LANCASTER, Pa. (Mennonite Mission Network) - A Sept. 25 meeting at Neffsville Mennonite Church gave an Argentine delegation and delegates of Atlantic Coast Conference churches a chance to reflect on a three-year collaboration between two groups of churches who joined hands to promote mission in both of their contexts.
Mennonite Mission Network has accompanied the ACC-VEMZO (Evangelistic Missionary Vision for the Western Zone) partnership from its inception and continues to provide structure and counsel.
The delegation from Argentina shared stories and reports from their work. Facilitator Raúl García turned to the ACC church representatives saying, “We hope that you feel you are participants in all that we are doing in Argentina.”
In response to reflections from ACC participants hoping that the spiritual richness and enthusiasm they experienced in Argentina could become more fully a part of their church life, Daniel Galmes said: “The churches in the North helped a lot with the blessing of arriving in Argentina years ago and establishing churches; we’d like to help you in the ways we can.”
Mennonite Mission Network’s director for Latin America, Linda Shelly, said, “Mennonite Mission Network is interested in the impact in Mennonite Church USA congregations as they become more missional, and also the impact in the Argentine context as a result of the mission projects in the regions of Iglesia Evangélica Menonita Argentina (Argentine Evangelical Mennonite Church). We have seen the value of the relationships between churches in the North and the South.”
The Argentine delegation also preached in four churches, visited homes and work places of church members, met with the Hispanic Mennonite Church leaders in New Holland, volunteered at MCC’s Material Resource Center and attended a baseball game during their stay from September 22 to October 2.
