I have been a part of the Mennonite religion for quite some time now. The thing that attracted me the most to this unique and amazing religion is our strong belief in engaging and learning from others, and spreading God’s word in the most peaceful way possible. We are committed to service and are passionate about getting out in our communities and making a difference. One of my favorite organizations is the Mennonite Disaster Service, or MDS. Started in 1950, MDS is a disaster relief agency of Mennonite churches in the United States and Canada. I’m proud of this organization because it is a common desire of mine, and other Mennonite followers to seek opportunities to be engaged in peaceful, helpful activity.

To our delight, MDS grew so much that five years later it became part of the Mennonite Central Committee, an inter-Mennonite relief agency! Today, MDS is responsible for relief efforts in the US and Canada, while the Mennonite Central Committee is responsible for organizing disaster response efforts in international settings. Another organization that is important to me is the Peace and Justice Support Network. Created in 2002, this amazing network is open to anyone wanting to support the work of peace and justice, something that is core in the Mennonite religion. The PJSN focuses on these main goals:

*creating and keeping clear the vision of peace and justice in Mennonite Church USA
*promoting the expansion of peace and justice through gatherings for inspiration
*providing counsel to Mennonite Church USA agencies and Executive Board
*sharing and publicizing resources for congregations,
*communicating peace and justice work to the wider constituency.

Being a part of these beneficial agencies and spreading God’s word is extremely rewarding and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to help so many people.



www.mennoniteusa.org/