WDC-Stories Archives - Western District Conference

Vivir en el Shalom: Paz Justa

A medida que se desarrolla el nuevo año, trae consigo nuevas posibilidades para reflexionar, renovar y volver a comprometernos con nuestro llamado como personas de fe. Para las comunidades de […]

What’s Coming in the New Year? Focus on Faith Formation in Worship

Sometimes things come together in unimagined ways. Then we say simply and profoundly, “Thank you, God!” As you probably know, over the past year Western District Conference volunteers and staff have been […]

Anabaptism at 500: 2025 Has Arrived!

How exciting it is, looking forward to special events and projects in 2025 commemorating the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Anabaptist movement! Among the gifts under our Christmas […]

The Golden Oldies (Christmas Edition)

I’ve often wondered why as we age we are often still drawn to the “golden oldies” of our youth–there’s great music being produced every day, why continue to play the […]

Longest Night Worship Service: For Those Who Grieve and Remember

My sister moved from Kansas to Alaska 25 years ago. Today she and her husband live in Fairbanks. Since she moved so far North, I’ve become more aware of the seasons […]

Revitalizando la Identidad Anabautista: Reflexiones desde el Retiro de Pastores Hispanos

En un mundo cada vez más polarizado y desafiante, las iglesias anabautistas enfrentan el reto de renovar su compromiso con los valores fundamentales de su fe. Este llamado a revitalizar […]

Leaning Into Anabaptism More than Ever

In 2017, author Palmer Becker made it easier for us to talk about what makes Anabaptist followers of Jesus different. Becker’s Anabaptist Essentials reminds us that “Jesus is the center of […]

WDC Dismantling Racism Action Team – Reflections from Workshop at Annual Assembly

I was just at a meeting with some others in our conference who are passionate about indigenous justice and was reminded once again that long ago I promised a short […]

Fortified for Faithful Living

For over 75 years in the community where I live, the local Lions Club has sponsored an all-day pancake feed on election day, as a fundraiser for charitable projects in […]

Changes You Can Get Excited About

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is popularly quoted as saying “There is nothing permanent except change.” Too often we resist change, we wish for the good old days and long for the […]

Investing in Transition

*Pictured: Sandra Montes-Martinez, Texas-based Associate Conference Minister leads a small group study session with Hispanic pastors and church planters. This past spring, we were excited to learn that the Schowalter […]

News Release for Nurturing Children Initiative

News Release for Nurturing Children Initiative Western District Conference of Mennonite Church USA Contact: Kathy Neufeld Dunn, Associate Conference Minister 316-283-6300, kathynd@mennowdc.org October 8, 2024 Western District Conference of Mennonite Church […]

Listen (or Not)!

Jesus said many times over, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” As a trained mediator and on conference ministry staff, I think I’m a pretty decent listener much […]

Sharing God’s Goodness

Recently I joined a group of church leaders at an out-of-town training conference, and one evening we went out for supper and then stopped for dessert at a Dairy Queen. […]

Witnessing the Faithful Givers

The Widow’s Offering Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in […]

What is our “Why”?

*Pictured: Families watch Pastors Laura Goerzen and Luke Unruh lead Communion at First Mennonite Church, Newton KS. Recently I attended an organizational meeting for a new small group at my […]

Rooted, Renewed, and Restructured for the mission.

We are about to enter the fall season and as I travel the roads visiting congregations, I can’t help but compare the changing seasons to the life cycle that churches […]

“Foundational Hope”

I’ve been hearing a lot about hope in the news and on podcasts recently. That makes me wonder, “How do you define hope? How do you live out your hope?” As […]

Worthy of God’s call

*Pictured: “Fields of Hope”, a sculpture by artists Ann Zerger and Chip Parker recently dedicated in Moundridge, KS, by the Moundridge Arts Council and the Swiss Mennonite Cultural and Historical […]

Growing Together as a Spiritual Family

On Sunday, our pastor was preaching on the power of our spiritual family (at church in particular) for growth in faith. As Palmer Becker writes in What is an Anabaptist Christian?, […]