WDC-Stories Archives - Western District Conference

Stillness this Season

Advent has begun; Christmas parties and programs, musical events and rehearsals, shopping, wrapping, and baking fill the calendar, our time, and mental capacity. We can be so busy with Christmas activities […]

Gratitude for What Is, Hope for What Will Be

How our attitude, thankfulness, and resilience shape both our present and the future we are building *Pictured: Items from a food market in Uspantan, Guatemala. Photo by Sandra Montes-Martinez. As […]

Who Is Kids Meet Christ for?

Lately, when I’ve tried to talk about Kids Meet Christ (KMC), I hear people say, “But, we only have a couple kids or we have no children. This isn’t for us.” May […]

WDC Staff Announcement

WDC staff announcement: Welcome to Sarah Bryan, who has been appointed to do interim fund development work for WDC between now and Annual Assembly 2026! Her activities in the coming […]

Gifted to Give: Courageous Leadership in Gratitude and Mission

*Pictured: Ministers gathered for the WDC Ministers Appreciation event at the 2024 WDC Annual Assembly at First Mennonite Church, Beatrice, NE. Photos by Caleb Gingerich *Pictured: WDC staff and church […]

Prevention and Accountability: It’s a Tool Box

The new Prevention and Accountability document is not a litmus test to check for ministerial perfection. It can’t be. Not one of us is perfect. Instead, this document provides “resources for […]

Investing in shared ministry

*Pictured: A Tabor Mennonite Church barbecue fundraiser. Being part of a church community and church-related organizations invites us into a wonderful array of creative fundraising events and celebrations this time […]

A New Beginning?–Advent

We were driving home from my daughter’s Volleyball game last week when she observed that darkness was coming earlier these days. This is the first time she’s voiced to me […]

Spiritual Discernment: It’s a Lot More than Decision-Making!

Sometimes we are inclined to use “church lingo.” Instead of hiring a pastor, we talk about pastoral call. Instead of talking together, we call it “fellowship.” Likewise, sometimes “discernment” becomes […]

Life in the face of death

Last week was the anniversary of 9/11, the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. Along with that grim memory, the past week continued to bring new […]

Western District Conference 117th Annual Assembly

*Pictured: Children participate in collecting coins for WDC Church Planting Ministries during an Assembly Worship service. Photo by Absalón Calix Approximately 190 people gathered for the Annual Assembly of Western […]

Planting Seeds of Peace: Church Planting as Anabaptist Witness

*Pictured: Photos from WDC Church Plants. At the recent Western District Conference (WDC) annual assembly, we were deeply encouraged by the strong and positive response to the work of church […]

Anointed to Heal: Following Jesus with Faithfulness and Courage

*Photo credit: Absalon Calix “God has sent me to proclaim… recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free…” (Luke 4:18) This year, I was invited to serve […]

When Praying Is Hard

Sometimes it is hard to pray. Someone we love is dying. The world around us seems so stressful we don’t know how to begin to pray about what concerns us. It’s hard for […]

Summer garden reflections

It’s that time of the year again! My garden is in full bloom, with tomatoes and peppers ripening, green beans and okra ready to pick, sweet potato vines spreading rapidly, […]

Accompanying in Fear: A Reflection on Love and Action in a Time of Uncertainty

The day I accompanied a friend to an ICE check-in appointment, fear was thick in the air. There was silence where there is usually conversation. Tension replaced the joy that […]

The Power of Story

[Stories] “welcome us in. Stories are verbal acts of hospitality,” according to Eugene Peterson. This rings true. We share our own stories with friends. We listen with rapt attention to […]

WDC Voices From Zurich

*Pictured: Several WDCers at the 500 years of Anabaptism celebration in Zurich, Switzerland. Top left: Delon Martens, Top Right: Samuel and Rachel Voth Schrag and their children, Bottom left: Wendy […]

An IRA qualified charitable distribution can be a tax-wise way of supporting WDC

Many friends of Western District Conference (WDC) support our programs by making regular financial gifts. Some are able to make these gifts from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) through a […]

Mirrors and Windows

Every year when I teach my Children’s Literature course of (mostly) pre-service teachers, I talk to my students about selecting appropriate texts for use at home, in the classroom setting, […]