MCC Seek program is for young adults

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is accepting applications for Seek, its newest young adult program for 18- to 20-year-olds who want to do six months of service, discipleship training and cross-cultural sharing in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Starting in January 2024, Seek participants from around the world will stay in the Southeast Asian country, considering together what it means to live, love…

Preliminary relief sale results reported

The treasurers of the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale & Auction have reported preliminary results from this year’s event, which was held July 7-8 at the Mt. Hope Event Center. The sale day total was about $365,000. However, sizeable donations to the My Coins Count campaign are still expected, which will add to the amount raised. All funds raised benefit the…

Everence Blessing Booth

Everence in Northeast Ohio was privileged to partner with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale this year. The sale was held on July 7 and 8, 2023, at the Mt. Hope Event Center in Mt. Hope, Ohio. Everence staffed a Blessing Booth where attenders could donate directly to their favorite MCC project without having to bid or take…

MCC to offer immigration law training

Mennonite Central Committee is hosting an in-person Basic Immigration Law Training Sept. 11-15 in Akron, Pennsylvania. This 40-hour training will be conducted using the curriculum of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC). This course will help to provide the necessary training component for individuals who wish to apply for accreditation from the Department of Justice (DOJ). DOJ recognition and accreditation allows…

Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale gives globally while staying close to home

All over the world people are hurting. From war-torn Ukraine to providing clean water in the Congo, and even closer to home where families in Appalachian areas struggle to thrive, people are hurting. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) understands the plight many families face every day. MCC is making an impact and helping those in need with a focus on biblical…

MCC sets goal for School Kit Challenge

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is holding a School Kit Challenge this August. The challenge: Help 10,000 kids attend school by donating 10,000 school kits during the month of August. To assist in this challenge, MCC is offering a free school kit activity resource for Sunday school and vacation Bible school students. To learn more about the challenge or to order the school…

Run 4 Relief set for July 8

The Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale 5K/1K Run will take place Saturday, July 8. Both races will start at the Mt. Hope Event Center. The 1K Fun Run will begin at 7:30 a.m., and the 5K Run will begin at 8 a.m. Every participant will receive a T-shirt, and the top six overall runners will receive an award. Age awards will…

Creation care resources abound

By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This month I would like to highlight a number of resources related to the environment. MCC Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) has gathered a set of resources related to the environment and climate change, all available at https://mcc.org/mcc-climate-change. The introduction to this collection says, “Our partners say changing weather affects almost every aspect of…

Group effort benefits MCC

Many people volunteered their time at the second Ohio MCC Comforter Bash, which was held in Kidron April 21 and 22. Volunteers knotted 220 comforters during the two-day event, a substantial increase from the 129 comforters which were completed during the 2022 Ohio MCC Comforter Bash. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) has a goal of donating 45,000 blankets by the end…

MCC introduces Climate Action for Peace

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is holding a special online launch event to introduce its new Climate Action for Peace campaign. This webinar will be held Tuesday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. ET. To learn more or to register, go to https://bit.ly/MCCClimateActionWebinar. Webinar participants will learn about how people around the world, with the help of MCC’s partners, are taking action…

Ohio MCC Comforter Bash

Mennonite Central Committee will hold the second annual Ohio MCC Comforter Bash on Friday and Saturday, April 21-22, in the recreation building at the Kidron Community Park, 4434 Kidron Road, Kidron. Everyone is invited to knot comforters for Mennonite Central Committee at this event. A handmade comforter provides not only warmth but also a tangible message to people that their…

MCC essay contest is for youth

The annual MCC U.S. National Peace & Justice Ministries essay contest highlights the perspectives of youth on significant public policy issues. Are you a youth who attends a Mennonite high school or an Anabaptist church? This contest is your opportunity to express your views in essay format on critical issues facing U.S. society. Submissions are due Feb. 24, 2023, and may…

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.

MCC offers worship resource for Day of Peace

To help your church observe the International Day of Peace, which is Sept. 21, Mennonite Central Committee has created a short worship resource. Congregations can choose to celebrate and pray for peace on Sunday, Sept. 25, or another Sunday. International Day of Peace – Worship Resource

Emergency relief supplies distributed in Ukraine

Partners of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Uman, Kharkiv, Nikopol and other places in Ukraine recently distributed emergency relief supplies to more than 16,000 people. Learn more about this relief effort at https://mcc.org/stories/rockets-rosebushes-relief.

