Latest News
Many of you have heard of the "WATER Program." 42 students from around the country and Canada spent a week on the SMBI campus for classes, team development activities, and other ministry orientation. Now, they are spread around the world for 4 1/2 weeks of apprentice-type training with partner ministries. They are nearby in Oldtown, MD, and beyond to Arkansas, Florida, New York, and South Dakota and internationally in Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Ireland, Kenya, Mongolia, and Liberia. Pray that they could both be blessed and be a blessing in this experience!
Thank you for following the tour the past weeks. Your interest and prayers were an encouragement and appreciated. ![]()
– Sharon Singers music can be purchased at the music store on SMBI.org ![]()
– Sharon Singers music can also be found on Spotify and other digital platforms![]()
-The 2025-2026 fifth term tour will travel to the west coast![]()
– Registration is open for all terms in 2025-2026 at SMBI.org
smbi.org
Thursday, June 12![]()
Summer has already been happening in case someone forgot. At SMBI, the days and seasons all kind of run together, but we are reminded that today is in fact our last day on tour! A rather short day. It's a bittersweet time. We say parting good-byes and move on to other hellos, in anticipation of what the summer may hold. After a short travel time of 2 hrs we arrived back at SMBI. 4,670 miles later. How did 20 days go by so quickly and yet feels like a lifetime… and we all made it and are still living and breathing normally? (because there's not a lot of personal space on a bus with 35 people for 3 weeks!) Day in and day out, the bus rolled along with a fine group of people. Through fishing villages, past creeks and rivers and oceans, and along winding roads through green hillsides…on and on we went. Lots of songs were sung and programs were given. It seems like we should feel more dramatic than we do about the exotic places and the experiences we just came from, but in many ways we are the same people we were when we left Bible School several weeks ago. Sure, a lot has changed internally for each individual as we have blessed many and been blessed by many. The memories of the people we met, the beauty of the places we've been, and the lessons we learned along the way will linger in our hearts for a long time. We dare not take for granted the good things God has blessed us with and the privilege we had to go on this impressionable tour. ![]()
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Tears were shed and many laughs were laughed… Never ceasing Rook games and plenty of Tim Hortons coffee in Canada seemed to be an all time favorite. Our sharing/prayer times were always special and helped us focus spiritually and reminded us every day what we were there for. We have a few more stories to share than we did several weeks ago: like the time 2 of the guys followed 2 random ladies on an elevator in hopes of finding a bathroom only to put the poor women in shock after innocently telling them they are following them. And an "anonymous" choir member falling asleep in conversation at a host's home, with Josh telling the hosts not to worry about him… A slight workout equipment injury (in the basement of a host's home) for several choir girls who were bursting with laughter as the mom yells down the vent that she's happy to hear laughter and the sounds of girls making themselves at home…meanwhile a fellow choir girl was grabbing tissues and "mopping" up blood while politely yelling up to her that a good time is definitely being had. ![]()
*As far as everyone knows, we are a nice normal choir…*![]()
-Cheyanne Weaver![]()
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From all of us, thank you for the prayers you've prayed for us as a choir. We really appreciate all the support!! God is good and we are thankful🤍
Wednesday, June 11![]()
Well, we left Amherst Massachusetts with pack lunches tucked away… graciously given to us by the church there. High-low-buffalo and a devotional by Zach started our first leg of the days journey. We traveled along and in one of our 1.5 hr slots of travel time, we pulled the box of impressions from the safety of the overhead bin and to some people's delight and others dread we started the process of signing everyone's impressions. After a quick stop at Walmart for bathrooms and a bite of lunch, again we sped on. Because of heavy traffic we were put behind schedule and had to rearrange a few stops; cutting some out and adding others in. Does it really matter which rest stop we choose to pull into? A nice Pilot gas station was chosen in southern Connecticut… and after pulling into the parking lot someone exclaims, "There's Wendell Nisly!" Low and behold, the Shenandoah Chamber Choir decided this particular Pilot was a nice option to swing in at. Choir meets choir… kinda funny, eh? We couldn't have done it if we tried. Felt to this Montana girl a bit how it must be in the life of a Pinecraft migrant. Turns out we gather around in a circle up right there in the gas station and had a little sing-song. They sang to us, we sang to them. Than we all sang one verse of a song together until a very business minded woman decided to stand up for several complaining customers and we politely boarded our respective busses and parted ways-one headed North and the other South. There was a lot of excitement and some nervousness to sing at Lebanon Valley Mennonite Church (which I learned is NOT in Lancaster according to those who know PA better than I do) because of a host of familiar faces in the audience for many of the choir members. It was a special evening singing our songs together for the last time. I think back over my day and can remember the honking of the bus horn in hopes of scaring an innocent girl. Looking around the bus and seeing people happily engaged in a good Rook game. Meanwhile, others are huddled close, having good conversation. Still others are yawning, because who isn't tired…? Giving a little wave to friends in the back of the bus, I realize how much this specific group of people has blessed my life and made it brighter and better just because of who God created each one to be.![]()
-Cheyanne Weaver
Tuesday, June 10 started by waking up from the most wonderful sleep, of which was difficult, and resulted in almost being late to breakfast. We had wonderful hosts who gave us a delicious breakfast. We then made our way to the bus and set off. I was awakened in the middle of my two hour nap by some chaos and then cheering as the men of the bus made their way back on. I was quite confuzzled by this and inquired of why we were cheering for them and why we were stopped. Turns out a tree had fallen across the road, not terribly large from my understanding, but enough to need most if not all of the guys to move it. After that, I proceeded to finish sleeping and woke up when we got to the Connecticut River museum in Massachusetts. There were also trails that went along the river that most people explored. After we got back into the bus, we made another record for count off. A whopping 3 min 8sec. (There were some late comers) ![]()
Then we arrived at the church and went to Coronation Cafe, which had some wonderful food and drinks. It also had a piano that multiple people helped themselves to. Most people wandered around town, and several of us accumulated in a park and played spike ball and threw football. Then we met at the parish (which was actually like a large cathedral) that we were to give our program in and practiced our songs. The program went well. It was also our second to last program, which is kinda sad. Later I found out that a lady was positive me and Allie were twins, it made our day (we do look very much alike; we’re often assumed to be siblings) Then some of us piled on to the bus to get dropped off at different locations where we would be picked up by our hosts. ![]()
Also found out that my hostess for the night is my 2 1/2 cousin and found some other connections with other people, so that was cool! Also, the room Teresa and I were staying in had a king bed, so that was extra nice. Anyway, good night! — Tiana Troyer
Introduction to SMBI
The Lord of the church has given his body a variety of gifts and roles “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). This verse contains a three-fold directive for every born again follower of Christ. As saints, we are called to move toward and into the ongoing work of sanctification and perfection in our own lives. As Christ works in us, we become His hands and feet continuing the ministry of redemption which He initiated before mankind ever needed redemption. Finally, since we are designed to function as a body and not an isolated ear or foot, we must band together as a body to build up and encourage our fellow pilgrims as we journey together.
At Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute it is our vision to function as a support to churches and families as together we endeavor to see these directives fulfilled in our lives and the lives of our students. We have no desire to become another option in the smorgasbord of entertainment and diversion, but rather to be a dynamic tool that God can use to perform His work in and through each of us. We appreciate your support as we strive to perfect the saints, equip them for ministry, and build up the body of Christ.
Clifford Schrock, Administrator
Nondiscrimination Policy
Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and other school-administered programs.