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Dear colleagues in ministry!
Last week, in a (virtual) meeting of the LMC Conference Executive Council (CEC), we discussed the challenging dynamics pastors are facing around questions about how and when to resume gathered worship services. In the course of our conversation, we agreed that there are more pressing questions, like "What is the Lord teaching us in this experience?" and "What is the Lord saying to us about how to be the church going forward?"
The CEC commissioned a smaller group to prayerfully discern what word the Lord has for our fellowship of congregations. Yesterday, we reached a shared sense of discernment and asked Bishop Stephen Weaver, Assistant Moderator, to share a word with you in the attached video link: A Word To Church
Please prayerfully consider this as a word from the Lord for the LMC family of churches. I urge you to find ways to share this with your congregation so we can all learn together the new things God is inviting us to experience. The circumstance surrounding COVID-19, as painful as they are, may be the best opportunity this generation will have to re-think what it means to be Kingdom people serving our Lord Jesus Christ in His mission to redeem and renew all things.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5.13-16
Finally, Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 21)
In His Grace,
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Dear friend,
We could not have expected that in MCC's centennial year, the world would be hit with a crisis of the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic. MCC was born when people came together to respond to crisis in southern Russia (now Ukraine). In this unprecedented time, we are more grateful than ever for the relationships built over a century of ministry.
Because of the pandemic's impacts, Celebration 2020: MCC at 100, MCC's U.S. national centennial celebration, has been rescheduled to Oct. 17, 2020. (The original dates were June 19-21.)
We hope you will be able to join us in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to celebrate MCC's history; and to recognize the MCC workers, partners and supporters who have made this work possible.
The event has been scaled back to reflect new realities. Here's what we have planned:
MCC East Coast Material Resources Center, 517 W. Trout Run Road, Ephrata
Tours and warehouse demonstrations: quilting, comforter knotting, packing kits, blessing a humanitarian aid shipment. Pancake breakfast.
MCC campus, 21 S. 12th Street, Akron
MCC office and Welcoming Place tours. Children's activities. Music and storytelling tent. Roast-your-own hot dogs/veggie dogs and homemade ice cream.
Manor Church, 530 Central Manor Road, Lancaster
A worship experience to mark 100 years of ministry and give thanksgiving to God. Featured speaker: Leonard Dow, stewardship and development specialist with Everence Financial, former MCC staff member and longtime pastor and MCC board leader. Livestreamed.
We hope to see you this fall! Thank you for being part of MCC's ongoing story.
Grace and peace,
J Ron Byler
MCC U.S. Executive Director
Relief, development and peace in the name of Christ
We've brought these stories together in a video series called "Stories of crossing cultures, engaging the world, and making disciples of Jesus."
As the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our area, please continue to be in prayer for all of the affiliates of Landis Communities. To learn the most current updates, please see 
