Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

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Taftsville Chapel Mennonite Fellowship Dedicates Accessibility Ramp

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by Steve McCloskey

A version of this article was originally published on January 6, 2025, for the Anabaptist Disabilities Network, and reprinted with permission.    

In May 2022, delegates at a Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) assembly in Kansas City affirmed several resolutions; one of which was the MC USA resolution regarding accessibility (which can be read here). 

Although our congregation, Taftsville (VT) Chapel Mennonite Fellowship, did not have any delegates at this assembly the resolution provoked a question: how accessible are churches, worship services, and gatherings to full participation of people with disabilities and different abilities? 

As a pastor, I was confronted with a series of specific questions: if a person who is blind attended our services, do we have hymnals that they could use? If a person who is deaf attended, who would translate what others say? 

The resolution provoked our congregation to consider the ways that people’s human bodies might encounter barriers to participation in the Church body. 

We have an elevator in our building; so, as the able-bodied pastor, I assume we accommodate persons using wheelchairs. But a sister in our church, Mary, pointed out that she can’t use the elevator without the assistance of someone inside the building to operate the elevator; simply having an elevator doesn’t necessarily solve accessibility complications. 

The resolution from 2022 compelled me, as a pastor, to be more reflective on my theology of abilities and disabilities. Author Amy Kenny is a disabled scholar and theologian, and a committed Christian who loves and thanks God for her wheelchair. Her book My Body is Not a Prayer Request draws attention to ways that she is treated as an inconvenience to churches and other Christians. Many see her as a person who needs healing. She is suggesting that they need healing. 

Kenny, in her abilities and disabilities, can see things that I, with an able body, don’t see. She notices that the resurrected body of Jesus is disabled. That Christ, even after death, even after the transformation of resurrection, carries wounds and holes in his body. 

Kenny has heard pastors preach that we will all have perfect bodies in heaven and she challenges this notion of perfection. She notices that in heaven, the throne of grace, the throne of God, is a wheelchair. As it says in Daniel 7:9, NRSV: 

And the Ancient of Days was seated; 
His garment was white as snow, 
And the hair of His head was like pure wool. 
His throne was a fiery flame, 
Its wheels a burning fire. 

Holy smokes! God’s throne has hot wheels! I never noticed that it was a wheelchair. But it was there in the Bible all along–and Amy Kenny helped me to see this. 

What if people of various abilities and disabilities, colors and sizes, are all part of this multitude that the last book of the Bible describes worshiping before God? 

What if God is perfect in our weakness? Moses thought his speech impediment was an impediment to his calling, but in Exodus 4:11, the Lord said to him, 

Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 

Hearing from the disabled voices among us inspired our congregation to consider ways that we could make our worship gatherings more accessible and inclusive. We pursued grant money with the Anabaptist Disabilities Network and were awarded a Barrier Free Grant to help us make structural changes. 

We began a handful of initiatives that included: adding handrails to the bathroom on the first floor of our building, ordering a large print version of the Voices Together hymnal, and more ambitiously, we wanted to make our church yard and gardens (which are situated on an elevated slope) more accessible to folks with mobility limitations. 

After considering a few options, we decided on an accessibility pathway that allows people who use a wheelchair or other mobility assistance tools to have more convenient access up the hill and through the path. Our congregation holds worship services, picnics, and other events in the yard. It is also a community garden that offers space for rest, prayer, and contemplation near the peace pole we planted in 2022. 

Breaking ground on the accessible sidewalk.
The completed ramp provides access to outdoor meeting spaces.

Shortly after our trustees used equipment to create a slope and place hard-pack stone to create a path, we held a dedication ceremony with a prayer that our grounds can continue to be a place of hospitality to visitors and newcomers for future generations to come. 

Cutting the ribbon at the dedication for the accessible ramp.

Steve McCloskey

Steve McCloskey (M. Div, MPA) serves as the Pastor of Taftsville Chapel Mennonite Fellowship in Vermont. Steve is a volunteer firefighter, recurring columnist for the Vermont Standard, a recovering sinner and disciple of Jesus, and father of Jacob and Silas. Steve enjoys hiking, praying, and exploring the hills of New England and occasionally playing Nintendo Switch with his kids and their friends.

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to the author(s), contact us at communication@mosaicmennonites.org.   

“Don’t be helpful. Be curious.”

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by Gary Alloway

“Don’t be helpful. Be curious.” When I first read those words in a book by Tim Soerens, they immediately annoyed me. After all, what could be wrong with being helpful? 

Two years ago, Tony moved to my block and Tony was a mess. He and his wife would get in blowout screaming matches on the sidewalk. He would sit in his car at 2 am, blasting his music. He was prone to outbursts at his kids, who are the same age as our kids. My attempts to fix, intervene, and correct all went poorly. Until one day, I decided to take a cold beverage over to Tony’s house and kick it.   

