Finding Renewed Life
Barbara Krehbiel Gehring
In our women’s Bible study recently, we reviewed John 15 and 16 in our new Anabaptist Community Bibles. One of the study notes especially struck me. In reference to verses 4-5 it included this comment: “We need to stay connected to Christ in order to produce fruit. Our primary responsibility is fellowship with Christ.”
Wow! In a world tugging us in so many directions—a world where life and death needs alongside everyday work add up to too much too often—we often forget what our primary responsibility is. Fellowship with Jesus implies a relationship, not just right beliefs or service on Christ’s behalf. Without fellowship with Jesus, can our service or our beliefs really bear fruit?
Often around this time of year I must remind myself of what scripture passage we chose as our verse of the year back in September. Focusing on our mission statement’s line about following Jesus, we decided on John 8:12—“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Whether we lean into John’s characterization of Jesus as the vine or the light, in these images we find a savior and Lord who gives fruitful life and illuminating light to guide our path.
What a beautiful promise! When the demands of life and vitriol of the world threaten to drain life out of me, I dwell in the promise of my primary responsibility and know that in fellowship with Christ, I may find my life.
In This Issue
Holy Week
Plan to join us for our Holy Week and Easter services. We’ll gather for a Maundy Thursday service (including footwashing and communion) on Thursday, March 17. On Easter Sunday, we’ll celebrate our risen Lord with an early service, Easter breakfast, and worship service including communion. More details in the coming weeks.
Welcoming Pastors Barb and Richard!
Caroline Steelberg
Lombard Mennonite Church welcomes Pastors Richard and Barbara Krehbiel Gehring to another three-year term as the lead pastors of our congregation. The Ministry Team approved and renewed their covenant for May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2028. Each term includes a three-month sabbatical, which Barb and Richard will take sometime between mid-May 2026 and May 2027. They share a 1.25 position, meaning that they are each contracted to work about 25 hours per week.
This is Barb and Richard’s third term as pastors at LMC. They were just beginning to settle into the routines of our congregation when the Covid-19 pandemic caused an immediate lockdown, followed by the long-term adjustments that were necessary to create a safe environment at church and maintain a virtual church community. Fortunately, those days are over and we are able to meet in person again. We have enjoyed Richard and Barb’s gifts for preaching, their involvement in the educational formation of adults and youth, and their steadfast guidance through a consensus process related to welcoming groups of individuals who have not always been acknowledged within the broader Mennonite faith.
My personal experience with Pastor Richard and Pastor Barb has increased as a member of the Ministry Team. I have seen firsthand how committed Barb and Richard are to our congregation, how well they know us, and how they humbly model following Jesus.
Supporting Vulnerable Communities
Jamie and Rebecca Huff
Because of the faithful and steadfast generosity of LMCers, the Mission Commission was able to allocate $6,200 from the 2024 budget surplus to organizations engaged in actively caring and advocating for the rights and well-being of vulnerable communities in DuPage County, Chicagoland, and worldwide.
Our giving to Immigrant Solidarity DuPage ($1,000) will support local community organizers and activists seeking to educate and mobilize DuPage County residents to promote the rights and collective struggles of Latino communities. We directed a significant part of the surplus ($3,200) to World Relief Chicagoland, whose funding to support newly arriving refugee and asylum-seeking households has been severely impacted by the Trump administration’s recent executive orders.
We allocated $1,000 to Mennonite Action to assist with ongoing work for peacebuilding and liberation in Palestine, and for more recent solidarity initiatives for undocumented neighbors in Chicagoland.
We’ll share the final portion of the surplus ($1,000) with Asociación Casa Adobe, a nonprofit association directed by Ruth Padilla Deborst (a former LMC member) that seeks to be good neighbors through the care of humanity and the environment in San Jose, Costa Rica. This money will support the organization’s Casa Esperanza initiative, which offers comprehensive services and temporary housing to migrants in Costa Rica.
