Mennonite Church USA Constituency Leaders Council meets

Clyde G. Kratz

On October 13, representatives from the twenty-one conferences of Mennonite Church USA gathered at Amigo Centre, in Sturgis, Michigan. Additionally, representatives from the Executive Board of MC USA, MC USA staff, key staff leaders from Mennonite Mission Network, Everence, and Mennonite Education Agency, as well as representatives from Constituency Groups were present. This gathering of…

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Bible Quizzing season will focus on Exodus

The 1994 tournament-winning team with Matt Trost, center. Courtesy photo

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, “Let my people go!” If you immediately thought of Charlton Heston, long hair and bearded, you are not alone. He played Moses in the Hollywood movie telling the story from the book of Exodus. Many powerful images come from this book of the Bible: the waters…

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Grace Mennonite engaged in ‘missional service adventure’

Clyde G. Kratz

For the last five years, Grace Mennonite Fellowship, Lacey Spring, Virginia, has been developing relationships with people in Jonesville, Virginia. Jonesville is located in the most southern portion of Virginia near the Kentucky and Tennessee state lines. It has a population of about 1,030 with a median household income of $24,439. As part of the…

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Nominee for Moderator of Virginia Mennonite Conference

Elroy Miller photo by Lindsey Kolb, EMU

Elroy Miller of Harrisonburg, Virginia, was enthusiastically approved as the nominee for moderator of Virginia Mennonite Conference by Conference Council on Friday, October 18. The Gifts Discernment Committee, which has the responsibility to select the nominee, will make the recommendation to delegates for their vote at the Winter Delegate Assembly held on February 1 at…

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Conference embraces sustainable financial mission

Clyde G. Kratz

Virginia Mennonite Conference engages in the mission of providing vision and leadership to a network of missional communities that are located in Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky. Our ministry is encouragement, evangelism, faith building, peace-building, and witness. Our call is to live in unity as disciples of Jesus as we…

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Dream big!

Virginia Conference middle school students poured into the Smith Mountain Lake retreat center once again this fall – bringing their energy and enthusiasm with them! After several hours on the road, groups spread out across the campus for free time activities including boating, mini-golf, and a climbing wall. Youth sponsors joined in, playing games of…

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Consultation on Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective

Clyde G. Kratz

As a student at Eastern Mennonite Seminary (1986-1989), I was introduced to One Lord, One Church, One Hope and One God: Mennonite Confessions of Faith written by Howard John Loewen and published as a text-reader by the Institute of Mennonite Studies. It is compilation of numerous confessions produced by Anabaptist-Mennonite communities. Having participated in a…

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Listening and learning

Clyde G. Kratz

When Jesus was beginning his ministry, John was watching him with two disciples. After John said “Look, here is the Lamb of God,” the two disciples followed Jesus. When Jesus noticed them, he asked, “What are you looking for?” After a brief exchange of cordialities, Jesus says to them, “Come and see.” (John 1:35-39) As…

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