Posts by PA 2015 volunteer

Constant prayer in Pennsylvania 2015

The same heart for God unites across language and culture Carlos Martínez García At the Mennonite World Conference Assembly, prayer was constant. A room – open all day long – was set aside where people could pray for different prayer requests. A 40-foot x by 24-foot world map, courtesy of the Rosedale Mennonite Mission, was […]

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 […]

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 […]

Half-day tours extend the Assembly ex...

Bus trips take guests to points of interest throughout central Pennsylvania By Matthew Hahn Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA – All week, 33 different half-day tours have extended the PA 2015 experience beyond the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg to numerous sites of interest and significance throughout central Pennsylvania. On the busiest days, more than 20 coach […]

Doing something about faith

MDS house build at Mennonite World Conference Assembly erects homes in 5 days Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA – Pounding nails may be the last activity one might expect at an international church convention, but for many at the Mennonite World Conference’s PA 2015, it was a perfect fit. Every afternoon, just outside the air-conditioned halls of […]

Children’s program inspires faith, de...

Adults and children walk with God in doubt and conviction at PA 2015 By Laura Kraybill “Okay, Penguins, it’s time to go shear sheep.” This might cause confusion if you were not at the children’s program of MWC. For the 281 children attending PA 2015 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, it caused excitement. Participants hastily finished snacks […]

Part of a bigger family

Youth program encourages trust-filled interactions By Laura Kraybill “But The Lord said to me, ‘Don’t say “I am too young,”’ proclaimed a chorus of young voices 24 July 2015 at the youth program for MWC’s PA 2015. Sprawled across the concrete floor of the youth hall, several hundred teenagers began their morning with this affirmation […]

Standing on Holy Ground: Creating Sac...

With conflicts and disagreements rising within our communities, this seminar offers practical and creative ideas to help stand in the midst of polarized political views and cultural differences without sacrificing our sacred calling. Relying on the collective wisdom and experience of their creativity and imaginative spirit, participants will engage in creative process, role play, and […]

From Aryanism to Multiculturalism: Me...

Wed, 15:30, From Aryanism to Multiculturalism: Mennonite Ethnicity and German Nationalism, 1871 – Today, by Ben Waltner Goossen In 1925, Mennonite World Conference began as a forum for white, primarily German-speaking Mennonites. At the time, many members considered Anabaptism a fundamentally German religion. Developed during the rise of Hitler’s Nazi Party, such ideas often linked […]

“It is like a village in Africa”

Global church village is a marketplace of stories and sharing By Doris Dube “I don’t know of any other place where I have encountered so many parts of the world all in one place,” says Donella M. Clemens of Perkasie Mennonite Church, Pennsylvania, as she watches people streaming in and out of the “marketplaces” of […]