Mission Matching Grants
Is your heart calling you to serve a particular ministry or organization in 2025? There’s still time to apply for a mission matching grant! LMC’s Matching Grant Program aims to enhance our congregation’s support and involvement in ministries and organizations that align with LMC’s mission, vision, and values. Applications are due by April 6, 2025.
Parking Lot Plans Moving Forward
Jeremy Kropf
Good news! Although it was not a full permit review, the Village of Lombard identified just a couple of changes to our parking lot design relating to the aisle width and the accessible spaces. Seeing that April is a busy month, we will hold an information session on the renovation project plans on Sunday, May 4.
Save the Date for Vacation Bible School
Nathan Perrin
Summer program announcement: Vacation Bible School is officially on the calendar! Our dates are July 21-25, from 9-11 AM. VBS is a loving, amazing ministry that serves both LMC’s youth and the broader community. VBS is a great opportunity for kids to create special memories and experience God in a unique way. For volunteers, it’s a chance to get to know our youth better and help them see they’re an important part of our church family. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact me directly.
Changes Coming to Ten Thousand Villages Glen Ellyn
Carlen Sellers
LMC’s Ten Thousand Villages store in Glen Ellyn is facing significant changes in 2025. Ten Thousand Villages Corporate (in Akron, Pennsylvania) is shifting its business model and leaving the retail business. They have laid off many employees and are closing the stores they own.
Our Glen Ellyn Villages store, run by a board of directors and owned by LMC, will be on its own. Villages Corporate will cease the many support roles, such as marketing and promotions, they formerly handled for stores like ours. We may need to change our name and rebrand ourselves in the marketplace. We’ve already had the unplanned cost of replacing our point of sale system (cash registers and inventory control) with very little notice from Corporate.
Our store’s board of directors includes LMCers Sharon Ewert (Chair), Kristin Crawford, Carlen Sellers, and Margaret Zapata. We are a very small group with an important mission and could use your help!
First, please shop at the store. We have a product mix that is better than ever before and includes more food items, baby gifts, accessories (like Conscious Step socks), and even cosmetic and bath products.
Second, consider volunteering at the store for as little as a few hours a month. Volunteers are our lifeblood.
Third, we are looking for board members with skills such as marketing and branding to help us in this year of transition. If you have any of these skills or know someone who does, please contact Sharon or Carlen.
Finally, we would like more opportunities to bring our exceptional fair-trade products to groups in the community. If you are involved in an organization like a church, school, or club, we can bring our store to your location. Please contact Sharon or Carlen to discuss.
New Era for Illinois Mennonite Conference
Richard Gehring
Delegates gathered for the Illinois Mennonite Conference (IMC) Annual Assembly on Saturday, March 1, at Camp Menno Haven. In addition to business such as hearing reports from denominational ministries and adopting a budget, this year’s gathering featured several things that I had not experienced in the previous five assemblies that I’ve attended.
Most significantly, the executive conference minister role is filled for the first time since 2018. The position is shared by Eric Potter, Bryan Miller, and Cal Zehr. The assembly offered a blessing to them as they begin their work together.
We also welcomed a new conference moderator. After faithfully serving as moderator for many years with two interim conference ministers and during the pandemic, Darrell Miller gratefully handed over the responsibilities to Anne Munley. Darrell was confirmed to continue in the role of conference treasurer.
The moderator’s report included notice that IMC leadership adopted a policy designating pastors who perform same-sex weddings or who are in same-sex marriages as “at variance.” This policy was proposed at the 2024 assembly following several years of discussion. A canvas of congregations over the past year resulted in seven churches affirming this policy, three churches (including LMC) not affirming it, and one formally abstaining.
Another highlight of the day was the session with Drew Strait from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. He offered a very interesting and thought-provoking presentation based on his book, Strange Worship: Six Steps for Challenging Christian Nationalism.
For more information on IMC and the annual assembly, visit the conference website: illinoismennonite.com