Is your congregation prepared for the national health care crisis? Are you aware of how your congregation’s decisions on health effect those around them, both locally and globally?
Come to the Mennonite Conference Center on Thursday, September 18 from 8 a.m. to noon to hear persons from MMA share on the topic “Health Resources for Pastors.” This time will provide pastors with resources on engaging the topic of health in congregational settings whether in church business meetings or preaching and teaching. A $5 donation is appreciated toward this hot breakfast.
LANCASTER, Pa. – Want to learn more about pastoral care, non-violence or congregational revitalization? 
Before the meeting began, Lakeview Pastor Blaine Detwiler gave a tour of Lakeview’s scenic location in the hills near the border of Pennsylvania and New York. Pastor Detwiler also shared the rich history of the Lakeview congregation and its current missional vision.
After lunch, the board re-convened for the Conference Leadership Team ministry updates. Noah Kolb shared how there are many able pastors in Franconia Conference who are ready for ministry. Gay Brunt Miller reported on the partnership with Anabaptist leaders in the United Kingdom and their recent and positive visit with the conference. Since Steve Kriss was leading ViaVerano in Spain, John Tyson (a summer ministry intern from the Souderton congregation) reported on his behalf that the leadership cultivation and communications department is vibrantly moving in the right direction with a large number of Ministry Inquiry Program participants and a communications sector ahead of the local market. Conference financial advisor Conrad Martin shared updates on the financial viability within Franconia Conference. And finally, Noel Santiago shared about emerging partnerships and new congregations working alongside Franconia Conference.
“The pastor mentioned that one of the needs that came to their mind right away was their Vacation Bible School, which turned out to be planned for the same week as ours. We offered to incorporate them into our morning VBS, or let them use our building for their evening plans. They chose the latter, so we will both have VBS the first week of August. They also asked for our prayers which we assured them they would have, and added to our corporate prayers on the next two Sundays, the option of a special offering that people could give for their needs. We are also collecting the supplies they’ll need for their VBS activities,” said Associate Pastor Sandy Drescher-Lehman.
Both communities are sponsored by Franconia Mennonite Conference, an area conference of Mennonite Church USA which is headquartered in Souderton, Pa. Since the early 1970s, Souderton Mennonite Homes and Dock Woods Community have periodically explored the possibility of joining their efforts to best meet the needs of older adults and families in the Indian Valley and North Penn regions.