Stories

"Peace in my heart"

Esuno Kokoro uchini (The heart of Jesus is reflected in my heart). Esuno Heiwa uchini (I have the peace of Jesus in my heart). Mitsuru Ishido wrote this song to encourage Nasu Keiko, a fellow Mennonite church member who was sewing masks to donate to... Weiterlesen

Building paths with those who are different

The ecumenical imperative comes from Jesus’ prayer during the passion vigil in Gethsemane. There, by way of his prayer to God, he declared his irrevocable commitment and will that Christians love one another. Jesus pleaded that his disciples “may... Weiterlesen

Grace at the heart of our witness

Early Anabaptists left or were expelled from monasteries and congregations of the Roman Catholic church. But Anabaptists retained this very monastic ideal: that it is possible – essential – for Christians to take seriously the Sermon on the Mount (... Weiterlesen

MWC signs statement against nuclear weapons

August 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Mennonite World Conference (MWC) has joined a wide coalition of faith-based communities from around the world that issued a call to governments to ratify... Weiterlesen

COVID-19 global response fund helps churches

“The church’s response is unique in that we provide accompaniment rather than just distribute rations. This means walking together to feed not only the body but also the soul in these desperate times in which many have lost sight of the meaning of... Weiterlesen

“Renewal will come by daring”

There was no “Anabaptist theology” in the 16th century – there were many Anabaptist theologies, says Astrid von Schlachta. The Mennonite historian is leading the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism in 2025. “Daring” is the name of... Weiterlesen

MWC churches in action

Responses to climate change are growing in many MWC member congregations. Here are a few examples. In Ethiopia, congregations of Meserete Kristos Church (MKC) are taking part in the national government’s Green Legacy Challenge to plant 5 billion... Weiterlesen

Jesus' credibility

The way we relate with other churches has a direct impact in our missional witness. That is one reason, among many others, why Mennonite World Conference engages churches of other Christian traditions in dialogue. The credibility of Jesus is more... Weiterlesen

Peaceful waters: the Mennonite church in the Caribbean

Beginning in the 1940s, Anabaptism was introduced to the Caribbean by American Mennonite missionaries. Today Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico have national Mennonite churches belonging to MWC membership; Trinidad and Tobago’s four-... Weiterlesen

Ministry partner update: ICOMB – July 2020

Jean-Claude Ambeke is facing significant challenges as leader of the MB conferences in Angola – Igreja Evangelica dos Irmaos Menonitas en Angola (IEIMA). IEIMA is trying to raise funds to reopen the 17 churches that the government closed last year.Weiterlesen

COVID-19 global response fund helps churches

“It will reflect our love of Christ to them; [that] we care and are concerned for them and it will also bring smile in their faces,” says Bishop Dr. Bijoy Kumar Roul, Chairman, Brethren In Christ Church, Cuttack, Odisha, India. Mennonite World... Weiterlesen

The blessing of an ecumenical team

Over the last year, Hong Kong has experienced one of the most difficult times in her history. In our churches, it has been difficult as well. A common question for people in our congregations is “What is the standpoint of the church?” Pastors have... Weiterlesen

Solidarity and our interconnectedness

As I write these words, our world is embroiled in several struggles. First, we have been clutched by a global pandemic which has disrupted any sense of normalcy we may have assumed. Our second struggle is with overt expressions of deeply rooted... Weiterlesen

Ministry partner update: ICOMB – June 2020

Since March 2020, all Mennonite Brethren communities around the world have been affected to some extent by the pandemic. This affected our ICOMB work and especially our annual Summit. With all the frustration of not being able to meet in person, we... Weiterlesen

YABs find purpose in God

“The Gospel of John says that our purpose is to know God and experience eternal life with God,” says young Anabaptist Lilia Aranguren from Bogota, Colombia. “As we walk with Jesus in relationship, his peace flows out of us into our relationships... Weiterlesen

Alfred Neufeld

23 July 1955–24 June 2020 Mennonite World Conference (MWC) lost Alfred Neufeld Friesen, a prolific author, theologian, historian and teacher who shaped Anabaptist theology globally. He died 24 June 2020 in Muenster, Germany, after treatment for... Weiterlesen

Will there be another Assembly miracle?

Did you know that a pandemic has preceded three consecutive Mennonite World Conference Assemblies in the Global South? For Zimbabwe in 2003, it was SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). For Paraguay in 2009, in was H1N1 (also known as Swine Flu... Weiterlesen

God’s paintbrush of diversity

It does not happen often, but I am at a loss for words as cities across the United States burn, and as I have endured several weeks of seeing black bodies sacrificed in the name of order and discipline. I am torn between being an enraged black man... Weiterlesen

A bridge for connecting people

GYS provides one with the opportunity to really open our eyes to the fact that behind all those countries that appear on the map there are brothers and sisters in faith living in diverse social, economic and political contexts. These contexts are... Weiterlesen

Task force tackles creation care challenge

As we follow Jesus, Mennonites value simplicity and responsible stewardship of the resources God gave us. At the Assembly in Pennsylvania in 2015, these convictions drove Mennonite World Conference organizers to give each participant a reusable... Weiterlesen