January 26, 2012

Wanted: Host/Hostess for Rosedale International Center

Rosedale Mennonite Missions is looking for individuals or couples who would like to volunteer at the Rosedale International Center in Columbus for three months at a time. During busy times at the RIC, we could use help with tasks like taking care of guests, cleaning, and some light maintenance and grounds work. There are also opportunities for service in the surrounding community.

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January 19, 2012

Locally Grown: Spotlight on Community Outreach

“Locally Grown” is a new column in the Mosaic. Each month, we hope to feature stories about what local churches are doing to reach out to their communities, as well as ideas and advice from RMM personnel and others. If you are aware of a local church with a creative and effective ministry, let us know! Just e-mail mosaic@rmmoffice.org.

Nathan Olmstead is one of RMM’s board members. He and his wife Denise and their five children live in Croghan, New York, where Nathan is pastor of Iglesia Hispana Luz Y Vida (Light and Life Hispanic Church), a church plant of Naumburg Mennonite Church. We interviewed Nathan about his work with the Spanish-speaking community in New York.

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January 17, 2012

Current Branching Out Campaign Numbers

Through December 31, 2011, RMM received $1,650,888 toward the campaign. That brings us to 39% of the $4.2 million goal.

We were blessed by some significant contributions to the campaign at the end of the year! In November and December, we received a total of $118,000 designated for the campaign. (From January to October of 2011, we had received a total of $131,400.)

January 15, 2012

Christmas in Chile

Excerpts from the REACH Chile blog written December 28, 2011

Feliz Navidad from Beth, on behalf of Team Chile!

What a week! Feelings were a bit all over the place with our anticipation of Christmas. We were missing our families, familiar holiday traditions and foods, and a general joy that Christmastime brings, but we were all looking forward to celebrating together as a team, and Skyping with our families on Christmas Eve.

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January 09, 2012

News from Thailand

Contributors: Andrew Sharp and Lynn Troyer, from the January Beacon

New Team Members

We are excited that Joe and Lynn Troyer, with their son Brennan, recently joined the Thailand team in Bangkok for a two-year assignment as missionary apprentices. They will focus on learning the culture and language in their first year, then transition into more outreach and ministry in their second year. The Troyers are from Hartville, Ohio. A short introduction to each of them:

Brennan is currently five (his birthday is July 10). He will be starting kindergarten in May 2012. Joe and Lynn are hopeful that during their first six months in Bangkok, he'll do well with language acquisition and socializing with other children. His current interest is playing with toys, and Lynn says it will be wonderful if he's that passionate about beginning school in Thailand. In addition to dinosaurs and cars, Brennan likes snakes, fish, and spiders.

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December 15, 2011

Missing Faces: RMM Makes Major Budget Cuts

By Andrew Sharp, Staff writer

Repeated projections throughout the year of a looming financial crisis have become concrete reality at RMM, where upcoming spending cuts will include the elimination of several staff positions in the face of a projected shortfall that could have exceeded $300,000 in 2012.

The board and administrative staff made decisions on the cuts in November. RMM workers were sobered by the news of the elimination of three positions by the end of the year—Director of Church Relations (Tom Beachy), Donor Relations and Development Coordinator (Shawn Eicher), and RIC Maintenance Staff (Randy Nisly). Additional budget cuts came through a reduction in salaries and retirement benefits for all employees in the office and in the field, along with other miscellaneous reductions in spending.

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