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27 September 2023

Testimonies from Latin America

Creation is immense, an extremely large painting. A quick glance from a distance shows us a single painting; however, when one approaches and observes very closely, we discover that this apparently single painting is made up of millions of tiny squares, and I am one of those tiny squares.

I am an integral part of that great mosaic of God. Being part of God’s mosaic gives me security because in it I am spiritually contained and protected.

The Apostle Paul said that the church is like the body, composed of many distinct parts, and all together the various parts form the whole body. Each part is important, even the little finger.

The global Anabaptist family is the body of Christ, made up of many members, and all together we form a whole unit that is the big and beautiful picture of God.

The first time I participated in an MWC Assembly was in 1984, in Strasbourg, France. I was a young leader then, and because it was my first experience, I understood very little about the significance of this one event. It was a meeting of our family scattered around the world. It was a party, where we celebrated with brothers and sisters from other parts of the world. Despite the cultural and language barriers, there was a great connection made visible in our shared worship, greetings or just a smile.

For me, this experience with MWC is like what Proverbs 4:18 says: “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” The different events and relationships in MWC lead me to a better understanding that I am a part of the big picture of God.

This understanding moves me to think and pray for our family scattered throughout the world. Their well being and their pain are also mine. I am reminded that I must not be selfish and think only about my part of the world, because beyond my world there are many other worlds that are also part of the great picture of God.

That picture of God could also be compared to a building. When one stops and looks from a distance one observes a beautiful building, but as we get closer, we realize that this building is made up of thousands of parts. Some parts are large blocks like the pillars, and other parts are as tiny as the valve on the water tap. If that valve were to fail, we would immediately realize its importance and as quickly as possible we would look for a solution before the whole building is impacted. The large pillars and the tiny valves are all important to make a beautiful building.

I want to see my life inside this immense picture of God. Perhaps I am only a tiny member, a small cell in this body. But I know that I am an equally vital part, so that God’s mosaic is complete and beautiful.

—Juan Silverio Verón, Hermanos Menonitas Maranata, Asunción, Paraguay.
27 September 2023

Testimonies from Latin America

The joy of belonging to the Anabaptist Christian family

The possibility of mutual exchange and opportunities to share with the mosaic of brothers and sisters from the big picture of various Anabaptist churches contributes to affirming and cementing my faith, spirituality and personal identity as an Anabaptist Christian. Through these interactions, I have the opportunity to enrich my understanding of faith and to experience the presence of God in diverse and profound ways.

A. Anabaptist theological perspectives:

I am exposed to a variety of theological perspectives and practical approaches to faith. This helps me broaden my understanding of the Bible, theology and the core values of Anabaptism. Through these interactions, I can deepen my faith and see it from new perspectives while challenging my assumptions or former ways of thinking.

From my spiritual childhood in Anabaptism, I have grown to develop a secure personal Anabaptist identity.

B. The community and shared testimony:

I appreciate the value of community and shared witness. Through the testimonies of others, I witness how different communities live their faith in unique and diverse ways, reflecting the “manifold grace of God” and the gifts and experiences that God has given to these believers, followers of Jesus.

This encourages me to value and celebrate “plurality” in the church and to understand that unity in following Jesus does not imply uniformity, but harmony in the midst of our differences.

C. Justice and reconciliation:

Through the diversity of experiences and perspectives, I am confronted with issues of justice and reconciliation.

By interacting with people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures and traditions, I am challenged to examine the power structures and injustices present in the world. This fuels my commitment to social justice and leads me to look for ways to build bridges and promote reconciliation amid our differences.

D. An identity that is open and rooted:

I learn to appreciate and embrace my own Anabaptist identity while opening myself to diversity and interconnectedness with other traditions and cultures. I discovered that my identity is not in competition with other identities but is enriched and strengthened through dialogue and relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.

This openness broadens my horizon and allows me to grow as a person and as a follower of Christ.

The sharing and mutual exchange with a mosaic of people from our big world of diverse places, Anabaptist churches and communities are a blessing in my spiritual life. This broadens my understanding of faith, strengthens my personal identity and fosters a deeper commitment to justice and reconciliation. Through these shared experiences, I sense the presence of God more deeply, and am challenged to live my faith in a more authentic and committed way.

—Carlos Avalos, pastor, Iglesia de los Hermanos en Cristo “Bellos Horizontes”, Managua, Nicaragua.

22 September 2023

You are invited! Join us for Climate Pollinators, a webinar series on creation care. See below!

Like many in Zimbabwe, Sukoluhle Ncube splits her time between the city where her family lives and works, and the rural community where they farm, 40 minutes away.

“Most of the people have two homes,” Sukoluhle Ncube says. “In the town, you come and work and all that, but in the village that’s where we practice our agriculture.”

