{"id":8188,"date":"2024-02-29T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/becoming-part-of-gods-bigger-picture\/"},"modified":"2024-12-09T17:18:10","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T17:18:10","slug":"becoming-part-gods-bigger-picture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/becoming-part-gods-bigger-picture\/","title":{"rendered":"Becoming part of God’s bigger picture"},"content":{"rendered":"

From sleepy Antakiya Mennonite Church in rural Kodopali, India, to Iglesia Hermanos Menonitas Concordia in bustling Asuncion, Paraguay to the open-walled gathering place of the Mennonite Church in Ntale, Uganda, to congregations in North America and Europe with generations-long followers of Jesus, Anabaptist-Mennonites celebrated becoming part of God\u2019s bigger picture this Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday. <\/p>\n

Creativity and communication skills unleashed <\/h2>\n

\u201cI had the opportunity to serve and celebrate Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday with a church full of farmers \u2013 just like the poster image. I saw their excitement about a good harvest. We sang joyfully and danced gracefully as expressions of worship to the Lord. Their patience extended from their cooking before the rooster\u2019s crow in the cold pre-dawn, to listening attentively to Scripture reflections and testimony sharing,\u201d says Richard A. Rancap.  <\/p>\n

\u201cCelebrating Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday (AWFS)<\/a> far away from home made me more appreciative of becoming a part of God\u2019s bigger picture because the hospitality made me feel at home. AWFS is not hard to observe when the people in the mosaic are compelled by the love of the Lord.\u201d <\/p>\n

Mission Service Department director Richard A. Rancap travelled for two days to celebrate an AWFS weekend with the multidialectal mountain congregation Dupax Del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, Luzon, Philippines. (Congregation members speak Bungkalot, Ibaloi, Ilocano, Kanakanaey and Kalanguya.) <\/p>\n

\u201cLooking at the AWFS poster I wondered, if those tiny parts of the mosaic could only talk, what would they tell? How do they feel being surrounded by other shapes and colours?\u201d <\/p>\n

Focusing on the theme \u201cMosaic: Becoming a Part of God\u2019s Bigger Picture,\u201d the members realized that their roles are to talk to God, care for the creation, share the good news and strengthen the church. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis experience unleashed the congregation members\u2019 creativity and intrapersonal and interpersonal communication skills. Their listening skills were activated and they practiced traditional dance and songs in the service,\u201d says Richard A. Rancap.  <\/p>\n

Although the congregation had not been aware of the event before, with only a day\u2019s notice, they put together 17 activities for their 66 attendees (18% youth, 27% children, 55% adult). <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On Saturday evening, the elders wrote the verses from the four Scripture passages onto coloured hearts.  <\/p>\n

In Sunday school, youth and adults divided into groups. Each meditated on the verse and then had opportunity to share. \u201cSome were nervous while reading the verse but many confessed that the verse was exactly speaking on their personal experience. They were thankful for the lessons they learned about being a part of God\u2019s bigger picture,\u201d says Richard A. Rancap. <\/p>\n

Inspired by the testimonies from the resource package, the sermon proclaimed that the Lord who draws his people into a global mosaic is the Lord who acts (Job 42), the Lord who is thoughtful (Psalm 8), the Lord who cares (John 10) and the Lord who calls (Ephesians 4).  <\/p>\n

To remember brothers and sisters from different parts of the world, members wore traditional costumes from the Middle East, Hawaii, Texas, China, Indonesia, Tagalog, Ifugao and Ibaloi.  <\/p>\n

In the afternoon, they held a Bible study in a house; many from the community attended. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

During the evening service, 12 members spontaneously gave a testimony and posted it on the heart-shaped mosaic: <\/p>\n