Learning from Leader Survey We identified the following themes in the responses from the leader survey taken in the Spring in response to changes from Covid-19. Congregations moved from expressions of “Sunday-centered church” to “life-centered church” (centralization to decentralization). Congregations responded with nimbleness and the ability to adapt as we need to do so. Some congregations were wrestling with core changes before the pandemic and are seeing this as… Read More
The Hard Part is the Journey By Ashley Litwiller I have spent a solid portion of my life in or beside the water. I have some bad memories related to it. I had a cousin named Jonah who almost drowned. One of my first relationships ended beside the water. And I feel the frustration of never learning the art of slalom skiing. On the positive side and perhaps more importantly, water… Read More
Celebration of Church Life 2020 By Brinton Rutherford. Despite months of planning and an incredible team, COVID 19 required the cancelation of Celebration of Church life in April of 2020. In these pages, you receive a brief introduction to what would have happened with website links to handout materials and summaries of the speaker content, which also can be watched in their entirety online at the LMC website or… Read More
On Being a Watchman by Raquel Rivera “As each night watch begins, get up and cry out in prayer. Pour your heart out face-to-face with the Master.” —Lamentations 2:19 Our second son, Judah, was born at the start of a global pandemic. As for many living in the United States, our daily way of living was put on pause and our calendar plans were stomped on. The quarantine bummed… Read More
Birthing Something New Growing closer to Jesus during quarantine by Joshua Rivera On Monday, March 9th, 2020, at 9:37 in the morning, Raquel gave birth to our second son, Judah, in the peace and comfort of our own home. Raquel and I serve in a co-pastor role at Bethlehem Community Fellowship. As the due date approached, we spoke with church leadership about taking four weeks away from ministry… Read More
Revelation, Prayer, Healing and Provision By Deacon Chantal Kabamba At the Evangelical Center for Revival, we believe in the power of prayer and the command given to us from our Lord in Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves in prayer, being watchful and thankful” (NIV). We have two intercession teams within the church that meet twice a week on a prayer chain. These two prayer groups intercede for the needs of the… Read More
Training Emerging Leaders and Discipling Children with Vacation Bible School by Lam Nguyen In July 2019, the youth of four LMC churches collaborated to deliver a Vacation Bible School for Lancaster city children. It was an amazing success. Fifty middle school and high school youth from Habecker Mennonite Church, Lititz Mennonite Church, RiversEdge Fellowship, and Crossroads Mennonite Church worked together to plan and run the entire VBS for 65 children in southeast Lancaster city and… Read More
¡Concebir el futuro para disfrutar el presente! Muchas veces me han preguntado: “¿Qué lleva a un hombre a abandonar su país de origen, su casa, su familia y su seguridad para mudarse a un lugar desconocido donde se habla otro idioma, impera otra cultura y grandes retos están en espera de ‘abrir nuevos caminos’ en su vida?”. En 2005, servía al Señor como evangelista en Chile, celebrando reuniones multitudinarias en la parte… Read More
Ministerial Activities The following men and women were licensed, ordained or installed in recent months. Nelson Rutt (Christa) was ordained as associate pastor at Parkview Mennonite Church. Sheldon Martin (Ashley) was ordained as associate pastor at Parkview Mennonite Church. Gregory Stokes (Joanne) was licensed toward ordination as lead pastor at Bender’s Mennonite Church. Jonathan Martin (Miranda) was ordained as lead pastor of Glade Mennonite Church. Merlin Maust… Read More
Steal My Show by: Jackie Hibsmann But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you.” Exodus 3:11-12 If only we each received our direction or calling through a burning bush and the voice of God. That is not how it happens for most people and definitely not for… Read More