Why I Covenant with Lombard Mennonite
Kelly Wilson
I have been so grateful to both find and cultivate a home at LMC. I am now in my second year at church here, and I continue to feel affirmed, edified, and embraced. I began my time here with the inauguration of the new mission statement: A worshiping community rooted in God’s love: Following Jesus, Seeking peace and justice, Serving others. I love this statement, and it encompasses much of what I appreciate about LMC.
I have connected with others in small group, potlucks, protests, carpools, coffee hour, and more. The fullness and vulnerability with which people share during worship prayer times have given me the courage to show up in the same way.
LMC draws me deeper into God’s love and gently encourages me to follow Jesus, both personally and publicly. I have been blessed to participate in LMC’s Mission Commission and Mennonite Action Chicago, as practical ways to seek peace and justice and serve others. These ministries proclaim and embody the richness of the Gospel. The good news of Jesus is life and hope in the midst of despair; it is healing wounds and transforming grief and conflict; it is belonging and invitation into belovedness—all this is true for me, for every person, and for all of creation.
I covenant because LMC humbly integrates care for people with action for social justice, all rooted in God’s love.
We’ll celebrate our annual covenant renewal on November 17. Click here to learn more about our membership covenant.
In This Issue
Giving Lags Behind Expenses
Eric Nelessen
I wanted to start by thanking you all for how you’ve financially supported our church so far this year! Together we have raised over $258,000 for LMC’s ministry and mission in 2024.
Through October 31, 2024, our expenses are $293,844, resulting in a net loss to date of $31,454. To be transparent, this has put us in a less than ideal liquidity situation; we are running short on cash to pay all our obligations. To offset the poor cash flow, we’ve postponed some payments for expenses that don’t have rigid due dates, such as mission contributions to Mennonite agencies and certain staff benefits.
It’s common to make annual contributions (such as a qualified charitable distribution from an IRA or one lump sum donation) in December at the end of the year. If this is your practice, would you consider giving a bit earlier than normal this year or splitting your donation into two parts? An influx of giving would be very helpful for the church to continue paying our bills and making our contributions in a timely manner.
Please let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything I can clarify for you!
Profit & Loss as of October 31, 2024
| General Fund Giving | $258,600 |
| Other Income | $3,790 |
| Total Revenue | $262,390 |
| Total Expenses | -$293,844 |
| Net Income | -$31,454 |
From the Pastor’s Desk: Experiencing the Original
Richard Gehring
Last month, Barb and I visited Italy. One highlight of our trip was experiencing Michelangelo’s classic sculpture of David. The massive, 17-foot statue carved from a single block of marble is amazingly lifelike. Every muscle and vein is visible. And the gaze of the young shepherd contemplating his enemy Goliath brings a humanity and depth to David.
We saw this iconic sculpture after spending a week exploring many other great works of art around Florence. This included two full-size replicas of David. But these copies, while skillfully executed, did not evoke the same awe and appreciation I felt when standing before Michelangelo’s original.
There are times when accepting less than the absolute best is necessary. I’m more often satisfied with the $4 burger at our favorite casual restaurant than the $89 Wagyu steak at the big name steakhouse. And we must be willing to compromise when making statements or taking actions as a church to get anything done.
Yet there are times when only the original will truly satisfy. Some Christians claim a Jesus who rebuffs immigrants, supports the war in Gaza, and promises material prosperity. Others declare a “nice guy” Jesus who avoids conflict and never does anything to upset anyone. Neither is an accurate image.
I needed to experience Michelangelo’s masterpiece to appreciate its full significance. And I need to experience the Jesus of the gospels to ensure I’m not following a cheaper copy of the original.
Our Fun and Lively Venture Club
Melissa Miller
It’s going to be a big year for Venture Club—partly because we’re a big group (by LMC standards)! There are nine 6th-8th graders in the group, and everyone who has interacted with the class this year has described them as “lively.” There are certainly moments when we are the opposite of a Quaker meeting.
We meet each Sunday to read the Bible (currently old Testament leaders including Ruth, Samuel, David, Abigail, etc.), learn what it means to be Mennonite, and share about our lives. The Venture Clubbers favorite part is sharing about their weeks; that could easily fill our time together if we let it.
Another favorite is the activities and events that we do in addition to Sunday school. Venture Clubbers joined the MYF (LMC’s high school youth group of 9th-12th graders) for an outing to a corn maze in October. We’re planning a joint MYF-Venture Club trip to an escape room this month. We also have some of the traditional Venture Club events coming up. We’ll enjoy the lock in—when we make Monkey bread, play games, and get lots of sleep (ha!)—in December and sled down to Menno Haven for the winter retreat in January.
We’re enjoying our lively group and looking forward to a great year together!
