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July 2022 Bulletin Announcements


You're invited to use the announcements below by sharing them throughout the month in your congregational bulletins, conference/congregational emails, newsletters or social media, or by sharing the link to these announcements. Thank you!
 

Sunday, July 3


Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) conducted a denomination-wide survey to examine what it means to be a member of MC USA and how this has changed in the past 16 years. The preliminary results can be found here, with the full study being released later this month: mennoniteusa.org/summary-denominational-study

Join all Mennonite Church USA congregations in praying for “Indonesia 2022,” the global assembly of Mennonite World Conference being held in Indonesia July 5-10. This is a hybrid (online and in person) event. For more information, visit mennoniteusa.org/mwca22 

Delegate Assembly
Delegates at Mennonite Church USA’s (MC USA) Special Session of the Delegate Assembly voted on three resolutions and adopted another for denominational study. The three resolutions passed, helping remove barriers for LGBTQ folks and those with disabilities. Read the official MC USA news release here: mennoniteusa.org/news/delegate22

Menno Snapshots
The Mennonite Church USA Executive Board issued a statement condemning the violence in Uvalde, Texas, and elsewhere. Read it here: mennoniteusa.org/statement-on-recent-violence
The Executive Board also shared a call to prayer and action against gun violence, here: mennoniteusa.org/prayer-uvalde


Sunday, July 10


Delegate Assembly
Now that the Special Session of the Delegate Assembly is over, and the resolutions have passed, you may have questions about what it all means. Join Mennonite Church USA Executive Board and staff members for the “Special Session of the Delegate Assembly: What now?” webinar, July 18 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, to explore these questions. Register here: mennoniteusa.org/webinar-whats-next

This week, please pray for Virginia Mennonite Conference congregations as they gather for their summer delegate assembly on July 14-16.

Menno Snapshots
Father’s Day has passed, but the advice that Steve Thomas of Mennonite Men shares in his blog, “Fathers” continues to encourage fathers to build loving relationships with their children. Read his advice here: mennoniteusa.org/fathers

Menno Snapshots
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gwen Gustafson-Zook walked into a yarn shop and came to the realization that knitting would be the key to getting her through this difficult season. See how she uses knitting as a spiritual practice in her Menno Snapshots blog, “Stitch by stitch: Knitting as a spiritual practice.” mennoniteusa.org/knitting-spiritual-practice
 

Sunday, July 17


Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is seeking applicants for its Justice Fund grants. The Justice Fund supports MC USA congregations that are working to combat poverty, dismantle racism, address immigration reform or reimagine policing. For more information: mennoniteusa.org/seek-applicants-justice-fund
 
#BeTransformed
Gun violence continues to plague our country. Read how Mike Martin has taken steps to combat gun violence through RAWtools, Inc., a ministry partner of Mennonite Church USA, in his blog, “Guns to garden tools.” mennoniteusa.org/guns-to-garden-tools
 
Menno Snapshots
Steve Chun reflects on how Kkaenip, or perilla, a plant used in traditional Korean cuisine, helps him and other Korean Americans maintain a sense of identity, despite living away from their ancestral land. Read his Menno Snapshots blog, “Flavors of resilience,” here: mennoniteusa.org/flavors-of-resilience
 
Menno Snapshots
Lynda Hollinger-Janzen of Mennonite Mission Network rides her bicycle to work every day. It provides her with an opportunity for exercise, allows her to reduce her impact on the environment and it creates space for her to spend time with God. Read more about the benefits of biking in her Menno Snapshots blog, “I bike for world peace, personal shalom — and because I love biking.” mennoniteusa.org/i-bike-for


Sunday, July 24


This week, please pray for Western District Conference congregations as they gather for their annual delegate assembly on July 29-31.
 
Learn, Pray, Join: Welcoming EveryBODY
What if we celebrated our wounded bodies — scars, wrinkles, prosthetics and all? Erica Lea-Simka questions if we would look at Jesus, and ourselves, differently if we celebrated his wounds, abilities and disabilities. Her blog is part of Mennonite Church USA’s “Learn, Pray, Join: Welcoming EveryBODY” initiative. Read it here: mennoniteusa.org/bending-stretching

Menno Snapshots
The effects of the Doctrine of Discovery (DoD) are far-reaching. Because of the DoD, Indigenous people’s lands have been stolen, polluted and destroyed for centuries. In her blog, “The land is not empty,” author Sarah Augustine calls on all of us in Mennonite Church USA to join her in fighting against the DoD. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/not-empty 

Delegate Assembly
John L. Rush has a passion for justice and has spent most of his life working in prison ministry. Read why the “For Justice in the Criminal Legal System” resolution, which has been adopted for denominational study, is so important to him in his blog, “One response to the MC USA ‘For Justice’ Resolution.” mennoniteusa.org/response-justice-resolution


Sunday, July 31


This week, please pray for Allegheny Mennonite Conference congregations as they gather for their annual Celebration of Congregations and Conference on August 5-7.
 
Learn, Pray, Join: Welcoming EveryBODY
We do ourselves a disservice when we don’t celebrate everyone’s gifts. Jeanne Davies of Anabaptist Disabilities Network reflects on how those on the margins, those with disabilities, provide beautiful insights and gifts that we can all benefit from. Read more in her Menno Snapshots blog, “For the common good.” mennoniteusa.org/for-common-good
 
Menno Snapshots
When Cindy Angela moved from Java, Indonesia, to Pennsylvania, she was pleasantly surprised that she was able to experience pieces of her Indonesian culture in her new city. When she was baptized into Christ, she was even more excited that, through her diverse church, she was able to incorporate her Indonesian identity into her Christian walk. Read her Menno Snapshots blog, “Pieces from back home,” to learn more. mennoniteusa.org/pieces-from-back-home 
Mennonite Church USA has unveiled a new shareable video titled “We are better together.” The video features different voices from across the denomination discussing what it means to do church together.
Find more news at mennoniteusa.org
Questions? Email Camille Dager, director of marketing & communications for Mennonite Church USA at CamilleD@MennoniteUSA.org 
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