Bulletin notes

Sunday, January 19, 2025

If you have a bulletin announcement to share, email a succinct blurb (less than 100 words) to [email protected] by Wednesdays at noon.

Virginia Mennonite Conference  

COMING BACK! Living Theology Conversations for Local Leaders: On January 21 from 11:50 to 1:30 pm, join Eastern Mennonite Seminary alums Chad Miller and Steve Pardini, with Dr. Sarah Bixler, Jacob Cook and others for theology-centered conversations over lunch.  The topic will center around Anabaptism at 500.  What are some of the gifts and challenges of being rooted in faith tradition when it comes to our theology? Elwood Yoder will be sharing in the EMS Chapel and will join our lunch conversation.  With support from EMS, lunch will be provided for those who RSVP by emailing Chad at [email protected].  

VMC Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study: The VMC Winter and Spring 2025 Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study will run from January 14 through May 20, 2025. Join us for fellowship, Bible Study, and worship at Park View Mennonite Church on Tuesday mornings. Breakfast begins at 6:45 AM, and study and worship run from 7:00 to 8:00 AM. If you can’t make it in person, you can livestream the study or watch recordings of previous studies on the VMC Men’s YouTube page. For further information, you can visit the Men’s Bible Study webpage.

Pray for VMC Tuesdays: Join us as we are praying for the congregations, pastors, leaders, and the endorsed ministries of Virginia Mennonite Conference. The prayer meeting will held every Tuesday at Ridgeway Mennonite Church from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. For more information, contact Carlos Malvaez at [email protected].

Celebrating Anabaptism at 500

On January 21, 2025, upon the 500th anniversary of the beginning of Anabaptism, all are invited to Park View Mennonite Church at 7:00 pm. We will remember our baptisms, our hymns, and our history. Song Leader Andrea Early is choosing hymns from five centuries which will be printed in a booklet to be taken home after the service. The planning committee includes those from the Old Order Mennonite community, the Southeastern Mennonite Conference, and the Virginia Mennonite Conference. If you cannot attend in person, join online at pvmchurch.org. For more information, visit here.

NEW! Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center 500th Anniversary Lecture: On January 29th, 7pm, at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church, John D. Roth will give a lecture entitled “They Went Out From Us, But They Were Not of Us”: The Gift and the Challenge of Church Unity in the Anabaptist Tradition.  Roth’s talk will focus on the challenge of unity and schism across the 500 years of Anabaptism, with a view to making sense of the “unraveling” of the denominational forms of church that we seem to be experiencing in the 21st century.  Congregational singing, led by Nathan May, will open and close the evening.  All are welcome!

“Five Centuries, Five Lectures”: Remembering Anabaptist & Mennonite History. All are invited to a Thursday lecture series from January 30th to February 27th. It is free of charge with in-person (at various locations in Harrisonburg) or online options. These lectures feature Dr. John Roth, Dr. Mary Sprunger, Elwood Yoder, Caleb Schrock-Hurst, and Dr. Andrew Suderman. Stay tuned. For specific dates and locations, click here.

CELEBRATING 500 YEARS OF ANABAPTISM—On Sunday, February 2, from 4-6 pm, First Baptist Church of Richmond (2709 Monument Ave) will host an ecumenical gathering from around Virginia to celebrate the impact of Anabaptism and explore how its spiritual commitments are relevant for today’s church. Greg Boyd, pastor, theologian, and leading voice for the Neo-Anabaptism movement, will be the keynote speaker (live via Zoom). Cantore (men’s a cappella) will perform, and a panel of speakers from other denominations will be featured, including Dr. Jim Sommerville, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, and Dr. Phyllis Blair Milton, bishop of the Virginia Synod of the ELCA. A reception will follow, and a free-will offering will help defray expenses. Mark your
calendars now to attend! Sponsored by First Baptist Church of Richmond and the Eastern District of the Virginia Mennonite Conference.

AMBS Pastors & Leaders 2025: Anabaptism at 500: Looking Back, Living Forward: Feb. 17–20 (in person and online). As we celebrate 500 years of Anabaptism, join us to examine how the values of the early Anabaptists still resonate today and can guide us into the future! Gain intercultural perspectives on how reading the Bible in community can help us connect more authentically in our present and future contexts. Speakers (in order of presentation): John D. Roth, PhD; Kelbessa Muleta Demena, MDiv; and Lesley Francisco McClendon, DMin. Register by Jan. 20 and save $50! ambs.edu/pastors-and-leaders

Mennonite Church USA

Registration for Mennonite Church USA’s Follow Jesus ’25 convention will open Jan. 6, 2025, for early-bird pricing. The denomination’s biennial faith formation gathering will take place at Koury Convention Center, in Greensboro, North Carolina, July 8-12, 2025. Learn more here: mennoniteusa.org/news/registration-jan6 . Register here: convention.mennoniteusa.org/ 

Join us for a transformative celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Damascus Road anti-racism process and its pivotal role in the Anabaptist commitment to justice and reconciliation. Co-hosted by Hope for the Future, this special event will gather BIPOC leaders and white allies who are actively engaged in the ongoing work of confronting and dismantling racism in the church. Together, we will honor the legacy of the Damascus Road while deepening our connections and renewing our dedication to equality and love in action. February 28 to March 2. For more information, visit here.

Check out the Lead/Follow podcast, hosted by executive director Glen Guyton, on the Mennonite Church USA YouTube channel! Click here to view current and past seasons.

Read and subscribe to Equipping, Mennonite Church USA’s quarterly resource newsletter for pastors and ministry leaders. View the most recent issue here: mennoniteusa.org/equipping-april-2024 Subscribe to Equipping here: mennoniteusa.org/equipping-subscribe

Agencies

Peace Theology in Movement: A lunchtime Colloquium – Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and Mennonite Action is offering free weekly online colloquium series on peace theology in action, held via Zoom on Wednesdays, Jan. 15 – April 30, 2025, 12–1 p.m. (ET) The colloquium series will be a space for sharing information, reflection and discussion. It is designed for people who are interested in peace and justice issues related to the church’s witness, peacebuilding and interaction with other communities. To learn more and register, see ambs.edu/peace-colloquium.

Job Opportunities

Family Life Resource Center is seeking a dynamic Executive Director with both clinical and administrative gifts who is aligned with its mission “to provide professional counseling and services for growth towards hope, health, and healing.” This position is responsible for providing the overall leadership to effectively grow the Center by ensuring clinical excellence, operating efficiency and financial strength. For a more detailed description, please click here. Interested candidates are invited to contact Angela Hackman at [email protected].

Mennonite Mission Network is looking for a Regional Director of North America (Longer-Term Service) (Full time – Hybrid or In-Office in Elkhart, Indiana or Newton, Kansas, Remote).The Regional Director of North America (Longer-Term Service) will oversee the partnerships and program logistics of Mennonite Voluntary Service (MVS), a one-year volunteer service experience for individuals age 20+, and Service Adventure, a 10-month service experience for those who are 17-20 years of age, and other longer-term opportunities. If further interested or to apply, you may visit us at  www.MennoniteMission.net/about/Employment. Please email Mennonite Mission Network – Human Resources if you have additional questions at [email protected].

Upcoming Events

Jan 21        VMC Prayer Meeting

Jan 21        Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study

Mar 1          2025 Winter Delegate Assembly @ First Mennonite in Richmond