I found out that Tony had grown up in a very under-resourced neighborhood in Philadelphia and gotten pulled into violence as a teenager. Bristol was his way out. I found out he sat in his car at 2 am as an escape, and was blissfully unaware of how loud his music was. I found out he wanted nothing more than a quiet life–to work, to raise his kids well, and to have his home be a place of peace. 

And after that conversation, things changed. Whatever help we offered was no longer in order to fix Tony or to be his social worker. Now we were neighbors, friends, and parents just trying to raise our kids well. We were in it together. And Tony started showing his generous side. He cut our grass. He dropped off food. He gave me a pair of shoes. And I helped him plant flowers on his front porch for the first time in his life. We walk Tony’s kids to school every morning. We sneak them as much healthy food as we can. 

It’s not so much that being helpful is wrong. But when it’s our first instinct, it usually leads to standing over the other person, rather than standing next to them. They become our client or our project, rather than our brother or sister. Not only does this belittle the other person, but we also miss out on unlikely friendships that have a way of changing us deeply.  

I can’t fix Tony. But being his friend is pretty fun. Curiosity opens the way to friendship. And curiosity opens space for the true healer of his soul to work. Not me, but Jesus.   

So that’s my commission to you. Let that little phrase annoy you. “Don’t be helpful.  Be curious.” 

Let it change your posture. Let it create space for God to work. You just might end up friends with Tony. 

Gary Alloway

Gary Alloway is a Leadership Minister for Mosaic Conference. Gary is also a pastor and church planter of Redemption Church of Bristol (PA), which is a Mosaic Partner in Ministry and was founded in 2009. Gary serves with his wife, Susan, and his children, Augie (9) and Rosey (7), who deeply love pretzel dogs from the Bristol Amish Market. Gary has a passion for Philadelphia sports, crossword puzzles, and for seeing broken people connect to the amazing love of God. 

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To contact Gary Alloway, please email galloway@mosaicmennonites.org.

Not Afraid to Think: Finding Faith in the Questions

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by Sharon K. Williams

Lareta (Reta) Halteman Finger grew up in a Mennonite family that was deeply committed to following Christ and serving the church. They regularly attended the Salford Mennonite (Harleysville, PA) congregation. Reta’s 8th-grade-educated father was a thinker and constant Bible reader. But this did not prevent humor from pervading Sunday dinners. A beef roast at the table meant two things: a tasty meal and a not-so-shy roasting of the preacher’s sermon!  

One of the older preachers filled out many sentences with the phrase, “You might say…”   

“The sermons could have used some help,” Halteman Finger recalls. 

For church meetings or other formal events, her family observed the traditional dress code for Franconia Conference Mennonites: a “plain coat” without a tie for men and a cape dress for women. Once baptized, all girls and women wore a prayer covering over long hair braided or pinned up. The concern, enforced by bishops and ministers, was modesty in dress, not being captivated by fashion, and that women should follow Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthian 11:2–16. The Haltemans observed these practices, but more as a tradition than out of deep conviction. 

These expectations were practiced to varying degrees in Franconia Conference congregations until the 1960s or later. Clothes, movies, television, and car tires with white walls were the cause of much angst within Mennonite churches and families. Dress code issues had predated and contributed to the 1847 split in the Franconia Mennonite Conference.  

But the Halteman family experienced a different reality. A Moyer family of “new Mennonites” (a nickname for Eastern District Conference congregations) were the Haltemans’ closest neighbors and dearest friends. Although “old Mennonites” might have considered the Moyers as worldly for not dressing plain, “we loved them, and they loved us!” Halteman Finger recalls. 

Her goal in high school was to be a good Mennonite girl—”but not too good!” While a student at Dock Mennonite Academy, a friendly rival invited her to a student-led prayer meeting. She went reluctantly. The students prayed to Jesus conversationally; they were speaking to a real person in the room! The experience was so liberating and joyful—unlike the “group conviction” she had experienced at the 1950s Brunk revival tent meetings. “It was like being born again!” she recalls.  

Photo by Carolyn Rothwell

After graduating from Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) with a degree in elementary education, Halteman Finger served at Eastern Mennonite High School as dean of girls. The school had many rules, including cape dresses for women employees. To comply, Halteman Finger’s mother sewed three dresses—with snap-on capes. Compliance without conviction was hard. 

Halteman Finger yearned for more biblical study, so she spent a year at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts. Nothing sharpens one’s Anabaptist theology like immersing in a different theological tradition! The covering and cape dresses were gone for good. Her father did not complain. 

When the Finger family moved to Chicago in 1976, Reta worked for and then became editor of Daughters of Sarah, a periodical about Christian feminism. Upon turning 50, she took a leap of faith to study at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary with Dr. Robert Jewett, a Pauline scholar. Although the apostle Paul was not popular with feminist women in the 1990s, Halteman Finger took a deep dive with Dr. Jewett into the multi-cultural realities and challenges of the early church. This revolutionized her view of Paul. 

