News & Stories
Central Christian School to host ACA
‘Doing Life Together: Rooted and Grounded in Love’ will be Assembly theme Central Christian School in Kidron will host the 2023 Annual Conference Assembly (ACA) March 3-4. The theme of this year’s gathering will be “Doing Life Together: Rooted and Grounded in Love,” based on Ephesians 3:16-21. In a letter to delegates, Conference Moderator Ken Sims wrote, “We look forward…
Dwelling in the Word together
Participants from across the Conference reflect on Scripture reading initiative When Sue Short, collaborative minister at Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, heard about Ohio Conference’s Dwelling in the Word Scripture reading initiative, she was excited about the plan. “That’s something that’s important to me — encouraging folks to read Scripture, and however that can happen, I’m on board for that.…
Registration is open for ACA
Online registration is open for the 2023 Annual Conference Assembly (ACA). Central Christian School in Kidron will host the 2023 ACA March 3-4. The theme of this year’s gathering will be “Doing Life Together: Rooted and Grounded in Love,” based on Ephesians 3:16-21. Pastors, please note this schedule change: This year the Pastor Appreciation Meal will be at lunchtime on…
Winter Read conversations begin Jan. 10
The first installment of the Ohio Conference Winter Read will take place next week on Tuesday, Jan. 10! Please join us on Tuesday nights in January and February on Zoom as we discuss the book Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. Our online conversation will take place on Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. A reading schedule for this series…
Scholarship application deadline is Feb. 28
Everence is continuing its college scholarship program for the 2023-24 school year and will be accepting applications through Feb. 28, 2023. The program awards scholarships of $1,000, $2,000 and $3,000. To be eligible the student or the student’s parent must own or be using an Everence product. For more details or to apply, visit everence.com/college-scholarships.
AMBS conference to focus on ‘Reimagining Ministry’
“Reimagining Ministry” will be the theme of the 2023 Pastors & Leaders Conference at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana. This year’s conference is designed to give pastors and church leaders ideas and practices to help nurture resilience, compassion and hope in themselves and in their congregations by learning from Jesus’ ministry. Pastors & Leaders 2023 will begin…
Laurelville to host Music & Worship Leaders Retreat
Laurelville Retreat Center in Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, will host its annual Music & Worship Leaders Retreat January 20-22, 2023. This year’s theme is “Lament and Hope” with guest speaker Safwat Marzouk, author and theologian. The retreat gives music and worship leaders a space to learn, recharge, and connect with their peers through valuable workshops, seminars, resources, fellowship time, worship, and…
Anabaptist World seeks submissions about racial justice
Anabaptist World invites your original submissions for the Feb. 10 issue focusing on the theme “racial justice.” Articles should be between 600 and 1,200 words. For more information about this theme, see https://anabaptistworld.org/aw-call-for-submissions-racial-justice. Submissions are due to editor@anabaptistworld.org no later than Jan. 15, 2023.
Delegate News — 12-27-22
Winter cluster meetings start Jan. 17 Five winter cluster meetings have been scheduled for Ohio Conference delegates to Annual Conference Assembly. Each meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last approximately two hours. Locations are as follows: Jan. 17 — Maple Grove Mennonite Church, Hartville Jan. 19 — Toledo Mennonite Church Jan. 24 — Sharon Mennonite Church, Plain City Jan. 26 — Orrville…
Register now for the Winter Read
Coming in January: The Ohio Conference Winter Read. This winter Ohio Conference will once again hold a Conference-wide book study using the Zoom videoconferencing platform. This year we will be studying Just Mercy, a book by Bryan Stevenson. Bryan Stevenson was the speaker at Eastern Mennonite University’s spring 2022 commencement ceremony. He is the executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative…
Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.
Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This is a day that remembers the nonviolent approach to racial justice that was led by minister and activist Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Grace & Groundings,” Ohio Conference’s racial reconciliation resource team, invites you to use the previous Sunday – Jan. 15, 2023 – to remember the work…
Registration is open for Missional Workshop
Do you have ideas for ministering to your community, but need motivation to begin making those ideas come to life? Plan now to attend Ohio Conference’s 2023 Missional Workshop at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin on Saturday, April 15. The theme of this interactive workshop is “Outward Church: Mobilizing the church wherever you are.” During this one-day workshop, teams…
Giving to Conference drops during November
Giving to Ohio Conference slowed during November, resulting in an increase in the Conference’s financial deficit for fiscal year 2022-23. Receipts for November totaled $20,285, a significant decrease from the $35,618 received during October. Expenses for November totaled $28,686, resulting a in deficit of $8,401 for the month. As of Nov. 30, the Conference’s operating balance was -$46,959. The Conference…
Camp Luz to offer scholarships for staffers
Camp Luz in Kidron is offering 11 scholarships for staff members who serve at least eight of the nine weeks of summer camp during 2023. For more information, please see the Camp Luz website: https://bit.ly/CampLuzStaffScholarships.