Sukoluhle Ncube has a degree in business management and information technology. She spends most of her weekends and holidays working on her family’s plot of land in the village of Irisville.

Sukoluhle Ncube explains that instability in the Zimbabwean economy makes it hard to make enough money to live off of. Many families supplement their incomes by growing their own corn, finger-millet and sorghum, and raising livestock. But recently, changes in seasonal patterns due to climate change are making farming less reliable.

The World Bank reported that in 2020, almost 50 percent of Zimbabweans faced food poverty. The number has gone down slightly since the pandemic, but many, especially those who practice subsistence agriculture, still struggle to meet their needs. One of the main culprits identified in the report is drought.

“Climate change has altered the rain patterns,” says Sukoluhle Ncube. The rainy season used to start at the end of October and last until March. Now the rain often doesn’t come until mid-December and is over in a month.

“(The crops) dry out and die,” says Sukoluhle Ncube. “All this climate change, it affects a lot of people, even people in the big cities.”

Her church, Brethren in Christ Church Lobengula, has started programs to help its members solve these challenges.

“Usually, we separate business from our everyday worship,” said Ntando Ndlovu. She directs the “Empowered Worldview” initiative.

The project aims to build resiliency by giving church members the skills, connections and markets they need to generate income.

For a year, the church held workshops teaching congregants skills to start their own businesses. Then last May, the participants were invited to present their businesses at an exposition held after church.

Thirty-seven small business owners set up tables displaying their goods and services. The stalls offered everything from handmade purses to organic produce to welding services to cotton candy made on the spot.

The expo “was set up as an effort to create an active business ecosystem, which will enable trade amongst congregants,” says Sukoluhle Ncube.

“I think it turned out really well,” she says. “A lot of people came in; a lot of people felt so supported.”

—Sierra Ross Richer is a member of Waterford Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana, USA. She is an intern with the Anabaptist Climate Collaborative (ACC). This story from the ACC’s Lent Climate Pollinator Series: Global Anabaptist Stories on Climate Change is reprinted with permission.

You are invited! Join us for Climate Pollinators, a webinar series on creation care.

MWC’s Creation Care Task Force members from each region will host one hour of storytelling and Q&A. Church members from around the world will share how they are affected by climate change – and responding with resilient action and gospel hope.

Other featured stories for Africa focus

Missed this webinar? Watch the recording here.

Each webinar will take place at on Tuesday at 14:00 UTC (click here to find the time in your region). Register here:

~~17 October 2023 – Africa focus with Sibonokuhle Ncube~~
14 November 2023 – Asia focus with Nindyo Sasongko
12 December 2023 – Europe focus with David Nussbaumer
16 January 2024 – Latin America focus with Juliana Morillo
13 February 2024 – North America focus with Anna Vogt and Jennifer Halteman Schrock

22 September 2023

He gave himself as our mentor

Rev. Charles Christano, Mennonite World Conference (MWC) president from 1978 to 1984, and one of the cornerstone pastors of GKMI (Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia church) in Indonesia, died Friday, 22 September 2023, at age 84.

He was born Tan Ing Tjioe in Indonesia in 1939. He wanted a to be a doctor, but felt a strong calling to be a pastor when he was in high school, so choose to enter seminary instead.

In 1976, he became senior pastor of GKMI Kudus, one of GKMI’s pioneer churches and mother church of many congregations in Central Java.

GKMI Kudus went through a transformation under his leadership. He firmly believed in the importance of laypeople (non theologians) in the church and welcomed them in church leadership and evangelistic ministries. Their outreach in the 1970s resulted in a lot of young people coming to GKMI Kudus. Today, many are leaders and theologians in the Mennonite church.

During his presidency (1978—1984), Mennonite World Conference began to evolve from a conference (focused around an event) to a communion (koinonia). This was a pivotal time when MWC transformed from a Europe-based movement to a global fellowship of churches linked together in worship, service, witness and fellowship. Concurrently, he also served as moderator of GKMI.

Charles Christano was described as very principled and firm, but generous with his time to mentor and be a role model to younger leaders.

Charles Christano, MWC president 1978-1984, speaks at the Assembly in Strasbourg, 1984. Photo: MAID CA CMBS NP149-1-6398

A meeting of the MWC Executive Committee in 1980: (l-r): executive secretary Paul Kraybill (USA), president Charles Christano (Indonesia), recording secretary Robert Kreider (USA), Marvin Hein (USA), Carl Brusewitz (Netherlands), and Philemon Kumalo (Zimbabwe). Photo: MAID CA CMBS NP149-1-6436

“His involvement as president of Mennonite World Conference when I was still a teenager inspired me to be involved also with the global church, because he often spoke to me personally about MWC and its work,” says Rev. Paulus Widjaja, chair of the MWC Assembly 2022 advisory board and former chair and secretary of MWC’s Peace Commission.

