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 […]
Teaching cultural humility
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – Andrea Sawyer-Kirksey, executive director of DOOR, led the seminar ‘Cultural Humility’ on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, as part of the Mennonite Church USA convention in Kansas City. DOOR is a faith-based network in cities across the US that provides opportunities for learning, service and leadership for youth and young […]
Dream about dolphins symbolizes western impact on indigenous people
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – Before she became friends with Cofán people in their Ecuadorian rainforest village of Zábalo, Jane Ross Richer had not thought 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 […]
Giving playground a face lift helps to lift the spirits of volunteers
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – Recent high school graduate Kent Enomoto of Fresno, California addmitted that even after sweating for hours on a very hot Kansas afternoon to help beautify a playground, watching the children play helped cultivate positivity. Enomoto came to MennoCon19 with his sponsor, Lisa Penner, and high schooler Micheala Wenger of Mennonite Community Church in Fresno. […]
Berlin, Ohio, youth group helps dish up dignity at NourishKC
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – Brady Woods said the reason he did a Servant Project on Tuesday morning before MennoCon19 began was so that he wouldn’t remain stuck in his ways. Waiting tables for the lunchtime crowd NourishKC promised to challenge his own perspective. Woods, a member of the Berlin (Ohio) Mennonite Church youth group, […]
21st-century peacemaking happening in the grassroots’ trenches
KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) – Jason Boone, minister for Peace and Justice for Mennonite Mission Network, believes 21st- century peacemaking is not about leaders setting the agenda. Rather, it’s about people in the “trenches” of daily life creating new ways to wage peace together in an increasingly violent world, said Boone, one of the […]