May 6, 2024

View as Webpage

“God made my life complete,” the Psalmist once said, “when I placed all the pieces before him.” Psalm 18:20, Message

The words in this Scripture conjure up an image for me of God as a master quilter, taking all the parts and pieces of my life and peacing them together–taking the fragments and creating a whole. And I wonder, what if we don’t need to pull it together ourselves as much as we need to be ‘peaced’ together by another? By our Savior and our sisters?

There are several words for peace in the Scriptures. The one we may know best is shalom. But today I want to focus on another: eiréné. Defined as wholeness, it means when all essential parts are joined together. It’s the opposite of being pulled apart.

Selah.

When a woman, long-suffering and unsolved, came to Jesus to steal a healing, he called her forward. She wasn’t going to get away without a blessing. “Eiréné,” he spoke to her.

“Daughter,” he said with tender awe in his voice, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace (go in eiréné) and be freed from your suffering.” Luke 8:43-48

Be freed from that which has fragmented you.

I love the wording the Amplified Bible uses. Instead of simply saying go in peace, it says go into peace. As if it’s waiting right there for us.

May we go into places where we’re pulled together and not apart, and may we be freed from our suffering. Amen!

I think of the strong admonition in anxious hours that we need to pull it together! Meaning, we need to clamp down and calm down and control our frightened feelings.

But what if the fragments are too far flung for us to gather on our own? What if we don’t need to pull it together ourselves, as much as we need to be peaced together by another? With another? And what if sisterhood was this place of peace to which we might go? It’s here I envision a new kind of sewing circle. One in which it’s not just the fabrics being stitched together, but our very own souls.

May we be peaced together, and may we be freed from our suffering.

Jenny Gehman

MW USA East Coast Regional Representative

Worship visuals are often a vital component of Sunday mornings. Whether you have a table up front that gets decorated and/or banners with both abstract and literal depictions of scriptures and themes. The ways we decorate our sanctuaries set the tone for worship and are an important part of church life.

It’s been our experience that it’s often women who take on this unseen work behind the scenes. We want to celebrate and uplift those who put time and effort into creating a worshipful space that elicits thoughtful reflection. Send us images of your worship visuals that we can share on social media to celebrate this integral component of worship.

#CelebratingWorshipVisuals: Look for social media posts with this tag to enjoy this new collection of images. We hope you'll be as delighted as we are to celebrate the diverse and creative ways we visually set the tone for worship! Find us on Facebook and Instagram.

At a recent Movement of Anabaptist Women doing Theology from Latin America (MTAL) gathering in El Salvador, participating women who are currently receiving International Women’s Fund (IWF) scholarships set aside time to report on the impact of your donations. A special thanks to Linda Shelly at Mennonite Mission Network for coordinating, translating, and delivering these notes to better connect us. Following is the first of this five-part series, this one by Sister Magdalena Góngora (pictured in red).

"Buenas tardes. Amadas hermanas, les saludo en el nombre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Para mi ha sido una bendición poder estar estudiando estos años en SEMILLA. Me ha ayudado a crecer en el conocimiento de la Palabra para compartir en mi iglesia el mensaje, aún para enseñar por los domingos en la escuela dominical. Es una bendición poder aprender más en los estudios con los maestros que nos enseñan. De verdad estoy agradecida. Muchas gracias, hermanas."

"Good afternoon. Beloved sisters, I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For me it has been a blessing to be studying these years in SEMILLA. It has helped me to grow in the knowledge of the Word to share the message in my church, including teaching on Sundays in Sunday school. It is a blessing to be able to learn more in the studies with the teachers who teach us. I am truly grateful. Thank you very much, sisters."

We grieve the sudden passing of Laurie Oswald Robinson who worked as editor for MW USA from 2006-2008. Laurie's first issue of Timbrel magazine focused on the theme of generosity. In the editorial, she wrote: "It is not what we have, but what we give that makes us rich."

Those who knew Laurie know that she lived a life of extravagant openhearted love and care for others. Laurie gave much to many people, and she will be greatly missed. 

Exodus 3 reveals Moses' repeated reluctance to say yes to God's call. This part of the story at the burning bush is in chapter 11 of our latest woman-authored Bible study guide, Abundant Liberation. Sister Samantha reflects:

"God's call is always too much for us. Or, too much to attempt without relying on divine presence, love, wisdom, power. The divine pull on our lives is intended to be followed with God—the good that is ours to do is not plopped in our laps as an assignment to complete and then report back. It always connects us..."

Discussion prompts follow the full reflection, along with a prayer in poem for each chapter. All scripture are included (with permission) from 'The Inclusive Bible: The First Egalitarian Translation.' 

May gathering together in study give us the courage and example to follow our calls.

We are excited to invite you into a meaningful conversation about showing up for friends with mental health challenges: Saturday, May 18 from 4-5:30 pm Eastern. This panel led conversation is for individuals to share their experiences, insights, and strategies for promoting mental well-being in relationship. Panelists include:

Jamie Campbell, UNMH ACT Team, Peer Specialist, CPSW

Rev. Joanne Gallardo, Conference Minister of Indiana Michigan

Mennonite Conference

Deborah Loukas, LPC, MS, PLLC

Learn more and register with your questions of interest today! Together, we can cultivate a more compassionate, understanding, and resourceful community.

Being an MW USA donor makes a way for women to find their prophetic voice and find each other for embracing the whole world in God's mothering love. That is the love of one from whom we are born and the One in whose image we are created. It's the nurturing, embracing, exuberant love of aunties, mentors, daughters and dear friends. And where the world knows this love, people find unconditional belonging, satisfying joy, and lasting peace.

The ways of MW USA involve learning, supporting, listening, sharing, and caring. We learn with each other by gathering around women-authored Bible Study Guides. We support women across the world studying for spiritual leadership with annual IWF Scholarships. We Choose Sisterhood by listening to those who are different. We share our own story by engaging in Coffee and Conversation and writing for the Women's Voices blog. And we care for ourselves and each other through international Sister Care gatherings.

We love in these ways to make as many ways as possible for all to know God's love. Donating makes a way.

Mennonite Women USA

www.mennonitewomenusa.org

office@mwusa.org

Connect with Us