“He was adamant about protecting the church from a monopoly of what’s right and true by an individual pastor,” says Nindyo Sasongko, Asia representative of MWC’s Creation Care Task Force. A former youth pastor of GKMI Kudus who calls Charles Christano his spiritual father, Nindyo Sasongko cherishes these words from a decades-past sermon that ring true today: “‘Truth doesn’t belong to an individual, rather a community.’”

Eddy Sutjipto of Indonesia remembers Charles Christano’s role in helping him see beyond the local church, including attending the MWC Assembly in Winnipeg in 1990. “He said the experience in connecting with Mennonites and Anabaptists from all over the world would be good for us and our ministry in GKMI. And it was! Our being there opened many doors for closer collaboration with churches, as well as and development and mission agencies in different countries. The experience of connecting with the global church eventually led me to serve as GKMI moderator, then as member of General Council and Executive Committee (2003—2009).”

Andreas Christanday, Charles’ younger brother and an evangelist says, “His sermons and writings were relevant interdenominationally, while staying true to his Anabaptist roots. He was not afraid to critique the church, but never without showing a way for the church to resolve the issues…. Through his work so many people were inspired to follow his example in serving God.”

“Charles’s integrity and moral standards were unmatched. His words and deeds are in line with what he believed in his heart. He served not only his own congregation, but also the national and even international churches. I am grateful for all the encouragement, constructive criticism and mostly being a role model,” says Paulus Widjaja.

“A wonderful man: humble and joyful,” says MWC president Henk Stenvers. “At age 39, Charles Christano followed Million Belete as the second president of MWC from the Global South. Highly respected in Indonesia, he brought his principled but generous leadership to help shape MWC into a global communion. We are grateful for pastors and church leaders like him who show us how to follow Christ in unity and peace.”

Charles Christano is survived by three adult children. The funeral will take place 26 September 2023 in Kudus, Indonesia.

Click here to read about a memorable communion service Charles Christano led at the Wichita MWC Assembly in 1978

21 September 2023

Commemoration of 500 years includes worship, speeches, discussions and art

In the shadow of the Grossmünster cathedral, the main Catholic church in Zurich, a group of young people gathered in a house to commit an act of subversion: adult baptism.

Their study of the Bible had led them to different understandings than the state church. As they understood it, baptism was a symbol of their conscious decision to submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ and follow his example in life ‚àí a commitment only an adult could make. That decision challenged the millennial-old practice in the Catholic Church of baptizing infants.

This radical act on 21 January 1525 marked the symbolic beginning of what would become known as the Anabaptist (“re-baptizer”) movement. Today, the movement has grown to include some 2.13 million believers in more than 80 countries around the world.

On 29 May 2025, Mennonite World Conference invites guests from around the world to gather in Zurich to commemorate this beginning. “The courage to love” (the theme for the event) will mark this history and celebrate what the movement has become today. Local government officials and church leaders of related traditions will also be invited.

“On this day, Anabaptists will become visible in the streets of Zurich,” says Liesa Unger, MWC Chief International Events Officer.

A walking tour within the city will feature stations that commemorate historical events and reflect on the contemporary church. Workshops, musical concerts, theatrical performances, panel discussions and more will be scattered throughout the downtown.

The day will culminate in an ecumenical worship service that recognizes the many steps toward reconciliation that have occurred in recent decades and an act of public witness. The final worship service will be livestreamed.

Rashard Allen

Deborah Prabu

Rashard Allen (USA) of the international ensemble in Indonesia is coordinating ensembles to participate in the event; one from each of the five regions. Deborah Prabu (Indonesia), worship leader from Assembly 17, is coordinating an international ensemble to lead congregational singing during the worship service.

“We want to have a strong historical component that makes it clear why we are gathering in Zurich. But an even stronger emphasis will focus on the future,” says historian and Renewal 2025 coordinator John D. Roth. “The Anabaptist movement continues to be dynamic, diverse, and creative in sharing the gospel in many different cultural settings.”

General Council delegates will be encouraged to craft local events to teach about the historical roots of Anabaptism and collect stories on the expressions of Anabaptist faith in their own contexts.

Check the MWC website for new information being released about the quincentennial commemoration.
20 September 2023
Mennonite World Conference is one of 14 Christian organizations joining hands with World Vision International in prayer and action against world hunger. The third annual Weekend of Prayer and Action Against Hunger (#WoPA2023) is observed 14-16 October 2023, coinciding with World Food Day which falls on Monday, 16 October 2023.

“We believe famine has no place in the 21st century and is entirely preventable,” says Tigist Tesfaye, secretary of MWC Deacons Commission. “Yet the world faces an unprecedented hunger crisis today. Wars and violence, rising costs, weather extremes and uneven recovery from the pandemic’s economic impact are putting 258 million people at risk. The United Nations’ World Food Program says 58 countries are in acute food insecurity as of end of 2022.”

