This podcast includes interviews with various people throughout the Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA, featuring new initiatives and ideas of Ohio Conference leadership, staff members and congregations.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, host Jacob Dodson, pastor of Wooster Mennonite Church, talks with Conference Minister Dick Barrett about the upcoming Annual Conference Assembly (ACA), which will take place March 3-4 at Central Christian School in Kidron. In the course of their conversation, Dick reflects on what he has learned during this time of discernment for… Read More » The post ACA and hopes for the years ahead appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
International service can have long-term effects on those serving. In the case of Bill Schumacher, his voluntary service term in Bangladesh in the 1980s left him with an enduring interest in the welfare of the people there. In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Jared Chase and Jacob Dodson talk with Bill and Carole Schumacher of Sharon Mennonite… Read More » The post Bangladesh — Seeing a Need and Responding appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Assistant Moderator Paula Snyder Belousek and Regional Pastor Sherah-Leigh Gerber introduce listeners to the Conference-wide prayer times planned for this fall. All are invited to take part in these prayer times, which will be held on Zoom on Wednesdays at noon, starting Sept. 14. We will be using Take Our Moments and Our… Read More » The post Praying Together as a Conference appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Jacob Dodson and Bill Seymour talk with Conference Minister Dick Barrett about the current season of review and discernment taking place in the Ohio Conference. Listen to the episode to hear Dick Barrett discuss how the Holy Spirit is at work during this time and to hear his reflections on how the… Read More » The post How is the Holy Spirit at work in the Ohio Conference? appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
Ohio Conference Cast returns! In this episode Jacob Dodson and Thomas Dunn share ideas for the podcast in a new season, announce a number of upcoming Ohio Conference events, and reflect on the recent gathering of Ohio Conference pastors and credentialed leaders in Plain City. Thomas says, “I think Ohio Conference is at its best when we are listening to… Read More » The post Ohio Conference Cast Update appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
This episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast features an interview with Conference Minister Dick Barrett. Hosts Corben Weaver Boshart and Ramon Lianez talk with Dick about challenges facing the church today. Dick notes that he has been encouraged to view challenges as opportunities. “God has called us in this time for a specific reason,” he says. Listen to this… Read More » The post Being the church — challenge and calling appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
How do we disciple young people in the church? How can we help them discover their calling in a cluttered world? In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast, Glen Guyton, the executive director of Mennonite Church USA, considers these questions and reflects on his years in youth ministry. He notes that we often don't realize the long-term effects… Read More » The post Equipping youth workers — an interview with Glen Guyton appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
Picture this scene: Three Mennonite pastors, two of whom are military veterans, sit down for a discussion of Mennonites and the military. This scenario may sound unlikely, but it's actually a description of the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast. In this podcast episode, hosts Corben Weaver Boshart and Ramon Lianez talk with Lucas Johnson, pastor of Valley… Read More » The post Military service from a Mennonite perspective appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
Are you paying attention to what the Spirit is saying to you and calling you to do for the next stage of your life? The special guest for this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast, Jewel Gingerich Longenecker, would encourage everyone to consider that question. Jewel Gingerich Longenecker is dean of lifelong learning at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS)… Read More » The post Where are you going next on your journey? appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
How essential is prayer for renewal? This episode of the Ohio Conference Cast features discussion of this question with Brad Roth, the featured speaker at Ohio Conference’s recent missional conference. Listen to this episode to learn how Brad has seen the fruits of prayer in his own ministry. You can also hear some suggestions for incorporating prayer and fasting into… Read More » The post How essential is prayer for renewal? The conversation with Brad Roth continues appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Corben Weaver Boshart and Ramon Lianez talk about evangelism with Brad Roth, who was the speaker at Ohio Conference’s 2021 missional conference. Corben, Ramon and Brad discuss evangelism, especially in a rural setting. Listen to this episode to learn why curiosity and asking questions are important as we share our faith,… Read More » The post Sharing our faith with others — Count the casts, not the fish appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
After a hiatus of several months, the Ohio Conference Cast podcast is back! In this episode, our new hosts, Corben Weaver Boshart and Ramon Lianez, introduce themselves. These two friends from Northwest Ohio are both pastors of Ohio Conference congregations, but they aren’t carbon copies of each other. Listen to this episode to learn more about Corben and Ramon. You’ll… Read More » The post Ohio Conference Cast 2.0 — Meet our new hosts appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
