Stories

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... more/más/suite

“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... more/más/suite

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... more/más/suite

A Vision for Reconciliation

How did you become interested in the life of the church? Kraybill: Growing up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, my family was deeply involved in the mission of the church at the local level. Both of my parents gave tirelessly to the congregation,... more/más/suite

Is Christian faithfulness possible without unity?

By all accounts, the 16th Mennonite World Conference Assembly 21–26 July 2015 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA, was a resounding success. Memories of worshiping with more than 8,000 people from 65 countries; unexpected encounters with old and new... more/más/suite

We Cry (A prayer of lament)

We cry with those whose lands are ravaged from war. We cry with those who, because of war and violence, have already lost their home. We cry with those who leave behind what they know in search of a better life for their children and families. We... more/más/suite

Why do we need a global communion?

“Walking with God” is the theme of our next global Assembly, to be held 21-26 July 2015. But how can we walk together if we do not believe exactly the same? That was the question that a leader raised some months ago while I was visiting his... more/más/suite

A New Pattern of Leadership

“Colombian people do not fight for money. You fight for power.” These were the words of a North American missionary after several decades of ministry in Colombia. She was speaking about the ongoing reality of broken relationships among church... more/más/suite

It Takes a (Global) Village: Being the people God wants us to be

When someone asks you to use a few words to describe yourself, what words do you use? Would you change those words to describe yourself when you are with your family? At work? Travelling to some distant place? I discovered that the words I use to... more/más/suite

Using violence against violence? Statement from a peace church perspective

In the face of the terror caused by the IS militias in Iraq and Syria, Western nations have reacted with air strikes and deliveries of weapons. A reaction that, given the atrocities described, has been widely accepted – also increasingly in churches... more/más/suite

A Hard Question

Some months ago I had the privilege of visiting our churches in Malawi. There we were, along with delegates of several local Brethren in Christ (BIC) congregations, gathered under a tree in order to worship God and speak about our global communion... more/más/suite

Hope crosses boundaries

How God uses relationships to build the church The global Mennonite church is diverse and vibrant! We grieve that parts of this faith family live in areas plagued with poverty, violence or religious conflict. But the most important message... more/más/suite

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... more/más/suite

A Foretaste of Heaven on Earth

The last few weeks of August were hectic ones for Mennonite World Conference! We produced hundreds of documents to support visa application procedures for several of our members. Our Deacons Commission organized a delegation from five continental... more/más/suite

Called to be a Global Communion

Some years ago a woman with a foreign accent – a friend of mine – knocked on the door of one of our churches in Bogotá. That church’s pastor – another friend of mine – opened the door. The woman was evangelizing that neighborhood and started to talk... more/más/suite

Enhancing koinonia in the MWC family

The move of Mennonite World Conference toward being an expression of koinonia is a noble one. To make it happen, however, we need mutual sharing of resources and mutual accountability. As a global community, we value fellowship. Members bound... more/más/suite