Action-oriented resources for Sunday service liturgy, biblical reflection on food and sharing of resources, videos and photos and children’s resources are available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. Download action against hunger resources here.

“We call all Anabaptist-Mennonite churches to teach their congregations about the 10 Commandments of Food. This includes giving thanks for food and the people that grow and prepare it, eating in moderation, not wasting food, eating locally and sharing the gift of food with those who don’t have enough nutrition,” says Tigist Tesfaye.

“We also call churches to take the week starting 16 October 2023 to support the MWC Global Church Sharing Fund, which supports local churches in addressing immediate needs in their church community, including food security,” says Tigist Tesfaye.

Mennonite World Conference would love to hear how you and your church are taking action against world hunger! Post on social media with the hashtags #WoPA2023 and #mwcmm

How can you take action against hunger

At the individual level
- Commit to eating locally
- Do not waste food
- Eat in moderation
- Build relationships with farmers, farm workers and food workers – learn the triumphs and challenges in growing and delivering food to your table
- Support a local food bank or free meal programs
At the congregation level
- Teach the 10 Commandments of Food
- Start or support initiatives that address food inequality in your community
- Promote sustainable farming practices
- Share the gift of food to others who don’t have enough nutrition
19 September 2023

César García, general secretary of Mennonite World Conference, received the PAX Award from Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) on 28 April 2023.

The PAX award honours people who lead exemplary lives of service, leadership and reconciliation in society. “CMU is inspired by César García and Mennonite World Conference as a whole in nurturing a global communion of churches,” says CMU president Cheryl Pauls. “The MWC Shared Convictions are formative for CMU as a learning community that is rooted in the Anabaptist faith tradition.”

The article below has been adapted from the address he gave.

How can we know when is the right time to do something? How can we know what to do when we face a challenging context?

The author of Ecclesiastes wrote:
a time to seek and a time to lose;
a time to keep and a time to throw away;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
a time for war and a time for peace

That book was likely written during the timeframe narrated in the book of Nehemiah. After decades of suffering under the oppression of the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires, people from Judah could finally return to their land in Palestine. Oppression was not entirely over, but at least the option of rebuilding the Temple and walls of Jerusalem was there.

In this narrative, Nehemiah teaches how to discern the times and how to respond.

First, Nehemiah was a listening agent.

He was sensitive to what others were dealing with and suffering.

Nehemiah could have ignored the challenges of others. After all, he was a stranger in a foreign land, an enslaved person in exile. His circumstances were bad enough to focus on himself.

But he did not. He listened. He saw a need.

In times of difficult circumstances, we need people that hear. Listening is intensely therapeutic in counselling. Often the greatest gift we can give someone is to listen to them.

That is why MWC makes decisions by consensus. Of course, it is easier to make decisions democratically by a simple majority. However, listening to each other is more important than getting winners and losers in a decision.

Second, Nehemiah was an agent of responsibility

While living far from his home with limited freedom, Nehemiah could have blamed the former leaders of Israel, his forebears and the colonial empires of his time for his unfortunate destiny.

But he did not. He saw the situation, assumed responsibility and acted to transform it.

That attitude is in deep contrast with the sense of victimhood everywhere. It wasn’t us. It was the government. Or the banks. Or our family. It is the fault of the others, the ones not like us, infidels, sons of Satan.

Amid disasters, MWC has chosen responsibility by bringing multiple parties to respond in a coordinated way to the challenges of our times.

As I speak today our churches in Myanmar are giving rice to thousands of refugees, some of them members of our churches who have lost everything because of the civil war in that country. That is possible because people like you and me have been praying for them and sending financial support to help these churches.

Third, Nehemiah was an agent of hope.

Even in the darkest moments, Nehemiah could see through the clouds of disaster to the clear sky beyond.

However, he was not just an optimist. Optimism is the belief that things will get better. Hope is the belief that if we work hard together, we can improve things.

Optimism is a positive attitude. Christian hope is seeing the future according to God’s vision and acting, depending on the Holy Spirit. Remember, Nehemiah prayed and fasted after listening.

MWC is an agent of hope by bringing together churches and working on unity and reconciliation through our faith in Christ in a world immersed in conflict fragmentation and divisions.

Fourth, Nehemiah was an agent of a new reality.

In times of crisis, Nehemiah defined the state of things, specified his goals and showed the map to others.

Greek philosopher Epictetus said: “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”

There are many possible reactions to times of crisis. For some, challenging times are a time to close their eyes. For others, it is a time to wait for somebody else to do something. In times of crisis, some people complain or criticize.

MWC is an agent of a new reality by living out unity amid global diversity. MWC is us. It is people like you and me who think it is possible to be a worldwide community of faith where theological and cultural differences are respected and celebrated, where divisions, polarization and fragmentation do not have to be the only possible reality.

