COVID-19
COVID-19 Meeting Guidelines
Update: The COVID guidelines that were established for Conference events will stay in place until the end of the calendar year, and the Ohio Conference Leadership Team will re-visit this issue in January. The Leadership Team made this decision at its Nov. 18 meeting.
New wineskins
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister “No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put…
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…
Resources deal with considerations for in-person worship
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate As the COVID-19 pandemic enters a new phase and many local health restrictions are lifted, how should our congregations approach in-person worship? Anabaptist Worship Network has explored this topic in a recent webinar titled “Worship and Reopening Churches.” If you would like to watch a recording of this webinar, you can find it online…
Weekend College to focus on pastoring through COVID
The Center for Anabaptist Leadership and Learning at Hesston College will host a special online Weekend College event for pastors, congregational leaders and conference leaders on Feb. 20. The event is titled “What If They Don’t Come Back? Pastoring through COVID.” Event attendance is open to all. Those interested in attending can register online at www.hesston.edu/weekendcollege.
Regional gatherings focus on mission statement, congregational sharing
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister On Oct. 20, 22, 27 and 29 Ohio Conference held four regional fall gatherings for delegates to Annual Conference Assembly. Delegates learned about a proposed new mission statement for the Conference, heard more about the upcoming Annual Conference Assembly, and shared with one another about their congregations’ experiences dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to…
Ohio Conference offers Pastor Wellness Grants
Being a pastor in the 21st century is a very challenging calling. Being a pastor during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic has been even more challenging. Due to the many changes that have had to be made, many of our pastors have not taken a Sunday off since the pandemic began, many have cancelled or shortened their vacations, and…
The truth will set us free
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”— John 8:31-32 (ESV) Jesus said to his early disciples, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and…
COVID-19 global response fund helps churches
Mennonite World Conference’s COVID-19 inter-agency task force has approved 21 relief proposals. Food and sanitation materials are part of all the proposals from Anabaptist member churches in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Read more about how these funds will be used at https://bit.ly/MWCCOVID-19Fund.
Mennonite Church USA to meet virtually for remainder of 2020
(Mennonite Church USA) — Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) announced that it is adapting its meeting plans for the remainder of 2020, including the upcoming meetings of the Executive Board, the Constituency Leaders Council (CLC) and the Racial Ethnic Council, as well as the Women Doing Theology conference. For more details, see https://bit.ly/MCUSAVirtualMeetings2020.
Fighting the wrong battles with the wrong weapons
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. — 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV) Over the past several months we have witnessed several African American people die…
AMBS webinar is for those experiencing loss
AMBS webinar: Mourning Our Losses Together During COVID-19: The Good News of Biblical Lament: Tuesday, July 21, 2–3 p.m. EDT. This free webinar — back by popular demand! — is for those experiencing loss and those journeying with them. Participants will explore the three–act movement of biblical lament as a faithful response to God. Registration is required. See ambs.edu/mourningourlosses.
Ecumenical group develops guidelines for resuming in-person worship
Following an extended consultation, an ecumenical group of religious leaders has developed a set of guidelines for resuming in-person worship services. You can read their recommendations at https://bit.ly/ResumingCare-FilledWorship.
Being Jesus in the reopening of his churches
By Dick Barrett Conference Minister The past several months have certainly been a difficult time in our individual lives and in the lives of our churches throughout Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA. It seems like “a perfect storm” — a pandemic that almost none of us have ever experienced before, an economy that crashed with no one sure of…
MCC webinar to share international stories of responding to COVID-19
Mennonite Central Committee will hold a Facebook Live webinar on June 17 about COVID-19 in the developing world: Wednesday, June 17, at 7 p.m. EST: “COVID-19 hits the developing world: Q&A with MCC’s Health Coordinator” free Facebook live webinar. Paul Shetler Fast, MCC’s Health Coordinator, will share stories of how MCC is scaling up and adapting programs in response to COVID-19.…
Webinar to explore immigration policy effect on COVID-19 spread
Mennonite Central Committee’s webinar series on immigration continues June 16: Tuesday, June 16 at 2 p.m. EST: “MCC’s migration work in Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala/El Salvador” free immigration webinar. In the continuing six-part webinar series on immigration and border realities, MCC staff and partners will discuss how U.S. policies and protocols are affecting the spread of the coronavirus among vulnerable populations in Latin…
MWC calls for coordinated aid response
Mennonite World Conference has invited Anabaptist mission and service agencies to coordinate their financial response to COVID-19 hardships experienced especially by under-resourced member churches around the world. Learn more at https://bit.ly/MWCPandemicResponse.
