Stories

A spirited evangelist

Renewal 2027 testimony: Anabaptists today Renewal 2027 is a 10-year series of events organized by Mennonite World Conference’s Faith and Life Commission to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the beginnings of the Anabaptist movement. This series... more/más/suite

World Fellowship Sunday: a communion of 500 years

Every year on the Sunday closest to 21 January, Mennonite World Conference invites its 107 member churches to join in a celebration of World Fellowship Sunday. The worship themes vary from year to year, but the rationale for the timing of the event... more/más/suite

YAMEN ambassador of peace amid violence

Damaris Guaza Sandoval says her year of service in La Ceiba, Honduras, was about equipping young people to be God’s ambassadors of peace where violence is common. The 26-year-old from Cali, Colombia, worked as a social worker with Proyecto Paz y... more/más/suite

Education equips leader to serve

Renewal 2027 testimony: Anabaptists today Renewal 2027 is a 10-year series of events to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the beginnings of the Anabaptist movement. This series highlights leaders in the movement from history to the present. “With... more/más/suite

Learning global Anabaptist faith through MWC’s Shared Convictions

A quiz on global Christianity and Anabaptism (including MWC statistics) prepared participants from Nihon Menonaito Kirisuto Kyokai Kyogikai (Japan Mennonite Christian Church Conference) for a discussion of the Shared Convictions of Global... more/más/suite

GAPN creates space for relationship

Coffee breaks at the triennial Mennonite World Conference (MWC) General Council, Commissions and networks meetings in Kenya April 2018, allowed Colombia peacebuilder and human rights lawyer Ricardo Esquivia to share with an old friend his desire for... more/más/suite

Let God do the sorting

From a boat on the Sea of Galilee, a fisherman demonstrates the ancient art of casting a circular net. Weights along the outer edge sink rapidly, pulling the web around any living thing below. Waters next to Jesus’ ministry base at Capernaum teemed... more/más/suite

Joy in the Spirit

Songs, testimonies and biblical reflection celebrate the Holy Spirit at Renewal 2027 As a local band played “You are the most high God,” international guests from the global Anabaptist family swayed and sang at this year’s Renewal 2027 “The Holy... more/más/suite

A transforming Spirit of peace

Like the chambers of a heart, the four MWC commissions serve the global community of Anabaptist-related churches, in the areas of deacons, faith and life, peace, mission. Commissions prepare materials for consideration by the General Council, give... more/más/suite

A supportive space: General Council fosters relationships

“Stand up if you are weary, worn down by the cares of ministry.” From Portuguese-speaking countries on either side of the ocean, a Brazilian pastor crossed to embrace an Angolan pastor who stood in response to the Deacons Commission’s calls to... more/más/suite

How it works: Emergency food distribution

In many parts of the area near Kibwezi, Kenya, I see corn that has dried up. Driving around, it’s hard to find any corn that people will be able to harvest this season. In February 2018, MCC’s partner Utooni Development Organization (UDO), which I... more/más/suite

Ministry partner update: ICOMB – September 2018

The International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) is made up of 21 national churches in 19 countries with approximately 450,000 members. ICOMB exists to facilitate relationships and ministries to enhance the witness and discipleship of its... more/más/suite

Ministry partner update: ICOMB – August 2018

The International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) is made up of 21 national churches in 19 countries with approximately 450,000 members. ICOMB exists to facilitate relationships and ministries to enhance the witness and discipleship of its... more/más/suite

The Holy Spirit is at work among us

Like the chambers of a heart, the four MWC commissions serve the global community of Anabaptist-related churches, in the areas of deacons, faith and life, peace, mission. Commissions prepare materials for consideration by the General Council, give... more/más/suite

South Korea recognizes rights of conscientious objectors

The Constitutional Court of Korea brought an end to 70 years of imprisoning conscientious objectors (COs) when it ruled 28 June 2018 that it is unconstitutional for South Korea not to offer alternative service options for COs. An alternative does... more/más/suite

Migrant prophets teach care for those on the margins

Kenya, over the last several years, has been a flashpoint for Christian-Muslim conflict in East Africa, with the militant group al-Shabab’s lethal attacks in Nairobi, Garissa, and elsewhere. With each incident of terror the tension increases. But... more/más/suite

Young people key to resilient church

A greeting from the Vietnam Mennonite Church to the world. Throughout its history, the people of the Vietnam Mennonite Church (VMC) have never failed to demonstrate their resilience and their commitment to live out the peaceful way of Christ. First... more/más/suite

Transmission of love and peace at European Mennonite gathering

“We can’t keep our story. We must share.” That’s the message Danang Kristiawan brought home after attending MERK, the European Mennonite Conference (EMC, CME 2018) 10–13 May, 2018. The gathering of European Mennonites that occurs every six years was... more/más/suite

Welcoming my enemy

I come from a people called the Banyamulenge. We are cattle herders and live in the high mountains of Eastern Congo overlooking Lake Tanganyika. Over the years, my people have been forced from one area to another in search of green pastures for our... more/más/suite

10 principles of leadership transition

The Bible tells stories of leadership transition: Moses walked with Joshua and prepared him to lead the Israelites; stories in the books of Kings tell of less wise approaches to the end of ministry. Healthy leadership transition is as necessary... more/más/suite