These are challenging times in the church, our societies, and the world. Some of us may be facing personal crises or unexpected needs. Yet, this time is not a time to quit.

God invites us to act, to be part of the solution. God does not do it for us; God works through us!

Therefore, this time is a time to listen, take responsibility, be agents of hope and build a new reality.

This is one of MWC’s Shared Convictions and is a core aspect of our call to work shoulder-to-shoulder with sisters and brothers around the world and to learn from their courageous testimony.

Join us in building peace worldwide with the Anabaptist-Mennonite family. Your most generous gift today enables MWC to extend the reach of peace and justice initiatives among our 108 member churches in nearly 60 countries.

Act now!
11 September 2023

After an eight-year gap, leaders and members of Kenya Mennonite Church (KMC) held its national convention in in the town of Migori in August 2023, attended by 1 300 people. A delegation from Mennonite World Conference consisted of president Henk Stenvers, Faith and Life Commission member Desalegn Abebe of Ethiopia, Mission Commission member Simon Okoth of Uganda and Bishop Nelson Kisare from Tanzania.

During the five-day gathering, participants learned a wide range of topics including peace, justice, evangelism and discipleship, to family life. “This convention is not only for church leaders, but also for KMC church members who want to deepen their faith and be in fellowship with each other,” said bishop Samson Omondi, convention organizer and MWC Executive Committee member representing Africa.

During the five-day gathering, participants learned about a wide range of topics including peace, justice, evangelism, discipleship, economic empowerment and family life. The convention closed with a foot washing ceremony and the Lord’s Supper.

Partaking in the Lord’s Supper

MWC President Henk Stenvers takes part in the foot washing ceremony with church elder Ole Koringo.

“It was a wonderful experience for KMC members to meet and interact with MWC officers and commission members. This way, Mennonites in Kenya could learn in depth the vision and mission of MWC, and the close relationship between our church and MWC,” says Samson Omondi.

“The highlight for me was the open tent revival meeting in one of the nights,” MWC president says Henk Stenvers. “There were people sharing testimonies, witnessing to each other. There was dancing: young people, children, men and women, celebrating their faith. Even passersby and people in the community came and prayed with us. It was a deeply moving experience. This is a living church, with devoted and faithful people.”

The church is alive and growing spiritually, despite challenges.

“Economic circumstances have been hard,” says Henk Stenvers.

Kenya is reliant on wheat from Ukraine. The war has caused the price of food in Kenya to increase significantly (in some items more than 100%) while wages stay stagnant.

“I have enormous respect for the way they organized the convention; the time and thought invested in putting everything together despite economic and security challenges.”

“Please pray for us and economic opportunities for the church members,” says Samson Omondi. “We want to be a church that empowers our members and impacts our communities.

“In the same way we will pray for MWC, as we feel a part of this global body of Christ,” he says.
05 September 2023

Forgotten participants for peacebuilding activities

A woman was identified by her local community in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, as a survivor who needed trauma healing. Her husband was killed during a period of ethnic violence three years ago. In their two years of marriage, she bore one child.

Today, she is one of the volunteers who helps other women affected by ethnic violence.

The training and trauma-healing sessions helped her recover, she says.

For the past two years, Meserete Kristos Church has been working with communities and local institutions to restore peace between warring ethnic groups in the Nono district of the West Shewa Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia.

MKC facilitated different types of training, trauma healing sessions and community conversations in conflict-affected villages.

A trauma healing volunteer and mother in Ethiopia asks “what about the children?”/MKC

The reconciliation process has been progressing well and the project is reaching its final stage.

But what about the children? she asks: Could MKC help children affected by ethnic violence?

Her three-year-old son asked her to buy him a gun. Every evening when they are alone in the house, he presents his request.

She thought he wanted a plastic toy. But he told her that he wanted a real gun to kill the person who killed his father.

She almost fainted. She did not imagine that her son was preparing himself for revenge at such tender age.

Other children in the village told him that his father was killed by someone from the other ethnic group and that he should revenge when he grows up.

“This is one of the needs of the community that we should address,” says Mekonnen Gemeda, peacebuilding director for Meserete Kristos Church. He was in the area to discuss the reconciliation process with the traditional elders and the local government authorities. “The sustainability of the peace we are trying to restore now depends on the type of children we are nurturing.”

—This story is adapted from an article in MKC News #47, a monthly newsletter published by the Office of the President of MKC. Used with permission.

About MWC national member church: Meserete Kristos Church (MKC)

Meserete Kristos Church (MKC), one of the largest MWC member churches, had a membership of a little more than 5 000 when it went underground during the time of persecution in the Marxist military government in the 1980s. In 2020, baptized members numbered 370 909. The national church has regional Bible schools and a seminary; organized ministry in evangelism, prison outreach, development and more.
05 September 2023

Paraguay

Acouple of years ago as we were swimming upstream against COVID-19, hope seemed to be hard to come by. I don’t know about your churches, but we were forced to dive into the deep end of the modern digital age – or rather bellyflop into it.

