Blessing and Being Blessed
One of the things I cherish most about our life together as a congregation is the many ways we honor moments of growth and transition. We give Bibles to second graders; we mark the transitions of those who go through the Transitions and Ritual class; we celebrate commitments of faith…
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…
Mentoring Reboot
For many years, our congregation’s Mentoring Program has helped young people deepen their faith and feel more connected to our church community. Beginning around 6th grade, youth have the opportunity to be paired with an adult mentor who walks alongside them as a listening ear and fellow companion on their…
Time to Expand?
Earlier this year Leadership Team (LT) began discussing the possibility of creating a new part time pastoral position. Several intersecting factors have prompted this discussion. A primary one is a desire to be proactive. LT sees a healthy and active congregational culture and has wondered if now is the time…
Marking Transitions
Last evening 11 of us sat in a circle of chairs at the front of the dimmed sanctuary. The Transitions group has met for the last two months and this was the closing ritual. Each person brought items that symbolize what is ending in their life and what is emerging. …
Mennonites and Organizing
Right after Sunday school I jumped into the car and headed down to Harrisonburg, Virginia, home of Eastern Mennonite Seminary. I made it just in time for the beginning of the conference “The Promise and Possibility of Anabaptist Organizing.” I was part of a panel of “Pastor Organizers” on Monday,…