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This year the theme for Assembly is LIVING CREATIVITY.
“Unless we are creators we are not fully alive. What do I mean by creators?
Not only artists, whose acts of creation are the obvious ones of working with paint or clay or words. Creativity is a way of living life, no matter our vocation…”
Madeline L’Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art
We are planning a weekend of surrounding ourselves with reminders of how our very lives are full of the creativity of God.
Plans are underway for childrens activities that will include art,scripture and play. Nursery care will be provided for the littles. The older youth can look forward to an off-campus activity.
Nursery (0-4), elementary (5-11) and youth (12-18) schedules can be found at the bottom of this page and on the website under the tab "Assembly". We will have permission slips on site at Beth-El for parents to sign.
We will start the weekend Friday evening with a concert by Sadie Gustafson-Zook.(More information below). Saturday will be full of art, worship, learning and sharing. The weekend will end with worship on Sunday.
Important Notes:
~Saturday Lunch is provided by the Rocky Mountain Hmong Mennonite Church and is not included in the registration process. Donations accepted.
~No registration is required to attend the Sunday worship service.
We are looking for your artwork! All ages welcome!
We want to feature creative work from around Mountain States! We welcome your submissions of original visual art, sculpture, poetry, music, drama, dance, etc.!
Pieces can be anything that explores the theme of
The Peaceable Kingdom/Kin-dom*.
One submission per person. Please limit your visual art/pottery/sculpture to 4ft X 5ft
and your musical/poetic/drama/dance productions to 5 minutes.
Please let Conference Administrator Cheryl Beachey, administrator@mountainstatesmc.org know that you are interested in submitting a piece on or before July 10th. Completed pieces can be brought with you to the event on July 26th.
*Kin-dom is a term that was introduced into public discourse by Cuban immigrant/Mujerista theologian Dr. Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz, and it suggests a power-with rather than a power-over beloved community.
Assembly 2024 – Adult Schedule
*Denotes virtual registration options
Friday, July 26
3-6pm Mennonite Agencies & Passion Ministries Display set-up
4-7pm Registration
5:30-6:30pm Dinner, Sponsored by Everence
6:30pm Doors Open
6:50pm Welcome
*7pm Sadie Gustafson-Zook concert
8:15pm Ice Cream Social courtesy of Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp
Saturday, July 27
8:30-9:30am Registration and Continental Breakfast, Sponsored by MDS
9:15-9:30am Icebreakers for all ages
*9:30-10:45am Worship Service
10:45-11am Break
11am-12:00pm Workshops
Denominational Updates
MCC Borderlands
12-1pm Lunch by Rocky Mt. Hmong Mennonite Church (for donations)
*1:15-2:30pm Delegate Session and Conference Updates
2:30-2:45pm Break
*2:45-4:00pm Workshops
*Sharing Arts in our Conference
MennoMedia/Raw Tools
4-4:15pm Break
4:15-5pm Hymn Sing
5pm Dinner On Your Own
7pm Jam Session led by Vern Rempel (bring your instruments and/or voice)
Sunday, July 28
8:30-9:30am Continental Breakfast
*9:30am-10:45am Worship
Workshop Information
Denominational Updates
Michael Danner will share updates about MC USA, including new resources that are available for churches. He will be answering questions you may have about new MC USA initiatives, the role the denomination plays in conferences and in individual churches, challenges and possibilities for the future and more.
Michael Danner, is associate executive director for Church Vitality in Mennonite Church USA, supporting area conferences, congregations and pastors in their ministry. Prior to serving in this role, Michael served as conference minister for Illinois Mennonite Conference. He also has 20 years of experience as a local church pastor, serving 17 of those years as pastor of Metamora Mennonite Church in Illinois. Michael has served in the areas of Christian education, youth ministry, worship and preaching/teaching. His passion is helping local congregations thrive through speaking, writing, training and coaching. Michael has a Doctor of Ministry in Contextual Theology degree from Northern Seminary, Lombard, Illinois, a master’s degree in Religion from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, and a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Illinois in Urbana.
Borderlands Tours
Hear how an MCC border immigration learning tour can help broaden your vision about immigration. Get acquainted with the organizations working at the US-Mexico border and learn about ways that you and your congregation can get involved.
Abraham Díaz Alonso, a Christian immigrant originally from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico,
embarked on a journey with his family to the United States in 2002, driven by the pursuit of
opportunity. Residing in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, where the United
States - Mexico border, and the Gulf of Mexico converge, Abraham currently serves as the
Immigration Program Coordinator with Mennonite Central Committee - Central States Region.
With nearly two decades of lived experience as an undocumented individual in the U.S., coupled with extensive involvement with regional and national immigration and community-focused organizations, Abraham brings a unique perspective to his role. Having successfully navigated the intricate immigration system to attain United States citizenship, his primary focus is supporting Anabaptist churches dedicated to serving migrating and displaced individuals as well as walking alongside community-based organizations leading humanitarian work supporting people on the move.