Month after month, we worked tirelessly on learning how to film high-quality video, add the little subtitles and create engaging content to make the services dynamic and participatory for all group ages at the same time!

Eventually, we got better at it and we paddled through the two-year parenthesis.

At the beginning of last year, COVID-19 restrictions loosened up and we were finally able to return to “normal.”

But how do you “be normal” after such a long time? Our numbers weren’t what they were and our online participation was meager. On top of that there were significant financial losses among many of our members and deep pain over those who were no longer with us.

As a congregation, we didn’t have a special verse for this time. But if I had to say we had one – Galatians 6:9 would have been it.

“So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.”

During COVID-19, we hoped that the people would return.

And they did.

Then, we hoped that the first year back together would prove to be a year of growth and reconnecting after such a long separation.

And it was.

We now see the pews filling up with brothers and sisters, the children running through the yard in their Sunday School programs, the youth going out to local hospitals and doing evangelism, small groups meeting in homes and uplifting each other, etc.

On the other hand, paradoxically (and somewhat unconsciously), we had also hoped for some facets of our pre-pandemic lives to return. With a great sense of weariness and melancholy, we realized that we could never recover all that had been lost along the way. Not all that we had hoped for came true.

I can’t quite say what the secret is to finding or having hope. However, I think the Apostle Paul was onto something when he encouraged us to “not give up” as we strive – and hope – for what we desire. It was in our time of loneliness, isolation, separation and loss that we vividly felt the urge to hope for something else – something more.

Last year we were able to meet in person and celebrate MWC’s Assembly 17 in Indonesia. Our encounter felt like a true homecoming after a long time of separation. As we met, we harvested a global collection of testimonies, which we then took home to share with our communities. We heard stories, much like our own, filled with difficult challenges and joyful triumphs.

May we continue to be encouraged to patiently await and enjoy God’s plentiful harvest. And not give up on hope.

—Cynthia Dück is the MWC Regional Representative to Brazil and Paraguay. She lives in Asuncion, Paraguay, together with her husband and three teenaged children. They attend and serve at Mennoniten Brüder Gemeinde Concordia / Iglesia Hermanos Menonitas Concordia (Concordia Mennonite Brethren Church).
Cynthia Dück spoke at Renewal 2023 – Jesus Christ, our hope – in Abbotsford, B.C., Canada, 25 March 2023. This article has been adapted from her presentation.
05 September 2023

Canada

When I think about hope, I am very thankful to have quite a long list to choose from where I see it. Here I will focus on how I see hope in my church through the community outreach and the youth – and how they intertwine.

Love and dedication

I have the privilege of being a youth leader at my home congregation for the past four years. What has given me hope through this opportunity is watching how the youth group (12-18 year olds) has grown significantly and the love they have for others and Jesus.

When I started youth leading, there were smaller numbers at my church. We were going through a time of changing youth pastors, and it was a good group, but small. Today – where on a full night we have a little over 30 youth (big for our church) – I cannot help but see hope for the future of the church.

When diving deep into conversations about faith, life and anything with these youth kids (especially my High School Girls small group), my hope soars. I see the thought and the intent they have. Seeing these youth’s love and dedication to their faith gives me so much hope as I have many friends who have left church or do not take it as seriously anymore.

This hope extends even further when I see how these youth are involved: they serve and wash dishes at church banquets; they deliver Christmas cookies and cards to a neighbouring seniors’ living facility; they shovel snow at the church; and they participate in clean-up days. The one that stands out the most to me is seeing members of my youth group participate at our conference summer camp, Camp Squeah. There, these teenagers are leaders to younger children. They both exemplify and teach about the love of Christ to children.

This is where I see hope so clearly.

Then I switch lenses and look to the community outreach which my church has been participating in over the past few years especially since COVID-19.

Donated food packages at Bowls of Hope/Chilliwack Bowls of Hope Society

Laughter and leadership

We are blessed as a congregation to have our own building. Through this, as a congregation we have been able to provide space for many different community outreaches.

One example is Bowls of Hope. This not-for-profit organization has a room full of food supplies in our building. They provide struggling families with meal plans weekto-week to make sure they have food. I see hope in the way my congregation is reaching out and helping those around it.

The real special moment for me was when the youth group volunteered to help at Bowls of Hope. I saw the youth kids having fun. They jumped into the kitchen to help prepare the ingredients for soup to feed 1 000 children in our city. There were tears (yes, that might have just been because of the onions), lots of laughter – and a sense of hope. Hope for the ways in which the church is aiding the community around them and hope for the youth in the servantheartedness already present in situations like these.

