Bulletin notes

Sunday, March 23, 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  

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

NEW! Forgive and Forget? Forgiveness and Addressing Church Abuse Webinar with Michael Danner (associate executive director for Church Vitality at MC USA), hosted by Nancy Kauffmann (interim denominational minister of Church Safety). This webinar is on March 24, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET on Zoom. They will discuss the common understanding of the role of forgiveness in responding to abuse in the church and how it is often misused or misunderstood in the context of abuse. Interprete al espanol disponible.

NEW! 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.

NEW! 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! 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:

• 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!

Mennonite Women of Virginia’s first gathering of 2025 will be on Annual Missions Day at Lindale Mennonite Church on Saturday, April 26. The event starts at 8:30 am with fellowship and coffee and will conclude with lunch together around 1 pm.

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.

Eastern Mennonite Seminary’s new Doctor of Ministry in Peacemaking and Social Change has received accreditation approval. Combine study in the fields of justice, peacemaking, and theology to lead in faith-based settings, including in congregations, nonprofits, community organizing, and some teaching roles. Learn more and apply to join the inaugural August 2025 cohort.

Resource for parents/caregivers: Conectere, a joint program of Eastern Mennonite University and Yale Divinity School, is accepting applications for virtual cohorts designed specifically for parents/primary caregivers of adolescents (ages 9-18). This attachment-based experience supports parents and caregivers in sharing their faith and values with their children within secure relationships. Cohorts meet virtually every week for 1.5 hours for 10 sessions, then once every 4 months for this 2-year program. Visit emu.edu/conectere for more information or apply now at https://forms.gle/vq3mxXzbea1qKjNj8 

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

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.

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.

Finance manager at Muhlenberg Lutheran Church in Harrisonburg (Part Time). 15-20 hours per week. Qualifications: Formal education in bookkeeping, professional certifications, or at least 3 years practical experience in fund-based accounting and account reconciliation. Demonstrated proficiency in computer skills including Word and Excel, and specific fund-based accounting software.  Questions or to apply, please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Priority given to applications received by February 1. Preferred start date: March 1 (negotiable.) Compensation between $20-$25 per hour.

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.

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].

Upcoming Events

Mar 25        VMC Prayer Meeting

Mar 25        Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study

Jun 26-28 2025 Summer Delegate Assembly @ TBA