The Bishop’s Note….

A number of people have asked recently what excites me about serving in the Susquehanna Conference. While there are many positives we could discuss, here are a few highlights:

• We have a great team!
• We have increasingly more pastors (and many spouses) who are consistently engaging with their pastors’ cluster.
• We are always one of the best-represented conferences in BIC equipping courses as people are exploring a call to ministry or continuing their credentialing process.
• We are finding ways to utilize gifts and experiences of pastors and lay people across the conference in a way that reaches beyond their local congregation. What is more, people are volunteering to do this! Individuals are saying, “I think I could make a difference here. How can I help?”
• We are working together to help pastors take long-needed sabbaticals and extended periods of rest and reset so they can continue serving their churches with vitality.
• We have many pastors who are renewing work agreements to serve with longevity and consistency in our Susquehanna congregations.
• We have people building relationships and partnerships in their congregations and communities and dreaming about how God may use these to start new works and birth new congregations.

In May, there are two special opportunities that we will have to gather, to continue building relationships, and to pursue kingdom-building partnerships. You will read about those below. These two events are open to anyone who would like to attend, and you will find registration information included.

About Steve: The first taste of ministry my wife and I had was in leading Intervarsity Bible Studies in our college dorms at Lebanon Valley College. The next year I was invited to intern as a youth director at Palmyra BIC (now Encounter Church of Palmyra). That internship blossomed into a full time role as the Youth and Young Adult Pastor. I served in that role for years before leaving to attend Asbury Theological Seminary. Before coming to MCC, I was working as the Next Gen Pastor at a small Mennonite Church in Lebanon County.

Fun Facts: My wife and I honeymooned in Alaska and learned some important bear safety from the locals. First and foremost, "don't worry about black bear, black bear like dog." I was born and raised in Portsmouth NH, the LIVE FREE OR DIE state! My family started making our own maple syrup. Waffle Sunday, anyone!? (We also cloth diaper our kids so that gives you a taste of how we roll). I'm a big fan of the Celtics, Penn State, and the USMNT.

Most excited for...: There are a lot of things that get me excited about joining God in what He's doing through MCC. The three that top the list are working to equip and release the church starting with the excellent pastoral staff and leadership counsel, continuing to proactively bless the community of Mechanicsburg, and doing it all in the context of an integrated church where our kids join in on the mission!

Come, join us! Our next Ministry Development Day is open to anyone who wishes to participate. This is a free event held on Thursday, May 19 from 9:00 – 12:00 with lunch to follow at the Fairview BIC Church in New Cumberland. Registration required: please see link below.

The day will be broken up into two one-hour sessions exploring how we creatively pursue health and multiplication in the post-Covid climate. You will notice in each session, you have an option of which breakout conversation you would like to attend. These will be selected at the time of registration.

SESSION 1:

Option A – “Personal & Organizational Finance” with Mitch Martin

What do I need to know to maximize (or stabilize) our financial resources?

Option B – “Online Discipleship: Is it possible?” – Panel & Discussion Groups

How is our presence online supporting outreach, evangelism, and discipleship?

SESSION 2:

Option A – “Developing a Culture of Generosity” with Mark Templeton

How can we increase Kingdom-building financial participation in our congregations?

Option B – “Multiplying Creative Partnerships” – Panel & Discussion Groups

“How do we use what we have and explore new possibilities to further God’s Kingdom in our community?” 

If you wish to register, please click here. Registration will close on Monday, May 16th.