Our yearly pastor retreat is coming on November 22-24 this year. We invite pastors to mark their calendars and for congregations to please pray for those who will attend. Registration is coming soon!

• John F. Murray (1932-2024) was a long-time pastor in our conference, serving the Hopewell Mennonite Church in Kouts for 30 years. Following retirement, he assumed numerous interim pastorate and overseer (congregational coach) roles. We celebrate the profound impact of his life and ministry among us. You’ll find his obituary here.
• Volunteers serving on conference leadership teams are gathering for our annual All Teams retreat September 13-14. We are deeply grateful for the wisdom they bring to our conference ministry.     

• The Journey Leadership Development Program met September 6-8 at Amigo Centre for a weekend Learning Event. Rebeca Benavides, from Piedra Viva Mennonite Church, continues as a student in the program, with Deb Byler serving as her mentor.
• Sharon met with the transition team of Fellowship of Hope in Elkhart on August 16.
• Joanne preached at Belmont Mennonite Church on August 18^th.
• Transitional and interim ministers reflected on Acts 6 and articles from Alban at Duke Divinity School about Managing Pastoral Transitions when they gathered on Wednesday, September 11. Sharon Yoder facilitated the conversation.

• Healthy Boundaries (HB) training is required every 3 years for all credentialed leaders. We will host HB 201 (hybrid) on November 13, led by Nancy Kauffmann and Michael Danner. Topics will include self-care, Safe Church, and trauma & boundaries. Click here to register. Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary will host HB 101 (in-person) in February 2025. Virtual 101 and 201 trainings with Western District Conference are available in October; more information can be found here.  
• Becky Helmuth began as pastor (1/2 time) at North Goshen Mennonite Church on September 1, joining Izaete Nafziger on their pastoral team.  She continues as interim pastor (1/2 time) at East Goshen Mennonite.
• Ursula Hess, a member of Waterford Mennonite and graduate of the Journey Leadership Development Program, was granted a License toward Ordination on August 27, for her ministry as a chaplain.  

Joanne Gallardo, conference co-minister, shares about the joy of pumpkin spice and other flavors that enhance our lives in her Five things Friday roundup: Taste and see pumpkin spice.

Connect with the land and life through a weekend retreat centered on restoring healthy relationships with all of creation. Take time to slow down, walk the paths, paddle the water, and simply be in community with all that is around you.

Sarah Augustine will be speaking throughout the weekend on the theme of climate, creation care, and decolonization. She is the Executive Director of the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery, a national coalition with global reach.  Read more about Sarah.

An optional tour of the Dowagiac River Restoration Project  will be available for participants Saturday afternoon. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi have re-meandered a section of the Dowagiac River.  Jennifer Kanine, director of the Pokagon Band Kowabdanawa odë kė will be taking interested participants on a tour of the project (about 35 minutes away from Camp Friedenswald).

For information about the retreat: https://friedenswald.org/retreats/