• English

Prayers of gratitude and intercession

  • Criteria:

    • An MWC member/associate member or an organization associated with member churches is eligible for Jubilee funds if the request is related to and enhances the four pillars of church life: fellowship, worship, service and witness.
    • The Jubilee fund can support member churches in case of need after natural or human-made disasters.
    • The member church submitting the request must contribute at least 30% toward the endeavour. This requirement does not apply in cases of disasters.
    • The amount requested should not exceed US $10 000. In some cases (e.g., disasters), the maximum amount of US $10 000 can be exceeded at the discretion of the committee that decides on the applications.
    • An MWC member church will be eligible for only one grant in a three-year period.

    Procedure:

    • An application package is available on the MWC website or upon request from any MWC office.
    • Requests must be officially approved by the national church officers and should include what the applicant church will contribute towards the project.
    • Forms A, B and C must be submitted.
    • Form D is for submission of the final narrative and financial report.
    • The MWC general secretary, and chair and secretary of the Deacons Commission form the committee that decides on the applications.
    • Following our MOU with Mennonite Central Committee, MWC will include an MCC advisor in the committee decisions about allocations from the Global Church Sharing Fund.
    • This committee may ask advice from MWC Regional Representatives and other organizations involved in the area.

    Monitoring:

    • The member church receiving the gift is required to keep a record of all disbursements.
    • A mid-term project update is required within one year of receiving the grant. The update should include a report on how the money has been spent to date and an updated budget for the completion of the project. A timeline of the project work should also be included.
    • The final financial and narrative reports are required within six months of the project completion. This report should include detail of project spending and explanations of any significant changes from the original proposal.

    Download PDF below:

     

  • From Anabaptist Seed, by C. Arnold Snyder,

    from_anabaptist_seedDownload

  • As presented to the Mennonite World Conference General Council, Limuru, Kenya, 24 April 2018

    Part I “All things gathered in Christ”

    • God is a gatherer
    • The Old Testament
    • The New Testament
    • Ephesians 1:10 – The Secret is Out! God is gathering all things in Christ!
    • Ephesians 2:11-22 – For He is “our” Peace
    • The near and the far
    • Conclusion – Anabaptists and the “gathering of all things”
       

    Part II “Unity of the Spirit – the creation of body and temple”

    • Spirit (ruach/pneuma) – energy, breath, wind
    • The unity of the Spirit
      • 1. Spirit as energy or power
      • 2. Spirit as breath
      • 3. Spirit as wind
    • The body of Christ, the womb in which the new human is being formed
    • The temple of God – a home from recycled material
    • Unity and diversity
    • Anabaptists and Spirit

    Part III “Maintaining the Unity of the Spirit – when walking together is hard”

    • We do not walk alone
    • How do we walk together?
    • Humility, patience, suffering each other
    • Forgiveness
    • Speaking truth WITH the neighbour
    • Seeing the face of God in each other
    • Does the bond ever tear? Does the chain break?

    At time of writing, Thomas R Yoder Neufeld is chair of the Faith and Life Commission. He is retired as professor of religious studies (New Testament) and peace and conflict studies at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

    English

    Gathering into one, Part 1Download
    Gathered into one, Part 2Download
    Gathered into One, Part 3Download

    Español

    Gathered into One, Part 1Download
    Gathered into one, Part 2Download
    Gathered into one, Part 3Download

    Français

    Gathered into one, Part 1Download
    Gathered into one, Part 2Download
    Gathered into one, Part 3Download

  • MWC selects books that help member churches nurture a common Christian faith. See French or Spanish version of this page for books in those languages.

    2018

    God’s People in Mission: An Anabaptist Perspective, edited by Stanley W. Green & Rafael Zaracho, MWC Mission Commission.

    PDF here. Also available on Amazon/Kindle.

