Building Bridges and Seeking Shalom

How can we build bridges between people, working toward social righteousness and shalom? In a new episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Doug Zehr introduces a series of podcasts from Grace & Groundings, Ohio Conference’s racial reconciliation resource team. Listen to this episode to learn more about this five-part podcast series and to hear Doug discuss five common misconceptions about…

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Podcast episodes to focus on shalom

Grace & Groundings, Ohio Conference’s racial reconciliation resource team, is planning a podcast series focusing on social righteousness and shalom. The series will begin in January, with plans to publish one episode each month through May. Each episode will focus on a different topic designed to draw listeners into deeper conversations about issues of social righteousness and shalom. In addition…

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How is the Holy Spirit at work in the Ohio Conference?

In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Jacob Dodson and Bill Seymour talk with Conference Minister Dick Barrett about the current season of review and discernment taking place in the Ohio Conference. Listen to the episode to hear Dick Barrett discuss how the Holy Spirit is at work during this time and to hear his reflections on how the…

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Being the church — challenge and calling

This episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast features an interview with Con­ference Minister Dick Barrett. Hosts Corben Weaver Boshart and Ramon Lianez talk with Dick about challenges facing the church today. Dick notes that he has been encour­aged to view challenges as opportunities. “God has called us in this time for a specific reason,” he says. Listen to this…

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Where are you going next on your journey?

Are you paying attention to what the Spirit is saying to you and calling you to do for the next stage of your life? The special guest for this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast, Jewel Gingerich Longenecker, would encourage everyone to consider that question. Jewel Gingerich Longenecker is dean of lifelong learning at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS)…

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The Ohio Conference Cast returns with new hosts

After a hiatus of several months, the Ohio Conference Cast podcast is back with two new hosts, Corben Weaver Boshart and Ramon Lianez.  These two friends from Northwest Ohio are both pastors of Ohio Conference congregations, but they aren’t carbon copies of each other. Listen to their first episode to learn more about Corben and Ramon. You’ll even find out…

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Sharing our faith with others — Count the casts, not the fish

In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Corben Weaver Boshart and Ramon Lianez talk about evangelism with Brad Roth, who was the speaker at Ohio Conference’s 2021 missional conference. Corben, Ramon and Brad discuss evangelism, especially in a rural setting. Listen to this episode to learn why curiosity and asking questions are important as we share our faith,…

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Ohio Conference Cast 2.0 — Meet our new hosts

After a hiatus of several months, the Ohio Conference Cast podcast is back! In this episode, our new hosts, Corben Weaver Boshart and Ramon Lianez, introduce themselves. These two friends from Northwest Ohio are both pastors of Ohio Conference congregations, but they aren’t carbon copies of each other. Listen to this episode to learn more about Corben and Ramon. You’ll…

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New podcast hosts sought

After more than three years, Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn have decided to conclude their time as hosts of the Ohio Confer­ence Cast podcast. The Ohio Conference Ministry Development Team is seeking new hosts for the podcast. If you are interested in hosting the podcast, or you have suggestions for new hosts, please contact Assistant Moderator Paula Snyder Belousek at…

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Podcast hosts to conclude their work

After more than three years and dozens of podcast episodes, Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour have decided to resign as hosts of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast. The Ohio Conference Cast began in the fall of 2016 with the goal of creating another avenue for people to learn about happenings within the Ohio Conference. Since that time, Bill and Thomas…

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Growing Disciples, Part 5 — Ecumenical Rebuking

This episode of the Ohio Conference Cast is the final podcast in a series about Missional Discipleship Groups. Lucas Johnson of Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania, talks with Nate, a member of his Missional Discipleship Group. Nate and Lucas talk about rebuking, ecumenism, ministry, and love — all from a guy’s perspective.   For more information about Missional…

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Growing Disciples, Part 2 — Seeing God at Work

This podcast episode is the second in a series exploring Missional Discipleship Groups. Guest host Lucas Johnson, pastoral team member at Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania, talks with several people who are participating in these weekly small groups. Listen to this episode to hear Casey and Gail, two members of a women’s small group, reflect on how God…

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Growing Disciples, Part 1 — The Explosion

Sometimes growth takes a while, but patience can pay off. That’s been the experience at Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania. In the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Lucas Johnson and Robb Esh, pastoral team members at Valley View Mennonite, talk about the growth of Missional Discipleship Groups in their area of Pennsylvania. The groups now include…

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Why faith-based education? A conversation with Susan Schultz Huxman of EMU

In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, host Thomas Dunn talks about Mennonite colleges and faith-based education with Susan Schultz Huxman, president of Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Also joining the conversation are guest co-hosts Doug and Miriam Zehr, pastors at Oak Grove Mennonite Church in Smithville.   https://media.blubrry.com/3716337/ohiomennoniteconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/19_09_14_Susan-Schultz-Huxman_-Submitted.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS

