If you are in or visiting the Goshen area on Wednesday, December 18, we’d love for you to join us at our offices for a Christmas Tea. We will enjoy refreshments and one another’s company before the holidays as a way to say thank you for all the ways you participate in IMMC and to stay connected with one another. We will gather from 1-3pm in the Fellowship Hall of East Goshen Mennonite Church, where the IMMC Offices are located.

• Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love embrace us as we wait and watch for Light in this Advent season.  
• Your generosity in prayer and financial support makes it possible for IMMC staff to journey with and provide resources for congregational pastors and lay leaders. We are deeply grateful!
• Ray Bair and his wife Lillian were longtime leaders in our conference. We celebrate their pastoral ministry at Belmont Mennonite and Belmont Neighborhood Fellowship, along with an amazing legacy in the broader church through stewardship training and the book God’s Managers. We also remember family and friends as they grieve the recent deaths of Ray (November 24) and Lillian (December 2023).

• Joanne and Sharon were blessed by meaningful conversations, valuable resourcing, and tropical warmth at the annual regional church (MC Canada) and conference ministers (MC USA) meeting in Puerto Rico December 4-7.
• Clayton preached at Hudson Lake Mennonite Church (New Carlisle, IN) on December 8.
• Joanne continues to meet monthly with the Leadership Discernment Team of MCUSA.
• Joanne and Sharon participated in Pastors Retreat at Camp Amigo November 22-24, which was led by the Leadership Enhancement Team. Nekeisha Alayna Alexis was the guest speaker.

• Peter Martin will begin as interim pastor at Fellowship of Hope, Elkhart, in January. Joanne will join the congregation on January 12 to lead a litany of commissioning for Peter.
• Teresa Dutchersmith and Sean Swanson will begin as co-pastors at Kern Road Mennonite Church in January. Sharon will lead a litany of commissioning for them on January 12. Steve Slagel will conclude his role as transitional pastor and Sean Swanson ends his role as interim pastor at Kern Road at the end of December. 
• Joanne and LET continue to search for ways that the input sessions led by Nekeisha during Pastors Retreat can be expanded to a broader IMMC pastor audience.

Conference Co-Minister Joanne Gallardo draws our attention to Christmas with ideas for engaging differently than the default. Read more in her article Five things Friday roundup: Thinking outside the (Christmas) box.

Mark your calendars for these upcoming conference events!

• Christmas Tea — join us for our annual Christmas open house on December 18 form 1-3pm in the East Goshen Mennonite Church Fellowship Hall. Refreshments will be provided.
• Spring Summits — join us for these mid-year gatherings will be on March 15 at Belmont Mennonite Church (Elkhart) and on March 22 via Zoom.
• Summer Fest — join us for a celebration of all that has been accomplished in 2023-24 year and look ahead to 2024-25 on June 13-14 at Waterford Mennonite Church (Goshen).