    2015

    Life Together in the Spirit: A Radical Spirituality for the Twenty-First Century, by John Driver; Plough Publishing House, Walden, NY, USA, http://www.plough.com/en/ebooks/l/life-together-in-the-spirit. Available for download or online reading: https://archive.org/details/LifeTogetherintheSpirit

    Indonesian: Hidup Bersama dalam Roh: Spiritualitas Radikal untuk Abad Kedua Puluh Satu; by John Driver;

    Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism/MWC, Goshen, Indiana, USA, https://archive.org/details/NindyoLifeTogetherintheSpirit04092018

    Portuguese: Vida No Espírito Em Comunidade: Uma Espiritualidade Radical para o Século XXI; by John Driver;

    Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism/MWC, Goshen, Indiana, USA, https://archive.org/details/VidaNoEspritoEmComunidade/page/n0

    Korean: 성령과 함께 하는 삶: 21세기의 급진적 영성

    https://www.plough.com/ko/topics/community/life-together-in-the-spirit

    2007

    What We Believe Together, by Alfred Neufeld Friesen,

    Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Lancaster, PA, USA, http://www.lmhs.org/shop/books/new-books/
    PDF here

    Now available in 7 languages:  English, Spanish, German, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Indonesian. 

    German: Was wir gemeinsam glauben 

    Neufeld Verlag: http://www.neufeld-verlag.de/

    Korean: 우리가 함께 믿는 것

    Korea Anabaptist Press: https://www.commonword.ca/ResourceView/16/17457

    Chinese: https://www.commonword.ca/ResourceView/16/15669

    Vietnamese: https://www.commonword.ca/ResourceView/16/12386

    Indonesian: Keyakinan kita bersama : mengungkap butir-butir keyakinan bersama gereja-gereja Anabaptis

    Semarang: Penerbit Pustaka Muria

    2006

    Stewardship for All?,  by Bedru Hussein and Lynn Miller;

    Good Books, Intercourse, PA, GoodBooks.com and Pandora Press, Kitchener, ON, www.pandorapress.com

    PDF here

    2005

    A Culture of Peace, by Alan Krieder, Eleanor Krieder, Paulus Widjaja; Good Books, Intercourse, PA, GoodBooks.com and Pandora Press, Kitchener, ON, www.pandorapress.com

    PDF here

    Now available in 2 languages:  English and German.

    German: Ein Kultur des Friedens Neufeld Verlag : http://www.neufeld-verlag.de/

    2004

    God’s Shalom Project, by Bernhard Ott;

    Good Books, Intercourse, PA, GoodBooks.com and Pandora Press, Kitchener, ON, www.pandorapress.com

    PDF here

    Now available in 5 languages:  English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.

    German: Schalom – das Projekt Gottes; 

    Neufeld Verlag : http://www.neufeld-verlag.de/ and Agape Verlag Auslieferung, c/o Atempause, Borken, Germany E-mail: atempause@pioteam.de)

    Japanese: シャーローム 神のプロジェクト ; Word of Life Press Ministries, Japan. The Japanese book can be purchased on Word of Life’s website and through Amazon.

    2003

    Sharing Gifts in the Global Family of Faith, by Pakisa Tshimika and Tim Lind;

    Good Books, Intercourse, PA, GoodBooks.com and Pandora Press, Kitchener, ON, www.pandorapress.com

    PDF here

    Now available in 4 languages:  English, French, Spanish and German.

    German : Teilen, was wir sind und haben; Neufeld Verlag/ http://www.neufeld-verlag.de/, VdK-Str. 21, D-92521 Schwarzenfeld, phone ++49/94 35/50 24 49, E-Mail info@neufeld-verlag.de

    2002

    Anabaptist Seed, by C. Arnold Snyder,

    Good Books, Intercourse, PA, GoodBooks.com and Pandora Press, Kitchener, ON, www.pandorapress.com
    PDF here

    Now available in 16 languages:  English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, Hindi, Italian, Telugu, Amharic, Vietnamese and Swedish.

    German: Täuferische Saat – Weltweites Wachstum,

    Neufeld Verlag : http://www.neufeld-verlag.de/ and Agape Verlag Auslieferung, c/o Atempause, Borken, Germany E-mail: atempause@pioteam.de)

    Korean: 재세례신앙의 씨앗으로 부터

    Korea Anabaptist Press: https://www.commonword.ca/ResourceView/2/5936

    Vietnamese: Từ hạt giống Anabaptist

    Mennonite Church Canada: https://www.commonword.ca/FileDownload/6915/From_anabaptist_seed_-_Vietnamese.pdf?t=1

    Simplified Chinese: 重洗派的根源

    Conference of Mennonite Churches in Taiwan: https://www.commonword.ca/ResourceView/2/14454

    Traditional Chinese

    Conference of Mennonite Churches in Taiwan: https://www.commonword.ca/ResourceView/16/9266

  • The Global Mennonite History Series consists of five volumes of history, one from each continental region. Writers from each region trace the origins, development and mission of the Anabaptist-related churches there, reflecting the experiences, understandings and perspectives of these churches.

