Posts by VMC Staff
Mara Chin connections culminate in Charlotte church
Our Conference demographic has just experienced a change of no small significance. The Tennessee Carolina Kentucky District has recently welcomed a vibrant group of young refugee families whose passionate Christian faith has enabled them to endure the throes of transition from Burma to Malaysia to the US. The Chin are a large minority people numbering…
Read MoreA common purpose: our witness and our with-ness
Over the past couple of years, Harrisonburg Mennonite Church has sought become more, not less, religious. Religion gets a bad rap these days. We often hear people say, “I’m spiritual, but not religious”, or, “I’m for Jesus, but against religion.” But we believe that to be spiritual, to be “for” Jesus, is to embrace religion.…
Read MoreDisciples are companions
When I arrive at the Intensive Care Unit, the ICU, the doctor tells me that Cameron is unresponsive and that he would die soon, very soon, perhaps that night. I stare, through the sliding-glass door, at him, lying on a bed with tubes and wires connecting his body to machines and translucent bags of fluids—morphine…
Read MoreHow we’ve learned to make disciples at Eastside Church
In March, we celebrated five years of ministry. I marvel at what has happened. As I look back here is what I think we got right. 1. Major in plagiarism I often joke about the church planting courses I avoided like the plague in seminary. I had no plans to be a church planter! Whoops!…
Read MorePotomac District Council meets at Washington Community Fellowship
Potomac District Council met on January 10 at Washington Community Fellowship. Sixteen people gathered, including Potomac District Council Church pastors and delegates. After welcoming remarks and introduction, District Minister Luke Schrock-Hurst led devotional session. He shared Menno Simons’ message, “True Evangelical Faith Lie Dormant” in 1539. The message emphasized serving the poor neighbors: “It clothes…
Read MoreKanagy examines VMC data at Winter Delegate Session
As Virginia Mennonite Conference works among the debates affecting Mennonite Church USA (and many other denominations) over same-gender relationships in the church, one of the unexpected themes to emerge from Winter Delegate Session on February 7 was hopefulness. It may not be easy to see a path forward when 50% of credentialed persons responding to…
Read MoreRenewing our Connections
For the past 25 years, Virginia Mennonite Conference (VMC) and Virginia Mennonite Missions (VMMissions) have shared the publication, Connections. In this editorial, Clyde Kratz, VMC Executive Conference Minister, and Aaron Kauffman, VMMissions President, discuss the challenges and the dreams that have emerged about this communication tool. Clyde: I value the joint effort by VMC and…
Read MorePastoral Leadership Consultation will explore “God’s Gift of Sexuality” with David and Shana Boshart
Pastors and credentialed leaders in Virginia Mennonite Conference are invited to the fourth Pastoral Leadership Consultation on May 15 at Mountain View Mennonite Church, Hickory, N.C. David and Shana Boshart will present from their research, writings and experiences on “God’s Gift of Sexuality.” David has been a Mennonite pastor for over 28 years. In 2010,…
Read MoreWinter Delegate Session to feature Conrad Kanagy
Conference delegates are invited to Winter Delegate Session on February 7 at Waynesboro Mennonite Church, Waynesboro, Va. Conrad L. Kanagy will facilitate a presentation and discussion on data from the national pastoral survey of Mennonite Church USA, as well as the Virginia Conference pastoral survey. He will examine this data and analyze it with an…
Read MoreMaking disciples through Life Transformation Groups
Workshop will explore ways to create a discipling culture in congregations Are you interested in exploring a deep, reproducible yet simple way of making disciples within the congregation? Are you tired of talking about becoming missional and are eager to gain traction in the disciple-making task? Join us on Saturday, January 31 (8 a.m. to…
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