How to Give to LMC
Jeremy Kropf
As we approach the end of the fiscal year, the Administration Commission would like to remind you of the many options for giving to LMC. We have a new online donation platform known as Church Center (utilizing Stripe) that replaces our First Fruits Giving program.
Church Center—You may donate any time via ACH bank transfer or credit card. You can also set up recurring donations. By providing predictable cash flow, recurring donations via electronic bank transfer greatly help the church finances. For the participant, it aids in the practice of regular, faithful giving.
Cash and Checks—You may give on Sunday mornings via cash or check in the wooden offering box in the narthex. If giving by cash, ask Katharine for numbered offering envelopes so she can track your donations and issue you a tax-deductible receipt in January. Remote worshippers can mail a check to the church.
Zelle—This program, offered by many banks and banking apps, is a free, fast, and safe way to send money. We accept Zelle donations to [email protected]. Zelle offers the convenience and flexibility of Church Center or PayPal without the church incurring any fees. You can also set up recurring Zelle donations to aid in faithful giving.
Stock Gifts or Qualified Charitable Distributions—We accept gifts of stock, as well as Qualified Charitable Distributions from your IRA. We are also eligible to receive donations from donor-advised funds that you might have with Everence, Fidelity, etc.
Credit Card and PayPal—You can donate via PayPal or a credit card on the church website. LMC incurs a small fee for these donations. Thank you!
Matching Grant Supports Deaf Students in Peru
Nina Balmaceda and Roberto Chia-Cherre
Paz y Esperanza (Peace and Hope) is an organization that works in Latin America alongside individuals, families, and communities in poverty so that they can live with dignity, free from violence and injustice.
Tucked into a small corner of the high jungle in the northern Peruvian Amazon, the Paz y Esperanza team in San Martin runs a school for deaf children. Due to extreme poverty, discrimination against indigenous populations, and high rates of extractivism that use deadly chemicals, this region of Peru has both high levels of deaf children and no educational resources available for them. Families with deaf children experience a high level of stigma and shame, which typically results in children being hidden away and oftentimes subject to violence, trafficking, and forced labor.
We are witnesses to the beautiful transformation that can take place for a deaf child when given the skills to communicate, experience the joy of being in community with other deaf people, and have access to education. The kids are the focus, but the ministry also works to support and equip parents and siblings, as well as to offer workshops for community members to learn basic Peruvian Sign Language.
Due to funding limitations brought on by the pandemic, this deaf language school has had to decrease classes to only two days per week. (Besides the educational materials and personnel costs, the school also provides transportation for the deaf students as many of them live in very distant areas.) We are currently working to increase the annual budget so that students can have more days of schooling in sign language in 2025. LMC´s partnership in prayer and financial support through the mission matching grant will help realize this dream and will allow 35+ students to receive education in sign language—as well as their parents, siblings, and other family members—for one year.
Thank you, LMC siblings! We are blessed to see how God is using your congregation and your faithful generosity to transform lives, families, and communities.
LMC Response to Illinois Conference Credentialing Proposal
Caroline Steelberg
Following the March 2024 annual assembly of the Illinois Mennonite Conference (IMC), the Missional Leadership Team presented a single credentialing proposal to conference congregations and requested a written response. The responses would be the basis for IMC credentialing practices around same-sex marriage. The choice of responses to the proposal were accept or don’t accept.
Illinois Mennonite Conference Proposal:
“To acknowledge both our disagreement around the question of same-sex marriage, and our desire to continue together despite these disagreements, IMC credentials of persons who officiate a same-sex wedding or are in a same-sex marriage will be designated ‘at variance’ with the Confession of Faith in the Mennonite Perspective.”
The LMC Ministry Team considered the choice of responses and has made the decision not to accept the proposal. We sent the following explanation of our decision to IMC in October.
LMC Response:
“Dear Missional Leadership Team, This letter is written in response to the request to vote on the Illinois Conference Credentialing Proposal.
“The Lombard Mennonite Church Ministry Team has made the decision that we ‘Don’t accept’ the current Illinois Conference Credentialing Proposal. There are two reasons for this. The Ministry Team does not believe that the proposal is consistent with the spirit of the MC USA Resolution for Repentance and Transformation.* Additionally, the Ministry Team honors the lengthy discernment/consensus process our congregation went through in the spring of 2024 to become a welcoming congregation and agree upon a policy regarding Lombard Mennonite Church pastors officiating at LGBTQ+ weddings. To revisit the issue in the context of church polity right now, was deemed to be potentially disruptive to our church community.”
We wait now to hear the results of the vote from our conference. Please contact the Ministry Team Moderator, Caroline Steelberg, if you have any questions or comments regarding this response.
*A Resolution for Repentance and Transformation (Passed by the Mennonite Church USA Special Session of the Delegate Assembly on May 29, 2022)