From the President

May 2012
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Winds of the Spirit

March 26, 2012
by Loren Horst

The Spirit blows at will we are told. We do not fully know its direction nor can we ever adequately predict its affect. We can, however, see some of the results. About 100 years ago, the Spirit blew Virginia Mennonite Conference westward into the highlands of Virginia and West Virginia. Later this same Spirit moved among the colony of Denbigh prompting witness in the neighboring cities. North Carolina, Kentucky, Washington DC, Florida, Ohio, and Maryland would all become locations, at one time or another, where the Spirit moved Virginia Conference. …

Will you join us as we join God?

December 6, 2011
by Loren Horst

Christmas reminds us that God is on a mission. Our future and the future of the church rest entirely on our embrace of that mission. We start by discerning God’s activity in the world. Then we enthusiastically align our priorities with God’s. At VMMissions, God’s work takes many different forms. • Church planting efforts in our conference find fresh ideas and counsel through the coaching of Skip Tobin. • Thirty-one high school students learn from a biblical worldview at Lezha Academic Center in Albania. • Ministries are taking root among …

The global family of faith

March 10, 2011
by Loren Horst

As I stepped off the platform at Winter Delegate Session a couple weeks ago, I whispered to Conference Minister Owen Burkholder, “This is good!” We had just received two more congregations into Virginia Mennonite Conference, Eastside Church and Iglesia Discipular Anabautista. This is becoming a regular and healthy occurrence in our conference. In the history of Virginia Mennonite Conference we have seen about 225 congregations emerge globally and here at home. A few have not survived. Some now find their primary home in other conferences. Today there are 69 congregations …

Transformed, transforming.

February 10, 2011
by Loren Horst

God is on a mission to change the world. Everyone knows the world needs it. Humanity has a propensity of messing things up and we all have done our share. Sin, we call it, and it ripples out into all of our relationships, human institutions, and even affects creation. God’s mission to change the world focuses on changing people. Transformation, we call it, and it too ripples out into human lives and relationships. God is doing this transformation by giving his son Jesus into the lives of people and then …

Our core values

December 23, 2010
by Loren Horst

Core values are those values we hold dear. They represent the orienting center of our lives, the priorities by which we live. They are usually expressed by how we live our lives and what occupies our attention in terms of time and money. Sometimes core values are also expressed by our words. When our core values as expressed by our words and values expressed by our actions are congruent, we call that integrity. When they are not, we call that hypocrisy. One way to promote integrity and reduce hypocrisy is …

Baptism as remembering

December 8, 2010
by Loren Horst

I attended a baptismal service again recently. Four members of the Daniel family went “under the water” as the pastor put it. Father, mother, and two sons all gave verbal witness to their faith in Jesus Christ and accepted the sacrament and sign of baptism in the presence of God and a company of people. Some of this company had followed this path earlier. Others, not yet. The pastor reminded us all of the significance of this bold step of faith. Steve, Saffia, Levi and Joshua are now united with …

A half-serious lament

December 2, 2010
by VMM Admin

With a bit of sadness this summer, I witnessed the final decisions associated with dissolving Ohio District of Virginia Mennonite Conference. It made sense since the district had essentially become an “empty set” as Conference Minister Owen Burkholder put it. Chestnut Ridge, the last remaining congregation, had transferred amicably to Ohio Conference earlier. Still, since I had no vote I could not even officially dissent to any of the actions, even for sentimental reasons. A nearly 60-year era has passed. What remained seemed like “dividing the spoils.” The Ben and …

“We could never do this on our own”

November 1, 2010
by Loren Horst

“We could never do it on our own.” These or similar words express the sentiment of everyone at VMMissions—our staff, our board and our workers. We constantly receive reminders that we are involved in something far larger than ourselves. Sometimes we lead. Sometimes we follow. Sometimes we just get out of the way! VMMissions continues to embrace a close relationship with Virginia Mennonite Conference. We choose to function within the larger family of faith by expressing and enabling the mission vision that God has placed within His people. We cannot …

Virginia Mennonite Missions: Called. Sent. Transformed.

From the President