MENNONITE FAQs
Q: Can I come to your church even if I wasn't raised a Mennonite ?
A: Absolutely! We're trying to live down a longstanding (and too often deserved) reputation as an ethnic enclave. We're Christians trying to follow Jesus in everyday life. If you'd like to give that a shot with us, or just check us out, please do!
Q: Uh, what do you believe beyond the core values over there?
A: Well, it's not so different from a lot of other Christians. We're trying to follow the Way of Jesus as we live out our lives. "Distinctive" beliefs (still along the lines of a lot of other Christians) would be that Jesus' way always gravitates toward peaceful resolution of conflict. We also practice something called believer's baptism - in other word's you decide to become a Christian when you are old enough to make that decision on your own, and you declare your allegiance to Christ through baptism. There's more to Mennonites than these things, but there's a start.
more FAQs to come ....
Here’s a start at understanding who we are:
We are on a journey to join God in his redemptive work in this region and around the world (church-speak decoder: “redemptive” = makin’ things as they should be). To that end, we are committed to these values:
2007 Focus:
"Being formed into a Christ-like community
to bless this region in Jesus' name!"
Core Values of OVMC:
We value a
Christ-Centered faith. Our faith is based on a joyful, life-giving, life-transforming relationship with Jesus, our savior, Lord, and Friend. We desire to invite others into this relationship, and to deepen our own relationship with Jesus.
We value a faith that is
Kingdom Focused: Living out our faith as a community in relationship with Jesus means that we are always asking the question: “What is God doing in our region (and around the world) and how can we join in?”
We value a faith that is
Holistic : We seek to live so the Way of Jesus permeates every aspect of our lives. The way of Jesus will permeate our lives when we engage in disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, service, and celebration.
We value a faith that is
Relational . Because of God’s desire for being in community with all humanity, our faith is lived out in relationships and community which exist among and beyond us — beyond barriers of ethnicity, class, or any other “dividing walls” that Jesus came to tear down.
We value a faith that is
Reliant : We rely on God the Father to sustain us in simply being his adoring children. We rely on Jesus as our Savior and our Source of understanding how to “do” life as his followers. We rely on the Holy Spirit to Empower us for ministry that is transforming us and the world.
