WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE
SEEDS
June 17, 2015
Church builds house in parking lot
The parking lot at First Mennonite Church in Newton, KS was transformed into a construction zone May 4-9. The sound of saws and hammering echoed throughout the neighborhood as wall panels (several 17 feet high) were assembled and set in place. Soon the skeleton of a house emerged.
Following a dedication service on Monday, May 11, the house was disassembled and the wall panels were loaded in a semi-truck and taken to Black Forest, CO. There in the week that followed, First Mennonite members unloaded and set the wall panels, set trusses, and sheeted the exterior walls and roof!
The building of this house became a powerful metaphor for the building of God’s kingdom of hope and love. The family who lost their home in the Black Forest fire in 2013 experienced transformation. First Mennonite and Casa Betania members who helped frame the house experienced transformation. Additionally, the power of the Holy Spirit was present through the partnership in the Body of Christ as First Mennonite Church, Casa Betania, MDS Kansas, MDS Colorado, and Beth-El Mennonite Church in Colorado Springs, CO plus other local agencies built a home of hope.
First Mennonite is preparing to participate in the Partnership Home Program (build a new home from start to finish) through MDS in 2016.
Would your congregation like to partner with First Mennonite and MDS next year? Watch for more details about this opportunity.
–submitted by Joel Schroeder, Pastor of Youth & Young Adults (316-283-0273; joelschr46@gmail.com)
First Mennonite Church, Newton, KS
WDC SEEDS is a weekly communication for WDC churches announcing what’s new and good in Western District Conference. Please forward this to congregational members. Pastors are invited to submit one paragraph summaries of kingdom initiatives that will encourage the networking of best practices across Western District Conference. WDC Seeds is also available at: www.mennowdc.org.
Western District Conference
2517 North Main, PO Box 306
North Newton KS 67117
316-283-6300; FAX: 316-283-0620
Email: wdc@mennowdc.org
Website: www.mennowdc.org
