Bulletin notes
Sunday, April 21, 2024
If you have a bulletin announcement to share, email a succinct blurb to [email protected] by Wednesdays at noon.
Virginia Mennonite Conference
Employment. Virginia Conference is looking for an Administrative Assistant and Event Planner (0.5 FTE). The position is temporary (April-Aug 2024) with the potential to be permanent. Click the link for the job description. Email cover letter and resume to [email protected].
NEW! Living Stones: 2024 Summer Delegate Assembly will be held at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church July 18-20. Early Registration open on May 1. virginiaconference.org/events
Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study Join for fellowship, bible study, and worship Tuesday mornings at Park View Mennonite Church. Breakfast 6:45am, study 7:00am. Livestream of the event is available here.
Strength through Peace: Youth making a change. The panel discussion around peacemaking and military alternatives will be held at Eastern Mennonite School dining hall on Monday, April 22 at 7 pm. Teenagers and the adults who care about them are invited to hear from several young peacemakers about their peace convictions and how they actively respond to the US military. There will be information about alternatives to registering for Selective Service for young men. The Counseling Director for the Center on Conscience and War will be present to answer questions about conscientious objection. Refreshments will be served and a livestream is available at https://shorturl.at/vzLW7 . Hay interpretación en español disponible.
Introducing the Celebrate Recovery program. will be held on Tuesday, April 23, at 7 pm. The webinar will include testimony by Nate Karr, current ministries active in Harrisonburg, and resources to start a ministry. The event is free, but registration is required. virginiaconference.org/events
Is your church “dementia friendly?” Join Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS) for an informational session on beginning steps to make your congregation a safe and accessible place for those struggling with cognitive decline. Our session will be led by Joyce Nussbaum (member of Weavers Mennonite) who serves as VPAS’ Director of Senior Services. We will meet at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church in the Fellowship Hall, Wednesday May 22, 7:00-8:30. Questions call Carmen at 540/746-8845.
Seed Exchange Party to Support Mayan Communities: The Racial Justice Task Force will host a Seed Exchange party in support of The Maya Collective ‘In Laak Le Ixiimo?’ (CILLI) and their annual Fiesta de Semillas, or Seed Festival. The funds we raise will sponsor North American indigenous people and allies from the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery to attend the seed festival. Join us on Earth Day, Monday April 22, at 6.30 PM at the EMU Discipleship Center –– bring seeds that you care about to share about, or just come to learn and support! Learn more about a past delegation to southern Mexico and the bridge-building work between Mennonites and Mayan communities here; learn more about the seed conservation movement here.
May 4 Concert: VMC will host the concert “The Hills Break Forth In Singing: An Evening of Christian and Mennonite Music” on May 4 at 6:30 PM at Lindale Mennonite Church in their new outdoor amphitheater; many thanks to Lindale for making their space available. We’ll have music from Cantore, members of The Walking Roots Band, Joel Ross from ‘Good Company,’ Lightning Lucas and the Thunderstorm Warnings, and more! Entrance is free; we’ll receive an offering to support VMC’s work of equipping congregations.
NEW! Join Striking Accord, a Harrisonburg-based men’s a cappella ensemble, for a concert this Sunday! The program is titled “Rocky Road: Songs of Adventure and Homecoming.” Join us at Park View Mennonite Church, Sunday, April 21, at 7pm. Admission $5, children 12 and under free.
Mennonite Church USA
Webinar! Pioneering Women in Ministry. Join Amy Zimbelman, Conference Minister of Mountain States Mennonite Conference, on April 23, 2024, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT for a panel discussion. We will hear from Dianne Garcia, who recently planted a church ministering to asylum-seekers in San Antonio, Texas, and Marilyn Miller, who is the first woman ordained to pastoral ministry in the General Conference Mennonite Church. Register here: mennoniteusa.org/webinar/registration-wil-april23
NEW! The next virtual meeting of the Mennonite Public Educators group is Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 7pm Eastern. “Simple ways to show our faith.” This group is intended for all Mennonite education professionals working in public school settings. There is no cost, but registration is required. Contact [email protected].