    This fresh offering of history is the first time some of these churches have cooperated in telling their story in their own voice. Themes in one book differ from those in another. This telling of the story of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches is intended “to stimulate the renewal and extension of Anabaptist Christianity worldwide.” This series helps readers to understand what the North American religious magazine Christian Century calls “the shift in church energy, leadership and numbers from North to South, from developed to developing nations.”

    The Global Mennonite History Series was initiated by Mennonite World Conference at its thirteenth global assembly in Calcutta, India in January 1997. The series was guided by an international organizing committee whose members represent all five continental regions. General editors are John A. Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder.

    The series includes the following five volumes:

    (All volumes in English, with translations of some into selected languages)

    Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts

    1. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts, 
    released in 2003 at the 14th global assembly in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (also available in Spanish and French).

    Download PDF
    Testing Faith and Tradition

    2. Testing Faith and Tradition,
    the volume from Europe, released in 2006 (also available in Spanish, French, German and Dutch). 

    Download PDF
    Mission and Migration

    3. Mission and Migration,
    the volume from Latin America, released in 2010 (also available in Spanish and French)

    Download PDF
    Seeking Places of Peace

    4. ​Seeking Places of Peace,
    the volume from North America, released in 2012. 

    Download PDF
    Churches Engage Asian Traditions

    5. Churches Engage Asian Traditions,
    the volume from Asia, released in 2011.

    Download PDF

    English-language books are available at Mennonite Life (formerly Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society) (USA) and Pandora Press (Canada)
    Dutch translation of Volume II, Geloof en Traditie beproefd, available at http://www.mennosimonsshop.nl
    German translation of Volume II, Glaube und Tradition in der Bewährungsprobe, available at http://www.neufeld-verlag.de

    Global Anabaptist Mennonite Shelf of Literature

  • Biblical Foundations

    1. Throughout the whole Bible, we see God working in history to create a faithful people, a people comprising members “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.” (Genesis 15:5; 17:4-7; Revelation 7:9)
    2. When Jesus met with his disciples near the end of his earthly life, Jesus prayed that those who would follow him “might be one.” (John 17:20-23)
    3. In his ministry, the Apostle Paul worked ceaselessly for unit y, even in situations of serious division and among those whose doctrines he saw as misguided and wrong.
      (1 Corinthians 1:12-13; Romans 12:1-15; 13; Philippians 2)
    4. We see Christian unity, therefore, not as an option we might choose or as an outcome we could create, but as an urgent imperative to be obeyed.

    Our Situation

    1. As Mennonites and Brethren in Christ, we give thanks to God for brothers and sisters of other traditions around the globe who accept the claims of Scripture and seek to live as followers of our Lord.
    2. We confess that we have not done all we could have to follow God’s call to relate in love and mutual counsel with other brothers and sisters who confess the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and who seek to follow him.
    3. We have seen peacemaking and reconciliation as callings of all Christian disciples, but we confess that we have not done all we could have to overcome divisions within our circles and to work toward unit y with other brothers and sisters.
    4. We recognize that we find our identity and mission, not in isolation, but in interaction with others with whom God has placed us as fellow inhabitants of God’ s world in this time and place.
    5. As members of the Mennonite World Conference family, we recognize that God has given us some unique faith experiences and insights we can contribute to other Christians.
    6. We recognize that there is much we can learn from Christians of other traditions.
    7. We recognize that our relationships with others will be strengthened as we become more secure and more firmly grounded in our faith.
    8. Confessions of faith have been prepared by many of our conferences; we appreciate the opportunities they provide for sharing our understandings with one another and strengthening each other in our Christian faithfulness.