After more than three years, Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn have decided to conclude their time as hosts of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast. In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Bill and Thomas reflect on their time as hosts of the podcast, which began in the fall of 2016. They talk with Ohio Conference Assistant Moderator Paula Snyder… Read More » The post Bill and Thomas reflect on their time as Ohio Conference Cast hosts appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
This episode of the Ohio Conference Cast is the final podcast in a series about Missional Discipleship Groups. Lucas Johnson of Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania, talks with Nate, a member of his Missional Discipleship Group. Nate and Lucas talk about rebuking, ecumenism, ministry, and love — all from a guy’s perspective. For more information about Missional… Read More » The post Growing Disciples, Part 5 — Ecumenical Rebuking appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
This episode of the Ohio Conference Cast is the fourth installment in a series about Missional Discipleship Groups. In this episode, Lucas Johnson of Valley View Mennonite Church talks with Randi about her three-person small group and the trust that has developed between the members of the group. “It’s just turned into my favorite time of the week,” Randi says.… Read More » The post Growing Disciples, Part 4 — Building Trust appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
The Ohio Conference Cast podcast is back with the third installment in a series exploring Missional Discipleship Groups. In this episode, Lucas Johnson of Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania, talks with several people about how these small groups are building relationships and changing lives. For more information about Missional Discipleship Groups, see these articles: http://bit.ly/YourInvitationToMakeDisciples http://bit.ly/DisciplesMakeDisciples http://bit.ly/WindoftheSpirit The post Growing Disciples, Part 3 — Developing Relationships appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
This podcast episode is the second in a series exploring Missional Discipleship Groups. Guest host Lucas Johnson, pastoral team member at Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania, talks with several people who are participating in these weekly small groups. Listen to this episode to hear Casey and Gail, two members of a women’s small group, reflect on how God… Read More » The post Growing Disciples, Part 2 — Seeing God at Work appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
Sometimes growth takes a while, but patience can pay off. That’s been the experience at Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania. In the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Lucas Johnson and Robb Esh, pastoral team members at Valley View Mennonite, talk about the growth of Missional Discipleship Groups in their area of Pennsylvania. The groups now include… Read More » The post Growing Disciples, Part 1 — The Explosion appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
How do we #BringThePeace to our communities? Mennonite Church USA Executive Director Glen Guyton says, “People say that we are a historic peace church, but I say, hey, we need to be a peace church of today.” Learn more about Mennonite Church USA’s #BringThePeace campaign by listening to this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast. While visiting Ohio this month,… Read More » The post How do we #BringThePeace? A conversation with Glen Guyton appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, host Thomas Dunn talks about Mennonite colleges and faith-based education with Susan Schultz Huxman, president of Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Also joining the conversation are guest co-hosts Doug and Miriam Zehr, pastors at Oak Grove Mennonite Church in Smithville. The post Why faith-based education? A conversation with Susan Schultz Huxman of EMU appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, host Thomas Dunn and his guest co-host Dick Barrett talk about mission with Jacob Dodson, pastor of Wooster Mennonite Church and a member of the Ohio Conference Missional Planning Team. Listen to this episode to hear about plans for a summer missional festival in 2020. You will also learn more about some… Read More » The post Missional festival is coming in 2020 appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
After a hiatus of several months, the Ohio Conference Cast podcast has returned. In this episode host Thomas Dunn is joined by a guest co-host, Jacob Dodson, pastor of Wooster Mennonite Church, for a conversation with Conference Minister Dick Barrett. “I’m excited about the people we have in Conference….I’m excited about where God is leading us in the months and… Read More » The post An Update with Dick Barrett appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
This episode of the Ohio Conference Cast features a discussion which took place Saturday, March 9, at the 2019 Annual Conference Assembly (ACA) at Salem Mennonite Church in Kidron. Two long-time pastors, Eldon King and David Tijerina, share their memories of the Ohio Conference and reflect on some of the changes which have taken place in the past 50 years.… Read More » The post Celebrating 50 years of the Ohio Conference appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn take a break from podcasting. Instead, the podcast’s number one fan, Lucas Johnson of Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pa., takes a look back at the 2019 Missional Conference and Annual Conference Assembly (ACA) with three other ACA participants: Kevin Himes, pastor of Salem Mennonite Church… Read More » The post ACA Wrap-up: Celebration, Immigration, Missional Living appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour talk about immigration with two members of the Ohio Conference Immigration Resource Team, Hannah Troyer of Summit Mennonite Church; and Kelsey Troyer of Oak Grove Mennonite Church in Smithville. Bill and Thomas talk with Hannah and Kelsey about how the resource team worked to develop… Read More » The post Immigration — Welcoming the Stranger, Part II appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
