Sunday, March 26
- 9:30am CCMC Worship with Zoom connections (contact Anne for details on how to join)
- 10:45am NSMC Christian Formation using the study guide for Living More With Less
Tuesday, March 28
- 7:00pm ARCC meeting (contact Anne for details on how to join Zoom)
- This meeting will be a brainstorming session. Everyone should bring a topic or issue that they want to discuss or investigate. We will be able to plan ahead and contact visiting speakers, etc.
- Contact Gerry for a summary on the presentations, files, and discussions from the past year as a springboard for future discussions.
Thursday, March 30
- 7:00pm Bible Study (contact Anne for details on how to join Zoom)
Sunday, April 2 Palm Sunday
- 9:30am NSMC Hybrid Worship at Civic Center and Zoom (contact Anne for details on how to join Zoom)
- 10:45am Christian Formation using the study guide for Living More With Less
- 12:00pm Potluck
The Mennonite Church USA Executive Board welcomed Mosaic Mennonite Conference Moderator Angela Moyer Walter and Assistant Moderator Roy Williams to its online Zoom meeting on Jan. 28, 2023. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/news/eb-mosaic-moderators
After a three-year hiatus, Mennonite educators from 14 different schools from across the United States and Albania gathered together in Leesburg, Virginia, Feb 2-4, for the Mennonite Educators Conference, which was hosted by Mennonite Education Agency, the education agency of Mennonite Church USA. Jenn Esbenshade, director of curriculum at Lancaster (Pennsylvania) Mennonite School, reflects on her time at the conference here: mennoniteusa.org/better-together-2
Hopedale (Illinois) Mennonite Church recently sponsored a two-day comforter blitz for Mennonite Central Committee, a ministry partner of Mennonite Church USA, on Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. On Sunday, Feb. 5, Hopedale Mennonite Church blessed the people who made the comforters and prayed for the recipients of the comforters. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/making-comforter
What are the anchors that hold you in both your work and your own personal wellness? Ingrid Friesen Moser, wellness coordinator with Mennonite Church USA’s The Corinthian Plan, the health plan for MC USA pastors and church workers, discusses what has anchored her over the years. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/my-well-being-anchor
–from Creation Justice Ministries 52 Ways to Care for Creation
Women’s History Month
Learn about women making environmental change! Some inspiring creation justice heroes include Dr. Vandana Shiva, Sister Dorthy Stang, and Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai.
–from Creation Justice Tips | United Methodist Church
Become a “Creation-Care Thinker”
Love God; love God’s creation: Become a “creation-care thinker.” At home, at work, at school, at church, in your organizations, with your friends, through your voting—approach any opportunity with the mindset of caring for creation. Speak up with ideas. Help others see the possibilities and take action.
Buy the Way You Believe
More and more products are available, for example, shampoo, laundry detergent, food wraps, hand soap, toilet paper, and phone cases. Companies like these are looking out for the earth, not just for their bottom line. Many of them also donate a portion of their revenue to other causes that support the environment. Align your purchases with your values.
MCC Thrifty 50 Challenge
Do you want to help our planet but aren’t sure where to start? MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) Thrift is celebrating their 50th anniversary by issuing 50 challenges to help us be more equipped to care for our planet. We’ll include one challenge each week for the next 50 weeks.
Week 42 | Let’s take the disposable out of diapers
Did you know that it takes up to 500 years for one disposable diaper to decompose? And the average baby uses six to eight diapers a day for the first two and a half years of their life. That’s 7,300 tushy covers headed to the landfill for just one kid!
For this week’s challenge, consider using cloth diapers with your little one. Not only will you help reduce the amount of waste that gets thrown in the trash every week, there are also benefits for you as well as your baby’s bottom. Cloth diapers are:
- As economical as they are reusable. They can be a big investment up front, but if you check places like Facebook marketplace you can find good ones secondhand.
- Healthier for your baby as they are made of soft, breathable absorbent material helping to prevent diaper rash.
- Soft and comfortable as they are lightweight and typically made from natural fibres.
Don’t have little ones of your own to tackle this challenge with? How about gifting cloth diapers to your friends who are expecting littles?
Kitchen Tip of the Week
–from The Washington Post
Offer food family style
Serving family style means people can serve themselves what they want. This minimizes food waste compared to offering a set portion served on a plate. Leftovers can more easily be distributed among guests.