How can an international organization sustain its work of connecting leaders around the world? One lunch at a time.

The cost of one lunch in your local area can support unity in the global Anabaptist Mennonite family.

You can give your contributions to your local congregation which can forward it to your national church to include with their Fair Share contribution to MWC.

A One Lunch offering can be given at any time of year. Many congregations invite their members to contribute on Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday. Some congregations share a fellowship meal at this time.

This offering invites equal participation from around the world, regardless of income level, in the spirit of Fair Share.

“Most of us have the capacity to give up the cost of one meal just one time a year. Every gift – small and large – builds up the family,” says Shirley Redekop, MWC Chief Development Officer.

Fair Share

The member churches of Mennonite World Conference around the world live in different economic circumstances. In 1984, the General Council affirmed the idea to discern appropriate contributions for each conference rather than recommend a flat fee. Over the next decade, MWC’s “Fair Share” membership framework was adapted and adopted.

Fair Share membership fees to support the MWC’s core expenses are guided by the Gross National Product of the national church’s country. When there are extenuating circumstances, leaders may negotiate the amount with their regional representative.

If every one of Mennonite World Conference’s 1.47 million baptized local church members donated the cost of one lunch in their community, the Fair Share allotment from each national church would be reached. This supports MWC’s networks and resources that serve the global family.

Willow Avenue Mennonite Church (MB), Mennonite Community Church and Reedley First Mennonite Church (MC USA) celebrated a virtual combined service for Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday in January 2021 with César García as guest speaker. They received a One Lunch offering to support the work of drawing together the global Anabaptist Mennonite church through MWC.

“This virtual worship service was unique because it combined congregations from two MWC national member churches (Mennonite Brethren, Mennonite). In that way, it exemplified the role MWC plays around the world as it brings our various churches together for prayer, mutual support, and witness,” says Bill Braun, North American representative on MWC’s Executive Committee.

MWC can receive donations directly on the website through credit card, mailed cheque, bank transfer or wire transfer. Contact kitchener@mwc-cmm.org or lancaster@mwc-cmm.org for instructions.