Stories of Mission

Giving Ourselves Away

In a season of uncertainty for our denomination, it’s easy to adopt a mentality of scarcity. The problem with this kind of thinking, according to Jesus, is that in keeping our lives to ourselves, we’ll actually end up losing them. Self-preservation may be a natural instinct, but it’s not a gospel mentality.

In Step With the Spirit

Are we attentive to the Holy Spirit? How do we tell what the Spirit of God is saying to us? Those are key questions, whether we’re discerning our personal vocation, making a major decision, or charting a course as a church. The early Anabaptists wrestled with this question, too.

Temples of the Holy Spirit

Bethany was walking down the road one day when a motorcycle taxi driver buzzed by, then turned around and came back. He asked, “What’s your religion?” “We believe in the Lord Jesus,” Bethany answered. He nodded and buzzed away, only to circle back, asking, “What temple do you worship in?”

Deaf Young People in Belize Enjoy VBS

Every summer our church has a Vacation Bible School (VBS) program primarily for Deaf people ages 10 and up, including hearing siblings in that age range who want to come. It included worship, memory verses, Bible stories and a drama to make it clear.

Prayer is the Greatest Role for MSTs

Ministry Support Teams are drawn into the dynamic of God at work, where community forms around God’s mission. They jointly shoulder the financial challenges, and are invited to focus on prayer and to experience joy when the “many wonders” begin to unfold.

Grace Mennonite’s Mission to the Philippines

Over thirty years ago, Larry Vitor, a young, hopeful Filipino pastor picked up an article written by Pastor Richard Early, and he decided to write a letter requesting that Richard be his prayer partner. Richard wrote him back, and this journey began.

Will Our Faith Have Children?

Numbers are only one measure of success, and maybe not the best one. Faithfulness—our primary aim—does not always yield impressive figures. The potency of God’s kingdom movement lies not in us, but in the message of Jesus we’ve been entrusted to share.

Ending on a High Note

It was so rewarding for us to have “our children” sing for and with the EMHS choir. At the end, the children came out to the choir circle and joined hands had special meaning, as their benediction words were directed to the children they had just played with.

Martin Rhodes presents gifts to the new tranSend class

New tranSend Interns Commissioned for Service

Members of the new tranSend class were commissioned in a meaningful time of worship at On Sunny Slope Farm, near Dayton, Va., on July 17, 2016. Peter Eberly, lead pastor of Eastside Church, spoke both challenge and encouragement based on Isaiah 42.

How We Make Disciples in the Way of Christ

Harold Miller surmises that Judas never intended to betray Jesus to death, but instead betray him into the hands of his enemies to press him to fight. Perhaps Judas believed Jesus would fight, eliminating the injustice and installing utopia by force. But Jesus responds in a surprising way.

Enriched by Exponential’s Exploration of Evangelism

VMMissions leaders took a team from Virginia Conference to Exponential East 2014. This annual church planters conference in Orlando, Florida, draws more than 5,000 mission-minded folks from across the country.

Partnership as Mission

When followers of Jesus engage in mutual, transparent and interdependent relationships across cultures, they become both an example of God’s upside-down kingdom and a means for its extension into the world. True partnership allows us all to see Jesus more clearly.

Nancy Marshall Ordained for Pastoral Ministry in Belize

Deaf believers and their families, the leaders of the Belize Evangelical Mennonite Church, and representatives of VMMissions gathered at Jesus’ Deaf Church to confirm God’s call on Nancy’s life by ordaining her as a minister of the gospel.

Building Outward-Oriented Networks of Discipleship

There is a desire for people to stay connected to their roots and to network with others in community. A vision began to emerge for how a network could encourage and support a new generation of leaders to form contextual missional initiatives.

Good Samaritan Opportunities

Recently I saw a man in his late 70s who was stranded along the side of our road with a flat tire. My husband Vince was on his way home when he happened upon this stranger. Noticing that he was unable to even loosen the lug nuts, Vince stepped in. Abram was very grateful.

Youth Show Deep Commitment, Longing to Know God

While there have been times where we have struggled to find adults who are yearning to dig deeper into God’s Word or commit to meeting regularly for a Bible study, we have been blessed by the youth in our youth group.

Testimony of Transformation

A powerful, challenging speaker shared his story of being delivered from a life of drugs and crime by the love and salvation of God to a gathering of 60 teenagers in Montenegro. We believe God orchestrated the event and answered our prayers.