The final Ohio Conference Cast episode of 2018 includes Christmas greetings from co-hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn, as well as a look back at the previous 21 episodes from this past year. Listen to this episode to hear about their favorite podcast memories from 2018. You might even hear Paula Snyder Belousek sing part of the Ohio Conference Cast theme… Read More » The post Merry Christmas from Ohio Conference Cast appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour talk about immigration with Dan King, a member of the Ohio Conference Ministry Development Team. While Dan is officially retired as an Ohio Conference pastor, he continues to minister through his part-time job as an interpreter at Dover High School, working primarily with students from Guatemala.… Read More » The post Immigration — Welcoming the Stranger appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
When is the last time you heard someone describe a multi-hour meeting as “fun”? If you’ve never had that experience (or even if you have), listen to this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast to learn about a laughter-filled five-and-a-half-hour meeting of Ohio Conference pastors which took place Nov. 8. While the pastors’ discussion may have been about important topics,… Read More » The post Talking about what binds us together appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast, co-hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn talk with Conference Minister Dick Barrett and Paula Snyder Belousek, pastor of Salem Mennonite Church in Elida, about their experience at the October meeting of the Constituency Leaders Council (CLC). Snyder Belousek describes the CLC as “a place to build relationships together denominationally.” This episode, which… Read More » The post CLC — A place to build relationships together denominationally appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
For many North American Mennonites, the words “Mennonite World Conference” bring thoughts of a world-wide gathering of Anabaptists every six years. However, as Ohio Conference Cast hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour learn in this episode of Ohio Conference Cast, there’s much more to Mennonite World Conference than these large events. Helping Thomas and Bill to learn more about Mennonite World… Read More » The post What can we learn from others in Mennonite World Conference? appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
What does it mean when we say, “Jesus is our center?” What are our core beliefs? Ohio Conference credentialed leaders will be discussing these questions on Nov. 8 when they meet at the Upper Sandusky Library in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour talk with Dan Hooley, one of… Read More » The post What does it mean when we say, “Jesus is our center?” appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
What happened to Ohio Conference Regional Pastor Ralph Reinford during his three-month leave earlier this year, and how were rhinos and crocodiles involved? Listen to this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast to find out. Reflecting on his time away from his Ohio Conference work, Ralph talks with Ohio Conference Cast hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn about things he… Read More » The post Ralph returns refreshed — a reflection on time away and re-engaging in ministry appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn talk with Ohio Conference Missional Consultant Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg, who is moving to Excelsior Springs, Missouri. In addition to reflecting on her 14 years in the Ohio Conference, Jessica affirms the missional work that is taking place in the Conference. She also challenges some assumptions about leadership… Read More » The post Jessica says farewell appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast, hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour talk with Dick Barrett, the new conference minister for the Ohio Conference. Listen to this conversation to learn more about Dick’s background, his journey to becoming an Anabaptist, and his hopes for the Ohio Conference in the coming years. As a bonus, this episode also… Read More » The post A conversation with Dick Barrett appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
Did you know that there is a growing immigrant Mennonite congregation in Akron, Ohio? In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, host Thomas Dunn and his guest co-host, Hannah Troyer, find out about this congregation, which is composed of Congolese refugees who have resettled in Akron. Helping Thomas and Hannah learn more about this congregation is Rollin Mukanza, a social… Read More » The post Meeting Mennonites in Akron — Congolese church seeks connections appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
What role does patience play in the church planting process? In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, host Bill Seymour and his guest co-host, Paula Snyder Belousek, talk with Sally Youngquist of Living Water Community Church in Chicago, Illinois, about the process of planting that congregation. Listen to find out how many years it took for Living Water to… Read More » The post Church planting and patience appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
What happens when non-church planters — aka pastors from long-established churches — attend a church planting conference? And why would they even want to attend? In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast podcast, host Bill Seymour talks with Ohio Conference pastors Paula Snyder Belousek, Corben Weaver Boshart and Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg about their experience attending SENT 2018, a church planting… Read More » The post Church Planting — From Jerusalem to Antioch appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