Bishop Leslie Francisco, III and six other community elders honored by Mennonite Church USA at its 11th Hope for the Future Conference, Feb. 9-11, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. Read more about the seven honorees here: mennoniteusa.org/news/hftf24-honorees
Peaceful Options for Training and Careers, an independent initiative formed by MC USA and Mennonite Central Committee, has begun training volunteer counselors to help young adults find non-military career, service and training opportunities. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/news/potc-mobilizes
Agencies
NEW! Catfish Fry. Friday May 3 from 3p to 6:30pm at Park View Mennonite Church. Dine-in or Drive-through. Meal includes fresh Mississippi Catfish, beans, cole slaw, hush puppies, and dessert. Donations support Lezha Academic Center in Albania, a church and school affiliated with VMMissions.
NEW! The Shenandoah Valley MDS unit has been investigating local projects. First is a house we plan to refurbish North of Harrisonburg. Secondly we are looking into building houses lost in forest fires in Virginia and West Virginia. If you would like to bless people financially mark your giving MDS and give through your local church. If you would like to help on the projects contact your church contact person or Woody Driver (Shenandoah Valley MDS chair) at 540-820-9676.
New Vision issue on “Commemorating Anabaptism’s 500 years” available for free online. The Spring 2024 issue of Vision: A Journal for Church and Theology considers Anabaptism’s quincentenary, inviting further reflection on what it means to be Anabaptist today and suggesting potentially fruitful pathways forward. The publication also marks the 25th anniversary of the Vision journal! ambs.edu/vision
Highland Retreat, Saturday, April 27. You are invited to come out and help with a variety of tasks, ranging from simple jobs (spreading wood chips) to tasks that require more skilled labor (improving campsites). Volunteer for the morning and/or afternoon as a family, a small group, or an individual, and enjoy a delicious (free!) lunch in exchange. More details and an RSVP form online at highlandretreat.org/get-involved/work-days. Your help is appreciated!
Join us for an evening of beautiful and uplifting music by the EMU Chamber Singers on Sunday, April 28, 7pm at Park View Mennonite Church. The concert’s theme is “A Chorus of Peace: Songs of Lament and Hope,” exploring the range of emotions surrounding our desire for peace. The concert is free, with donations gratefully accepted toward their touring expenses, as they were chosen as the North American choir to sing at the 500 year celebration of Anabaptism next May in Switzerland!
Mennonite Women of Virginia’s Fall Retreat, Nov 8-10, 2024! Mark your calendars! This is a wonderful weekend of worship, fellowship, and encountering God, hosted at the Marriott in Short Pump, Va.
La fecha para nuestro retiro de Mujeres Menonitas de Virginia está establecido para el 8-10 de noviembre de 2024. ¡Marquen sus calendarios! Será un fin de semana hermoso lleno de alabanza, compañerismo y encuentro con Dios en el Marriott en Short Pump, VA.
MCC’s Sharing With Appalachian People (SWAP) home repair program is seeking summer staff in Kimball, West Virginia or Elkhorn City, Kentucky. These three-month positions for Job Site Coordinators and Meals Coordinators will allow you to explore new cultures, develop skills, build friendships and live out your faith. Applicants should be at least 19 years old, but the roles are not limited to young adults. An hourly wage plus room and board are provided. For more information and to apply, visit mcc.org/swap-summer-meals or mcc.org/swap-summer-job-site. Or contact the MCC Appalachia SWAP office at (606) 634-4418 or [email protected].
