Join Us for Summerfest!
Linea Richards
It’s finally here. Break out the ice cream makers and the lawn games because Summerfest is this Saturday, August 1, from 4-7 pm at LMC. Everyone is welcome to our annual summer celebration of food, fun, and fellowship!
The festivities begin at 4pm with yard games. If you have a favorite game, bring it along and help lead the fun.
We’ll enjoy dinner at 5:30pm. Please bring a side and/or dessert to share (homemade ice cream if you can!), along with chairs or picnic blankets for your family. Please label what you bring for those with food allergies. (We’ll have labels and markers available if you forget.)
LMC will provide lemonade, condiments, hamburgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, buns (including gluten-free options), and ice cream toppings.
If you’re able to help with setup or cleanup, or if you have any questions, please contact Linea R.
See you soon at Summerfest!
In This Issue
Escape to the Great Outdoors: LMC’s Annual Retreat at Camp Menno Haven!
Mona Richards
For years, LMC’s retreat at Camp Menno Haven has been a cherished tradition—a weekend where we step away from the daily grind to gather for fun, fellowship, and worship. Mark your calendars for September 12-13, 2026, and prepare for an unforgettable time in God’s sanctuary.
Whether you are looking for high-energy adventure or a quiet moment by the water, there is something for everyone:
- Adventure: Scale the climbing wall or hit the hiking trails.
- Water Fun: Go boating or take a dip in the pool (weather permitting).
- Fellowship: Gather for singing, s’mores around the campfire, and community recreation.
Located just over 100 miles west of Lombard, near Princeton, Illinois, Camp Menno Haven offers 231 acres of beautiful scenery. You pay only for your lodging and $7 per person for meals for the entire weekend. LMC covers the rest!
We have lodging options to fit every preference and budget:
- Hotel room: $180
- Bed in the women’s or men’s dorm room: $70 per person
- Entire dorm room (8-10 beds) for just your family or small group: $210
- Campsites: $38 for RV sites or $28 for tent sites
- Day Use: $12 for individuals or $36 for families
Ready to join us? Just click the Sign Up button.
If you’re still finalizing your September schedule, we’ll also have sign-up links and QR codes in upcoming e-news and bulletins. But don’t wait too long. The deadline to register is Thursday, August 27. (We must provide final numbers to the camp by this date so they can prepare meals and staffing for our arrival.)
If your group wants to reserve an entire dorm room, please contact Mona or Evan as soon as possible to ensure we have enough space.
We can’t wait to experience the beauty of nature and the joy of fellowship with you. For more information, see Evan or Mona Richards.
MYF Travels to Costa Rica
Dominick Rhodes
Our trip began on the morning of Saturday, July 11, when we met at the terminal early to catch our 9am flight. We flew into Liberia and then rode a bus for two hours to reach the town of Cuatro Cruces, where we stayed for most of the week.
Everyone in the community immediately welcomed us with warm hospitality as we watched the World Cup and discussed the logistics of the week. Our MYF group got split into pairs to stay with host families for the week.
The following morning, we met at the church in Cuatro Cruces with the rest of the congregation and then traveled to a nearby river, where we held the worship service that day. We got to witness the baptisms of former LMCers and MYF alums Elena and Melia K. After church, we enjoyed free time swimming in the river and playing volleyball and soccer.
Over the next four days, we did work projects such as repainting soccer goals and basketball hoops, digging ditches, and even installing water drainage pipes. We’d work in the morning, then share a lunch with the whole community. After a little more work in the afternoon, we’d spend the rest of the day playing games and bonding with the community. We would eat dinner and spend the evenings with our host families.
On Friday, we left Cuatro Cruces with some of the community members and spent the day at the beach. We had a lot of fun!
We departed for the airport the next morning, and everybody was sad to say goodbye. We all agreed that the trip was a very eye-opening and insightful experience, and that we had all made lifelong memories. We are truly grateful to LMC for this opportunity and to the whole community of Cuatro Cruces for their hospitality.
Love Your Neighbor Day
Nathan Perrin
Love Your Neighbor Day is right around the corner! Join us on Saturday, September 19 as LMC continues its tradition of serving the community at this annual event.
Each year, volunteers from churches in Lombard and Villa Park come together to help neighbors who are unable to keep up with basic lawn care and home maintenance. This community-wide effort was initiated by the Christian Church of Villa Park and continues to be a meaningful opportunity to serve our neighbors in practical ways.
If you’d like to participate, please fill out the volunteer application (download with the button) and return it to Pastor Nathan by September 1. Helpers receive breakfast and a great opportunity to make fun memories. Love Your Neighbor Day is an exciting way to get to know our neighbors and be the hands of Christ for others.
There are also ways to serve before the event. Volunteers are needed to contact local government leaders, nonprofits, restaurants, and businesses to seek sponsorships and community support. If you’re unable to participate on September 19 but would still like to help, consider serving in one of these important roles.
Additionally, if you know a homeowner in the Lombard-Villa Park area that could use something like Love Your Neighbor Day (help with yard work or basic maintenance), contact Nathan for a copy of the homeowner’s application.
Greetings from Paz y Esperanza: Ministering to Families and Women in Bolivia
Jonathan Raber
Editor’s note: Thank you to all who contributed to the 2026 mission matching grant for Paz y Esperanza Bolivia. Jonathan Raber is the new executive director at Paz y Esperanza and sent along these thoughts.
Greetings Lombard Mennonite. Your partnership continues to be a blessing as families encounter God’s love and justice through the team of Paz y Esperanza Bolivia. As you know, they continue to provide legal and mental health services, both individual and group counseling and therapy, for families experiencing various forms of abuse. We are witnesses of the abundant life that Jesus came to give as lives are transformed by this ministry!
Please pray for the local team as they continue to lead prevention efforts in communities that have been marginalized around Santa Cruz. This is critical for getting to root causes of violence and teaching children, young people, and survivors of violence of the equal dignity of women and men.
Rabinder Chandra, the director of the local team in Bolivia, recently shared this beautiful imagery of the ministry: “Peace and equality are not built at distant desks; they are sown through face-to-face conversations in the heart of our neighborhoods. Each workshop is a space where women and men deconstruct painful sexist beliefs, transforming a culture of imposition into a theology of care and mutual respect.”
At Peace and Hope International we believe it is critical for us as the North American church to be in firm solidarity with our siblings who are facing violence. Not because they need us, but because we need each other. To support and equip local leaders through a mutuality that advances the kingdom of God and brings about more life for us all. Thank you for being a part of this ministry and your continued support of the team in Bolivia.
