Mennonite Church USA
Delegates approve new mission statement, Conference to review affiliation with MC USA
For photos from ACA and a summary video, please see https://bit.ly/ACAPhotos. Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA gathered in person for its Annual Conference Assembly (ACA) on March 4-5, 2022, at Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, Ohio. The theme for the assembly was Befriending the Neighborhood: Am I a Good Neighbor? The focus was on the story of the Good…
OC coordinator of volunteers reflects on hope and growth in the wilderness
How do times of difficulty shape us? Ohio Conference Coordinator of Volunteers Alysa Short considers this question in a blog post for Mennonite Church USA titled “Hope and Growth in the Wilderness.” You can read her reflections at https://bit.ly/HopeandGrowth.
Bible study series explores diversity
Mennonite Church USA has produced “Diversity: God’s Design,” a new four-week Bible study aimed at young adults (but appropriate for intergenerational audiences) that celebrates diversity and intercultural competence. “Diversity: God’s Design” features voices from across the Mennonite church who share biblical narratives and personal experiences that invite participants to explore how and why they should join the journey of celebrating…
MC USA webinars offer preparation for delegates
Mennonite Church USA is hosting a series of educational webinars to prepare delegates and their conferences/congregations for the Special Session of the Delegate Assembly, May 27-30, 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri. All webinars will be recorded and available on the delegate resource page: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/special-delegate-session-22. Please see the delegate resource page for more information.
Lent at Home guide is ready for download
“Seeking God’s Way” is the theme of Mennonite Church USA’s (MC USA) 2022 Lent at Home worship guide. The annual guide for home-based worship provides daily and weekly scripture readings, prayers and rituals for individuals and families observing Lent, the period of prayer and reflection from Ash Wednesday, March 2, to Easter, April 17. The guide also features at-home rituals…
Transformation is theme of blog post
“As I look at the ways in which I have been transformed, it is always a result of who I am close to.” Thomas Dunn, co-pastor of Crown Hill Mennonite Church in Rittman and member of the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board, reflects on the theme “Be Transformed” in a blog post for Mennonite Church USA: http://ow.ly/8r4m50GVQey.
Advent at Home guide now available
ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA’s annual Advent at Home worship guide is now available to help individuals and households of all ages prepare for the Advent season. The 2021 guide follows the theme “Dare to Imagine!” This resource offers weekly and daily Scriptures, worship rituals, prayers, activities, and background information. Download the Advent at Home Guide…
Delegate News – A statement from the Conference Leadership Team
To: Ohio Conference delegates and credentialed ministers Re: Documents to review before fall cluster meetings In preparation for fall cluster meetings, we would like you to have copies of three resolutions that Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is planning to bring to the delegates at the Delegate Assembly scheduled for May 27-30, 2022, in Kansas City. Accessibility Resolution proposed by the Anabaptist…
Generations can grow in faith together
There are many settings in which children, youth and adults can grow in faith together rather than as separate groups. Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) has added an Intergenerational Faith Formation resource page to the MC USA website. To view, go to https://bit.ly/IntergenerationalFaithFormation. At that web address you will find a collection of the resources which were shared in a…
Faith Formation Roundtable offers discussion
Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is hosting a series of virtual Faith Formation Roundtable discussions to connect, encourage and support faith formation leaders amid the uncertainties of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These discussions are being held via Zoom twice a month through the end of October. These online gatherings are held Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Upcoming discussion topics are as follows:
Sept. 21 — Staying connected with your college students
Oct. 12 — Ruth Goring, Mennonite author of children’s books
Oct. 19 — Family faith formation with “Pause: Play, Breathe, Pray”
To participate, please register at https://bit.ly/FaithFormationSignup.
Mennonite Church USA seeks communications staffers
Mennonite Church USA is seeking a full-time multimedia news editor and a full-time marketing, communications and engagement associate. See the announcements below for more information: Mennonite Church USA is seeking a full-time marketing communications and engagement associate to assist in all levels of project execution, including research, coordination of online and in-person events, handling constituent inquiries, writing, production, newsletter/collateral distribution and analytics/reporting. This…
Newsletter includes info about MennoCon21
Wondering about this summer’s denominational convention? The latest MennoCon21 Newsletter includes information about this year’s convention, which will be a hybrid event with an in-person gathering in Cincinnati as well as an online option. The online experience will use a virtual event platform called Pheedloop, which is specially designed for conferences. Registration for MennoCon21 opens April 6. See the MennoCon21 Newsletter…
MC USA to hold virtual Delegate Assembly in July
The Executive Board of Mennonite Church USA has voted to hold the denomination’s biennial Delegate Assembly online due to uncertainty around COVID-19 gathering restrictions. Originally scheduled to meet in person on July 6-10, 2021, in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Delegate Assembly will meet virtually on Saturday, July 10, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. While the 2021 MC USA Delegate Assembly will…
MennoCon21
MennoCon21 will be a hybrid event, with in-person programming in Cincinnati, Ohio, as well as virtual programming. For more information, please see https://convention.mennoniteusa.org.
