Chenunda Creek Fellowship District: North PennLocation: 2030 Independence Road, Andover, NY 14806Average Sunday Attendance: 25Worship Service: 9:40 amPastor: Stephen RichardFounded: 1956Learn More: https://chenundacreekfellowship.org/ We are a joyful congregation of believers nestled in a valley in the grand hills of Allegany County, NY. In 1956, Seventh Day Baptists (SDBs) who built the meetinghouse we now use asked Mennonites from Lancaster County, who had settled in the area, to run… Read More
Following the Lord’s Call into the Unknown by Esmeralda Haver My father passed away when I was three years old. When I was six, we emigrated to the border city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila. It was in this city where my mother left me in a Christian children’s home. There, my new parents treated me as a beloved daughter and made me feel I belonged to a family. My father always said… Read More
The Impact of STEP in Leadership Development by Mercedes Thomas and Lynn Shertzer “One of my goals is that we transition well, and that we have a plan in place—not just when we have to—but we are actually being proactive in what that looks like. I thought, what if churches have a proactive plan for the next generation of leaders? What would that look like? And I think what that looks like… Read More
Liminalidad: moverse con Dios en el medio Escrito por Joshua Haver En un caluroso día de verano en México , caminaba por un campo polvoriento con David Blanchard, el presidente de la organización misionera en la que había servido durante trece años. Mientras caminábamos, me detuve y le pedí que orara conmigo. Mis palabras fueron algo así como: “Algo está cambiando dentro de mí; no sé qué es exactamente, pero Dios me… Read More
My Story: How the STEP Program Changed My Life by Zelalem Eshete I would like to share my story of how the STEP program became a turning point in my spiritual journey and changed my life for the better. First, a brief background. I came to know the Lord early in life while I was in middle school in Ethiopia. At that time, the church was under intense persecution due to the communist regime.… Read More
Siguiendo el llamado del Señor hacia lo desconocido by ESMERALDA HAVER Cuando tenía 3 años mi padre falleció. A los 6 años emigramos a la frontera de Piedras Negras, Coahuila. Fue en esta ciudad donde mi mamá me puso en una casa hogar cristiana. En ese lugar, mis padres nuevos me trataron como hija amada y me hicieron sentir que yo pertenecía a una familia. Mi padre siempre decía que en el momento… Read More
Taking the Preaching Plunge by Tom Eshleman Year 1 of STEP challenges students with a class that, for some, can feel like a swimming pool on a frigid day. Each year, at least half of STEP participants have never preached a sermon, so the pulpit assignment can feel as unwelcome as taking the swimming plunge in the cool of spring. Occasionally, a student may make a compelling argument for… Read More
Teaching in Vietnam – March 2025 by William Higgins I had the privilege of traveling to Vietnam in March to teach a class at the Vietnam Mennonite Training Institute, the school of the Vietnam Mennonite Church. This was a follow-up to a class from last year, finishing up our study of The Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective (1995). Beyond the regular college students, a number of pastors and church leaders attended… Read More
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
“This Is All God:” The Lord’s Healing Power by Mountville Mennonite Church “We don’t do anything, this is all God.” In this video story, Dale Ebersole and Mark Mummert from Mountville Mennonite Church share two stories of the Lord’s healing power. On two occasions, Dale experienced injuries/pain and sought the prayers of his church community. Mark, who has had some training in healing prayer, was one who prayed for Dale both times. And… Read More