Below is a picture of our kids having fun at Vacation Bible School

We are a member congregation of Mennonite Church USA which is the largest Mennonite body in the world. We are a part of the Mennonite World Conference. We believe in the core values of historic Anabaptists and Mennonites with a Christ-centered faith that is completely Bible-based.

Many people confuse Mennonites with the Amish. It is important to note here that Jacob Amen led a group (called the Amish) to leave the Mennonite Church when he thought it was becoming too "worldly". It is for that reason that the Amish are much more primitive and do not allow outsiders to join them. As Mennonites we believe that it is important to remain culturally relevant while still holding to biblical faith. Finally, it is important to note that there are several very "conservative" groups of Mennonites who are similar to the Amish or somewhere between them and Mennonite Church USA.

If you have any further questions please contact us at [email protected] or go to this website http://www.mennoniteusa.org/

Below is a picture of Pastor Nelson Shenk

We believe that spiritual formation in the life of a Christian believer is essential. Here are some guidelines for living as a follower of Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Formation in the Congregation

�People today are less interested in just thinking about God while being much more interested in knowing God.� observes spiritual director and author John Ackerman, who served as a pastor for four decades. Congregations can promote members� spiritual growth toward a greater intimacy with God as individuals and small groups, lay leaders and clergy, worship and education, become formed more fully into the body of Christ and become aware of Christ in them. There are several effective means of accomplishing this which are outlined below. Some of these are very specifically for the individual, while others involve groups and are outwardly focused. All of them will assist in growing deeper in a personal relationship with Christ.

Meditation:

Untangling the day-to-day issues in our complicated lives can seem daunting. Time to sit quietly and reflect is rare. If we are fortunate, we have good friends or close family members with whom to talk things through and find clarity, but many times we feel isolated and lonely. As people of faith, we can add another layer to our reflections when we wonder where God fits into our lives. In a broad sense, theological reflection happens any time that we wonder about God, our faith, our beliefs, and our values. This is a discipline that needs to be built into our weekly schedules � time to stop and reflect on God�s Word and the Holy Spirit�s voice in the midst of our harried lives. This can happen alone or with other people, but without it we tend to push God out of our lives until there�s a crisis. Stopping periodically to notice God along the way is one of the most life-giving activities I encounter. This can be done by simply sitting quietly and listening for God�s voice, or by using a passage of Scripture for meditation. No matter what it involves some silence and probably some solitude as well. It is likely one of the most neglected disciplines of North Americans in that we tend to be �workaholics� who rarely take time alone with God. This is a powerful tool for slowing down our lives and keeping in step with God.

Bible Reading :

There are two primary forms of Scripture reading. One is to read for personal inspiration and connection with God. The other is to more diligently study the text by looking up cross references and reading notes or commentary on the passage. It is recommended that you use the first approach in your personal devotions on a daily basis. He second method can be used in several settings � in preparation for teaching, with a Sunday school class or small group, and any other place where Bible study is being done. It is good to have a balance between these two approaches so that your knowledge from study can assist you in your devotional reading.

Prayer:

God is calling all of us into deeper lives of prayer and a longing for our congregation to become a place of prayer. It would be helpful for each of us to explore questions such as, �Who taught you to pray and how?� �What do you believe about prayer?� �What is your image of the God to whom you pray?� and, �What is prayer anyway?� By examining our understanding of prayer perhaps we can commit ourselves to more and deeper prayer lives. Let�s decide to pray for often and believe that God wants to do great things in us and in our congregation. This commitment involves both regular, disciplined times of prayer as well as appropriate prayer offered throughout the day as needs and situations arise that call for prayer. It is also important to participate in corporate prayers with other Christians. This group activity can help us to find more faith to believe God will answer when we pray. It can be inspiring and an act of community to pray together more regularly with fellow believers.

