News & Articles - Page 5 of 62 - Ohio Mennonite Conference

Tiny, awkward little steps

Engaging with mental illness as a congregation By Nathanael Hofstetter Ressler Maple Grove Mennonite Church Hartville, Ohio Realities exist in life that are daunting to consider, much less to know what to do about them. These realities loom over us in their enormity, and we seem to shrink into their shadows. How could I possibly do anything to address that?!…

Toledo pastor provides peace witness with the help of an anvil

Joel Shenk, pastor of Toledo Mennonite Church, describes how he learned blacksmithing as part of his personal peace witness and how Ohio Conference and his congregation have joined him in this work. Camille Dager, chief communication officer for Mennonite Church USA (MC USA), recently talked to Joel Shenk about his peace witness in response to growing gun violence in the…

Downsizing Summit Mennonite

By Joanne Lehman Many couples and individuals come to a place in life where downsizing is desired. Their situation has changed, and their living space is too big. Family members have moved out to begin life somewhere else. Maintenance is too expensive for the budget. Closets and cupboards are full of things they’ve collected over the years. Life goes…

Congregational giving drops during September

Congregational giving to the Ohio Conference dropped during September, while giving from individuals increased during the same month. During September, congregations contributed a total of $13,960, compared to $24,973 contributed during August. On a more positive note, the Conference received $5,100 from individuals during September. Total receipts for September were $19,094, and expenses for the month were $28,741, resulting in…

Encourage women in your congregation to attend Women in Leadership Retreat

Online registration is open for the Ohio Conference Women in Leadership Retreat planned for Feb. 2-3, 2024, at the Lial Renewal Center in Whitehouse, Ohio. The retreat will feature Jewel Gingerich Longenecker of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, who will focus on the theme “Finding Your Voice.” The planning committee for this retreat would like you to think about women in…

AMBS launches Forming Leaders Together campaign

Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana, has launched its Forming Leaders Together fundraising campaign. Funds raised through the campaign are supporting the seminary’s collaboration with Anabaptist-Mennonite organizations serving the church in Canada, the United States, and around the world. According to Paula Killough, MDiv, Director of Campaign, the seminary has reached 83 percent of its $12 million campaign…

Zoom meeting about Corinthian Plan scheduled

Did you know that Mennonite Church USA has a health plan? The Corinthian Plan provides health coverage for eligible pastors, church employees and their families Learn more during an upcoming Zoom meeting on Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. ET. Current participants of the plan are also welcome to ask questions. Register online at https://bit.ly/CorinthianPlanQandA.

On the Level explores the benefits of being a volunteer

The October edition of On the Level is now available from Mennonite Disaster Service. In the current issue: Kevin King shares the health benefits of being a volunteer; an old grocery store is transformed near Red Lake, Minnesota; and if you enjoy quilting, knitting or crocheting, you’ll want to learn more about the MDS Housewarmer Project. To read more, go…

Updated flyer has instructions for reporting misconduct

The Credentialing Ministry Team of Ohio Mennonite Conference has updated the “How to Report Pastoral Sexual Misconduct” flyer and strongly encourages congregations to post it in their meeting spaces. Please consider posting in visible places, but it doesn’t have to be the first thing people see when entering the church. Consider posting in bathrooms, on bulletin boards or other conspicuous places around…

ACA 2024 is for everyone, not just delegates

Ohio Conference’s 2024 Annual Conference Assembly will take place March 1-2 at Sharon Mennonite Church in Plain City. A 2024 ACA Save the Date Flyer is now available. Please share it with your congregation and post it on your church bulletin boards. The ACA Planning Committee is inviting everyone from Ohio Conference congregations to attend this year’s ACA because of the…

Podcast features Ohio Conference members

“Til Death Do Us Part” is a new podcast featuring conversation between author Christiana Peterson and her husband, Matthew Peterson, who is pastor of Midway Mennonite Church in Columbiana. In the description of this podcast, Christiana says, “Because I write about death and my husband is a pastor who is often invited into sacred spaces where death is present, we…

ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) has launched “Learn, Pray, Join: End Gun Violence,” an initiative to bring awareness to the complex issue that intersects with poverty, racism, discrimination, criminal justice, education and the environment. MC USA will host two webinars about the topic of gun violence, beginning with “Anabaptism and U.S. Gun Culture” on…

Author Summit to feature Meghan Larissa Good

Jesus Collective is planning an Author Summit featuring Meghan Larissa Good, who will be the featured speaker at the 2024 Annual Conference Assembly. In the Author Summit, participants will meet via Zoom to explore Good’s soon-to-be published book, Divine Gravity: Sparking a Movement to Recover a Better Christian Story. The series will include seven meetings, all featuring conversation with Good.…

Zoom meetings are for public educators

Mennonite Public Educators is hosting a series of Zoom meetings, “Being a Mennonite in Public Ed.” The first meeting will take place Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. ET. Participants will be invited to have real discussions about what it means to live out their faith in the public schools. Mennonite Public Educators is a group that brings together Mennonite teachers…

Mennonite Men to hold retreat Dec. 9

Mennonite Men will hold a Men’s Retreat Saturday, Dec. 9, at Pathways Retreat in Goshen, Indiana. The theme of this half-day retreat will be “Living that Matters for Men.” Steve Thomas, US coordinator for Mennonite Men, will be the retreat leader. For more information, see the retreat flyer. To register, go to bit.ly/pathways_Living_That_Matters.