Mourning in time of COVID-19 is webinar topic
AMBS webinar: Mourning Our Losses Together During COVID-19: The Good News of Biblical Lament: Tuesday, June 23, 2–3 p.m. EDT. This free webinar is for those experiencing loss during this global pandemic and their caregivers. Participants will explore the three–act movement of biblical lament as a faithful response to God in both individual and corporate settings. Registration is required: ambs.edu/mourningourlosses.
Faith leaders call for National Day of Mourning and Lament
This week America surpassed 100,000 deaths from COVID-19. Many of those who died had to do so without the presence of family and loved ones. The deaths have been disproportionate in age, race and economic status. As we mark this grim milestone of more than 100,000 deaths in America and more than 350,000 worldwide, faith leaders from across our country…
Thoughtful and prayerful reopening
All of our congregations throughout Ohio Conference are discerning when is the best time to start gathering together in person again and what steps need to be taken to try to prevent any spread of COVID-19. Most will be reopening in phases offering limited interaction (e.g. no Sunday school, no nursery care, no coffee and refreshments). Some will begin by…
Hispanic families suffering more in the era of COVID-19
By Haroldo Nunes Executive Director Open Arms Hispanic Ministry Hello my sisters and brothers, I would like to start this article with a quote from Jim Wallis of Sojourners: “We believe that the ultimate test of our discipleship to Jesus Christ is how we treat the most vulnerable in society, or as Jesus refers to them in Matthew 25, ‘the…
Applications pour in for COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund
By Susan Kim GOSHEN, Indiana — Anabaptist churches in the U.S. have submitted more than 200 applications to the new COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund since its launch on April 13, 2020. The great majority of the applications have come from churches serving racially or ethnically diverse communities – congregations whose needs center around lost jobs and income that have led…
MDS approves additional funds for COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund
Lititz, PA — Faced with a large number of requests for assistance from U.S. churches for the COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund, the Board of Directors of Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) have approved an additional $250,000 to help meet the high demand. The COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund is a joint effort of MDS, Everence and Mennonite Central Committee U.S. With this…
Webinar’s focus to be ‘radical aloneness’
How can church leaders respond to the challenges of the current pandemic and the resultant “radical aloneness” that afflicts many of us? Lombard Mennonite Peace Center is planning a webinar exploring these questions, Social Distancing, Not Social Isolation, on Thursday, May 14, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Central Time. Participants will learn how church leaders can reach out to people…
Issues to consider before meeting in person
As the State of Ohio introduces plans to slowly open up once more after weeks of stay-at-home orders, congregations have many things to consider before reopening their church buildings and returning to in-person worship services. As your congregation’s leaders discuss plans for returning to meeting in person, here are two articles outlining issues to consider: “Twenty-four questions your church should…
Seminary hosts online forum series on navigating ministry during COVID-19
Eastern Mennonite Seminary is hosting Navigating Ministry During COVID-19, a free online forum series for pastors. All forums will be live via Zoom on Wednesdays, from 3-4:30 p.m. EDT. Register here. The series is an outgrowth of an April 1 online gathering that drew 32 pastors, including 22 alumni, representing Mennonite Church USA, the Church of the Brethren, Presbyterian Church USA and United…
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…
MMN resource is designed for youth groups
Mennonite Mission Network has released a new resource for youth groups, “Making faith sense amidst the pandemic.” This resource is designed to guide conversation with youth as part of an online group meeting. You can learn more and download the resource at https://bit.ly/MMNYouthResources.
MDS, Everence and MCC launch COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund
GOSHEN, Indiana — Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), Everence® and Mennonite Central Committee U.S. (MCC U.S.) have joined together to launch a COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund to aid churches facing financial crisis due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The new fund was seeded with a combined $550,000 commitment from MDS, Everence and MCC U.S. The fund will be administered by Everence…
MennoMedia provides free resources
While gatherings are limited because of COVID-19, MennoMedia is providing free online resources. MennoMedia is offering a special issue of its daily devotional magazine, Rejoice!, as a free download from the MennoMedia website. The special publication, titled Rejoice! A Time Such as This: Reflections on COVID-19, was written, edited, and designed by individuals volunteering their time to contribute their gifts…