Connecting

March 9, 2016

Staff availability was impacted this month by the weather, which forced a closing of the office one day this month, and by sickness.

Dan preached at Bonneyville on the first Sunday of Lent. Sharon continues providing coverage for Doug as he is on sabbatical. She can be contacted at cplt@im.mennonite.net, or by calling the office. Doug returns to the office on April 12.

Missional Leadership Team met Saturday, February 20, to set plans for March delegate meetings. A big part of the day included receiving and discussing recommendations with two representatives from the Unity and Variance Task Group, and integrating them into a larger piece being called “Pieces of a Vision.” The north delegate meeting took place this last Saturday in Grand Rapids. Many thanks to Kalamazoo Mennonite Fellowship for their generous service as host congregation. The south delegate meeting is to be held at Howard-Miami Mennonite Church, Kokomo, this coming Saturday.

Fourteen people, eight participants and six mentors from IN-MI Conference attended the Journey Weekend Learning Event, February 26-28. It was an energizing and challenging weekend with input on biblical interpretation by Safwat Marzouk, PhD. There are already two people planning to begin Journey in the fall – who in your congregation is trying to discern a call to ministry, or would like some help to strengthen their leadership skills? Encourage them to consider Journey.

Paula Killough and Dan are attending Constituency Leaders Council this week. Shannon Dycus, the third representative, is unable to attend this time. The three days are good opportunities to strengthen relationships between conferences. Agenda this time includes work on CLC role as “elders for the church,” and considering what kind of covenant conferences have with each other, and how we might live into our missional future.