I am extremely blessed by my home congregation and have appreciated the time I have had reflecting on the hope I have around it. This fills me with excitement to see where the Lord moves next in this time and to see how these youth inspire others.

—Ashley Rempel is a high school French and social studies teacher from Chilliwack, B.C., Canada. She serves at the Mennonite retreat centre Camp Squeah in summer. A member of Eden Mennonite Church, Chilliwack, B.C., Canada, she served as the MC Canada representative for her region at the Global Youth Summit (GYS) in Indonesia. There, she found hope in attending workshops with youth pastors from around the world to listen to their experiences and hear their input of how to make youth groups and the church welcoming for this next generation.

Ashley Rempel spoke at Renewal 2023 – Jesus Christ, our hope – in Abbotsford, B.C., Canada, 25 March 2023. This article has been adapted from her presentation.
30 August 2023
Choose texts (one or several) that work for your congregation in your context.

Job 42:1-6

Becoming a servant of a sovereign and just God

Have we ever questioned the sovereignty and justice of God? It was not easy for Job to understand the situation he lived through, and he made it clear that he was angry with God. Later he repented of his attitude, and he recognized the great power and perfect justice of God.

God is still sovereign over the bigger picture. Jesus said that anyone who would give up something for the kingdom of God would be rewarded.

In my context, currently violence in all its forms has taken over all layers of Colombian society. I did not understand how far the mercy of God would go in my work to train people for a specific ministry with the suffering population (elderly people and migrants of all ages).
- How do we hear God and see God when our eyes see the suffering of the migrants daily?
- The widow’s torn heart?
- The violence exerted on the orphan?
- The fear of the pregnant woman who flees from the violent parent?
- The abuse toward the young woman and the child who has been rejected?
The call to the church is to take measures to reduce pain in all its forms in its context, forming a new people that sows peace, harmony, tranquility and truth. Those instructed in the Word of God are transformed in their hearts to make decisions by faith to remain in the light of the gospel. It is there that the text from Job comes to life, with eyes to see the care, the love and the mercy of the living God taking human form as it walks with the weak, the needy, the exiled, the ones who have suffered violence.

The harmony of “my peace I leave you, my peace I give you: not as the world gives it, I give it” (John 14:27) is the treasure of a heart renewed and transformed by the power of the Word that feels the pain of sisters and brothers, and even gives its life for them.

In my context, those who suffer (Venezuelan refugees and the elderly) invite us to accompany them, to be cared for in their pain by those who feel their affliction alongside them.

Only Jesus Christ in us gives us the ability to walk alongside and accompany those who suffer.

In my context, the elderly who are abandoned and the Venezuelan refugees are images that form a new cultural mosaic. These are people who enrich our culture by bringing in diverse visions, giving birth to new cultures.

The main question of the book of Job does not go away: “Why do believers experience problems and suffering?”

Would Job’s message have changed if God had not restored him to his former blessings? No.

God is in control of the bigger picture. The journey of faith, even amid suffering, is the way of life.

—Maria Del Rosario Peña De Melo, Iglesia Cristiana Encuentro de Renovación y Restauración, Comunidad Menonita de Riohacha, Colombia

Psalm 8

Becoming part of God’s bigger picture

This is the first psalm of praise in the book of Psalms, an entire song of praise and worship.

This psalm declares the immense beauty and size of God’s creation, the earth and all the heavens. It helps us offer our praise and worship to God, whose glory is bigger than Creation (verses 1, 3, 5-8). God’s majestic sovereignty is revealed in two quite different ways: in the heights of heaven and in the dust of the earth. God’s picture is big.

God reveals God’s majesty by defeating enemies through the weakness of children and infants. God displays God’s glory by using weak people to do God’s great work (verses 2, 4-6). God is still in engaged in displaying God’s glory through weak people like you and like me.

David asks the same philosophical question that Job and many others ask (verse 4): “what are humans that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” Rather than focusing on unfair suffering, David celebrates the fact that God has given us glory and honour beyond our deserving. God put us in charge of this world, not to abuse it, but to care for it, to protect it and to make the most of it, by becoming part of God’s bigger picture.

—Arli Klassen, First Mennonite Church, Kitchener, Canada.

John 10:14-16

Becoming part of God’s great panorama

There are times when we wonder how God forms a specific people, starting with one person and their family in the Old Testament. God established a covenant with the patriarchs, with specific conditions that must be fulfilled for them to be the people of God.

But what about the other people who are not born into this (blood) family that God has chosen? How is it possible to be part of the people of God?

This is precisely what the gospel is about, “the good news” that tells us that through Jesus Christ we are all welcome to be part of this people of God, this family of God.

God calls, and we respond.

