News & Stories
A Sense of God’s Heart in the Matter
This issue features articles about discernment, a word that Christians sometimes get tired of because it gets used often. I think we use it because we want to take care, and exercise insight, when making weighty decisions like calling people to congregational leadership positions or adopting a budget or planting a new church. On the downside, talking about discernment can…
Welcome Kelsey!
I’m Kelsey Hilty Troyer and I’m excited to be joining Ohio Mennonite Conference as the new Administrative Coordinator. Prior to OMC, I served as the administrative assistant at Oak Grove Mennonite (Smithville) for the last seven years and I’ve been the administrative assistant at Crown Hill Mennonite (Rittman) since 2018. I graduated from Central Christian School in 2012, where I…
Welcome Sháqūez!
New Program and Communication Coordinator to begin on July 1 My name is Sháqūez Dickens. I am originally from Wooster, Ohio, where I previously worked in various roles at The College of Wooster. I graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with my Bachelor’s in Business and will soon graduate with my Master’s in Organizational Leadership. My husband, Bob, and I live…
Is God calling you? (Or someone you know?)
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:13-14 Thank you for the ways you support Ohio Mennonite Conference! The Gifts Discernment Committee is tasked with filling all Conference committee positions. Sometimes their…
How is your congregation impacting the community?
The new strategic plan that was adopted at Annual Conference Assembly in March, states that congregational stories of “evangelism and community participation” will be included in Ohio Conference’s communications throughout the year. How is your congregation working in the community? Are you beginning something or have you been involved in something for some time now? Would you be willing to…
Journey
Journey is a missional leadership development program from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) that develops leaders centered in Jesus for ministry. Are you on a journey to ministry? Do you know someone who is on a journey to ministry? Why not tap them to join Journey? To find out more information, check out this link.
UPDATED: Staffing positions available
Ohio Conference is looking for a quarter-time bookkeeper. This position makes a significant contribution to the conference’s ability to work toward its mission to love God, love others, and make disciples of Jesus Christ. The Bookkeeper will accomplish tasks such as: Receive and process all revenue and expenses Track activities in financial software File tax forms Create reports that convey…
How did your congregation celebrate Social Justice Sunday?
Grace & Groundings, Ohio Conference’s racial reconciliation team, would like to hear how you did or did not use the 2024 Social Justice Sunday resources. We would appreciate responses to a short questionnaire whether or not you used, or plan to use, the resources created by Grace & Groundings. The questionnaire is brief and will help Grace & Groundings as they continue their work. Please respond…
May financial report
Stan Helmuth, Ohio Conference financial coordinator, has finalized the May financial statements; May is the second month of the fiscal year. While congregational giving was higher in May than in April, expenses are still exceeding receipts. Staff continues to keep expenses below budget, but giving also continues to be below budget. As of May 31, the conference has a $12,478…
Congratulations, Sue!! Sue Short graduates from AMBS
On April 27, AMBS held its commencement service honoring 22 graduates. One of those honored was Sue Short, pastor at Zion Mennonite in Archbold. Sue anticipates completing her Master of Divinity with a major in Pastoral Ministry this August. Sue completed most of her degree from a distance through the MDiv Connect program. Sue states, “My seminary experience at AMBS…
Leadership Council gathers for retreat
The new Ohio Conference Leadership Council met April 24-25 at Our Lady of the Pines Retreat Center in Tiffin, OH. The purpose of our retreat was to get to know one another better and to intentionally set time aside to review the 2024-26 Strategic Plan that was approved at our recent Annual Conference Assembly. As the Leadership Council gathered it…
Centered around Jesus
By Dan Miller Interim Conference Minister As I’ve been learning about Ohio Conference, hoping to hear the Spirit, and engaging in our work together, Philippians 2:5-11 is a passage that’s stuck out to me. Many scholars think this was a hymn used in early church worship that exalted how he went about his mission. Here are verses 5-8: Let this…
Oak Grove Mennonite Preschool outreach
By Miriam Zehr Retired associate pastor of Worship and Education at Oak Grove Mennonite Church Oak Grove Mennonite Preschool has been in operation since 1975. It offers programming for three- and four-year-olds on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and for four– and five-year-olds on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings during the school year. We have had many connections with community families…
First month of fiscal year complete
Ohio Conference’s fiscal year began on April 1 and ended its first month with just over a $3,000 deficit. In comparison, the past two fiscal years had over a $14,000 deficit after the first month. While receipts were low, expenses were almost $8000 lower than budgeted. The budget this year is based on $250,000 in contributions from congregations and $40,000…
Healthy Boundaries 201 Training
Healthy Boundaries 201 training was held on April 30 with sixty people participating. Led by Nancy Kauffmann and Jon Bohley, credentialed leaders from Ohio Conference and beyond completed the training. All persons with an active (or active without charge) credential from the Ohio Conference are required to complete Healthy Boundaries training once every three years.
It’s Official! We are Ohio Mennonite Conference!
