Peace commission engages enemies and ...

Work of Peace Commission includes prayer, advocacy and resourcing “Peace is free,” says Paulus Widjaja, outgoing Peace Commission member. “Conflict has a price but the gospel is free.” The Peace Commission, formed as one of the chambers of the MWC heart (Peace, Deacons, Faith & Life, Mission) in 2009, held a workshop 23 July 2015. […]

Peacock recognized as pioneer

Dutch group awards MWC Deacons Commission chair Anne Zernike was the first Mennonite woman ordained in the Netherlands, possibly in Europe and “even maybe in the world,” said Christien Duhoux-Rueb. She and Coot Winkler Prins, pastors from the Netherlands, highlighted Zernike at a workshop and with an award at PA 2015 Ordained at the Mennonite […]

How to celebrate 500 years

Faith and Life Commission workshop explores how to observe 2025 By Gordon Houser Mennonite World Conference held its first assembly in 1925 – the 400th anniversary of the beginning of the Anabaptist movement. With the 500th anniversary only 10 years away, many people are wondering how MWC plans to commemorate it. A workshop 24 July […]

Unexpected blessing

Friendship group gives financial gift to Kenyan pastor By Paul Schrag In his friendship group at the Mennonite World Conference assembly, Francis Ojwang found that getting to know fellow believers from distant places brought an unexpected blessing. The Kenyan pastor had hoped that his wife, Everline Achieng, could travel with him to PA 2015. But, […]

The family speaks together

Friendship groups at PA 2015 facilitate small group conversation By Karla Braun Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA – “You can witness young to very old people [talking with each other]. And we’ve become intimate friends,” says Omondi Samson from Kenya as he takes a picture of his new “mom and dad” from the USA. Samson participated in […]

Walking with God through art

Images in MWC art exhibit communicate at a deeper level By Byron Rempel-Burkholder Mennonite World Conference assemblies are often remembered as festivals of words: stories, songs, sermons and conversations. But what about visual art? “There has been a surge of interest in art in the Anabaptist world,” says Geoff Isley, PA 2015 visual arts planning […]

Global Church Village invites visitor...

PA 2015 attendees put personal touch on MWC sculpture By Connie Faber “This seems like an innocent form of community graffiti,” Roland Yoder says with a smile as he watches the hub of activity around the three-dimensional sculpture of the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) logo that Yoder designed for the Global Church Village (GCV) at […]

Service projects get stuff done

Afternoon service projects at PA 2015 answer God’s call to serve By Matthew Hahn Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA – One of the many afternoon activities at Mennonite World Conference’s PA 2015 is the opportunity to invest in service projects. Side by side, Anabaptists from around the world work together within the Farm Show Complex and out […]

Are Mennonites allergic to evangelism...

Tshimanga calls for action in mission and evangelism By Virginia A. Hostetler Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA – Energy was still high in the penultimate plenary session of PA 2015, featuring the work of the MWC Mission Commission. Speakers issued sharp challenges to Anabaptists, calling for a more active and evangelistic discipleship. There is an uneasiness regarding […]

Our religion is relationship worked o...

PA 2015 Saturday night worship service By Doreen Martens Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA – Love for neighbour is absolutely central to the gospel, speaker Bruxy Cavey said in the final plenary service of PA 2015. This evening saw the passing of leadership from Mennonite World Conference president Danisa Ndlovu to incoming president Nelson Kraybill. In a […]