The Holy Spirit Among Us By Tim Bentch, Lead Pastor of Mount Joy Mennonite Church On a Sunday back in November, we had a special time of experiencing the presence of the Lord among us at Mount Joy Mennonite Church. Following an anointed time of worship, we had a baptism. The Holy Spirit came upon this believer as we prayed for him to be not just baptized in water, but… Read More
A Heart of Joy – Week Three of Advent Scripture Readings Isaiah 35:1–10 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Strengthen… Read More
A Spirit of Peace – Week Two of Advent Scripture Isaiah 11:1–10 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— and he will delight in the fear… Read More
Sowing Seeds of a Jesus Movement: Assembly 2026 is for Everyone! BY DAWN LANDES Gather the people consecrate the assembly… and I will pour out my Spirit on all people. -Joel 2:16, 28 Assembly 2026 is the first of a NEW biennial gathering of all families, congregations, and youth groups from across LMC. It will be held on June 18-21, 2026 at Millersville University in Millersville, Pennsylvania. Assembly is an opportunity for our LMC family to… Read More
Holding Onto Hope – Week One of Advent Scripture1 Isaiah 2:1–5 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains;it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the… Read More
Congregational Profile: Martin Creek Mennonite Church Martins Creek Mennonite Church is nestled in the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country, between Berlin and Millersburg. The church was founded in 1865 when a group of twenty-four individuals made the bold decision to leave the Amish Church. Over the past 160 years, Martins Creek has grown to a vibrant community of around 300 members who are committed to living out the core values of… Read More
A Taste of Heaven on Earth By Nyah Tinsley What in the world should I expect? This question was fresh in my mind as I was preparing to attend the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) in Germany. I’d been to one MWC before as a participant when we gathered in Harrisburg in 2015, but I had a feeling my experience this time was going to be different. This year, I was going… Read More
A New Beginning: Iglesia Shalom Nuevo Comienzo by Veronica Sanchez Shalom Nuevo Comienzo, a recent church plant in Virginia, works to build a solid foundation so people can come to know the good news of salvation, feel part of the community of faith, and grow in discipleship to become faithful followers of Jesus. I remember receiving a call from an anguished woman. She had received a death threat and had been suffering… Read More
Reflections from Mennonite World Conference’s 500-Year Anniversary Celebration Communitas Across Cultures By: LORRY BENTCH The bus ride from Stuttgart airport to the retreat center was the culmination of many hours of travel. Unshowered and jetlagged, everyone settled in quietly for the ride. Just as the bus was ready to depart, three passengers climbed aboard. The sight of those familiar faces instantly changed the ride for me. “Bishop Nelson! Emmanuel! John!” They were not… Read More
A Weaver and a Butcher Reflecting on 500 Years of Anabaptist by Brinton Rutherford It was August 1527, a dangerous time. On January 5, 1527, Protestant authorities in Zürich drowned Felix Manz in the Limmat River. Barely three months later, May 21, Imperial authorities burned Michael Sattler in Rottenburg and drowned his wife in the Neckar River. Despite this, more than sixty travelers arrived by ones and twos, occasionally a… Read More