Bulletin notes

Sunday, April 13, 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  

2025 Summer Delegate Assembly Dates have been changed!

Save the Date: August 21-23, 2025

More details to follow.

Virginia Mennonite Conference seeks an Office Administrator with skills in administration and communication who aligns with the vision and mission of VMC. Administrative responsibilities include data management, multimedia communications, record-keeping, tracking finances, and planning details for conference assemblies. This is a three-quarter time (.75 FTE) position, starting as soon as available. Benefits include paid time off, health insurance, and retirement. For details and how to apply, see: virginiaconference.org/about/job-opportunities.

The 2025 Fall/Winter Pathways is now live! Click here to view.

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].

Mennonite Church USA

MC USA’s Climate Justice Ministry has begun accepting applications for the Pam De Young Net Zero Energy Fund grant, due June 15, 2025. The Pam De Young Net Zero Energy Fund provides funds to assist MC USA congregations interested in forms of renewable energy. Learn more here.

Follow Jesus ‘25 — The MC USA Convention will be held at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, North Carolina on July 8-12. For more information and to register, click here.

In a world that demands constant labor and productivity, what if rest was not just a necessity, but an act of defiance? Mennonite Church USA invites women from across the denomination to reclaim rest as resistance at the MC USA Women’s Summit, a transformative one-day event on July 8, 2025, at the start of the Follow Jesus ’25 convention in Greensboro, North Carolina. For more information and to register, click 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

NEW! The EMU Chamber Singers will present their spring concert at Park View Mennonite Church on Sunday, April 27 at 7pm. This inspiring concert centers on the theme of “Hope and Unity” for our children, our earth, and to work toward peace. This choir was chosen as the representative choir from North America to sing at the 500 Year Celebration of Anabaptism in Zürich this May. The concert is free of charge, and a love offering will be taken to support the choir’s travel expenses.

NEW! Trauma-Informed Spiritual Direction Course: Become a more trauma-informed spiritual director through this 5-week online course. Participants will deepen their understanding of how trauma functions, the particularities of religious trauma, and avenues of support available in our roles. Current Spiritual Directors may register for any of the courses in our new Justice-Forward Spiritual Direction Program.  Mondays: April 28; May 5, 12, 19, 26; 6-8pm ET.   Register for Trauma-Informed Spiritual Direction.

NEW! Unsettle Antiracism with Dr. David Evans: Join the international learning community at EMU’s Summer Peacebuilding Institute for a course taught by EMS professor Dr. David Evans. Roundtable conversations, careful reading and unsettled silences will invite movers, shakers and makers to engage critical questions at the heart of antiracist struggle. Learn more about this course held on campus May 29-June 6.

Pleasant View’s Golf Fore Empowerment Golf Tournament is at Lakeview Golf Course, Friday, May 30, 2025.  You can become a tournament sponsor, sponsor a Pleasant View team, or register to play by emailing [email protected] or online at https://pleasantviewinc.org/events/pleasant-views-golf-fore-empowerment-tournament-2025/.

CALLING ALL PASTORS! Attachment & Faith Pastors’ Conversation: Conectere at Eastern Mennonite University and Yale Divinity School will host a Zoom pastors’ conversation on Tuesday, April 29, noon-1pm EDT. Chat with professors about supporting parents/caregivers in your congregation in secure attachment and sharing faith with children. Register here to receive the Zoom link.

Eastern Mennonite Middle School Summer Camps — We are offering 2 weeks of summer camp for middle schoolers this year! These camps are designed to be fun, relaxing, and highly engaging by doing hands-on experiental learning. The weeks for summer camp are June 30-July 3 and July 14-17. Registrations is open and spots are filling quickly. Sign up here.

Eastern Mennonite School Alumni Fan Nights! Come sheer our sports teams and participate in special raffles and activities. Wear EMS Blue!

