7 ways to support MWC in your congregation

It is a blessing that the global media allows us to learn news from all over the world. But it can be discouraging to hear so many sad stories and feel helpless to do anything about it. By supporting Mennonite World Conference (MWC), you can make a difference through brothers and sisters in the global Anabaptist family who are God’s agents of shalom in many places.

Here are some ways to financially support MWC’s work of encouraging and informing the global church:

1. One lunch offering – On World Fellowship Sunday, Pentecost, Peace Sunday – or any time that suits – host a simple meal in your congregation or spend time in prayer and fasting together. Encourage participants to donate the equivalent cost of one lunch.
2. International songfest – Assemble a program of international music to sing with your congregation or a group of churches. Sing songs from the Assemblies and invite people from diverse backgrounds (other churches, international service workers or students from other cultures) to teach songs from their traditions. Use the internet to connect with international friends or service workers during the event. Take a special offering for MWC.
3. International food festival – Celebrate culture and faith with food and fundraising. Host an international potluck or food market with contributions from local groups with roots in other cultures. Ask questions about the traditions associated with the food. Share the proceeds of the event with MWC.
4. Mini Assembly Scattered or Global Church Village – Learn about the traditions and history of other Anabaptist congregations in your area and around the world. Organize fellowship, worship, witness or learning events on the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of Anabaptists today. Take an offering for MWC.
5. Auction or sale and service. Sell used or donated goods alongside foods and activities with proceeds going to MWC. Participate in service projects with contributions supporting the work of MWC. Or, if your church is fundraising for a building project, designate a percentage of the monies raised to support the global church through MWC.
6. Walk with the global church – Make the Assembly theme literal with a walk (or bike ride or marathon, etc.) to raise support for MWC. Invite all Anabaptist churches in your community to join together in this event, and pray as you go.
7. Prepare for Indonesia 2021 – Start planning for Assembly now. Learn about the history and current ministry of Mennonite churches in Indonesia. Select members to represent your church family at Indonesia in 2021 and begin yearly fundraising for travel costs and registration. Designate a percentage of the total to support the ongoing program of MWC.

Finally, support MWC through prayer. “It is a great encouragement to know you are praying for us” – Mennonite World Conference often receives this comment from our body of churches around the world. You can receive prayer requests from the MWC family by joining the prayer network email sent monthly, subscribing to Info (monthly e-newsletter), visiting the prayers page on our website and following us on social media.

“We’re very happy to know that we can contribute to others in our global church,” says Richard Ratzlaff, whose Mennonite church in Toronto gave a tenth of the cost of their building project to the MWC Global Church Sharing Fund. Jon Carlson, whose Pennsylvania church hosted an international songfest says, “[We were] thankful to host an event that reminded us of our connections to sisters and brothers around the world.”

—Mennonite World Conference release