Themes and speakers

Print Article Email to a Friend

Adult sessions
Tuesday evening, June 30
“Gathered in God’s Spirit” (Acts 2:1-11; John 20:19b-21a)
Juana F. Nuñez (Juanita) works as a certified part-time chaplain with Marketplace Chaplains USA. She and Eligio, her husband, are co-pastors at Iglesia Cristiana Ebenezer in Apopka, Fla., where they were ordained into the ministry this past year. Juanita is moderator of the Iglesia Menonita Hispana and is the associate group’s first woman to be elected as its moderator.

Wednesday morning, July 1       
“Restored in God’s Spirit” (Ezekiel 37:1-14; John 20:19-21a)
Jim Schrag is executive director of Mennonite Church USA and has spent the bulk of his career as a pastor.

Thursday morning, July 2               
“Empowered by the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:11-16)
Shane Claiborne is the author of The Irresistible Revolution and Jesus for President and a founding partner of The Simple Way, a faith community in inner-city Philadelphia that has helped to birth and connect radical faith communities around the world, many of whom have become known as a “new monasticism.”

Thursday evening joint worship
“Centered in the Spirit” (Psalm 121)
June Alliman Yoder recently retired from 27 years of teaching at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind. She is a member of College Mennonite Church in Goshen.
Mandy Yoder Schrock is on the pastoral team at Belmont Mennonite Church in Elkhart, Ind.

Friday morning, July 3   
“Dwelling in the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:14-21)
Marvin Lorenzana, born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, is director of the Multicultural Services Office at Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va. John Powell is ministry development consultant  and interim director for U.S. Ministries at Mennonite Mission Network. Megan Ramer is pastor of Chicago Community Mennonite Church.

Friday evening
“Worship: Celebration of Music” features the Convention 2009 hymn sing led by Byron Kaufman, with special guests Ted & Co. and Ken Medema. Immediately following the hymn sing, Western District Conference and Bethel College, North Newton, Kan., will present "Upside Down King," an upbeat, fun and powerful retelling of the life and ministry of Jesus.

Saturday evening, July 4               
“Anointed with the Oil of Gladness” (John 20, Isaiah 61:1-3)
Jim Wallis is author of The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America and God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It and is president and CEO of Sojourners, where he is editor-in-chief of Sojourners magazine.

Youth sessions
Tuesday evening, June 30
“Celebrating the Spirit!” (John 20:21-22)
Brenda Matthews has traveled throughout the country and Africa to deliver her message of change to the “least of these.”

Wednesday morning, July 1
“God’s Awesome Power” (Genesis 1:1-2; Psalm 18:1-19; Revelation 5:13, 7:10-12)
Shane Hipps is lead pastor of Trinity Mennonite Church, Phoenix, Ariz.

Wednesday evening
“Face Our Fears” (John 20:19-22)
Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg is pastor of youth, young adults and Christian education at Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold, Ohio.

Thursday morning, July 2
“Emptied” (John 12:1-8)
Leonard Dow is senior pastor at Oxford Circle Mennonite Church in Philadelphia.

Friday morning, July 3   
“Filled as a New Creation” (2 Corinthians 5:16-21)
Shane Claiborne (see above)

Saturday morning, July 4
“Inspired to Live” (Romans 8:1-17)
Katie Boyts is a massage therapist, writer and speaker residing in Portland, Ore.
Dustin Galyon is the men’s basketball coach and an admissions counselor for Hesston (Kan.) College. Cyneatha Millsaps is lead pastor of Community Mennonite Church, Markham, Ill. Hugo Saucedo is director of Mennonite Voluntary Service for Mennonite Mission Network.

Saturday evening
“Empowered with the Spirit” (John 20:21-22; Acts 2:14-39)
Greg Boyd is senior pastor of Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minn., and author of Letters From a Skeptic and The Myth of a Christian Nation.

Current Stories

Articles

• Breathe and be filled
• Reflection: Fears concerning the H1N1 virus have led to discrimination
• Willing to experiment
• Service, education and work
• Comparing numbers at Convention 2009
• Children an active part of Convention 2009
• What delegates may expect
• Themes and speakers

News stories, digests and Meno Acontecer

• Facing allegations of misconduct, pastor disappears
• With magazine ceases publication
• MennoPrank Society formed
• Mennonite educators claim distinctives
• Lack of women leaders concerns MW USA
• Mennonite Mission streamlines ministry
• 1,016 students graduate from four MC USA colleges, universities and seminary
• Composer named outstanding alumnus
• New bishop team for Philly installed
• ¡Bienvenidos al Meno Acontecer de Junio, 2009!
• Pero, la educación menonita ¿no es muy costosa?
• ¡Educación Continuada! .
• ¿Sabía usted que .... ?
• IMH nombra Director Ejecutivo
• IBA en las Iglesias ....
• PSDE otro excelente recurso de estudio
• Reflexión Pastoral -12ª parte
• Otra Reflexión Pastoral - 4ª Parte
• Bienvenido
• Pastor desaparece al enfrentar acusaciones de mala conducta

Columns

• The transcendence of art
• Film and book reviews for May
• Mennonite Church USA's identity
• Overcoming fear in a financial storm
• Not just another meeting

Readers Say

• Virginia's pastors don't need health care plan
• Response from Gautsche and Harder
• A cool inspiration-action flow
• The violence is ours, not God's
• Do not trust sexual predators
• Sex offenders in the church
• Receiving allows others a blessing
• Saving the fetus can also be violence