Conference’s name is now officially Ohio Mennonite Conference. The action that the delegates took at Annual Conference Assembly in March of this year to change the name of Conference from Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA to Ohio Mennonite Conference has been recorded by the State of Ohio, and the bylaws have been amended. This organization’s name is now officially…
Fiscal year closes with a deficit
Ohio Conference’s fiscal year closed on March 31, 2024, with a $47,192 deficit according to figures provided by Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts for the month were $22,440, a $14,695 increase over February. Expenses for March were up slightly over February at $33,298 due to Annual Conference expenditures. The ending yearly deficit is the largest the conference has experienced in…
Training opportunities in mediation and conflict transformation in ministry
Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (LMPC) is hosting Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders in Huron, Ohio, May 27-31 at Christ Episcopal Church. This 32-hour training is for clergy looking to increase or improve their mediation skills. If these dates are not convenient, there will be other trainings in Pennsylvania and Illinois this summer. LMPC is also offering Leadership Development…
Food justice in Ohio
Why do so many Ohioans have difficulty getting food that is affordable, nutritious, culturally acceptable, and accessible? The newest Ohio Conference Cast podcast explores this topic with Dr. Brandy Phipps, associate professor at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. Dr. Phipps works with others throughout Ohio and the Midwest to create new options for people to grow and access food…
Bluffton University announces merger with University of Findlay
At a press conference on March 20, the presidents of Bluffton University and the University of Findlay announced that they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding declaring the intention to pursue a merger of the two universities. This would create one institution with two campuses. Each university would remain affiliated with its denomination—Bluffton with MC USA and Findlay with the…
Former Ohio Conference pastor passes at age 82
Robert “Bob” Schloneger, age 82, formerly of Ohio Conference, passed away on March 25, 2024, in Goshen, Indiana. Born on April 17, 1941, in Louisville, Ohio, Bob married Enid Miller in 1963. They had three sons and one daughter. Over the course of his life, Bob served in various ministerial roles, including many in Ohio Conference. He pastored at North…
Giving drops sharply in February
Giving to Ohio Conference dropped sharply in February, according to figures provided by Financial Coordinator Stan Helmuth. Receipts for the month totaled just $7,745, including $5,521 in giving from congregations. In contrast, receipts for January were $60,875, by far the highest monthly total in fiscal year 2023-24. Expenses for February totaled $25,159, resulting in a deficit of $17,414 for the…
AMBS receives grant for new initiative
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana, has received a $1,249,830 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to establish a program, “Anabaptist Thriving Congregations,” to help congregations deepen their study of the Bible with the goal of connecting more authentically with their communities. The project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative. The aim of the initiative is…
MC USA webinars focus on women in leadership
A recording of the webinar “The Hope-Filled Persistence of Women in Ministry” is now available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyPPI_ubb6A&t=3s. Mennonite Church USA’s next Women in Leadership webinar will be on April 23 at 7 p.m. ET. Register at https://MCUSA.zoom.us/…/register/WN_bWnkm9zcRqmiPfnX_zg1PQ.
Salem Mennonite to co-host service at Lima Mennonite
Palm Sunday special service at Lima Mennonite, Sunday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. Lima Mennonite (1318 Main St., Lima, Ohio), together with Salem Mennonite in Elida, will host Sarah Augustine, co-founder and co-chair of the Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Coalition. Her presentation will focus on understanding the Doctrine of Discovery, a set of laws rooted in the 15th century that…
Healthy Boundaries refresher training planned
April 22 is the deadline to register for the Healthy Boundaries 201 training sponsored by the Ohio Conference. This training will be held on Tuesday, April 30, at Wooster Mennonite Church from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The training also will be available online through Zoom. Lunch will be provided for in-person participants. To register, go to https://buytickets.at/ohioconferenceofmennonitechurchusa/1157814.
April is Abuse Prevention Month
April is Abuse Prevention month. Congregations and pastors are welcome to contact Nancy Kauffmann, interim denominational minister of Church Safety for Mennonite Church USA’s Church Vitality office, if they wish to have a speaker, training or other resource to use during the month. You may contact her at nancyk@mennoniteusa.org.
Nominees sought for Bring the Peace awards
Mennonite Church USA is seeking award nominations for its 2024 Bring the Peace initiative. The denomination gives the award to a Legacy Peacemaker and a Young Peacemaker each year. A Legacy Peacemaker is someone who has devoted their life to peace and justice work, whereas a Young Peacemaker is a young adult or teenager who has just begun their peacemaking journey and is…
Safe Church policies will be webinar focus
Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is hosting a webinar, “Making a Safe Church Protection Policy,” on Monday, March 25, at 7 p.m. ET. Facilitators will be Marlene Bogard and Nancy Kauffmann, MC USA’s interim denominational minister for Church Safety. Webinar participants will learn how to write a protection policy, how to use the policy, when to update their congregation’s policy…
Delegates approve name change, strategic plan
Note: Photos and a video summary of Annual Conference Assembly are available at https://bit.ly/ACAPhotos. Delegates to the 2024 Annual Conference Assembly (ACA) approved a name change for the Conference, a three-year strategic plan, and an updated Ohio Conference Constitution. ACA took place March 1-2 at Sharon Mennonite Church in Plain City. In addition to business, ACA included several plenary sessions…