Liminality: Moving with God in the In-Between by Joshua Haver On a hot summer day in Mexico, I was walking across a dusty field with David Blanchard, the president of the mission organization I had served with for thirteen years. As we walked, I paused and asked him to pray with me. My words were something like, “Something is changing within me; I don’t know what it is exactly, but God is… Read More
Be the “Thin Space” By LMC Stewardship Team The “thin space” is a beautiful place where people feel that heaven and earth are very, very close together. Perhaps it originated with the Celtic tradition, brought into attention in 2012 by New York Times Travel columnist Eric Weiner. However, it is now used to describe a spiritual space where one is close to God and is connected with the concept… Read More
Mosaic of Grace Church Congregational Profile District:Blue Ridge Location:Harrisonburg, Virginia Average Sunday attendance 45 Worship ServiceSundays at 10:15 a.m. Pastor:Mike & Risha Metzler Mike and Risha are co-pastors/church planters of Mosaic of Grace Church in Harrisonburg, VA. They enjoy God’s gift of life with their children: Hannah, Joel, Toby, and foster daugter. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it… Read More
Bishops Retreat at Camp Deerpark LMC hosted a retreat for our Bishops from October 25–27. The beauty of Camp Deerpark provided the backdrop for Bishops and LMC staff to reflect and tend to their vertical relationship with God and their horizontal relationships with each other. This Spirit-filled time of rest, connection, and prayer is one we won’t soon forget.
New LMC Staff: Mercedes Thomas Mercedes Thomas joined the LMC staff as the new Communications Director in October. Mercedes is excited to help LMC communicate our mission, vision, and values in clear and engaging ways and find new ways to connect cross-culturally and cross-generationally. She has her BA in English and Communications and an MA in Ministry.
Celebrating 500 Years of Anabaptism While the theme of this issue—liminality and communitas—may seem like a strange, modern-day idea, it is actually a defining characteristic of the early Anabaptist movement (even though they didn’t use the same words to define it). A movement or a people that embodies liminality and communitas is one that embraces risk as a community together, dedicated to pursuing the Gospel mission. We see this unity… Read More
Communitas: An Essential Practice for Movement By Rodney Martin The word “communitas” is not one we use on a regular basis. Perhaps we have never even heard of this word. And now LMC is using it, and it can seem strange and alien. This strangeness does not diminish the significant meaning that communitas has for LMC in being a Spirit-led, disciple-making, Jesus Movement. To be a movement necessitates a church culture… Read More
Juntos en Misión Escrito por Mercedes Thomas Aceptar el riesgo y el desafío con los demás Conocí a Jesús a los dieciocho años sentada en el suelo polvoriento de un centro de retiros. Había empezado mi primer año de universidad deprimida, sola y buscando un sentido. Y ahí es donde Jesús me encontró, en un momento crucial de mi vida en el que miraba hacia atrás a lo… Read More
On Mission Together Embracing Risk and Challenge with Others By Mercedes Thomas I met Jesus at eighteen sitting on the dusty floor of a retreat center. I had started my freshman year of college depressed, lonely, and looking for meaning. And that’s where Jesus found me, at a turning point of my life where I was looking back at what my life had been and looking forward to… Read More
LMC Awards Education Grants In 2024, the LMC Grants Committee awarded 33 students $16,833 for their educational journeys; 13 are STEP students. In addition, four congregations received grants for ministry projects from the Ministry/Pastoral Health & Wellness Endowment. To learn more about LMC grants, visit lmcchurches.org/lmc-grants/ 2024 grants included