial reconciliation. Series on Solidarity is a six-part series of videos and accompanying questions for small group discussions.
The goal of this series is to facilitate understanding and to promote the equality of all people. The Ohio Conference supported this project with a ministry grant in 2020. For links to these videos and the discussion guide, see http://bit.ly/SeriesonSolidarity.
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…