Wind of the Spirit inspires coordinators of mission partnership in Ecuador
NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) – Mennonite Mission Network workers Delicia Bravo and Peter Wigginton say they have discovered many surprises as partnership coordinators in Ecuador. These surprises have forged new connections in a three-way partnership that includes Iglesia Cristiana Menonita de Colombia (IMCOL), Central Plains Mennonite Conference and Mennonite Mission Network, in relationship with […]
Advice from Australia, songs from Spain: Mission Network partners bring experience and global perspective to convention seminars
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – The 2019 Mennonite Church USA convention brought Mennonite Mission Network workers and partners from across the globe to Kansas City. Throughout convention week they fostered friendships both old and new at the Mission Network exhibit booth, shared stories and updates with their supporting congregations, and hosted seminars and workshops. […]
Six MennoCon seminars you may not have attended (but you should have): 2019 Mennonite Church USA convention seminars call for hope, dialogue and reexamination
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – The wealth of knowledge and experience on display at the dozens of seminars at the 2019 Mennonite Church USA convention could only be described as an embarrassment of theological riches. The toughest choices throughout the week no doubt stemming from only being able to attend one seminar at a given time. Though topics ranged from guns to prayer practices to fostering relationships that empower (clarified as “the one about […]
Launching the Sent Network to equip church planters
ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Mission Network) – The Sent Network is a new resource from Mennonite Mission Network to explore, equip and send church-planting leaders where the Spirit leads. The resource’s goal is to assess and educate aspiring church planters and give them information and tools to create new communities of faith in the United States. This […]
Fostering respectful relationships with indigenous people
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – Before she became friends with Cofán people in their Ecuadorian rain forest village of Zábalo, Jane Ross Richer had not thought that dreams people had while sleeping were important, she said. Until a year ago. That’s when she and her husband, Jerrell, who serve with Mennonite Mission Network in Ecuador for six months […]
Colombia mission workers evoke seminar responses
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – Eric and Kelly Frey Martin, serving with Mennonite Mission Network in Bogotá, Colombia, tackled topics at MennoCon19 that ranged from dismantling sexual harassment to developing games that matter for a youth group. Though diverse, their equipping seminars shared a commonality: They evoked response. For example, in their July […]
75 years of MVS bring peaceful service to a perplexing world
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – Judging by the history and stories shared at the Mennonite Voluntary Service (MVS) 75th anniversary celebration July 4 at MennoCon19, serving others in the peace of Christ within a perplexing world is something that never goes out of style, no matter what the era. Storytellers during the celebration hosted […]
Pricing stuff with priceless new friends
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – As they cleaned and priced shoes at Adelante Thrift, participants from three different youth groups during a Servant Project on July 5 chatted as if they had known each other all their lives. It was befriending strangers that made the afternoon memorable, a couple of teenagers said. At MennoCon19, […]
A how-to guide for heeding the call
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – Marlene Kroeker, one of the moderators for the ‘Get Ready, Get Set for Service!’ seminar, eyed the attendees with a gentle smile. “Raise your hand if you’re absolutely, 100 percent sure you’re going to serve someday, somewhere.” A few tentative hands filtered above the audience. “Raise your hand if […]
Seminar leaders give practical steps to manage anger and foster forgiveness
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – While anger and forgiveness might seem to occupy opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, the Hursts consider them tools that can work, and do good, together. Mark and Mary Hurst led the seminar ‘Anger and forgiveness: gifts to share’ on Thursday, July 4, 2019, as part of the Mennonite […]
Re-baptizing worship music
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – As attendees filtered into the meeting room and shook off the light rain of a slate gray Kansas City afternoon, the Garbers opened their seminar with a game of ‘Name that tune.’ The setup for the game was simple. Alisha Garber read off two song titles: one contemporary worship […]
Onward Christian soldiers
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – While the last US military draft came to an end in 1973, the question ‘Are you ready to face a military recruiter?’ has remained relevant for every young adult who has frequented a career expo, state fair or public school cafeteria in the decades since. Jason Boone, minister of peace and justice with […]