Beautiful Star
“O beautiful star of Bethlehem, shining afar through shadows dim…” VT 275 A star plays a prominent role in the nativity story, guiding wise ones from the East as they travel to visit the Christ child in Bethlehem. Whatever astronomical sign that may or may not have been, it is…
Training Courage
Yesterday evening 70 of us gathered at the church for the Mennonite Action Training Tour “To Build Our Courage.” Notably, about half of the participants were from beyond the Columbus Mennonite community. We started in the fellowship hall with a soup and bread meal, then moved to the sanctuary. Our…
Spacious Faith, an Advent Invitation
Advent always comes to us as a season of waiting, longing, and preparation. We begin the new year of the Church calendar not on Christmas Day, but in this season of preparation that invites us to make space for God to show up in new ways. This year our worship…
Anabaptism at 500 and 10 months
November has seen two frustrating (is that the right word?) developments in Anabaptist-land . On November 1, Mosaic Mennonite Conference, a regional conference centered in Eastern Pennsylvania, voted to discontinue membership in Mennonite Church USA. Although not explicitly named as the reason, Mosaic has been considering this ever since denominational delegates…
Mutual Aid
Mutual aid is the voluntary exchange of resources to support members of a community. It is based on solidarity, trust, and a belief in the dignity of all. Mennonites have a rich history of mutual aid practices, including an early form of insurance that came to be called Mennonite Mutual…