Missional festival is coming in 2020

In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, host Thomas Dunn and his guest co-host Dick Barrett talk about mission with Jacob Dodson, pastor of Wooster Mennonite Church and a member of the Ohio Conference Missional Planning Team. Listen to this episode to hear about plans for a summer missional festival in 2020. You will also learn more about some…

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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…

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Immigration — Welcoming the Stranger, Part II

In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour talk about immigration with two members of the Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team, Hannah Troyer of Summit Mennonite Church; and Kelsey Troyer of Oak Grove Mennonite Church in Smithville.   Bill and Thomas talk with Hannah and Kelsey about how the resource team worked to develop…

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CLC — A place to build relationships together denominationally

In the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast, co-hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn talk with Conference Minister Dick Barrett and Paula Snyder Belousek, pastor of Salem Mennonite Church in Elida, about their experience at the October meeting of the Constituency Leaders Council (CLC). Snyder Belousek describes the CLC as “a place to build relationships together denominationally.” This episode, which…

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Jessica says farewell

In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn talk with Ohio Conference Missional Consultant Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg, who is moving to Excelsior Springs, Missouri. In addition to reflecting on her 14 years in the Ohio Conference, Jessica affirms the missional work that is taking place in the Conference. She also challenges some assumptions about leadership…

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Christiana Peterson – Mystics, misfits and longing for a deep encounter with God

What is a mystic? Ohio Conference Cast hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn explore this question and more with Christiana Peterson, a member of Midway Mennonite Church and the author of the new Herald Press book titled Mystics and Misfits: Meeting God Through St. Francis and Other Unlikely Saints.   “Being a mystic in my definition is … longing for a deep…

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Plug into Ohio Conference Cast podcasts

Ohio Conference Cast podcasts are a great way to learn more about Ohio Conference and the broader Mennonite Church. Have you listened to Ohio Conference Cast lately? During April and early May, hosts Bill Seymour, pastor of Orrville Mennonite Church, and Thomas Dunn, pastor of Crown Hill Mennonite Church in Rittman, have talked with Paula Snyder Belousek about the search…

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New Pastors in Ohio Conference

In the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, co-hosts Bill Seyour and Thomas Dunn talk with four pastors who are new to the Ohio Conference — Verle Brubaker (Maple Grove Mennonite Church in Hartville), Matthew Peterson (Midway Mennonite Church in Columbiana), Matt Reed (Beech Mennonite Church in Louisville), and Sue Short (Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold). Listen to this episode…

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Missional Conference Preview with Meghan Good

How do we communicate our faith as Anabaptists? What is the mission that God has entrusted to the church, and how do we actually, practically go about doing that effectively? The guest for this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Meghan Good, is interested in helping believers think about these questions. Meghan Good is the teaching pastor at Trinity Mennonite…

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Merry Christmas from Ohio Conference Cast

The last Ohio Conference Cast episode of 2017 includes Christmas greetings from co-hosts Bill Seymour  and Thomas Dunn, as well as a look back at the previous 32 episodes. https://media.blubrry.com/3716337/ohiomennoniteconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/17_12_19_YearEnd_Submitted.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS

A Day in the Life of Ralph

One of the main tasks of an Ohio Conference regional pastor is to serve as a pastor to pastors, but what does that phrase actually mean? And what else does the job entail? In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, co-hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour talk with Regional Pastor Ralph Reinford about his work with Ohio Conference — the…

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A Vibrant, Disciple-making, Good News Conference

How do we translate the Gospel to our context? Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg, who is volunteering as Ohio Conference’s missional consultant, is working to help Ohio Conference consider this question. She has a vision for the Conference to become a vibrant, disciple-making good news conference. In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Bill Seymour and his guest co-host, Jamie Rye, the pastor…

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The search is on

In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn discuss the search for a new half-time conference minister with Jeff Hochstetler, a member of the search committee. Jeff describes the type of person the search committee is seeking and talks about some of the expectations for this position. Since this episode of Ohio Conference Cast…

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Zion minister to volunteer as missional consultant

Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg, minister at Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, has agreed to serve the Ohio Conference as a part-time missional consultant for a one-year period, beginning in October 2017. She will be volunteering her time in this capacity three to four days per month. At the 2017 Annual Conference Assembly in March, delegates affirmed a direction statement which included this…

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Ohio Conference Cast features Orlando podcasts

The Mennonite Church USA Convention in Orlando (July 4-8) was a busy time full of discussion, workshops and worship. But for one person, Bill Seymour, host of the Ohio Conference Cast, the week was even busier. In between all the other convention activities, Bill and several co-hosts interviewed people participating in the convention as part of the Ohio Conference Cast…

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