May 2009 Archives

Mennonite Church USA

Spiritual awakening—“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” —Oliver Wendell Holmes. This quote from the famous 19th-century writer and poet captures a distinctly Christian truth
Time to appoint delegates for Convention 2009—Mennonite Church USA Convention 2009 is only months away, and congregations should have either appointed or be in the process of appointing delegates for the Delegate Assembly.
Early registration deadline extended for Convention 2009—The early registration deadline for Mennonite Church USA Convention 2009 in Columbus, Ohio, has been extended to May 22.
Congregational announcements for Convention 2009—Below are three items relating to Mennonite Church USA Convention 2009 to read from the pulpit or use in church bulletins and newsletters.
Pastor Salary Guidelines updated—Updated Pastor Salary Guidelines for 2009-2010 are included in this issue of Equipping.
Convention event to focus on pastors and spouses—Mennonite Church USA will host a day-long learning event for pastors and their spouses as a kick-off to Convention 2009 in Columbus, Ohio

Pastors and leaders

Urban Leaders Network dinner/gathering at Convention 2009 (open to all)—Enjoy the July 1 evening gathering/dinner at Convention 2009 in Columbus, Ohio, with urban ministry practitioners.
Unmarried Couples Living Together is focus of continuing education event—The Extreme Situations in the Congregation pastoral care series at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary on June 4 will feature an examination of co-habiting couples.
Revised distance education curriculum reflects changing demographics of the church—Thanks to feedback from reviewers representing African-American, Asian, Hispanic and urban perspectives, readers from many different backgrounds will find the curriculum for Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s Pastoral Studies Distance Education (PSDE) program more accessible.
Summer at AMBS—Celebrating the Christian Year; Faith, Film and Fiction; and Pastoral Care of Youth and Young Adults are three of the offerings at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary this summer.
Coming soon from Mennonite Publishing Network:
- Via: Exploring the Way of Christ
- Beyond Our Fears: Following Jesus in Times of Crisis
- Don’t Be Afraid: Stories of Christians in Times of Trouble
- Merge: A Guidebook for Youth Service Trips
- Words for Worship II
- Dealing with Overwhelming Debt (Close to Home pamphlet)
- Dealing with Gambling Addiction (Close to Home pamphlet)
- Free study guide to accompany Close to Home pamphlets.
- Youth Worship Source Book
New from Herald Press:
- Now Go Forward: Reaching Out to Grow Your Congregation
- Julia’s Words
- Walk in Peace
- Jesus Matters: Good News for the 21st Century

Christian education

MEA wants to hear from you!—Mennonite Education Agency wants to know how you plan (or don’t plan) a Church Education Sunday and how you use (or don’t use) MEA’s Church Education Sunday materials.
Roundabout is the quarterly newsletter providing teaching tips and current information for teachers and leaders of Gather ’Round Sunday school curriculum.
Mennonite VBS 2009 a “Top Pick”—In an evaluation of 19 different curriculums, Catch the Spirit! Join God’s Work in the World! was selected as a “Top Pick” by the Center for Ministry of Teaching, Virginia Theological Seminary.
Find these downloadable curriculum options for youth and adults at www.mpn.net:
- Selected Second Mile peace studies
- Selected Good Ground Bible studies for adults (out-of-print titles only)
- Gather ’Round quarterly youth leader’s guide
- One on One: Practical Ideas for Adults Mentoring Youth

Mission, evangelism and peacemaking

Menno nite Mission Network’s annual report—Watch for Mennonite Mission Network’s annual report coming to your mailbox in May.
Beyond Ourselves explores the relationship between Christ and creation—The next issue of Beyond Ourselves, Men nonite Mission Network’s quarterly magazine, will be mailed to congregations in May.
And you welcomed me: a consultation of the people of God on immigration—Plan to attend Sept. 18-20 in the Dallas, Texas, area (Lakeview Camp and Conference Center, Waxahachie).
New mission bank teaching tools—Watch your mailboxes for the newest addition to the mission bank family, Thailand: Sharing the good news.

Worship

Ecumenical stewardship resources available—Mennonite Church USA is a member denomination of the Ecumenical Stewardship Center, which produces a number of stewardship resources for congregations in the United States and Canada.
Late-night Hymn Sings at Convention 2009—Featuring our two most recent hymnal supplements, Sing the Journey and Sing the Story, two late-night hymn sings on Wednesday and Saturday evenings at Convention 2009 in Columbus, Ohio, will offer opportunity for learning new songs.
Special worship resources in Leader magazine—Be sure to look for the weekly worship resources included in this summer’s issue of Leader magazine.
Worship to go!—This summer, help busy families grow in faith by giving them a Gather ’Round Talkabout and a copy of Connect (the parent/caregiver guide) to use at home or on vacation.
Coming soon: Words for Worship 2—Words for Worship 2, (include WordsforWorship2 graphic) edited by Diane Zaerr Brenneman, offers fresh prayers, litanies and other worship resources prepared for use throughout the church year.
More creative worship resources from Mennonite Publishing Network:
- Word of Mouth: Creative Ways to Present Scripture
- Through Laughter and Tears: The Church Celebrates
- With Heart & Hands
- Proclamation by Design