Spotlight on Peace in Turbulent Times
Richard Gehring
For centuries, Mennonites and other Anabaptists have held to a strong peace theology based primarily on Jesus’ life and ministry. One of the seven Shared Convictions of Mennonite World Conference affirms this teaching by declaring, “The Spirit of Jesus empowers us to trust God in all areas of life so we become peacemakers who renounce violence, love our enemies, seek justice, and share our possessions with those in need.”
This understanding of nonviolence stands in stark contrast to what we see around us. From the murder of Charlie Kirk to ICE agents killing protestors in Minneapolis, political violence is rising. A PBS survey conducted in September found that nearly a third of those polled agreed that “Americans may have to resort to violence in order to get the country back on track.” The number of those willing to use force increased by 50 percent in eighteen months.
In this context, our message of peace and nonviolence is essential. Violence and deadly force are not an appropriate response to political differences under any circumstances. The ends do not justify the means.
Over the next three weeks, each of the pastors will preach on our own personal convictions and commitment to nonviolence. Drawing on the words and example of Jesus, we will reaffirm traditional Anabaptists peace theology. I invite you to join us as we explore and recommit to our longstanding dedication to peace.
In This Issue
World Café Sunday Series on Welcoming
February 8, 15, and 22 at LMC!
Caroline Steelberg
What does it mean to be a welcoming congregation at LMC? This is the question we will explore together in a three-week series of small group table discussions—café style—in February during the Sunday school hour.
You may think to yourself, “What do we need that for? I’m friendly and feel welcomed already at LMC!” But put yourself in the shoes of a person who is marginalized or “othered”. Would you want to contribute your gifts of time, money, and devotion to following Jesus within our community? Or would you feel more accepted, nurtured, and able to express yourself honestly elsewhere?
The intent of this World Café series (on February 8, 15, and 22 during Sunday school) is to offer everyone a voice as we explore how we can become a more welcoming congregation. Through facilitated and guided questions, we will work together to strengthen our understanding of what it means to be welcoming at LMC and develop tangible possibilities for becoming a more inclusive church.
Did I mention FOOD? Yes, there will be treats; a dessert bar on February 8, savory snacks on February 15, and a potluck on February 22 after the Christian Formation hour.
Can’t make it to all three weeks? No problem, come when you can. Your seat is waiting at the World Café!
Advent Giving Project a Huge Success
Katrina Baugh
The Mission Commission is delighted to share that we far surpassed our goal of raising $4,000 for the Advent Giving Project in December. With donations totaling $5,270, we were able to provide even more support than we had hoped—to more places than we hoped for! Our original goal was to give roughly $1,000 each to four projects, and we ultimately supported five.
Along with a care package and a card signed by our congregation, we gave Ana and Berclin $1,000 to help make ends meet during the holiday season.
Under the leadership of Rebecca K. T., Vecinas Unidas was able to meet every request they received from immigrant neighbors, aided by our $992 contribution.
We contributed $1,500 to Love INC, building on the $409 we had already given this highly local and impactful organization earlier in the year from our Special Missions Project budget.
Another $1,500 went to Immigrant Solidarity DuPage, adding to our previous $500 gift from the same budget. This is only a piece of our story with ISD, as many in our congregation have been volunteering regularly with their People’s Patrol.
Finally, we donated groceries and $278 to Outreach House. Our support of Outreach House has been ongoing throughout the year, thanks in part to Elias R.’s volunteer service and fundraising through the Crop Hunger Walk. We also took a freewill offering during The Cotton Patch Gospel event this fall. The 2025 budget included a $500 line item for a food insecurity project, which the Mission Commission allocated to Outreach House during the government shutdown. We were able to help them respond to a significant increase in demand during that time.
I feel so proud and grateful to be part of such a generous congregation, with a Mission Commission that is so attentive to the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors.
Phase Four Renovation Update
Jeremy Kropf
It has been several months since my last renovation update. A lot is happening in the background as we prepare for major construction this year.
If all goes well, in March we will excavate the classroom wing foundation to install waterproofing and insulation, and to upgrade the foundation drain. For safety and security, the entire wing will be surrounded by a chain link fence to protect the excavation site.
We also plan to submit the permit application for parking lot construction in February and to select a paving contractor by the end of March. At that point the construction schedule will be in the hands of the contractor.
Think about who you can carpool with during parking lot reconstruction and please leave the closest parking spaces for those who need them.
Capital Campaign Update
Katharine Richert
Is the LMC congregation excited to redo the parking lot and refresh our Christian Formation spaces? Just ask the money. Our pledge total for the Phase Four Renew. Restore. Rejoice! capital campaign now stands at $416,950, almost $100,000 more than our campaign goal of $320,000! What’s more, fully 56%—$233,830 to be exact—of the total has already come in. Of the fifty pledging households, 22 have already completed their pledge.
Thank you for this tremendously faithful giving. Our campaign is succeeding through widespread participation and donations given over a variety of schedules through September 30, 2027. Every contribution, big or small, is important and plays a vital role.
If you have any questions about your pledge or available giving methods, please contact me. Thank you again for your generous giving to our Phase 4 project.
From Retreat to Bistro: A Busy and Joyful MYF
Gray Taylor
From January 15-18, the MYF went on our annual winter retreat to Camp Menno Haven. Although there wasn’t any snow and it was very cold, we still had lots of fun!
The theme of the weekend was the fruit of the Spirit and how we can use those fruits in our lives. We learned about how what we let into our hearts affects what fruits we bear, and I think we all found it a very powerful and inspiring message.
In addition to the worship sessions where we learned about this message, we participated in lots of other fun activities. Some of the highlights of our weekend were rock climbing, playing board games, doing full group activities, eating delicious meals, singing great songs, and having meaningful discussions together. Overall, it was a really great experience that we all enjoyed!
Speaking of MYF activities, we have our annual Bistro coming up soon on February 7 from 5:30 to 8pm. The Bistro is a full Italian meal in a pop-up restaurant held at LMC. Here is the link to make a reservation: Bistro Reservations 2026. The meal is free, but we will be accepting donations to fund the MYF service and learning trip to Costa Rica this summer. We can’t wait!
