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In Memoriam: Bijoy Kumar Roul (1950-2024)
Dr. Bijoy Kumar Roul, founder and chair of the Brethren in Christ (BIC) Church, Cuttack, Odisha, India, died 12 July 2024. He represented BIC Odisha on Mennonite World Conference’s General Council since the church became a member in 2003. “I had known Bishop Bijoy Roul to be a leader with a deep commitment to live out…
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We know God better through the global family
“Through Mennonite World Conference (MWC), I learn what it means to be a global citizen, and that the church is much bigger than my own local congregation,” says Agus Mayanto (Southeast Asia). “We are all brothers and sisters and not strangers anymore.” A Mennonite pastor from Indonesia, Agus Mayanto, is one of MWC’s regional representatives. …
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Life-extending gifts to Myanmar
Even civil war doesn’t stop the global family from supporting one another. For the Indonesia 2022 Assembly, Amos Chin from Bible Missionary Church, Mennonite (BMC), came to participate in the MWC General Council. A military coup followed by civil war had broken out in his country a year earlier, destroying the livelihoods of people there. …
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The mosaic of Scripture and of the church
Peace Sunday 2024 Teaching resource Reading Scripture has always been at the heart of the church’s life, but from early on, different ways of reading and understanding have led to conflict and division. What is Scripture? Already in the early centuries several movements arose with differing claims about the meaning of the Gospel and how…
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Peace Sunday 2024 – Activities
2 Corinthians 4:7 describes the gospel as a “treasure” in “clay jars.” These humble vessels bring to mind the Japanese tradition of kintsukuroi that creates (or recreates) pottery from broken pieces. Damaged vessels are put back together, often with gold binding, to create a useful object once again. The new piece tells a story about…
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Music opens window to Anabaptist worship across cultures
Five vocal ensembles display God’s love in the diversity of culture through music in 10 concerts at 500 anniversary event in Zurich “Dalam Yesus…” For many Assembly participants, the multilingual, multicultural music of plenary worship sessions is one of the most memorable parts of this global family encounter. Rashard Allen wants to expand on that…
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GAMEO takes multilingual focus
The management board of the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO)* held their annual meeting both in person in Goshen and Elkhart, Indiana, USA, and by Zoom on 24 May 2024. This meeting brought together board members from the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands to discuss the upcoming year of projects and to facilitate…
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One body with many faces
“One body with different parts and different functions: Even though we exist in different locations and cultures, we share the same convictions central to our belief and practices,” says George Broughton, reflecting on Mennonite World Conference. He is one of several new people serving to building up the global family through MWC. Regional representative: Caribbean …
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Global gathering mourns, repents and reconciles
The rain came with a cool breeze, driving humid heat out the open church windows. So began “That the World May Know” (John 17:23), the fourth Global Gathering of the Global Christian Forum (GCF) in Accra, Ghana. The gathering 16-19 April 2024 marked the 25th anniversary of the Global Christian Forum. This is unique space…
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Young adults will be Empowered by Love
Global gathering of young people for quincentenary Global Youth Summit (GYS): a time for worshipping together, reflecting on faith across cultures, learning about the local culture, and growing understanding through relevant workshops – and love. The local GYS planning committee meets for the first time in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, 31 May to 1 June 2024 to…
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What does peace need to thrive?
A YAMENer’s reflection from Colombia Peace doesn’t look the same in every context. That’s a lesson that Hector “Ramon” Calix Dueñas says he’s learning during his YAMEN (Young Anabaptist Mennonite Exchange Network) year in Colombia. “Ramon” Calix Dueñas is 27 and from Saba, Honduras, where his parents are pastors of Iglesia Evangélica Menonita Hondureña, the…
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YABs Fellowship Week 2024 – Prayer requests
Latin America Colombia Young people are concerned with mental health and access to work. They face hopelessness regarding the life conditions. Pray for economic resources and opportunities to support and accompany young women to serve in the church where discrimination may limit their possibilities. Asia Indonesia Pray for the efforts of building a cross-synod Mennonite…
