IMC and CDC Ordain Debra Sutter

Evanston, IL – On Thursday, October 26 the Illinois Mennonite Conference Church Life Team, along with Central District Conference Minister, Doug Luginbill and CDC Ministerial Committee member Ardean Friesen (via skype), interviewed Pastor Debra Sutter for ordination at Reba Place Ministry Center.

Debra Sutter is a pastor at First Mennonite Church of Champaign-Urbana, where she has served on the pastoral staff since 2015. She has been a member of the church since 1991.

Following a time of questioning, the team voted unanimously to affirm Debra’s ordination. This concludes a two-year period of licensing towards ordination, which is a season of confirming the initial call to ministry. Debra, the congregation of First Mennonite, and the credentialing bodies of CDC and IMC all confirm that there is evidence of God’s call to ordained ministry in Debra’s life and ministry.

This is a joyful time in Debra’s life, the local church, and the wider church where we celebrate that God calls and equips God’s people to serve God’s church. We recognize that God does this in many ways. One of those ways is the call to pastoral ministry in the church.

An ordination service is planned for November 19, 2017 at First Mennonite Church.

For more information about ministerial credentials within Mennonite Church USA congregations, please read A Shared Understanding of Ministerial Leadership, published by Menno Media.

Olak Sunuwar Licensed Towards Ordination

Rogers Park, Chicago, IL – On April 5, Olak Sunuwar, a member of the pastoral team at Living Water Community Church in Rogers Park, met with five members of the Church Life Team (CLT) of Illinois Mennonite Conference (IMC). Olak graciously answers questions from the CLT concerning his theology, practice, life experiences, and calling to ministry. After a time of deliberation, Olak was granted a license towards ordination.

Olak was accompanied by his co-pastors Pastor Kristin Jackson, Pastor Stephen Lamp, Pastor Amos Shakya, and staff.  The CLT consisted of Charlotte Lehman, Doug Roth, Curt Fenton, Kim Litwiller and Michael Danner.

Licensing towards ordination initiates a two-year process whereby ordination candidates continue in cooperative ministry with the congregation. At the end of that period, the congregation will either confirm the candidate’s gifts or suggest an additional two-year period of testing. At the end of the licensing period, ordination candidates go through another interview process at the request of the congregation. At the end of that period, candidates are ordained.

Please welcome Olak to the team of credentialed pastors in IMC.  We’re grateful to have him as part of the wider church, even as the congregation of Living Water is blessed by his ministry in their midst.