You've seen this sign in town
“No matter where you are from, we’re glad you’re our neighbor."
It’s a simple message in three languages – printed on a sign that first appeared in October at the Immanuel Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The signs are now located in many communities around the country, including Bluffton.
According to Pastor Matthew Bucher of the Harrisonburg church, the message was a statement born out of Mennonite belief.
"This is a symbol of Jesus' command to love your neighbor," he says. "And as followers of Jesus, we follow someone who was himself a refugee."
The message has spread beyond their faith. In fact, the yard signs were intentionally designed not to specify a connection to the Mennonite church.
Local distribution of the signs began with Paula Snyder Belousek, pastor of Salem Mennonite Church, Elida, who first picked up a few of the signs at a Mennonite seminary in Elkhart, Ind.
Later, she and some friends in Bluffton decided to have more signs printed locally and organized distribution.
Stories Posted This Week
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
- Fire extinguished at SRK Industries, plant resumed operation same day
- October 6 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- Bluffton girls tie Grove in NWC showdown
- Pirate volleyball falls to powerhouse Patriots
- BHS GOAT: Latin teacher Margaret Weaver
- Library patrons invited to showcase their collections or causes
- September 2026 land transfers in the Bluffton school district
Monday, October 5, 2026
Sunday, October 4, 2026
- Bluffton Fire Dept. extricates passenger following I-75 crash
- Crumrine leads October 8 Watercolor Workshop
- MCHO opportunities to trick or treat, donate candy
- ALA Banned Books Week
- Pirate boys soccer blanked by Celina
- Hancock Public Health confirms measles case in Findlay
- Timeline for October 10 Dillinger robbery reenactment and motorcycle show
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Friday, October 2, 2026
- John "Jack" Palte, 88, was a farmer
- Nature walk at university Nature Preserve, Oct. 3
- ICYMI: September 2026 Bluffton Icon Highlights
- Walking through Autumn series brings hikers to Bluffton
- Pirate volleyball win vs. Spencerville
- Pirate boys soccer ties Ottawa-Glandorf
- Pirate girls soccer loss vs. Toledo St. Ursula
- Can you bake a winning pie?
- Library seeks Holiday Gift Auction donations