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Brethren in Christ summits build unity amid regional diversity
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada – “What can you do for your part of the world?” That’s the question the International Brethren in Christ Association (IBICA) has been asking Brethren in Christ church leaders across the globe, during a series of national summits. Launched in 2011, these national summits have drawn together a diverse mix of Brethren…
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New Anabaptist conference emerges in South Korea
Seoul, South Korea – A new conference of Anabaptist congregations has emerged in South Korea. The Korea Anabaptist Fellowship (KAF), formed in 2010, became an official conference of eight congregations and an associate member church of Mennonite World Conference earlier this year. The decision was finalized at the fellowship’s May 2014 meeting, held at the…
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Burkina Faso church experiences ëexplosion of baptisms’
Elkhart, Indiana, USA / Burkina Faso – Recent baptisms have swelled the membership of Eglise Evangélique Mennonite du Burkina Faso (Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso) by 34 percent, according to recent reports by Mennonite Mission Network and Siaka Traoré, national president of the Burkina Faso church. “I cannot explain [this wave of interest, other…
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Global North mission agency learns from Global South partners
Changi Cove, Singapore — President Nelson Okanya and others from Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) found themselves celebrating the growth of and learning from Global South mission partners at the annual meeting of the International Missions Association (IMA), a group of 22 Anabaptist mission groups, held 26 August to 2 September in Singapore. Asia Pacific Mission…
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Typhoon Haiyan remains ëfront page’ for survivors
The Philippines – Like the news, the winds and rain that came with Super Typhoon Haiyan have let up. But the damage from the storm that slammed regions of the Philippines on 8 November 2013 remains on the mental and emotional front page for survivors. One of the most intense tropical storms on record, Haiyan…
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Connections with Colombian church and excitement about 2015 Assembly mark meetings
Soacha, Colombia – Tears flowed freely as a Mennonite World Conference delegation of international visitors exchanged stories and blessings with members of Iglesia Menonita de la resurrección (Mennonite Church of the Resurrection) in Soacha, Colombia on 18 May 2014. The delegation, with persons from around 18 countries, was enroute to Bogotá from a Catholic retreat…
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Congo Mennonites celebrate women’s ordinations
Kinshasa, DR Congo – In July 2012, Sidonie Swana Falanga heard news that she thought was too good to be true. The 100-year-old Communauté Mennonite au Congo (Mennonite Church of Congo, or CMCo) had approved the ordination of women. “I asked myself, is it an invention, a lie, a dream, or a wish?” she said…
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Unity and Peace: 1 Corinthians 1:10-28
The following is the sermon shared by MWC Vice President, Janet Plenert (Canada), at the Joint Anabaptist Worship Service in Bogotá, Colombia on 18 May, 2014. This united service involved people from all three Anabaptist national churches in Colombia: Iglesia Cristiana Menonita (Mennonite), Iglesia Hermandad en Cristo (Brethren in Christ), and Iglesias Hermanos Menonitas (Mennonite…
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Sharing the MWC Shared Convictions in Canada
Our brothers and sisters of Valleyview Mennonite Church in London, Ontario, Canada, created a PowerPoint presentation of the MWC Shared Convictions for an observance of World Fellowship Sunday in January 2014. See a PDF of the Shared Convictions Presentation here. How has your congregation shared the MWC Shared Convictions?
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My experience of culture shock from Indonesia to Colombia
My name is Rut Arsari Christy and I am from Indonesia. In my home country, I attend a Mennonite church called GITJ Kelet, part of the Mennonite World Conference member church Gereja Injili di Tanah Jawa. The influence of the Dutch’s culture and religion are quite strong, because Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch. There…
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Sharing the MWC Shared Convictions in USA
Our brothers and sisters of College Community Church Mennonite Brethren, in Clovis, California, USA have found a creative way to use the MWC Shared Convictions in their congregation on the Sundays following Easter 2014. Pastor Bill Braun, adapted the Shared Convictions, along with other resources, to create a responsive reading to use in their worship…
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Sister Care shared globally
United States – What began as a seminar for women in the United States has now been shared in Asia and Latin America with additional invitations received from Kenya and Trinidad. Sister Care is a Mennonite Women USA (MW USA) sponsored program that equips women to continue their own healing journey, to identify God’s grace…