MC USA website has faith formation resources
Looking for faith formation ideas or curriculum? The Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) website now includes all the content from AnabaptistFaithFormation.org. You can find formation resources for people of all ages at MennoniteUSA.org/ff. One resource highlighted on MC USA’s Faith Formation page is a webinar focusing on children’s faith formation during this time of pandemic. The webinar, titled “It Can…
MC USA webinar offers ideas for children’s faith formation
By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate How is your congregation handling faith formation for children during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you seeking ideas for working with children? Mennonite Church USA is hosting a webinar titled “It can be done! Children’s Sunday school during COVID-19.” This webinar will take place Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 2:30 p.m. EDT. If you haven’t…
MC USA leadership encourages discussion
Save the date: Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is planning a second webinar on the theme “Race, Church and Change.” This webinar is scheduled for July 23 at 6:30 p.m. EDT on both Zoom and Facebook Live. To register for this webinar, please go to https://bit.ly/RaceChurchandChange2. The first “Race, Church and Change” webinar took place on Thursday, June 25, and…
Convention planners seek proposals for seminars
Convention planners are seeking proposals for equipping seminars at MennoCon21, the Mennonite Church USA biennial convention slated to take place in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 6-10, 2021. The deadline for proposal submissions is Oct. 10, 2020. See https://bit.ly/MennoCon21SeminarProposals for more information.
‘Race, Church and Change’ is webinar theme
Save the date: Mennonite Church USA is planning a second webinar on the theme “Race, Church and Change.” This webinar is scheduled for July 23 at 6:30 p.m. EDT on both Zoom and Facebook Live. To register for this webinar, go to https://mcusa.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JKz_I1rpS76YxM8QwSvRzg. The first “Race, Church and Change” webinar took place on Thursday, June 25, and featured a discussion…
MC USA releases video series about technology best practices
Mennonite Church USA has released a new video series, Technology Best Practices for Service, that offers best practices for holding virtual meetings and worship services, as well as effective technology tools for working from home. Created by Crystal Washington, a technology strategist and certified futurist, this series is broken into short videos that offer tips and suggestions for navigating today’s leading…
MC USA provides resources for responding to COVID-19
Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) has compiled a variety of resources for individuals and congregations responding to the spread of COVID-19. Links to these resources can be found at http://bit.ly/RespondingtoCOVID-19. In addition to news from MC USA and church-related agencies, this web page has links to worship and devotional resources, information about livestreaming platforms, articles about caring and connecting with…
Conference shares recommendations regarding the coronavirus
In an effort to be cautious but not overanxious regarding the spread of the coronavirus, Ohio Conference offers the following recommendations for our congregations to follow at the present time: Limit the practices that could spread germs, such as the shaking of hands and hugs. Make hand sanitizer and/or wipes readily available, and encourage their use. Communion and other activities…
Learn, Pray, Join initiative looks at climate justice
Mennonite Church USA encourages people and congregations to focus on climate justice by highlighting prayers, resources and ways to get involved in February and March. This focus is part of MC USA’s “Learn, Pray, Join” initiative in partnership with Mennonite Creation Care Network (MCCN) and the Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions (CSCS). To learn more about this focus on climate justice, go…
How do we #BringThePeace? A conversation with Glen Guyton
How do we #BringThePeace to our communities? Mennonite Church USA Executive Director Glen Guyton says, “People say that we are a historic peace church, but I say, hey, we need to be a peace church of today.” Learn more about Mennonite Church USA’s #BringThePeace campaign by listening to this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast. While visiting Ohio this month,…
MC USA Executive Director is coming to Ohio
Come and meet Glen Guyton, executive director of Mennonite Church USA! On Nov. 24 Glen will visit First Mennonite Church in Bluffton and offer the sermon based on John 17:20-23. Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. Later that day, at 6:30 p.m., Glen will share his vision for the denomination at a reception in First Mennonite’s fellowship hall. All are invited…
Ohio Conference leaders share at Constituency Leaders Council
By Paula Snyder Belousek Assistant Moderator Conference Minister Dick Barrett, Moderator Lynn Miller and Assistant Moderator Paula Snyder Belousek presented information about the Ohio Conference during the Oct. 17-18 meeting of Mennonite Church USA’s Constituency Leaders Council in Glendale, Arizona. Each conference and constituency group gave 10-minute presentations over the two days of the Constituency Leaders Council (CLC). Each group answered…
An Update with Dick Barrett
After a hiatus of several months, the Ohio Conference Cast podcast has returned. In this episode host Thomas Dunn is joined by a guest co-host, Jacob Dodson, pastor of Wooster Mennonite Church, for a conversation with Conference Minister Dick Barrett. “I’m excited about the people we have in Conference….I’m excited about where God is leading us in the months and…
MC USA shares a call to prayer and action
Mennonite Church USA has shared a call to prayer and action in response to gun violence following the mass shootings in Gilroy, California; El Paso, Texas; and Dayton, Ohio. Along with a prayer of lament for the lives lost, the statement includes a list of suggested action items for churches and links to resources from Mennonite Central Committee and RAWtools.…
2019-2020 pastor salary guidelines now online
The 2019-2020 MC USA pastor salary guidelines are now posted on the Mennonite Church USA website at http://mennoniteusa.org/resources. This year there is a new link to the Everence website which will help pastors and/or congregational representatives complete the form, which can be printed out when completed.