Franconia Conference Assembly 2010 kicked off with the music of James Crumbly of Tampa, FL, along with a multiethnic worship team and multilingual worship to help celebrate the life of the conference community. Featuring input from Mennonite Church USA Executive Director, Ervin Stutzman, the highlight of the first night included welcoming a new congregation–Greensburg (Pa) Worship Center–into membership of the conference and Mennonite Church USA.
Saturday’s sessions included conversation around key issues for the ongoing life of Franconia Conference together as well as an invitation to dream of a future together. Congregational leaders told stories of how the LEAD platform for congregational oversight continues to emerge and shape the life of conference churches. New leaders were recognized and introduced to the assembly as well, including persons credentialed for ministry in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Georgia. Executive Minister Noel Santiago led a process of introducing and blessing new Conference-Related Ministries’ leaders.
Moderators John Goshow and Mim Book invited those gathered to continue toward a healing journey and hopeful future for the conference in the midst of a difficult time. Melissa Landis was recognized for her ongoing work in shaping Conference Assembly over the four last years. Randy Nyce, finance committee chair, opened the floor for questions around conference funding and responded as he was able, admitting that not all questions would be answered but that further responses would be developed by the conference board finance committee and shared with delegates in coming days.
Assembly Highlight Video
Conference Assembly 2010 from Tim Moyer on Vimeo.
Greensburg Worship Center Profile Video
Greensburg Worship Center Profile from Tim Moyer Media on Vimeo.» Access online docket materials
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.