Bridging community, making connections

Alicia-Horst

In August, a young woman described a difficult housing situation to Jaime Miller Gonzalez, our Case Manager. She and her husband moved their belongings into a double wide trailer with the intent of living there the next day. Unfortunately, a fire burned the majority of the trailer on the night of the move. The young…

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Third Conference Pastors’ Leadership Consultation

Pastors and credentialed leaders from throughout Virginia Mennonite Conference gathered on Friday, November 14, for the third Pastors’ Leadership Consultation. This consultation was entitled, “The Role of the Bible in the 21st Century,” discussing Scripture’s authority and the wide spectrum of biblical interpretation in an effort to understand varying points of view. Weavers Mennonite Church,…

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Giving opportunity

Equipping and nurturing the leaders of congregations is at the heart of Virginia Mennonite Conference’s work. We seek to grow towards the way of Christ not only in our personal life, but in our community connections that seek to represent significant impulses to be the body of Christ at work in the world. A charitable…

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Middle School Retreat: Timeless stories of God’s transforming power and grace

Brad Kolb

[dropcap]The[/dropcap] weather was nearly perfect when middle school students, youth workers, and youth pastors from Virginia Mennonite Conference gathered at the Smith Mountain Lake 4-H Retreat Center in Wirtz, Va., on September 20 and 21 for the conference’s annual Middle School Retreat. With full sunshine and temperatures in the upper 50s, both the youth and…

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A great cloud of witnesses

Clyde G. Kratz

The writer of Hebrews states, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who…

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Leaders needed!

Clyde G. Kratz

As part of the Listen and Learn Initiative, whereby I sought to visit with each lead pastor in Virginia Mennonite Conference, I had a startling discovery: two-thirds of the 60 lead pastors whose birth date is on record in my office will turn 70 in the next 15 years. Broken down in five year increments,…

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Spirit instinct!

Clyde G. Kratz

And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.…

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Making disciples as we go!

Hundreds gathered for worship, delegate sessions and workshops to engage a fundamental call of Jesus: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. This theme also guided each Bible study, testimony, worship message and delegate table conversation over the two-day Assembly, July 24-26, at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, Va. Clyde G. Kratz, Executive Conference…

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Anabaptist Renewal Circles hosts national gathering in Pennsylvania

Beryl Jantzi

A national gathering of MC USA pastors, agency representatives and interested church members took place at the Weaverland Mennonite Church in Lancaster County, Pa. July 10-12. About 160 registered for the event with 15 in attendance from Virginia Mennonite Conference. Participants came from many states and other parts of the church. “For me, in a…

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