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Our primary goal is to develop churches and leaders where the church is weak or non-existent. There are plenty of opportunities for that right here; we are excited about the new frontiers developing for us for church planting in the U.S. and Canada. Once a church is planted, we work with them closely for four years to resource and coach them in getting off the ground. After that, we continue in a less formal relationship.
Because of the amount of history EMM has with overseas churches, we are finding that second, third, and fourth generation people from EMM church plants abroad that are emigrating to the U.S. show a natural interest in connecting with EMM, to assist in planting churches among their own immigrant communities in the U.S. A great deal of our work is focused on these non-English or Spanish-speaking communities.
We are working to ensure that converts from different cultural backgrounds do not feel pressure to leave their cultural heritage and behave like ethnic German-American Mennonites. We have therefore been diligently developing and resourcing leaders within culturally-based networks of churches, so that they may be able to form indigenous Anabaptist churches at home in their own cultures, and continue to draw people from their ethnic background.
– Lawrence Chiles, area representative to United States and Canada
Significant ministry connections:
Spanish Mennonite Council
Diamond Street Community Center
Partnering conferences/churches:
*Good News Fellowship
Franklin Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
Global Community Network
*New York Mennonite Conferences
* Represents conferences EMM was involved in the formation of
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In 2006, 56 people served in:
Administration, Church planting, Church elder, HIV/AIDS, Millersville International House, Pastoring, Youth work
Current long-term opportunities
to serve with EMM in North America >
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through relief and development
projects >
Read archived stories about North America
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