El programa de reparación de viviendas Compartiendo con el Pueblo Apalache (“Sharing with Appalachian People” SWAP) del CCM busca personal de verano en Kimball (Virginia occidental) o Elkhorn City (Kentucky). Estos puestos de tres meses son para coordinadores de sitios de trabajo y coordinadores de comidas. Te permitirán explorar nuevas culturas, desarrollar habilidades, entablar amistades y vivir tu fe. Las personas interesadas deben tener al menos 19 años, pero las funciones no se limitan a los adultos jóvenes. Además de un salario por hora, se ofrece alojamiento y comida. Para obtener más información y presentar tu solicitud, visita mcc.org/swap-summer-meals o mcc.org/swap-summer-job-site. O comunícate con la oficina de MCC Appalachia SWAP llamando al (606) 634-4418 o escribiendo a [email protected].
Mark your calendars! VMMissions has exciting events coming up to help share new life in Christ with neighbors near and far:
- Putt for Missions (May 18th): This fun mini-golf fundraiser is perfect for families, youth groups, and anyone who wants to enjoy a day of fellowship while supporting VMMissions.
- Motorcycle for Missions (May 31st – June 1st): Calling all motorcycle enthusiasts! Gear up for a scenic ride and weekend adventure, all for a worthy cause.
Visit our website https://vmmissions.org/get-involved/events/ or follow us on social media for updates and registration information.
MAY 9TH HYMN SING FUNDRAISER for MCC Gazen internal refugees. Join us at Park View Mennonite Church’s sanctuary at 7 pm, under the direction of Dr. Benjamin Bergey, Musical Editor for Voices Together and an assistant professor of music at Eastern Mennonite University. Three anonymous donors are providing a dollar for dollar match up to $25,000. Organized by the Share Our Surplus committee of the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale. Come ready to sing and to give!
Employment opportunity! Calling all educators! EMS is currently accepting applications for the following teaching positions: Middle School Science Teacher and 6th-grade teacher. If you’re passionate about education and want to make a difference in the lives of students, we’d love to hear from you! Apply online here.
Strength through Peace: Youth making a change. The panel discussion around peacemaking and military alternatives will be held at Eastern Mennonite School dining hall on Monday, April 22 at 7 pm. Teenagers and the adults who care about them are invited to hear from several young peacemakers about their peace convictions and how they actively respond to the US military. There will be information about alternatives to registering for Selective Service for young men. The Counseling Director for the Center on Conscience and War will be present to answer questions about conscientious objection. Refreshments will be served and a livestream is available at https://shorturl.at/vzLW7 . Hay interpretación en español disponible.
Fuerza a través de la paz: jóvenes haciendo un cambio. El panel de discusión sobre el establecimiento de la paz y las alternativas militares se llevará a cabo en el comedor de Eastern Mennonite School el lunes 22 de abril a las 7 pm. Se invita a los adolescentes y a los adultos que se preocupan por ellos a escuchar a varios jóvenes pacificadores hablar sobre sus convicciones de paz y cómo responden activamente al ejército estadounidense. Habrá información sobre alternativas al registro del Servicio Selectivo para hombres jóvenes. El Director de Consejería del Centro de Conciencia y Guerra estará presente para responder preguntas sobre la objeción de conciencia. Se servirán refrigerios y habrá una transmisión en vivo disponible en https://shorturl.at/vzLW7. Hay interpretación en español disponible.
AMBS Trees of Life Retreat: May 31 – June 1 (Friday at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary; Saturday at Camp Friedenswald). This retreat led by Janeen Bertsche Johnson, MDiv, and Steve Thomas, MDiv, will weave together study of biblical texts about trees; understanding of trees as organisms and within ecosystems; ecological issues; and spiritual practices. The retreat can be taken for one hour of academic credit ($596 total) or as a noncredit retreat ($130 total). Both costs include lunch on Friday and Saturday and use of the camp. (Lodging is not included.) Register by May 24. ambs.edu/trees
Upcoming Events
Apr 22 Seed Exchange
Apr 23 Men’s Breakfast & Bible Study
Apr 23 Celebrate Recovery
May 4 “Hills Break Forth in Signing” concert
Jul 18-20 2024 Summer Delegate Assembly
Feb 1, 25 2025 Winter Delegate Assembly