We come from different parts of the world, with different customs and languages and ideas, but with Jesus Christ we can be one, we are the people of God. Jesus Christ is our Guide, our Shepherd who goes before us to walk in the perfect will of God.

Let us see how the Gospel of John shows us how Jesus is our guide and our shepherd, and who we are because of Jesus.

What do we learn about the Shepherd, Jesus Christ?

Jesus our Shepherd is good and kind. This is experienced by all, transmitting confidence to all the followers of Jesus. Jesus Christ loves everyone equally.

Jesus our Shepherd knows the Father and the Father knows the Shepherd. We learn to know Jesus, the one we follow, and knowing that Jesus is well known by the one who sends Jesus also gives us confidence. A deep relationship between the two (Father and Son) is necessary and they are one.

Jesus our Shepherd knows his sheep and his sheep know him. Of course, the Shepherd knows well the sheep that belong to his flock, and so do the sheep know him as their own Shepherd. The Shepherd spends time with them to get to know them well, and so that they can know him. Jesus Christ knows each person who follows him. He knows and understands each need or difficulty that his followers go through.

Jesus our Shepherd is willing to lay down his life for his sheep. This willingness is true, even though they are not all “good” sheep or “good” followers. Jesus Christ gave his life and shed his blood to save all people.

Jesus our Shepherd welcomes other sheep too. The Shepherd not only takes care of the sheep that are already in his fold; he keeps calling other sheep that are looking for a shepherd to guide them. He does not reject anyone and wants the other sheep to come to him because he gave his life for all of them.

What do we learn about the sheep in the flock?

The sheep get to know their guide, their shepherd. They do this by spending time with their leader and being willing to learn from him. It is only by knowing Jesus Christ, and following his example, that we can grow in our faith.

What do we learn about the other sheep?

All the sheep are welcome. The other sheep outside are apparently lost and need a home, someone to watch over them and must be brought into the flock. They are welcome in the family of God.

The other sheep will also learn to be obedient. They will also learn to know their good shepherd as well as all the rest of the sheep in the flock. They will be part of the family of God.

In summary:

The people of God are the flock who follow Jesus the good Shepherd as their guide.

Jesus the good Shepherd is the one who leads the people of God, who has gone in front as a model for us all.

All the people of God follow Jesus by getting to know him and forming one people, and thus are one people within God’s will.

—Mirta P√©rez, Campo Alegre, Convención Evang√©lica Hermanos Menonitas Nivacle, Neuland Colony, Paraguay.

Ephesians 4:1-6

Living in unity

Goal: That the church understands the importance of living in unity.

One of Jesus’ greatest concerns before his ascension was that the church, his body on earth, remain united. In Jesus’ final prayer, Jesus asked his Father that believers might be one, so that the world might believe his message (John 17:21-23).

The effectiveness of Christian witness is directly related to the uniqueness of Christian unity. Throughout history, there have been many kingdoms, governments, coalitions, companies, societies and even churches that have divided and even disappeared due to lack of unity. Paul’s first point about the worth of Christian commitment requires unity among believers. Each congregation can only make an impact in the community when we walk together in the bond of peace.

But it is difficult to walk in unity.

A. Walking in unity requires disciplined attitudes.
- Unity requires braveness and courage. (Ephesians 4:1, 1‚ÄØCorinthians 16:13)
  
  Illustration: Alexander the Great had in his army a soldier who was fearful, skittish and cowardly in battle. This soldier was named Alexander. On a certain occasion the king called him, and after talking to him for a while, quite angrily told him: “Change your name, or behave like an Alexander!”
  
  All those who call themselves Christians must behave as followers of Jesus Christ: being faithful to him, imitating him, obeying him, following him… or change your name; but do not say that you are Christian.
- Unity requires humility (Ephesians 4:2, Romans 12:3, Philippians 2:3)
- Unity requires gentleness and patience (Ephesians 4:2, Isaiah 53:7, Matthew 5:5-9)
B. Walking in unity requires ceaseless attention (Ephesians 4:2-3)
- We are asked to continually bear with one another in love; and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- Unity requires being with my neighbour. It requires being supportive of my friends, such as putting up with their bad temper, their jokes and maybe‚Ä¶ their bad smells.
- Unity requires consideration and diligence. It means acting with consideration to preserve unity and being diligent and quick to protect it. It means doing everything possible on one’s part to save unity.
- We are asked to do these things because we are one in Christ (Ephesians 4:4-6)
Application:
- Do your actions and reactions enhance or destroy the unity of our church?
- How can you do something concrete to contribute to the unity of our church?
- Make the solemn decision that if something does not unify or build, you will not say it and you will not do it.
- In this coming year, are we each willing to work at unity?
- God created unity. It is our task to protect unity in the church.
—Freddy Barrón, Iglesia Evang√©lica Menonita Boliviana ‚Äì Sina√≠, Santa Cruz, Bolivia.