A friend asked me recently, “Why did you stay in Mennonite Church USA when they really didn’t want you?” I had been asked that before,
As congregations navigate the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on worship, responses can vary greatly, even in the same town.
In the switch to online worship during the coronavirus pandemic, congregations are trimming services down to as little as 30 to 40 minutes, with recorded videos, streamlined videoconference gatherings or in-person services abridged to mitigate virus spread. Sermons have been one place to condense in the name of efficiency.
The Peace and Justice Support Network is collaborating with Mennonite Church USA staff, area conferences and peacemakers to create a movement: Mennonites Against Militarism.
Mennonite Education Agency has revised its investment strategy, adopting five stewardship commitments targeting climate change. The MEA Investment Fund manages more than $150 million in endowment assets of 19 institutions, including schools, colleges, congregations, conferences and other programs.
The African American Mennonite Association called upon fellow Mennonite Church USA congregations, which are predominately white, to be involved in healing and reconciliation amid the protests that erupted since the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
In the midst of social unrest in the United States, Mennonite Church USA has launched a Justice Fund for individuals and congregations to support MC USA churches involved in dismantling racism, addressing police brutality, reimagining policing or combating poverty.
The health risks of group singing due to COVID-19 bring unique meaning to the title of a new Mennonite hymnal set to launch as many churches across the United States and Canada remain uncertain what worship looks like in the coming months.
