South Central Mennonite Conference PO Box 564 Hesston, KS 67062 .620.327.4187

a Regional Conference of Mennonite Church USA

Church Plant Prepares for Launch

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Eden Life Church is continuing to organize and plan for its official launch day of March 25, 2018.  They are planning to launch with one service on March 25 that will start at 10 AM and will be primarily in English.  Other Sundays they will continue with three services in different languages at their church building located at 3244 Independence Ave, Kansas City, MO 64124.  Before the services start, there will be a prayer meeting in English from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.   The first service then will be held on Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. in the Amharic language for immigrants from Ethiopia.  The second in English will be held in the afternoon at 2:30 p.m.  The third service will be in the Anuak language at 4:30 p.m.  This schedule each week will require a lot of work and energy for Pastor Omot and Hanna Aganya who speak all three languages.
–James Wenger
Regional Conference Minister

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Journey@McPherson celebrated their fifth anniversary on Sunday, January 28, with thanksgiving to God and a fellowship dinner of soups and pies. In its beginning the church met in rental space in the local middle school with a trailer load of furnishings to set up and tear down every Sunday morning. They have since bought and substantially renovated a former grocery store one block off Main Street in downtown McPherson. A current focus is the development of children’s and youth ministries including an after school arts and music program that runs Monday – Thursday. Current pastoral staff in the picture are Zach Batson, Worship Pastor; Howard Wagler, Lead Pastor; Kevin Wilder, Associate Pastor; Jim Ostlund, Campus Pastor; and Josh Wardle, Youth Ministry Intern from Central Christian College.

–Clarence Rempel- Regional Conference Minister

https://sccmenno.org/2212-2/

Eden Life Launch Needs

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Eden Life Church was able to purchase a building from the Assembly of God as a meeting place for their church at 4233 Independence Ave in Kansas City, Missouri..  The nine families that are helping with this church plant provided the down payment with some help from “friends of Eden” and the sellers are providing financing.  Eden’s goal is to start a multiethnic congregation for immigrants from Ethiopia and other African countries as well as second generation immigrants and Americans.  The building has an attractive sanctuary that will hold 160 people on the second floor and classrooms and a small kitchen on the first floor.  The plan is to officially launch the church on March 25, 2018.  At the present time they are meeting at the building and they are trying to prepare for the official start of their church.  They plan to have an English service at 9 am, an Amharic service at 11 am and a service in the language of the Anouk people in the afternoon.  They have announced two pre-launch services which they are inviting people to attend on November 26 and January 7.  
Omot and Hanna Aganya and their children are the church planters for Eden Life Church.  They report that they need a number of things to help them be more successful in officially starting church on March 25, next year.  They would like to have the following items available in either new or in good condition.   If individuals or Sunday School classes would like to help with these needs, you can give the funds to South Central Conference and they will be forwarded to Eden Life Church.  Thank you for your support and prayers.
  • projector  ~ $1,000 new
  • laptop computer      ~ $500
  • screen     (There is a possibility that one will be made available for them)
  • Web site and Facebook (if purchased it will be about $1,500; is anyone able to help them?)
  • banner and new church sign   $500
  • A mailing to everyone in their zip code would be about $1,000.  (They have more contact with Ethiopian people, but they want to let English speaking people also know about the English service).
–James Wenger

Eden Life Church Purchases Ministry Space

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On September 28, 2017 Eden Life Church in Kansas City, Missouri closed on a church building where they can worship and reach out to their community.  The church is located on Highway 24 in the east central part of Kansas City at 4233 Independence Ave, 64124.  In the next few weeks, the members will be painting and fixing the building and a new roof will be installed.  Church planting Pastor Omot Aganya believes that this building can help them reach people of Ethiopian, Sudanese and other African backgrounds living in that area.  Some of the services will be held in the native languages of the immigrants, but Omot intends to also have an English service for English speaking immigrants, second generation immigrants and Americans.  His vision is that they will be able to reach people of different ethnic groups and that they will be able to worship together in the same building.  South Central Conference is supporting Omot half time for up to three years as a church planter.  Eden Life Church purchased this building with seller financing.  Continue to pray for God’s protection and guidance for this new witness.
James Wenger