by Javier Márquez
The full version of this article, in Spanish, first appeared in MenoTicias.
Last month, members of the Mosaic staff met online with leaders of Comunidad Anabautista de Medellín (Anabaptist Community of Medellín). During this meeting, the Community’s status as a Partner in Ministry with Mosaic was made official. A support team was appointed for the partnership, with a duration of two years.
Who is the Anabaptist Community of Medellín?
Carlos Sánchez and Nidia Montoya began planting this beautiful project approximately three years ago in Medellín, Colombia. They drafted no specified strategy, but their ministry was not without method.
By visiting families house-to-house, accompanying elderly persons and their loved ones in their final days, supporting young people (Montoya is a psychologist by profession), and offering bread, hot chocolate, and biblical reflection to their visits, a small community emerged. Soon, they began to gather virtually and in-person, with the simple purpose of taking care of each other.
Comunidad Anabautista de Medellín was not a strategic project. Its current form has blossomed out of an organic mission based on service and Sánchez and Montoya’s determination to continue to visit these people.
Another face of the community is a prophetic voice of peace in Colombia. Sánchez (who is a theologian and Master in Peace Studies) and Montoya have participated on behalf of the Mennonite Church in reconciliation processes between actors in the violence which has occurred in the country.
This pastoral couple practices what they preach and remembers that the ecclesial work of Comunidad Anabautista de Medellín takes place both in the houses where they break bread and share the word, and in society, always remembering the call for Christ’s peace, non-violence, and reconciliation.
Delegates from Mosaic Conference will go to Medellín to get to know the church better through an in-person visit in mid-April.
This is the first time that Mosaic has shaken hands in this way with a Colombian community.
“It is significant to be part of Mosaic. We expand dreams, paths, prayers, love, and above all, we support each other. We take the Kingdom to other places,” says Pastor Sánchez.
“Being part of Mosaic Conference is a great joy. It makes me feel part of a great community where the encounter between diverse believers reinforces faith and walking in the footsteps of Jesus… A great commitment!” shares Montoya.
As the author, I must also comment on the great joy this partnership inspires in me. The Conference will be blessed with the Comunidad Anabautista de Medellín, and Comunidad with the Conference. Their mutual identification with Anabaptist theology and their parallel efforts to bring a message of peace and reconciliation in their respective realities are the highlights of this new partnership.
Javier Márquez
Javier Márquez is an Anabaptist Colombian pacifist and poet and a writer for the MCUSA publication MenoTicias.
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.
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)