Stories

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 (... more/más/suite

Taking stock: With new leadership, new headquarters, what is in store for MWC?

When I attended my first Mennonite World Conference assembly in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1962, I remember sitting cross-legged on a gymnasium floor with other youth. I’d just come from Ethiopia—where I had been surrounded by brown faces at the Bible... more/más/suite

Walking in Receiving and Giving

Author advisory (below) “Rock on”: Fulfilling the bidirectional royal law We are a peace church because we are first and foremost a Jesus church and Jesus leads us in the way of peace. We care about justice because we care about Jesus and he cares... more/más/suite

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... more/más/suite

Is it time to tell contemporary martyr stories?

In early December 2011, Irene and I worshipped in the Haarlem Mennonite Church, just outside of Amsterdam, Netherlands. This congregation began as a “hidden church” in 1530, six years before Menno Simons’ conversion to Anabaptism. Worshipping there... more/más/suite

Canada: Pilgrims, strangers, disciples

Like the Mennonites (and other Anabaptists) of every country around the world, Canadian Mennonites are rooted in their nation and affected by its history. In global terms Canada is a very large country, spreading 7,000 kilometers from the Atlantic... more/más/suite

Evening Sermons from PA 2015

Read the full text of the evening sermons from PA 2015, by César García, Yukari Kaga, Nzuzi Mukwa, Wieteke van der Molen and Bruxy Cavey. These can also be a helpful resource as you prepare to celebrate World Fellowship Sunday with your congregation... more/más/suite

Larry Miller reflects on 22 years at the helm of Mennonite World Conference

“As long as the wind is in its sails. . .” Strasbourg, France--Larry Miller remembers one moment clearly when, as a 38-year-old, he was weighing whether or not to accept the nomination to lead Mennonite World Conference. The year was 1988, 23 years... more/más/suite

Christian Equality – Utopia?

Economic Inequality: Exploring our shared commitment to pursuing shalom As a global communion of Anabaptist-related churches, we share a common commitment to pursuing shalom. In this pursuit, we believe in seeking justice and sharing our resources,... more/más/suite

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... more/más/suite

Offering our blessings to the world

Sindy Novoa Caro lives in Bogotá, Colombia, where she belongs to the Casa de Oración church, a Mennonite Brethren congregation. In 2010–2011, Sindy served with YAMEN in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, as a teacher´s assistant in a school for children living... more/más/suite

A Glimpse of the Universal Church

Global Communion and Why It Matters: Exploring our shared commitment to being a worldwide family As Mennonite World Conference, we share a commitment to being a worldwide communion ( koinonia ) of faith and life. Together, we seek to be a fellowship... more/más/suite

Children of light

Some of us remember that the term “Anabaptist” was first of all an insult. This word, literally meaning “rebaptizers,” belonged to the arsenal of other insults hurled at our ancestors. Not by pagans or Muslims, but by other Christians in Europe... more/más/suite

Being a Peace Church: How are we doing?

We estimate that there are 9,500 congregations throughout the world that are part of the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) family. These congregations are found in every continent and in every imaginable context. This means that there are,... more/más/suite

Repairing the Breach

Economic Inequality: Exploring our shared commitment to pursuing shalom As a global communion of Anabaptist-related churches, we share a common commitment to pursuing shalom. In this pursuit, we believe in seeking justice and sharing our resources,... more/más/suite

The Interdependent Existence

Global Communion and Why It Matters: Exploring our shared commitment to being a worldwide family As Mennonite World Conference, we share a commitment to being a worldwide communion ( koinonia ) of faith and life. Together, we seek to be a fellowship... more/más/suite

God walks with us

Tom: We walk with God in both doubt and conviction. Both are part of our walk of faith. After all, as Hebrews 11:1 reminds us, “faith is the reality of things hoped for, the proof of things not seen.” As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:12, if we see... more/más/suite

‘The Winds of Anabaptism are Blowing’ Chilean Mennonites celebrate growth and global connections

“The winds of Anabaptism are blowing!” These enthusiastic words from Chilean Mennonite church member, Felipe Elgueta, are an apt description of the dynamic life of emerging Mennonite churches in different regions of Chile. While most Mennonite... more/más/suite

Strength in the Gathered

Global Communion and Why It Matters: Exploring our shared commitment to being a worldwide family As Mennonite World Conference, we share a commitment to being a worldwide communion ( koinonia ) of faith and life. Together, we seek to be a fellowship... more/más/suite

Doubt sharpens our convictions

The organizers of this conference were so gracious that they did not impose a topic, rather respectfully provided me an opportunity to select from a range of themes. As you all know, making choices from choices is a difficult choice, but not this... more/más/suite