Worship:

Worship is also something that we can do in a variety of settings, although we tend to think of it mostly as a Sunday morning activity. One can experience meaningful times of worship by listening to music, paying attention to nature, taking a walk, sitting under the stars at night, or just singing and praising God in our own way. The key to all forms of worship is that it should be a time for honoring and revering God � for giving God the praise that only he deserves. Since worshiping by yourself tends to be rather limited, corporate worship is probably the most likely way you will find to worship God. There are several ways that you can contribute to healthy worship � prepare your heart and mind before entering into worship; open yourself up to the voice of God�s Spirit (be receptive); give thanks for those who are leading the worship and pay attention to the spoken words and songs that have been selected; try to push out distractions that draw your attention away from God�s presence; participate with your whole being; expect God to speak to you through worship. Worship is clearly intended to be a two-way street between us and God so enter in completely and allow God to touch you.

Sermons:

Frequently people will mention that a sermon was �boring�. One might say that �boring� is in the mind of the listener. Let�s begin by assuming that a preacher has prepared adequately and has something important from God to say to the congregation. If that is the case then there is also a �burden� on the listener to discover what it is that God wants to say through this sermon. Although a preacher should work hard to present God�s Word in an interesting and intriguing manner, each listener is also obligated to pay attention by following along, opening the Bible, and taking careful notes. It can also be very effective to pray for the preacher before the sermon, and to pray that God would open our minds and hearts to receive a message empowered for us by the Holy Spirit. A sermon is not one-way communication, but rather it involves the preacher, the listener and the Holy Spirit.

Sunday School:

Whether it�s called Sunday school or adult education or any other one of numerous titles, the point of classes that gather on a Sunday morning is to help each Christian become stronger in their faith. It is impossible to be become a strong, committed follower of Jesus Christ by only attending a worship service once a week. If one's only biblical input is what you hear a preacher say in a Sunday morning sermon you will be hard-pressed to grow as a Christian. For these reasons one should avail themselves of Christian education classes that most churches offer either before or after the Sunday morning worship experience. As is the case at Boyertown, most churches work hard to offer a variety of class options that range from specific Bible study to book studies to study of important issues. Also, Sunday school classes nearly always offer times for fellowship, sharing, and prayer with others who care about us. If you don�t find exactly what you need for growth you would do well to find a few other people with similar concerns and begin a class with them. However, no matter what your situation is, Sunday school is an important part of developing a deeper faith and walk with Christ.

Wednesday Evening Services:

The great advantage of a midweek service is just that � the opportunity to receive fresh input and empowerment in the middle of our active week. It can serve to refresh us and set us back on the right track after several days of �living in the world�. As we have done at Boyertown, many churches are including three primary activities � worship, prayer, and Bible study. Inherent in these gatherings is also fellowship that is informal. The Wednesday evening service is intended to further one�s spiritual growth while at the same time offering a time to pray for one another and honor God with our worship.

Small Groups:

Some people view small groups as sort an �extra� church activity for those who want to have something else to do. However, time has proved that small groups are integral to church growth. It is through small groups that individuals find more connection, discover the �real� lives of other believers, are able to ask their questions, find wonderful fellowship, and realize that this is a �safe� place to invite unchurched people to participate. Small groups usually do this with a simple formula of informality, simple Bible study, sharing with one another, praying together, and fellowshipping over a simple snack. In spite of its simplicity small groups can be a key source of vitality in congregations.

Caring Ministry:

Pastoral ministry is not the task of the �paid� pastor alone. It is essential that churches encourage and promote �one another� ministry in which believers demonstrate compassion to each other. Although the pastor will continue to provide significant pastoral care, each member of a congregation needs to view caring ministry as part of their role as a Christian. For example when someone goes to the hospital there are so many ways for others to get involved � visitation, phone calls, card-writing, meals, prayers, etc. Wouldn�t it be so much better if hurting members were �overwhelmed� with pastoral care ministries from within the congregation? The discipline that gets developed here is one of thinking about others more than oneself. It is a powerful opportunity to show love and compassion to others, and it will give you such a sense of meaning when you obediently serve others.