MCC requests material resource donations

Mennonite Central Committee’s inventory of material resources is getting low. Needed items include comforters, soap and towels as well as dignity, hygiene, infant care, relief, school and sewing kits. Your donations will provide relief and a tangible sign of hope for people in difficult situations around the world. To get involved, please visit mcc.org/kits.

MCC raises $8.8 million for Ukraine relief work

Thanks to the donations of many individuals, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) has raised $8.8 million to respond to the needs of the people of Ukraine. See MCC’s website for details: https://bit.ly/MCCUkraineDonations.

Explore these webinar offerings

By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This month I would like to highlight a variety of webinars being offered by various church-related agencies. The first is an upcoming webinar, and the other three are recordings of previously offered webinars. Housing Mennonite Central Committee will host “Creative Housing Solutions for Refugees and Asylum Seekers” on Tuesday, July 26, at 2…

MCC webinar to explore ‘Gardening for good’

Interested in creation care? On May 26 at 8 p.m., Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) will host a webinar, “Gardening for good: Creation care tips for your backyard and stories from Bolivia.” In this virtual visit, MCC will explore what it looks like to care for the planet ─ from our own backyards to remote Bolivian communities. This presentation will include…

Collaboration seeks to counter military recruitment

Mennonites Against Militarism – a collaboration of Mennonite Central Committee, U.S. (MCC) and Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) – is seeking to launch an initiative to counter military recruitment of U.S. youth. The vision for the project, Alternatives to Military Enlistment Network (AMEN), is to connect young people with volunteer advisors who can help them find non-military career, service and training opportunities. To learn…

Many work together at MCC Comforter Bash

Many people came together to support Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) at the Ohio MCC Comforter Bash on April 22-23. A total of 129 comforters were knotted during the two-day event at the Kidron Community Park Building, with 150 volunteers participating in the work on Friday and 75 volunteers on Saturday. MCC will distribute these comforters to people in need around…

MCC to offer webinar on welcoming refugees

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and Church World Service (CWS) are planning a webinar on Tuesday, April 12, for people interested in learning more about welcoming refugees in the United States. The hour-long webinar will begin at 2 p.m. During the webinar, Charity Stowell, MCC U.S. newcomer connections coordinator, and Ted Blessing, CWS community engagement organizer, will address several questions: Who…

Ohio MCC Comforter Bash set for April 22-23

Save the date for the Ohio MCC Comforter Bash on April 22-23! A handmade comforter provides not only warmth, but also a tangible message to people that their needs are not forgotten. Join others of all ages for this two-day event in Kidron to knot comforters that Mennonite Central Committee will distribute around the world. We invite you to make…

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…

Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale will be an in-person event this year

Wooster, Ohio — For 56 years, the Mennonite, Brethren, Apostolic and Amish churches of northeastern Ohio have worked together to create a festive event that raises funds for the work of Mennonite Central Committee. After a COVID-limited virtual auction in 2020, the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale will return in person Aug. 6 and 7. The event will take place in…

MCC offers virtual tour of borderlands

Mennonite Central Committee is offering a Virtual Borderlands Learning Tour June 28-July 2. Sessions will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. each day. This virtual learning tour is designed to engage participants with the reality of immigration from a different perspective. The Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team is encouraging everyone to consider participating in this learning tour. See http://bit.ly/VirtualBorderlandsLearningTour for…

MCC needs relief kit donations

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) needs more relief kits. MCC reports that its partners have requested 27,000 relief kits this year. But due to the pandemic, MCC’s Material Resources warehouse inventory is significantly lower this year than it was at this time last year. In order to meet this need, MCC needs your help. Learn more at https://mcc.org/get-involved/kits/relief.

MCC seeks summer staff for SWAP

SWAP summer staff needed! Mennonite Central Committee’s Sharing With Appalachia People (SWAP) program is in need of job site coordinators and meals coordinators to support home repair projects in Kimball, West Virginia, or Harlan, Kentucky. Applicants should be at least 19 years old, but these paid roles are not limited to young adults. For more information and to apply, visit…

Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale

The 2021 Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale will take place Aug. 6-7 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster. Please see the event brochure for details. Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale – brochure-2021