Delegates meet for discussion, look to the future

Thank you to everyone who attended Ohio Conference’s fall delegate cluster meetings. Delegates met for a time of discernment and discussion, considering these questions: What is the context in which Ohio Conference congregations find themselves in today? What are the needs and longings of the communities in which Ohio Conference congregations reside? In light of the context, what is God’s…

Conference deficit decreases slightly in August

Ohio Conference’s year-to-date deficit decreased slightly during August. Ohio Conference’s income totaled $25,105 during August, including $24,973 in giving from congregations. Expenses during August totaled $24,737, resulting in net income of $368 for the month. Despite the small surplus during August, the Conference continues to run a deficit in 2023-24. As of Aug. 31, the Conference’s operating balance for the…

Register online for Women in Leadership Retreat

One role of ministry leaders is to notice and affirm the gifts of those in your congregation. The planning committee of this winter’s Ohio Conference Women in Leadership Retreat would like you to begin thinking now about women in your congregation that you could encourage to attend. We would love to see each congregation send at least one woman, preferably more!…

Seminary short course to focus on resisting Christian nationalism

Online Short Course: Resisting Christian Nationalism with the Gospel of Peace: Oct. 25 – Nov. 21. Join Drew Strait, Ph.D., in this four-week online short course from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary to deepen your understanding of White Christian nationalism and explore practical and effective nonviolent strategies for resisting it — drawing insights from how Jesus countered oppression. No grades, no…

Christian organizations join together in prayer and action against world hunger

Mennonite World Conference is one of 14 Christian organizations joining hands with World Vision International in prayer and action against world hunger. The third annual Weekend of Prayer and Action Against Hunger will be observed Oct. 14-16, 2023, coinciding with World Food Day, which falls on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. Learn more at https://bit.ly/2023WorldHunger.

Missional videos are now available

Ohio Conference now has a series of mission-focused videos on the Conference website. These videos, originally designed for a missional workshop, are available for your use. The following videos are included: Matt Pritchard — Considerations for Emerging Faith Communities Wild Church — Innovation/Creative Church Planting Piedra Viva Mennonite — Partnership Homestead Mennonite Church Experience — Revitalization For more information and…

Explore a call to ministry with Journey

When God calls someone to leadership, a journey begins. Perhaps you are on that journey. Perhaps you are looking for mentors and companions along the way. Ohio Conference invites you to join Journey: A Missional Leadership Development Program. This program is for lay leaders, pastors, church planters, and other emerging leaders who are called without specific training for ministry or…

Grateful

By Dick Barrett Conference Minister As I look toward finishing my time of serving as conference minister, I am grateful to God for the opportunity to have worked with all the many great people of Ohio Conference — the leadership teams, the staff, the pastors and other credentialed leaders, delegates, and congregational members and attenders. In the midst of challenging…

Grants will support local ministries

The Ohio Conference Ministry Development Team (MDT) has awarded four grants totaling $7,395 for local ministries. The MDT approved these grants at its meeting on Aug. 22, 2023. Grants will provide funds toward the following projects: Millersburg Mennonite Church Refugee Resettlement Program — Several members of Millersburg Mennonite Church are making plans to support a family of Congolese refugees to…

Webinar series focuses on giving

By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This month I would like to highlight a resource about giving and a resource from Anabaptist Disabilities Network related to baptism. Provident Giving Sessions This fall MennoMedia is partnering with Everence to provide a free webinar series about generosity, “The Provident Giving Sessions.” The first webinar, held in August, explored why people give.…

Women in Leadership Retreat planned for February

Ohio Conference is planning a Women in Leadership Retreat to be held Feb. 2-3, 2024. The retreat will be held at a new location in northwest Ohio, the Lial Renewal Center in Whitehouse. The intent of this retreat is to encourage women in current church leadership as well as to tap and encourage all women with leadership gifts, not just…

Goshen College grad creates sculpture for Mennonite Church USA offices

By Jolene VonGunten Mennonite Education Agency ELKHART, Ind. – At first look, Emma Zuercher’s sculpture invokes fire. That is precisely the theme she envisioned for “Forged Spirit,” an 11-foot sculpture she designed and created of recycled aluminum materials. The towering, colorful structure was a striking image in the late afternoon sunshine as it was installed at the Mennonite Church USA (MC USA)…

Camp Luz to host Women’s Retreat

Camp Luz in Kidron will hold its annual Women’s Retreat Oct. 13 and 14, with an option to extend the experience through Oct. 15. The speaker will be Sarah Short, focusing on the theme “Abide in Me.” Register on the Camp Luz website: https://bit.ly/10-23WomensRetreat.