Beyond the Limits of Law Into New Life

We obey God by following the sunnah of Jesus the Messiah (Isa al-Masih). This is the way that we describe ourselves to our Muslim neighbors. Sunnah is a term used to describe the way of life prescribed as normative for Muslims.

Discipling Others to Tell the Story

Joi and Brother Phonthawee were beginning to prepare what they would teach in a gathering of Isaan church leaders. Worker Mark Schoenhals was asked to teach teachers and give theological foundations for their teaching of other pastors and church leaders.

VMMissions Welcomes New Staff; Transitions Noted

Virginia Mennonite Missions has hired Sarah Schoenhals as Receptionist & Administrative Assistant, starting March 17. Janet Blosser’s role has been expanded to include the Balkans. Ken Horst has transitioned into the role of Development Associate.

Time to Work: Teaching a Biblical View of Work Without Dependence

Youth found a creative business opportunity in multimedia and earned a good sum of money. They kept none of the money for themselves, but after giving ten percent to the church, they invested the entire profit back into a newly-formed company called “Transformation Multimedia.”

People-fishing, Jesus-style

Our mission is “to invite people to faithful living in Jesus Christ.” We seek to be and call forth apprentices of Jesus, not simply start one more program or project. Last summer the Board of Virginia Mennonite Missions approved seven strategic priorities to guide our work over the next 3-5 years.

The Harvest is Plentiful, But…

It is always a joy to return to our Italian family, re-connecting with old friends and meeting new ones. At the Italian Mennonite Church Conference, held this year at Centro Agape in Palermo, Italy, participants engaged the theme, “The harvest is plentiful, but…” and shared their experiences over the past year.

Signs of Life Creates Space for Worship in Deaf Culture

Many of the people who attend Signs of Life don’t come from a church backgrounds. Chris and MaryBeth Moore discovered that the needs in the deaf community are great. “There are so many holes in their understanding of the Bible,” MaryBeth said. “They miss out on so many things.”

Mennonite Hispanic Initiative Becomes Ministry of VMMissions

MHI was established to respond to the need for educated, mission-minded, and VMC-connected Latino leaders. A core community of trained Latino church leaders has emerged, providing leadership for the churches associated with MHI.

Sharing the Light of Christ in Kosovo

As we continue on our drive through the country from the capital of Pristina to the rural town of Istog, I begin to notice that many of the bullet-pocked homes ravaged during the war are being rebuilt and reinhabited. Slowly, the scars of war are being healed.

Hernandez Named Local Coordinator of IBA

Lizzette Hernandez will serve as the new coordinator of the local Spanish-language Anabaptist Biblical Institute (IBA), a program under the auspices of Mennonite Education Agency that offers diplomas in Theological Studies to Latino church leaders.

Retreat Focuses on ‘Familiar Blessings, Blowing Spirit’

Women from across the Conference considered the spirituality of our parents and grandparents and how we focus on Jesus today during the annual VMC Women’s Retreat. Dawn Ruth Nelson, Mennonite pastor and spiritual director, led the group through the theme.

Making Disciples, Creating Communities—Not Just Churches

“Jesus did not call us to build churches but to make disciples.” These were the simple and true yet profound words from Skip Tobin as he began a session of a three-day church planting seminar with members of the Mennonite Church of Trinidad and Tobago (MCTT).

VMMissions Welcomes Two New Staff Members

Virginia Mennonite Missions is pleased to welcome Lynn Suter and Sherah-Leigh Gerber as new staff members. Lynn will serve as Director of Operations and International Ministries, and Sherah-Leigh joins VMMissions as Advancement Director.

Ending and Emerging

I come to the end of my presidency of VMMissions at the conclusion of 2013. I have spent my life in the church. As a young adult I ratified the choice my parents had previously made for me and I became a Mennonite. I have no regrets.

Marine, Mennonite, Missionary

People often tell my wife and me that our story is incredible. From our perspective, however, our tale is simply what it looks like to come face-to-face with the gospel. It is characterized by Jesus’ words recorded in Mark 1:15: Repent and believe.

Bike Shenandoah’s Five Rides Support Four Organizations

Ninety-five cyclists enjoyed the 16th annual Bike Shenandoah ride on September 21, 2013, pedaling beautiful country roads of the Shenandoah Valley and enjoying community to benefit neighbors near and far. The event raised approximately $20,000.

