by Emily Ralph Servant
One of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had in recent years was participating in an Anabaptist songwriting retreat in 2023. I used to write worship music regularly when I was in my twenties, but ministry, life, and family had taken over and I had begun to wonder if that part of my creative expression had been only for a season.
Reconnecting with the gift of songwriting brought a long-lost part of me back to life. In the process, I began collaborating with friends, both old and new, and discovered the joy of songwriting with others. Iron truly sharpens iron as friends take something you’ve created and make it infinitely better.
On Saturday October 4, Mosaic Partner-in-Ministry Neffsville (Lancaster, PA) Mennonite is co-sponsoring a one-day songwriting retreat in Lancaster. Anyone is welcome, whether you’re an experienced songwriter, trying it for the first time, or returning songwriting after a decades-long dry spell. There will be opportunities for solo writing, collaboration, and sharing your music with other Anabaptist songwriters.
As we await what the future holds for our conference, I truly believe that God’s Spirit is putting a new song in our mouths–a hymn of praise that tells the story of God’s surprising work among us (Psalm 40:3). May you hear the melody and have courage to sing it.
In 2023, Ralph Servant collaborated with Makinto (LA [CA] Faith Chapel) to co-write a song that was shared first at the Mosaic Conference 2023 Fall Delegate Assembly. Here them reflect on the process of writing that song together:
Emily Ralph Servant
Emily Ralph Servant is the Leadership Minister for Strategic Priorities for Mosaic Mennonite Conference.
Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To contact Emily Ralph Servant, please email eralphservant@mosaicmennonites.org.
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.