When Mosaic Mennonite Conference was birthed in 2020, it carried forward a rich network of 25 Conference-Related Ministries (CRMs), faith-based nonprofit organizations born out of Franconia Conference and Eastern District. For Margaret Zook (Salford [PA] Mennonite), ensuring those ministries remained part of the heart of the Conference became both a calling and a joy.
Now, as Zook retires from her role as Director of Collaborative Ministries, Mosaic gives thanks for six years of steady, relational leadership that has strengthened the bonds between CRMs, congregations, and Conference leadership.
Zook’s passion for Conference-Related Ministries long predates her staff role. Having worked extensively within faith-based nonprofits, including many years at Conference-Related Ministry Living Branches, she carried a deep yearning to see those organizations fully included in the life of the conference.
When Mosaic was newly formed, Zook served on the CRM inquiry committee, interviewing leaders and listening to their hopes. “Some 90% of respondents were saying, ‘We’re part of your history and we want to be part of your future,’” Zook recalled.
“When the Director of Collaborative Ministries position was created, I was overjoyed. With it, CRMs would be visible, valued pieces of Mosaic’s ministry,” Zook shared. When she accepted the role in 2020, her vision for it has been clear: to see these ministries flourish, to strengthen their connections with one another, and to deepen their relationships with congregations and Conference leadership.
Zook’s leadership has been marked by presence. She organized road trips so CRM leaders could visit one another’s ministries. She hosted fellowship lunches and equipping events. She checked in with CEOs to ask not only about programs, but about their own well-being. “It was very meaningful when CRM leaders would call and share prayer requests. It reflected their trust in our partnership and in the power of prayer,” Zook affirmed.
One experience that remains especially meaningful to Zook is witnessing the growth of Ripple Community Inc (RCI). She recalls arriving early one morning with other CRM leaders and seeing guests out on the porch before the doors opened. Inside, basic needs were met with compassion, showers offered with dignity, and friendships formed with warmth. When RCI recently sought to expand and faced neighborhood resistance, Mosaic walked with them. For Zook, it became a living example of what it means to listen to community needs, engage neighbors to seek the peace of the city, and embody Christ’s love in practical ways.
Zook speaks with similar joy about Amahoro International becoming a CRM and strengthening relationships with Amahoro’s directors, the Makintos. “The Makintos’ vibrant faith and their ministry in Uganda have been affirming and life-giving for Mosaic,” Zook shares.
Not every season was easy. At times there were difficult conversations and hard decisions as a couple of CRMs left Mosaic. Zook emphasized that seeking to maintain trust and relationship, even in tension, was part of her ministry.
When asked how Mosaic has changed during her six years on staff, Zook replied, “I have relished in seeing Mosaic lean into what God has called Mosaic to be in the world today. Mosaic is showing up in marginalized spaces, listening deeply and prayerfully. Mosaic is creating new ways of being together, with great integrity.”
She also reflected on how being on staff has shaped her. “Practices like mutual invitation create space for every voice, allowing all present to be together amid difference and respecting individuality,” she shared. Staff meetings were another meaningful space. “We begin not with agenda items, but with ample time for scripture and prayer, with profound openness to what the Spirit is saying.”
Executive Minister Stephen Kriss expressed gratitude for the steady leadership Zook brought to Mosaic’s Conference-Related Ministries, “Margaret has brought a depth of knowledge and commitment to her role in leading and serving alongside CRMs,” he said. “She has established trust around the possibilities for CRM accompaniment and has navigated growth and change with wisdom and boldness. We are grateful for her and will miss her presence as part of our Mosaic staff.”
As Zook steps into retirement, she carries a particular prayer that Conference-Related Ministries will remain rooted in their faith foundations, integrating God’s love into every dimension of their work. The connectedness and collaborative partnerships she championed remains woven into Mosaic’s fabric.
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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.