Rachel Ringenberg Miller will be the worship speaker during the opening worship session at MC USA’s Follow Jesus ’25 convention. Here she gives readers a sneak peek into what “Follow Jesus” means to her.
Rachel Ringenberg Miller serves as denominational minister for ministerial leadership for Mennonite Church USA. She focuses on engaging conferences and congregations, providing resources and services to meet the diverse demands facing congregations today. She graduated from Goshen (Indiana) College and Eastern Mennonite Seminary, in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with an MDiv. She served as associate pastor for Portland (Oregon) Mennonite Church and as pastor of Shalom Mennonite Church in Newton, Kansas. Rachel attends Eighth Street Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana, a Central District Conference congregation. On July 8, Rachel will speak on the topic “Follow Jesus,” during the opening worship session at MC USA’s Follow Jesus ’25 convention, in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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“Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been raised. On the Sabbath he went to the synagogue as he normally did and stood up to read. The synagogue assistant gave him the scroll from the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
“’The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’”
— Luke 4:16-19 (CEB)
In the Gospel of Luke, this is the moment when Jesus’ ministry officially begins. Yes, he has been preaching and teaching in other communities, but here, at his home synagogue, we get the full picture of what it looks like for heaven to come to earth. Jesus is bringing and offering God’s justice, love and peace to anyone and everyone. A new world order is coming. And it begins now.
Jesus begins his ministry by quoting one of the most significant prophets of his Jewish community, the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah lived during a time of war and turmoil and believed that the destruction of Israel was not a result of God’s hostility toward humanity but rather a reflection of God’s deep concern for righteousness and intolerance of injustice.[1] Jesus’ Jewish community, just like the Isaiah’s community, was living in traumatic times. Jesus’ community was living under Roman occupation. Everyday life was a struggle. They wondered if the Messiah, as promised by God, would ever come. Jesus’ community was looking for hope, and they were looking for action.
By reading these words, Jesus reminds the people of Nazareth of their calling — to be a people of justice, peace and love. This remains our calling as followers of Jesus.
Our worship themes for Follow Jesus ‘25 will move us to dive deeper into Jesus’ ministry and what it looks like to live out Isaiah’s words in 2025. The worship themes are the following:
Worship One
Follow Jesus: Expectations for followers of Jesus
Worship Two
Preach: What does it mean to preach good news?
Worship Three
Recover and Release: What does healing look like?
Worship Four
Liberate: How do we join the ministry of liberation?
Worship Five
Proclaim: Let’s celebrate God’s love for us and the world!
When we commit to follow Jesus together, we become a part of something that is much bigger than ourselves. Worshiping with people across MC USA is a powerful and transformational experience. To prepare yourself to participate in worship, here are resources for you and your congregation:
And most importantly, don’t forget to register: https://convention.mennoniteusa.org/.
I can’t wait to see you there!
[1]Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets (New York: Harper & Row, 1962), 101.
The Mennonite Church USA national convention, Follow Jesus ’25, will be held at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, July 8-12.
Register today!
The views and opinions expressed in this blog belong to the author and are not intended to represent the views of the MC USA Executive Board or staff.