What is a mystic? Ohio Conference Cast hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn explore this question and more with Christiana Peterson, a member of Midway Mennonite Church and the author of the new Herald Press book titled Mystics and Misfits: Meeting God Through St. Francis and Other Unlikely Saints. “Being a mystic in my definition is … longing for a deep… Read More » The post Christiana Peterson – Mystics, misfits and longing for a deep encounter with God appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn chat with Terry Shue, who recently completed his work with Mennonite Church USA as director of leadership development. Bill, Thomas and Terry discuss a wide range of topics, including (among other things) new staff members for Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite World Conference, and Terry’s hopes for… Read More » The post What’s holding us together? — Another conversation with Terry Shue appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
Where does mission begin? With denominational leaders, at a mission agency, or in the local congregation? The guests on the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast encourage local congregations to be actively involved in mission. “We sense our call to walk alongside and empower churches to accomplish the vision that they have,” says Stanley Green, executive director of Mennonite… Read More » The post Where does mission begin? Podcast explores MC USA, MMN and mission appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn are joined by Darrin Snyder Belousek and Carlos Romero, executive director of Mennonite Education Agency (MEA). As part of this conversation, Bill and Darrin remind listeners about their role as members of The Voice, a task force which facilitates conversation between Ohio Conference congregations and Mennonite… Read More » The post MEA, the Church, and MC USA higher education appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
As the search for a new conference minister for Ohio Conference re-opens, Paula Snyder Belousek talks with Ohio Conference Cast hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn about the search process and about the positive energy she has been observing in the Conference. Snyder Belousek, the chair of the Conference Minister Search Committee, says, “God is doing exciting things in Ohio… Read More » The post Getting the word out — Ohio Conference is a great place to be appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
“We don’t feel like we were particularly gifted to do this. Every time, though, we were worried about something — like where would we store the bikes, how would we learn how to fix bikes — every time we were worried about that, something came forward. An answer came from God.” — Ginny Cress, speaking about the Wheelhouse, a bicycle ministry… Read More » The post The Wheelhouse – A bicycle ministry in the city appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
What’s the relationship between evangelism and discipleship? Ohio Conference Cast hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour discuss this question with Meghan Good and Marvin Lorenzana, the speakers at the Gathered and Sent Missional Conference at Bluffton University. The post Evangelism and discipleship – How are they related? appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
Ohio Conference Cast has come to Bluffton University! In this podcast episode, Ohio Conference Cast hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn discuss the Gathered and Sent Missional Conference with two conference participants, Sarah Geiser, and Robb Esh. On Thursday night, featured speaker Meghan Good, teaching pastor at Trinity Mennonite Church in Glendale, Arizona, opened the missional conference by talking about… Read More » The post Evangelism – Is Jesus Christ worth knowing for his own sake? appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
“We have been praying for you [Mennonite Church USA],” says Bishop Amos Muhagachi, a leader in the Tanzanian Mennonite Church who is currently studying at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn talk with Bishop Amos Muhagachi about his experiences with seeking peace on the national level… Read More » The post Stories from Tanzania – seeking peace and dealing with difficult issues appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
This episode of the Ohio Conference Cast features a conversation with Jason Rissler, a church planter from the Ohio Conference based in Strasburg, Ohio. Hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn discuss church planting with Jason, and they consider Jason’s question, “Can we give ourselves permission to see the church differently?” What if new churches don’t look like traditional congregations? The post Church planting and seeing the church differently appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
In the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, co-hosts Bill Seyour and Thomas Dunn talk with four pastors who are new to the Ohio Conference — Verle Brubaker (Maple Grove Mennonite Church in Hartville), Matthew Peterson (Midway Mennonite Church in Columbiana), Matt Reed (Beech Mennonite Church in Louisville), and Sue Short (Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold). Listen to this episode… Read More » The post New Pastors in Ohio Conference appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
How do we communicate our faith as Anabaptists? What is the mission that God has entrusted to the church, and how do we actually, practically go about doing that effectively? The guest for this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Meghan Good, is interested in helping believers think about these questions. Meghan Good is the teaching pastor at Trinity Mennonite… Read More » The post Missional Conference Preview with Meghan Good appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
The last Ohio Conference Cast episode of 2017 includes Christmas greetings from co-hosts Bill Seymour and Thomas Dunn, as well as a look back at the previous 32 episodes. The post Merry Christmas from Ohio Conference Cast appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.
One of the main tasks of an Ohio Conference regional pastor is to serve as a pastor to pastors, but what does that phrase actually mean? And what else does the job entail? In this episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, co-hosts Thomas Dunn and Bill Seymour talk with Regional Pastor Ralph Reinford about his work with Ohio Conference — the… Read More » The post A Day in the Life of Ralph appeared first on Ohio Mennonite Conference.