• Soccer Night — Tuesday, April 22, 2025 @ 4:30 pm
• Tennis Night — Monday, April 28, 2025 @ 4 pm/Senior Celebration (Match @ 4:30 pm)
• Track Day — Saturday, May 10 @ 10 am

Mennonite Women of Virginia’s first gathering of 2025 will be on Annual Missions Day at Lindale Mennonite Church on Saturday, April 26. Come, ready to fellowship, worship, learn and give. Bring yourself and your friends. The event starts at 8:30 am with fellowship and a continental breakfast. Worship, presentations, and a number auction to follow. The event will close with lunch at 11:45 am to 1 pm. Childcare is provided. Please RSVP by April 20, midnight. To RSVP, contact Sylvia at [email protected].  For questions, call or text: 540-480-0094.

Hymn Sing! Come to Park View Mennonite Church on Thursday, May 1, at 7 p.m. to enjoy and evening of singing from Voices Together, led by Dr. Benjamin Bergey. The event is a fundraiser from Mennonite Central Committee’s work among refugees in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. All gifts given that night will be doubled up to $30,000.

Mark and Sarah Schoenhals, serving with VMM & EMM in Thailand, will be on home assignment in Harrisonburg this summer. They are in need of a vehicle from mid-June through mid-August. If you have a vehicle available, please contact MST members Yvonne Martin (540-908-0806) or Sandi Good (540-820-6241).

Mark your calendars for these exciting upcoming events supporting VMMissions in 2025:

• COMING UP! Great Community Give: April 16, 2025; A one-day event promoting charitable giving to nonprofit organizations serving Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
• Putt for Mission: May 17, 2025; A fun mini-golf event for families and friends, featuring a special youth round!
• Motorcycles for Mission: June 6-7, 2025; Motorcyclists from across Virginia ride through the scenic Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains, fostering fellowship and supporting VMMissions. Stay tuned for more details!

Save the date for the 2025 Mennonite Women of Virginia Retreat on October 31 to November 2. We heard your feedback and have made a change in location this year! It will be held at the Skelton 4-H Center, located east of Roanoke, near a lake and hiking. More information and details to come.

Job Opportunities

LOCAL! Virginia Mennonite Conference seeks an Office Administrator with skills in administration and communication who aligns with the vision and mission of VMC. Administrative responsibilities include data management, multimedia communications, record-keeping, tracking finances, and planning details for conference assemblies. This is a three-quarter time (.75 FTE) position, starting as soon as available. Benefits include paid time off, health insurance, and retirement. For details and how to apply, see: virginiaconference.org/about/job-opportunities.

LOCAL! The Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center invites applications for the role of Executive Director, a full time, salaried position.  Application review will begin immediately, with the position opening on May 5, 2025.  A position description and application information can be found at brethrenmennoniteheritage.org/employment.

Regional Director for Latin America – Available for hybrid, in-office (Newton, KS or Elkhart, IN), or remote! The Regional Director for Latin America leads Mennonite Mission Network’s work in the region by overseeing partnerships, mission strategies, and international service workers. This role strengthens connections between Mennonite Church USA and Latin American partners while fostering cross-cultural collaboration and guiding anti-racism efforts. Spanish proficiency, experience in Latin American mission work, and frequent international travel are required.

Training & Resource Facilitator for Church Planting (Full time – Hybrid or In-Office in Elkhart, Indiana or Newton, Kansas, Remote): The Training & Resource Facilitator for Church Planting will support will support church planting efforts within the Mennonite Church USA by developing leaders, providing training and coaching, managing projects, and fostering networks for new and missional congregations. This role collaborates with the denominational and conference staff to encourage, resource, and strengthen church planting initiatives across diverse cultural context. We are committed to diversity among staff, and welcome people of diverse backgrounds and abilities to apply. If further interested or to apply, visit here.

Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission is seeking a Church and Donor Relations Coordinator to deepen relationships with churches and donors, grow the community of AIMM supporters, communicate what God is doing among AIMM African members, and strengthen relationships between North American and African Anabaptists. For more information, please visit https://www.aimmint.org/employment-opportunities.html.

Upcoming Events

Apr 15         VMC Prayer Meeting

Apr 15         Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study

Aug 21-23   2025 Summer Delegate Assembly @ Ridgeway Mennonite Church