VMMissions Welcomes Intern

Lori Doll is serving as an intern while in her second year at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. From Hartville, Ohio, she spent five years in missions and service, which included two years term in The Gambia, in an EMM business initiative for women.

Motorcycles on the Road for Missions

Motorcycle for Missions, a new two-day cycling event that planners hope will become an annual fundraiser for Virginia Mennonite Missions, left Powhatan June 24, stopped in Roanoke for the night, and arrived at Virginia Mennonite Conference Assembly in Harrisonburg on June 25.

Our Community Farm Internship Opportunity

Our Community Farm serves as both a residential drug and alcohol recovery community for up to eight male adults and a sustainable farm. Jonathan and Joel provided much needed mentorship and lay counsel to those coming to the farm.

Virginia Mennonite Missions Selects President

Aaron M. Kauffman of Harrisonburg, Va., was chosen by the board of VMMissions as the next president. Kauffman has extensive mission experience, serving most recently on staff as Global Ministries Director and Advancement Associate since 2011.

Signs of Life Team Visits Maranatha School for the Deaf

Signs of Life church members went to Maranatha and conducted a seven-day Bible school on the book of James with the Maranatha students. All eight members of this team can communicate in American Sign Language, a first for a short-term mission team.

Park View’s Blitz Packs 1,500+ Kits

A lot of congregations put school kits together for distribution by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). But how many produce more than 1,500? Nearly a hundred assembly-line volunteers packed a total of 1,562 kits at Park View Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Learning Through Faith

Our main goal during our current term is language learning. We have a language tutor (and dear sister from the church), Vera (which means ‘faith’), who comes to our home twice a week and teaches us for one hour each-while the other parent watches the girls.

Start Here

Seven years ago VMMissions became intentional in providing a “doorway into missions.” People could start with VMMissions and go virtually anywhere that Mennonite missions has been involved, and beyond. The old mission “field” language is obsolete when referring only to some remote exotic far-off location.

First Graduation at LAC, Bible Camp and Summer School Follow

LAC’s first graduation went off without a hitch. Sam Scaggs was our main speaker and additional comments were given by board member Elaine Moyer, Principal Klementina, and senior class president Xhild.

Egypt’s Big Role in God’s Story

To know the story of Egypt is to know the whole Christian story at once—a story of personal calling, of provision, and of the promise of salvation. Although Christians number only ten percent of the population in Egypt, Angie has a deep sense of pride.

Orientation for tranSend Interns Held at VMMissions

Orientation for service is multi-faceted; it includes heart, mind and soul. Each morning, participants listened for God’s voice in silence, watched for him in nature, and reflected on what God said to them in various settings, encouraging them to seek God heartily.

Why Short-term Missions?

If you or your congregation are thinking of a short-term mission experience, get in touch with us at VMMissions. We can help you turn a good idea into an excellent experience and avoid the kind of mistakes that have sometimes given short-term missions a bad name.

Taking Bold Steps of Faith and Obedience in Palermo

As these two young people have grown as believers over the past couple of years, they both desired to be baptized as an expression of their faith in Christ. As Manuel and Aurora took this bold step, the church was filled with family and friends from throughout Sicily.

Forming Missional DNA in Our Congregations

“If you want to dig a new hole, don’t dig the current one deeper,” shared Alan Hirsch at a resource event on May 16 in Lancaster, Pa. Hirsch’s central thought is that God has implanted a missional DNA in every church that seeks to follow Jesus in any time and place.

Our Journey of Vision in Vasto

When we first arrived to Vasto, the church had been here for almost twenty years but was almost dead. There was no young group, no actual ministries, and little biblical foundation. We started discipling young people in the church. Now there are 25 young people in the church.

Caleb Benner teaches at Lezha Academic Center in Albania

Our Journey of Breaking Through

This year, God is moving and providing us more opportunities to talk directly about our faith through our classes, informal interactions, and Bible Club. Many students are approaching us with questions and they are eager to develop their spiritual understanding.

A Journey to Find the Meaning of ‘Mennonite’

Mennonite means different things to people in Germany. Sect. Heritage. Irrelevant. Faithful. Traditional. We have been learning what the label means to those who are from a Mennonite background, those who were, those who are not, and those who have nothing to do with Christianity.

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