    Cooperative Efforts

    1. We should not refuse to witness and serve in some ways with others just because we cannot do everything with them. In such cooperative efforts, we should not go beyond the extent of the unity we have found and thereby depreciate the meaning of truth and unity.

    Present and Future Relationships

    1. We give thanks for the relationships many of our members and congregations have with Christian brothers and sisters in their local communities.
    2. We are grateful for the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ groups who actively participate in global, national, and local inter-confessional church fellowships and councils; we encourage consideration of such relationships where it is discerned that these can further unity and common witness.
    3. We seek to be sensitive to the ways our relationships with others are affected by the different contexts in which we find ourselves around the world, with differing memories of past experiences, experiences of present persecution, situations with respect to the relative sizes of conversation partners, power balance factors, etc.
    4. The Mennonite World Conference and national conference groups can help our churches by providing written materials and leadership to guide existing and new conversations and relationships with other traditions and movements, and to deepen our understanding of the faith we confess.
    5. Biblical studies and fresh accounts of our common history of Anabaptists who took the initiative in seeking to relate to others would help ground us for the initiatives we need to take today.

    Prayer for Renewal

    1. With other believers around the world, we pray for the leading and renewal of the Holy Spirit as we seek to be God’s faithful people in our time:

    “Renew your church, O Lord, and make us instruments of your peace! “

    Date Adopted: 22 July 1998
    Adopted By: MWC Executive Committee and MC-GC Interchurch Relations Committee
    Location Adopted: Goshen, Indiana, USA

    rn-2.2-god_calls_us_to-christian_unityDownload

  • Global Anabaptist Service Network Terms of Reference in response to network meetings at St. Chrishona in Basel Switzerland

    2_gasn_terms_of_reference_sep_2015Download
  • 2_gasn_terms_of_reference_sep_2015_0Download

  • Global Mission Fellowship of Anabaptist-related churches vision statement

    new_gmf_terms_of_reference_en_sep_2015Download

  • Global Mission Fellowship of Anabaptist-related churches vision statement.

    gmfvisionstmteng_1Download

  • Indonesia 2022: workshop

    The second workshop of this three-part series will look at current struggles of Indigenous Peoples and how MWC member churches and/or related organizations are walking with and standing in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples and their ongoing struggles. 

    Presenters: Andrew Suderman is MWC Peace Commission secretary and a member of St. Jacob’s Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church Canada) and of Shalom Mennonite Congregation (Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA). Joji Pantoja is MWC Peace Commission chair, a Mennonite Church Canada Witness worker in the Philippines and founding member of Peacebuilders Community Inc. Tala Bautista is a member of Peacebuilders Community Inc. in the Philippines. Wendy Kroeker is a member of Fort Garry Mennonite Fellowship, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and chair of GAPN. Katerina Friesen is a staff person at Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery (USA), a member of a Mennonite Church USA congregation, and pastor of a Wild Church. (hybrid)

    Supporting document: Statement of solidarity with Indigenous Peoples

  • Indonesia 2022: workshop

    This three-part series explores the document that the Mennonite World Conference General Council approved in Kenya 2018.

    Presenters:

    Andrew Suderman is MWC Peace Commission secretary and a member of St. Jacob’s Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church Canada) and of Shalom Mennonite Congregation (Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA).

    Joji Pantoja is MWC Peace Commission chair, a Mennonite Church Canada Witness worker in the Philippines and founding member of Peacebuilders Community Inc.

    Tala Bautista is a member of Peacebuilders Community Inc. in the Philippines.

    Wendy Kroeker is a member of Fort Garry Mennonite Fellowship, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and chair of GAPN.

    Katerina Friesen is a staff person at Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery (USA), a member of a Mennonite Church USA congregation, and pastor of a Wild Church. (hybrid)

    Statement of solidarity with Indigenous Peoples

    The first workshop explores the MWC Declaration of Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples document. It offers a glimpse into the background of this document, including the struggle of the Wounaan People and the way in which they, through their request, served as impetus for the crafting of this document. It also highlights the development of the document and the way it has been used thus far. 

    Indonesia 2022: workshop

    The second workshop of this three-part series looks at current struggles of Indigenous Peoples and how MWC member churches and/or related organizations are walking with and standing in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples and their ongoing struggles.