-
Believers bring water for drought baptism
In the drought-prone Borena region of Ethiopia, believers saved water to hold a baptism for 120 new believers. The area in Southern Ethiopia currently has a severe water shortage. Believers excavated land and lined it with plastic to preserve rainwater. They used traditional methods to prevent evaporation. Finally, in yellow 20L containers, they brought water…
-
Watch for it!
“It was nice to hear something from Indonesia and take part a little bit,” says Erwin Röthlisberger of Evangelische Mennoniten-Gemeinde Bern, Switzerland. He attended Assembly from his home in Europe. Videos from MWC’s Assembly Indonesia 2022 will begin to be posted on MWC’s website and YouTube channel starting in October. Until now, the plenaries and…
-
Ministry partner update: ICOMB – September 2022
IEU has 16 local churches. Serving the churches, due to the distance between them, is a bit difficult for the conference. For this reason, the conference in Panama works by region. They have five regions and each region has one or two coordinators. Their purpose is to monitor the work assigned by the Assembly. The…
-
An opportunity to cross barriers
“Jesus is our hope: even if we go through the valley of the shadow of death, he is by our side.” In the Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday materials for 2023, meet the Christian believer in Burkina Faso who declares this faith despite challenges – and more. MWC creates worship resource materials three times a year…
-
Together proclaim the “manifold wisdom of God”
India The missionaries from USA started Mennonite mission work in central India, presently Chhattisgarh state in November 1899. They began with philanthropic works, providing relief to the drought-stricken people. The first baptism of 43 new converts was in December 1900. At the beginning, membership grew very rapidly. In 1949, when the Mission Work Golden Jubilee…
-
Fostering relationships
“We want our regional representatives to develop deep relationships with each member church in their region,” says Arli Klassen, regional representatives coordinator. MWC’s regional representatives are part-time volunteers who develop and support relationships with MWC member, associate-member and potential-member churches; local congregations; and MWC-related agencies and partners. A new region was created in 2022 by…
-
By our side
Testimonies from Africa When we receive the life of Jesus, a living hope is born in us, with our desires turned toward what does not perish: eternal life with God. This new life is constantly being tested in various ways. This is the story of a young Fula (a person from the semi-nomadic Fulbe people)…
-
How Mennonites came to be
*updated on September 2023 Anabaptist historical context Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday is an annual event for MWC member congregations around the world, worshipping together in spirit using the same worship resources, knowing that we belong to each other in this global family of faith. Anabaptism is a Christian movement that traces its origins to the…
-
Biblical background for sermon content
Choose texts that work in your context. Old Testament: Isaiah 40:28-31 Jesus Christ our hope is a theme that comes at the right time, an appropriate theme in the aftermath of crossing zones of turbulence in our world and in our lives in particular. Hope is a pure and disinterested confidence in the future. Don’t…
-
Suggested liturgies for gathering and benediction
Gathering/Call to worship (loudly) Leader: Give me a J People: J Leader: Give me an E People: E Leader: Give me an S People: S Leader: Give me a U People: U Leader: Give me an S People: S Leader: What do we have? People: Jesus! Leader: What do we have? People: Jesus! Leader: There…
-
Tithes and offering ideas
The offering time is as important as the sermon. Often someone will give a testimony and Scripture on the theme of giving. The pastor often asks one of the ushers to pray, to bless the givers and also that those who are not giving may be blessed to give. Sometimes the ushers take the baskets…
-
Cultural suggestions from Africa
Check with Africans in your own community about incorporating their own worship traditions. The first hour of worship in Ethiopia is dedicated to prayer, including Scripture texts and songs guiding the hearts and minds of those who are praying, often on their knees Many traditional hymns are adapted to an African rhythm, and will include…
Stories
100 500 Anabaptism Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday anniversary Assembly AWFS Catholic climate change Courier COVID-19 creation care Creation Care Task Force César García Deacons Commission disaster response DR Congo ecumenism Executive Committee Faith & Life Commission Faith & Life Commission General Council giving GYS Henk Stenvers history identity Indonesia 2022 inter-Anabaptist response Latin America mission Mission Commission Myanmar Online Prayer Hour pastoral letter peace prayer prière service The Courage to Love theology The Trilateral Conversations unity YABs Zurich