Delegate News – 12-5-22
Winter cluster meetings start Jan. 17 Five winter cluster meetings have been scheduled for Ohio Conference delegates to Annual Conference Assembly. Each meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last between 1.5 and 2 hours. Locations are as follows: Jan. 17 — Maple Grove Mennonite Church, Hartville Jan. 19 — Toledo Mennonite Church Jan. 24 — Sharon Mennonite Church, Plain City Jan. 26 —…
Plan now to join the Ohio Conference Winter Read
Coming in January: Please plan to join us for the Ohio Conference Winter Read. This winter people from around the Ohio Conference will gather on the Zoom videoconferencing platform to discuss the book Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. Winter Read discussion sessions will take place in the evening on Zoom. Leaders for these discussions will be two members of Lee…
Fundraising goal met for van purchase
Thank you very much to everyone who donated funds toward the purchase of a van for the Akron Swahili Mennonite Church! The donation goal has been met, and the church will be able to take possession of the van in the near future.
MMN offers prayer slides for congregations
Mennonite Mission Network (MMN) now has prayer slides available, in PowerPoint and PDF formats, to aid your congregation in praying for Mennonite Mission Network’s international mission workers. You can find these resources on the “Prayer Resources” page of the MMN website: https://bit.ly/MMNPrayer. Scroll past the Prayer Vine and Presentation Slides to view the Mission Worker Slides.
Webinar to highlight Uniting for Ukraine Program
Since February, more than 14 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes. In response, the U.S. government developed the Uniting for Ukraine community sponsorship program. Join MCC and Church World Service on Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. EST to learn more about the Uniting for Ukraine program and how the faith community can walk alongside Ukrainians as they…
Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale to send $400,000 to MCC
The Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale Board will send $400,000 to Mennonite Central Committee. Based on the recommendation of the group’s treasurer, a motion authorizing that action was approved at the organization’s recent wrap-up meeting. See the Board’s most recent newsletter for more information: Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale Newsletter.
Bangladesh — Seeing a Need and Responding
International service can have long-term effects on those serving. In the case of Bill Schumacher, his voluntary service term in Bangladesh in the 1980s left him with an enduring interest in the welfare of the people there. In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Jared Chase and Jacob Dodson talk with Bill and Carole Schumacher of Sharon Mennonite…
Holy Indifference
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister In my last article for the Evangel, I wrote about the spiritual discipline of Christian discernment. As individual Christians we should be discerning the will of God in our beliefs, decisions and actions each and every day. Our discernment of God’s will for our lives should be based on what has been revealed to us…
Learning trip gives deeper understanding of MMN ministries in France
By Lynda Hollinger-Janzen Mennonite Mission Network Paris Mennonite Center (PMC) sponsored a learning fellowship visit for its supporters, Sep. 16-26, to give them a deeper understanding of its ministries in France and throughout the French-speaking world. James and Jeanette Krabill, who were long-time workers with Mennonite Mission Network, co-hosted the visit with their son and daughter-in-law, Matthew and Toni Krabill, who are…
Missional Workshop to focus on projects
Update: The 2023 Missional Workshop will take place at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin, Ohio. In 2023 Ohio Conference is offering a Missional Workshop on April 15. During this one-day workshop, teams from Ohio Conference congregations will work on plans for projects designed to reach out to their individual communities. Mauricio Chenlo, minister for church planting at Mennonite…
Mentor-Mentee Retreat provides resources
On Sept. 6 Ohio Conference hosted a Mentor/Mentee retreat for our pastors who are currently licensed towards ordination. The one-day retreat was held at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin, Ohio. There were seven pairs present: Mentee Nathanael Hostetter Ressler (Maple Grove Mennonite Church, Hartville), Mentor Dan Hooley (Crown Hill Mennonite Church) Mentee Keith Lyndaker Schlabach (Millersburg Mennonite Church),…
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. “Restoration is Near!” is the theme of the Advent at Home 2022 worship guide, now available at the Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) website: https://mennoniteusa.org/adventathome. Using the theme developed for Leader magazine, the…
Giving to Conference increases in October
Congregational giving to Ohio Conference increased during October, helping to reduce the Conference’s deficit for the 2022-23 fiscal year by more than $6,000. Receipts for the month of October totaled $35,618, including $29,299 in giving from congregations. Expenses for the month totaled just $29,242, resulting in a surplus of $6,376 for the month. However, as of Oct. 31, the Conference…
Sabbatical plans announced
Conference Minister Dick Barrett will be on sabbatical from Nov. 28 to Dec. 31, 2022. If you need a Conference pastor during that time, please contact Regional Pastor Tony Doehrmann. Tony will be on vacation Dec. 4–11. During that week Paula Snyder Belousek, assistant moderator and pastor at Salem Mennonite Church in Elida, will be the emergency contact person. As…
Restorative Conversations workshop planned
Coming in 2023: Lombard Mennonite Peace Center will be offering a new one-day workshop called “Restorative Conversations: Storytelling, Healing and Community Building.” This workshop will introduce church leaders to the key concepts of circle processes and ways in which circles can be used within their congregations. Restorative conversations are useful when working through difficult or polarizing topics, processing shared painful experiences, building…
MC USA shares new resolutions process
ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) Executive Board staff has posted new “Guidelines for Developing Organizational Resolutions and Church Statements in Mennonite Church USA” on the MC USA website: https://bit.ly/2022DevelopingResolutions. The guidelines are effective immediately and apply to proposed organizational resolutions or church statements submitted for consideration by the 2023 Delegate Assembly (Kansas City, Missouri, July…