The Peace Lab

Can a peace church attract new people without watering down what makes it distinct? What can churches do to be more friendly to people looking for a new church? What's your elevator speech?

We answer these questions and more with Meghan Good, Teaching Pastor at Trinity Mennonite Church in Phoenix, AZ.

Hannah Heinzekehr from PeaceLab joins forces with Bill Seymour of the Ohio Conference Cast to interview Alison Brookins and Ted Swartz about their new play, "Discovery: A Comic Lament."

Jason and Hannah sit down with Isaac Villegas, Pastor of Chapel HIll (North Carolina) Mennonite Fellowship, to talk about mass incarceration, prison ministry, the upcoming Mennonite Church USA Future Church Summit, church unity and more.

Tammy Alexander, senior legislative associate for the Mennonite Central Committee Washington D.C. office, and Saulo Padilla, immigration education coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee U.S., join Hannah and Jason to talk about immigration legislation, the current situation in the United States and ways churches and individuals are getting involved in education and advocacy.

Jenny Perez Castro, coordinator of the Women in Leadership Project for Mennonite Church USA, hosts this edition of the PeaceLab. She talks with Calenthia Dowdy, Regina Shands Stoltzfus and Sue Park Hur about the recent definition of a peace church developed by leaders of color in Mennonite Church USA and about what its like to be women of color and leaders in Mennonite contexts.

Senior Professor of Peace Theology at Eastern Mennonite University Ted Grimsrud joins us to discuss "The Benedict Option", a new book that examines how Christianity should respond to the changing culture.

Hannah and Jason are joined by Michelle Armster and Iris de Leon-Hartshorn to talk about news around the world and throughout the United States. They discuss Anabaptist responses and Christian perspectives on peace and justice work.

Special correspondent Wil Laveist checks in from the SENT church planting conference and talks with three church planters. Hear their stories, learn how peace plays a part in plating churches and more on this episode of PeaceLab.

Hannah Heinzekehr of The Mennonite, Inc. interviews Julia Schmidt, a seminary student committed to launching an immigration resource center in Elkhart County, Indiana.

Photo by The Goshen News/Jay Young. Used with permission.

Jonathan Brenneman has a unique Mennonite Voluntary Service position. It's focused on helping MCUSA engage deeply with the Israel-Palestine conflict. In this episode of PeaceLab, Jonathan talks about his role, the new resolution on Israel-Palestine, his history with the region and more.