For some of you, this may be the first Bridgefolk communication that you have received in some time—perhaps years. We are still a grassroots movement with a minimal administrative structure. As such, our communication has sometimes lapsed. We are working to communicate on a more regular basis.

In 2022, we celebrated the 20^th Annual Bridgefolk Conference at Saint John’s University, after having had to cancel the conference in 2020, due to the pandemic, and having an all-virtual conference in 2021. At this 20-year juncture, we dedicated several sessions to discussing what the next 20 years might look like. How have things changed since Bridgefolk began in the early 2000s? What are the challenges we face today as Roman Catholics, Mennonites, and the broader church? How do we maintain our ecumenical friendship and conversation in the coming years?

We are experimenting with something new in 2023. We have discerned that holding an annual Bridgefolk Conference may not be sustainable. One idea that emerged in our 2022 conference discussions was whether we might partner with like organizations in holding joint conferences.

To this end, Bridgefolk will be a co-sponsor of the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s Rooted & Grounded Conference September 28-30.

Joetta Handrich Schlabach

Executive Director

Who is Bridgefolk, again?

Bridgefolk is a movement of sacramentally-minded Mennonites and peace-minded Roman Catholics who come together to celebrate each other's traditions, explore each other's practices, and honor each other's contribution to the mission of Christ's Church.

To refresh your sense of who we are or share with friends, here are two resources from the Bridgefolk website:

• The Bridgefolk Story
• Why we "proceed through friendship"