About us
Shalom is a Hebrew word for "peace, wholeness," and "fullness." Shalom Mennonite Church is a congregation in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, that is committed to a community life of discipleship under the lordship of Jesus, the one who offers peace and wholeness. We meet to worship God and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, support one another in faithful living, according to the life and teachings of Jesus. We are sustained and given hope by Jesus' vision of a new humanity, and by God's transformation of the pain and shame of the cross into the joy of Christ's resurrection from the dead. God is making all things new--including us--and we want to join in with what God is doing!
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Who are the Mennonites?
Mennonites are part of the larger Anabaptist tradition, which began around the time of the Reformation. Historically, Mennonites have placed a strong emphasis on discipleship, or following the teachings of Jesus in daily life. God reconciled God's self to humanity through Jesus, who is the vision of the new humanity. This reconciliation continues through God's empowerment of the Church. For Mennonites, this means the Church cares about the things Jesus preached and cared about: living peaceable lives, the treatment of those who are ostracized by society, and justice in every aspect of life, including the social, racial, and economic.
Mennonites are also often distinguished by their commitment to nonviolence. Mennonites believe that the Church cannot and should not compromise its faithfulness to Jesus, regardless of whether this faithfulness runs with or against the state's interests. Instead of following the North American trend of militarism and violence, we follow Jesus' commandment to love our enemies. Ultimately, Jesus is our benchmark for behavior, and to whom we owe our primary allegiance. We believe Jesus calls us to rise above nationalism and other divisive powers, and to entrust ourselves completely to his reconciling work. It is a challenging, exhilarating life!