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In Christ, free to love
Dear friends, brothers and sisters, good morning and Namaste. In this Assembly 16 of Mennonite World Conference Pennsylvania 2015, we are again celebrating our common Anabaptist/Mennonite faith and life in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. So on this occasion wishing you “All the best” on behalf of the MWC Deacons Commission and also on behalf…
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Giving and receiving in the mission of the global church: A concrete action
Our brother Hippolyto has reminded us of something we must never forget: mission is holistic, and thus, evangelism is comprehensive. In specific terms, we understand that this means that the good news must be proclaimed regarding all areas of human need. And perhaps this is to say that God’s Kingdom will not be complete until…
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Morning sermons – PA 2015
Read the full text of the morning sermons from PA 2015, by Rebecca Osiro, Tigist Tesfaye Gelagle, Nancy Heisey, Remilyn Mondez, Shant Kumar S Kunjam, Kevin Ressler, Hippolyto Tshimanga, Marc Pasqués and Rodrigo Pedroza. These can also be a helpful resource as you prepare to celebrate World Fellowship Sunday with your congregation. Morning Sermons from PA 2015 God walks…
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The church must be about holistic mission
Since the Bangkok World Missionary Conference which took place at the turn of the years 1972/1973, in Thailand, there has been a feeling of uneasiness regarding “mission” within the churches in the Western World. At Bangkok, representatives of the newly decolonized countries had accused Western missionaries of having linked the proclamation of the gospel with the spread of…
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GYS sends a strong call to impact the world by sharing gifts
Anabaptist youth from around the world learn and fellowship together at summit The three-day Mennonite World Conference (MWC) Global Youth Summit (GYS) at Messiah College, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA, concluded Sunday, 19 July 2015, with a strong desire to impact the world by sharing their gifts. Under the theme “Called to Share: My Gifts, Our Gifts,”…
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What I found at PA 2015 and will take home with me:
Paulus Hartono, Indonesia Being a part of the throngs at PA 2015 made Paulus Hartono of Indonesia reflect on his early life and how unlikely it is that he found his way to this place. Now a Mennonite pastor and highly active in peace work in Solo (Surakarta) Central Java, Indonesia, with its strong Muslim…
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Young Anabaptists: the present church
YABs take the stage at PA 2015 and set plans for their future They have a relatively short history, but their voices at PA 2015 were arresting and incisive. In fact, the Young Anabaptists’ presentations throughout the morning worship at the Assembly caused some of the most spirited conversation at the Farm Show Complex (FSC)…
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Inspiration and reflection: Hospitality
Piring bukan beling: Hospitality not hostility Indonesians are famous for their hospitality. If you visit their home, they will serve you food and drink. In the villages, the housewife will cook the family’s only chicken to serve a guest. I learned hospitality from my parents. I grew up in a big family with nine children…
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Global young adult advocates at UN with MCC
New York, USA – Juan Sebastián Pacheco Lozano is uniquely qualified for his position as the International Volunteer Exchange Program (IVEP) participant serving as the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) intern at Mennonite Central Committee’s (MCC) United Nations Office this year. From 2011 to 2013, Pacheco Lozano learned about how to address issues of violence, poverty…
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More united than ever before
Alfred Neufeld, chair of MWC’s Faith and Life Commission, reflects on the state of the global Mennonite faith community Alfred Neufeld, theologian, historian and generally insightful philosopher, reads on two tracks these days: “Proceedings” from past Mennonite World Conference Assemblies and social media. Neufeld, of Asuncion, Paraguay, is on a year’s sabbatical from his administrative…
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“Nothing that I am doing am I doing by myself”
Rebecca Osiro of Nairobi, Kenya, steps into her new role as vice president of Mennonite World Conference (MWC), with a life of experiences that has tested her faith and taught her wisdom. Rebecca was the first woman to be ordained in the Kenya Mennonite Church (in August 2008), but her interest in the church stretches…
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Recognizing our interconnectedness
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 guidance and propose resources to member churches, and facilitate MWC-related networks or fellowships working together on matters of…
