Dear Friends:
We received word this past Saturday that Kenneth Seitz, Sr., age 91, passed away in Harrisonburg, VA. Kenneth served for many years as a missionary to Mexico for the Franconia Mission Board, 1958 – 1978. He was among the first of Franconia’s missionaries to Mexico and is highly regarded among the Mexico churches as a founding and “father” leader. Kenneth pastored in Virginia prior to going to Mexico and after his return he pastored at Line Lexington Mennonite in Franconia Conference. In his later years he retired to Harrisonburg, Va. where he also served as a chaplain for a few years. Kenneth died on Friday, June 6, 2008. His funeral was held Tuesday, June 10 at Mount Clinton Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Va.
In 1937 Kenneth married Grace Hebner from the Plains congregation, who died this past December. Kenneth & Grace farmed and raised their family in the Lansdale area until Kenneth went to college at Eastern Mennonite University in the early 1950’s. Kenneth was a rather stern disciplinarian in his early years. He was also a learner and in his later years he grew to become a gracious, kind, and non-judgment person. We extend our love and thanks to the three sons and three daughters and their off-spring who follow after.
Noah Kolb
Pastor of Ministerial Leadership
Franconia Mennonite Conference
June Prayer Gathering
You are invited to the June prayer gathering on Saturday, June 14, at the Mennonite Conference Center, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. This will be a unique opportunity to hear from Amish brothers from Montana and Idaho who will be visiting this area. Brother Ben Girod is a bishop in the Amish community there and has been a leader in the Anabaptist Swiss-reformed reconciliation process. Ben carries a burden for spiritual renewal and unity in the Anabaptist community.
Thursday Pastors’ Breakfast
The next Thursday Pastors’ Breakfast will be held at the Mennonite Conference Center on Thursday, June 19 from 8 – 10 a.m. Christina Alderfer, Administrator of the Agape Prayer Ministry School, will be speaking. The Agape Prayer Ministry provides an organized, thorough approach to healing based upon forgiveness. Come to learn more about this ministry resource for your congregation. This will be the last Pastors’ Breakfast until September. A continental breakfast will be served. Please register for this event by June 16 by contacting Melissa Landis.
Learning Community Forming
A Learning Community called “Deepening the Spiritual Lives of Congregations and Leaders” is being formed and hopes to begin meeting in the fall of 2008. Some of the goals of this group would be: learning to “be” instead of just “do”; nourishing intimacy with God as part of discipleship; not just finding God for others but for ourselves as leaders, too; dreaming with other leaders in our congregations how deepening spiritual growth might happen in each of our settings; letting our missional journey lead to a deeper spiritual journey. Both pastors and lay leaders are invited to be a part of this group. If you would be interested or would like more information about this learning opportunity, call Dawn Ruth Nelson. For general questions regarding Learning Communities, contact Walter Sawatzky.
Notice of Closing
The Mennonite Conference Center will be closed on Monday, June 23. Staff will be attending a Conference Board meeting held during the day at Lakeview Mennonite Church in Susquehanna.
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.