Stories

Ministry partner update: ICOMB – July 2023

Mennonite Brethren Church of Malawi, invites everyone to celebrate progress and join in prayers for a bright future. At the core of their mission lies a deep commitment to establishing holistic churches throughout Malawi. With great humility, they... more/más/suite

Each in their own accent

“I learned that each participant has their own accent; it comforted me to know that having an accent is normal,” says Hens Sita, a member of GITJ Kelet, Indonesia. In advance of the Mennonite World Conference Assembly in Indonesia, IndoMenno (a... more/más/suite

It feels like yesterday

“There are so many memories and landmarks for the entire GYS/Assembly period that if I were to mention them all it will need another 11 more days to explain it!” says Peleka Jonathan Mpemba, a Global Youth Summit (GYS) delegate for Kanisa la... more/más/suite

A declaration for peace

The walls were the trees of the forest, the lights and sound from solar-powered batteries and the waters for baptism were the river itself. The spirit of worship through singing, the fervent prayers and the calls to follow Jesus, our hope, in the... more/más/suite

Peacebuilding after disaster

“Your textbook worked!” Darnell Barkman told his former professor Lisa Schirch after floodwaters overcame his region in November 2021. The pastor at Yarrow United Mennonite Church in B.C., Canada, implemented all his peacebuilding training to... more/más/suite

New ways of being the church

“The pandemic has challenged churches to look for new ways of being the church – especially as we exist in a multi-religious society as a minority,” says Cynthia Peacock, regional representative for Southern Asia. As an MWC regional representative,... more/más/suite

The taste of generosity

As frequently as once a week, a welcome visitor shows up at the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) office in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, bearing gifts. “Pie man” Tim Sauer’s gifts involve strawberries, grapes, rhubarb, apples, sour cherries – and... more/más/suite

Pacifism and nonviolence should be a way of life

In daily life, too, we need the ability to deal with conflicts in a healthy and peaceful way. In my opinion, it is one of the tasks of the churches to practice this and thus train nonviolence as a lifestyle. If you succeed in this, you are more... more/más/suite

Graphic design and cooking pave the way to emotional resiliency

What do cooking and graphic design have in common? For Adi Nugroho, it’s never been about mastering either of these skills. Technical skills are simply the backdrop for developing emotional tools and creating a space for connection, even across... more/más/suite

A lunch break in the presence of God

The “pause for prayer” at the Mennonite church of ChâtenayMalabry (Paris, France) was created in March 2021as part of the journey towards Easter in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initiated by our former pastor, Silvie Hege, it took the form of... more/más/suite

Journeying into the unknown, tasting goodness now

South Korea was very successful in its response to the pandemic, especially during the early stages. The virus was contained and death rates were low although the government refrained from issuing drastic measures such as lockdowns or business... more/más/suite

A treasure of unity in the pearl of Africa

“MWC brings people from different cultural backgrounds together into one basket,” says Bishop Simon Okoth of Mennonite Church Uganda. A chance airport encounter allowed Simon Okoth to bring that cultural mixing to Mennonite congregations in his... more/más/suite

Life and faith within God’s community

We never imagined that the pandemic and its scars would affect our lives and the lives of our institutions to the extent it has. The church could not divorce itself from the difficult realities we lived through, and that still affects the “new... more/más/suite

“Deliver us from evil”

Prayer on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of the Russian government's war of aggression against the people of Ukraine. 24 February 2023 War causes endless suffering. Locally, where people experience gun violence, rape, death and displacement;... more/más/suite

It was as though they were celebrating with us

“We know that we are part of a larger community, but sharing this Sunday leads us to live it concretely,” says Sylvain Lavoué, church board vice president at Église Protestante Mennonite, Villeneuve le Comte, France. The church celebrated Anabaptist... more/más/suite

Ministry partner update: ICOMB – January 2023

We ended the year with gratitude to God by preparing the children, youth, and ladies camp activities to be held in January-February 2023 in Villa Maranatha. more/más/suite

How can I celebrate?

I am tired of war, conflict, hunger, poverty, division, hatred, gun violence, black and white class difference, the oppression of women, slaughter of children and women, fake news, liars and unjust authorities and leaders and so many, many issues... more/más/suite

A gospel light in the USA

Christmas around the world Every year on 24 December, my family goes to the Christmas Eve service at Park View Mennonite Church (Harrisonburg, Virginia). It’s a traditional ‘lessons and carols’ service, where we read the Christmas Story from Luke... more/más/suite

Jesus brings us together in our differences

How to represent Jesus in a live painting? White with a beard as he is often represented in churches? Not really! We had it in our hearts to paint a colorful Jesus, a Jesus in green, yellow, blue, white, red and orange. We are the camp “ Juntos in... more/más/suite

A family that prays for each other

“You have been with us even though you were far from us. You helped us with your messages and calls,” says Kyendrébéogo Wendyam Natacha. The young woman who recently completed a YAMEN assignment with MWC presented an update in the November online... more/más/suite