Throughout his journey, Abraham’s commitment to fostering understanding, education and
support for immigrant communities has made a significant impact. Join us as he shares his
personal narrative and insights into the complexities of immigration, inviting us to reflect on our
roles in building inclusive and compassionate communities.
Sharing Arts in Our Conference:
Conversations and Performance - Art, Dance, Music, Theatre
Moderated by Katrina Toews
In this workshop, Katrina will moderate the conversations with musicians/dancers/artists/etc. from throughout Mountain States Mennonite Conference. Each person will be given 5 minutes to perform or share about their work. Anyone hoping to present during this workshop is invited to indicate their interest before July 10th(see above).
Katrina, founding member of Western Slope Mennonite Fellowship, is Chair of the Assembly Planning Committee. Katrina is an arts administrator, teacher, dancer, choreographer and Pilates trainer. based in Carbondale, she has taught with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and Dance Initiative and is an arts consultant.
MennoMedia & RAWtools
MennoMedia
Hear more about the Anabaptism at Five Hundred project. Learn about the robust resource suite, available in 2025, commemorating the beginnings of our faith tradition that will help inspire people to commit and grow in faith. We will address other resources, books, and music and give a sneak peek into Hannah Martin’s new children’s book about RAWtools.
Mitch Stutzman serves as the Director of Development and Partner Engagement at MennoMedia. Mitch has a passion for the integration of faith and practice while joining together in community to expand capacity. Mitch has a Masters in Christian Leadership from Eastern Mennonite Seminary and is passionate about faith formation in community.
RAWtools
Mike Martin will share how RAWtools is making a difference in efforts to move communities away from violence. Turning guns into garden tools enables storytelling - stories of grief and loss and also magnificent transformation.
Mike is the founder and Executive Director of RAWtools. A former youth and young adult pastor at Beth-El Mennonite Church, Mike is licensed for specialized ministry for the work of RAWtools by Mountain States Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA. He has a BA in Biblical studies.
Mike learned to blacksmith in order to turn guns into garden tools and is passionate about connecting people to nonviolent skills like restorative justice and conflict mediation. He is trained for restorative justice facilitation, dialogue circles, and encourages everyone to explore how they can connect to similar efforts in their community. Mike believes turning swords into plowshares requires a comprehensive approach to gun violence, one that addresses the triggers in our streets, and the triggers in our hearts.
Friday Evening Concert
Every time Sadie Gustafson-Zook (pronounced GUST-of-sin Zook, rhyming with “book”) carves a linoleum block, sews a pencil case out of scraps, or admires the way the ink in her Pilot G-2 glides over her journal, she thinks, “I should be doing this all the time.” The act of creating something tangible is the air Sadie breathes. Her songwriting is the same- weaving an internal dialogue, the stories she tells herself, warm melodies and clever chords into something real, something she can physically feel with her hands and her throat. And chances are that you’ll be able to feel them too. Sadie’s songs have been endorsed by some of the most respected songwriting contests in the country, winning Kerrville Folk Festival’s 2022 New Folk Contest (as well as placing as a finalist in 2020), earning second place at the Rocky Mountain Folk Fest’s Songwriter Showcase, and winning first place at the NewSong + LEAF Songwriting Contest. Sadie has been featured on the Basic Folk podcast and on Folk Alley.
Nursery and Elementary Schedule
(Nursery care - 0-4 years & Elementary program – Kdg. – 5thth grade)
*Highlighted Yellow denotes nursery and elementary-specific programs
Friday, July 26
4-7pm Registration
5:30- 6:30pm Dinner
7pm Performance by Sadie Gustufson-Zook
8:15pm Ice Cream Social courtesy of Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp
Saturday, July 27
8:30-9:30am Continental Breakfast
*9:15am Icebreakers for all ages
9:30-10:45am Worship Service – Sanctuary (Nursery care provided)
*10:45-11:30am Children’s activities (location TBD)
*11:30 – 12:00pm Choir rehearsal (location TBD)
12-1pm Lunch
*1–3:15pm Children’s Activities – (location TBD)
*3:15–4pm Choir rehearsal – (location TBD)
4:15-5pm Hymn Sing
5pm Dinner on your own
7pm Jam Session
Sunday, July 28
8:30am Breakfast
*9-9:25am Children’s Choir warm-up – Location TBD
*9:30am Worship – Sanctuary
(children’s choir sings and nursery care provided)
Teen Schedule
(6th -12th grade)
*Highlighted Yellow denotes youth specific programs
Friday, July 26
4-7pm Registration
5:30–6:30pm Dinner
7pm Performance by Sadie Gustufson-Zook
6:15pm Ice Cream Social courtesy of Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp
Saturday, July 27
8:30-9:30am Continental Breakfast
*9:15am Icebreakers for all ages
*9:30-1045am Worship Service (youth can sit together or with family)
*10:45am – 4pm Adventure Park and out and about in Colorado Springs
4:15-5:00pm Hymn Sing
5:00pm Dinner on your own
7pm Jam Session
Sunday, July 28
8:30am Breakfast
*9:30am Worship (youth can sit together or with family)
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