As a global church fellowship, how can we develop our ability to relate across cultures? Some individuals appear to comfortably slide from one country or culture into another. Increasing our agility for moving across cultural spaces will allow us to learn from each other and collaborate in new ways. Hands-on activities will help people move […]
This workshop focuses on how persons of Christian faith relate to persons loyal to other diverse religions, when all are intent to share, listen and learn in order to enhance respect and understanding while avoiding harm. Time will be given to presentation and discussion of case situations, with special attention to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. […]
Worship and celebrating the liturgy can be understood as a public transformational act with political and ecological connotations, a reconstruction of community and restoration of creation. Essential to such an understanding is a broadened view of symbolic representation, including body, remembrance and action. Starting from Alexander Schmemann’s view of the world as sacrament, the workshop […]
This workshop will chronicle the development of the Vietnam Mennonite Church. Missionary activity began in 1957 and a congregation formed in 1965 – the same year Nguyen Quang Trung, currently president of the Vietnam Mennonite Church, began working with the church. Various persons involved in the life of the church will describe significant events and […]
We will explore our history as “people of the land” settling areas in North America inhabited by Indigenous communities, the original peoples of the land. We will look at theological understandings that have shaped our relationship to the land and relationships with Indigenous Peoples, and explore opportunities for congregations and the broader church to join […]
Congregations are increasingly asking artists to create art for their worship spaces. What is the difference between decorating the sanctuary and creating worship art? How do you help your community welcome the art and the artist? How do you invite everyone in your faith community to art projects they will understand and appreciate? How can […]
Learn how the Sister Care seminar provides transformative resources for personal healing and effective caring in the congregation. Women will share ways they have used Sister Care materials in their contexts and how they have adapted the material for various ages, literacy levels and cultural groups with testimonies of the impact this has had. Seminars […]
What might it look like for the church to live in right relationship with host peoples? We will explore ways in which Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada are working in partnership with Native Americans and First Nations. Through stories, conversation, and questions, we will see why the church is called to speak the […]
The Loss of Turtle Island allows participants to interactively explore the historic relationship between Europeans, specifically Mennonites in the United States, and the Indigenous nations who inhabit the land we call the United States of America. Blankets will represent the land, and the workshop participants will represent the First Peoples – the distinct cultures and […]
Non-violent communication (Marshall Rosenberg) is a powerful tool in our society to keep people connected in the midst of conflict. It is a crucial part of our personal preparation to be peacemakers in our society. In The Netherlands many Mennonite congregations are being trained in non-violent communication, and some are giving training to institutions and […]