In 1995, Halteman Finger began a 14-year calling to teach New Testament at Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. After retiring, she returned to EMU and Seminary as an adjunct professor to teach New Testament, with a specialty in First Corinthians. She is the author or co-author of four books, including Creating a Scene in Corinth: A Simulation (Herald Press, 2013, 2nd edition) and was a regular contributor to Sojourners magazine.  

Several of Reta’s faith stories are included in A Church Divided: A Study of 1 Corinthians, the Spring 2025 Salt & Light Bible study curriculum (MennoMedia). 

Sharon K. Williams

Sharon K. Williams serves as the minister of worship with the Nueva Vida Norristown (PA) New Life Mennonite congregation.

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to the author(s), contact us at communication@mosaicmennonites.org.   

A Ministry of Presence: Ambassadors We’re Learning from the Summer Part IV 

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by Javier Márquez

Editor’s Note: This summer, 14 young adult Ambassadors are serving in congregations and ministries across Mosaic Conference. This article highlights four of these Ambassadors, and you can read the first three articles here. 

Brandon Chiu became an Ambassador at his congregation, Philadelphia Praise Center, to serve his community more deeply and live out his faith more intentionally. This summer has been a call to embody compassion, reconciliation, and the radical presence of God in the ordinary rhythms of life. 

Chiu has been leading a summer camp for local youth under the theme “Love Your Neighbors,” organizing lessons and activities that reflect Christ’s love in accessible, joyful ways. Whether through storytelling, games, or neighborhood cleanups, Chiu is creating spaces of belonging and peace. 

“I believe I am representing the Kingdom characteristics of compassion and reconciliation,” he reflects. “It’s about showing up for people—especially those who are often overlooked—and offering joy, peace, and presence. Even something small, like sweeping a sidewalk or listening to a child, can reveal the heart of God’s Kingdom.” 

In partnership with SEAMAAC and other local organizations, Chiu is supporting efforts in environmental stewardship, neighborhood care, and cultural celebration—including the planning of an Indonesian night market. 

He invites prayers for the summer camp; that the kids would feel safe, loved, and encouraged, and that God would work through all the relationships being formed this summer. 

Demarcus Daniels is a college football player who grew up coming to the Midian Leadership Project (Charleston, WV) ’s Safe Haven, and had served in summer youth work programs with Midian in the past.   

Daniels began his time as an Ambassador by joining Midian staff member Turan Rush at the Mosaic Oasis gathering, where they had the experience of worshipping in different languages from around the globe. Daniels spent the summer coaching football and mentoring players at Midian. 

“We are trying to give these guys a step up on the competition, but even more, I want to be a part of their journey and help them however I can,” Daniels shares about his motivation for serving as an Ambassador. “I didn’t have a lot of people on my journey and we want them to have better than what we had,”  

“I’ve faced a lot of adversity, and I had to look for understanding. Over time the verse John 13:7 has spoken to me: ‘Jesus replied, ‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’” 

“I believe God’s got a plan for us,” Daniels says.  

Fabio Satro, age 18, brought fresh energy and compassion as a Mosaic Conference’s 2025 Summer Ambassador. Serving with International Worship Church (San Gabriel, CA), Satro sought to help his congregation become more welcoming to the public—especially immigrants and young people. 

His work included documenting youth group activities and special events at the church to share on social media, helping extend the church’s reach beyond its walls. “Spreading joy and being open to all” is how Fabio describes the kingdom values he sought to live out through his service. 

Throughout the summer, Fabio deepened his understanding of the needs within his community. “I’ve learned that a lot of people are in critical need of God’s presence and assistance in their life because of all of the hardships they are going through,” he reflects. He is also keenly aware that many people “weren’t born with as much privilege that humans are supposed to get,” a realization that fuels his ongoing commitment to serving with empathy and openness. 

This summer, 22-year-old Ivonne Hartono was a Mosaic Conference Ambassador at her congregation, Jemaat Kristen Indonesia Anugerah (JKIA) (Sierra Madre, CA). Hartono brought determination and a willingness to learn. 

“My church does not have a dynamic website, and I want to make one,” Ivonne explained. She focused on both building and researching web development—a new skill for her. 

During her summer service, Hartono learned the importance of perserverance. “There are a lot of trials, but we should not give up,” she reflected.  

She prays that JKIA will “continue with their service and bring joy to the community,” carrying forward the mission that inspired her own work. 

Javier Márquez

Javier Márquez is Associate for Communication and Community Engagement for Colombia. He is an Anabaptist Colombian pacifist and poet. He is based in Bogota, Colombia.

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to the author(s), contact Javier at jmarquez@mosaicmennonites.org.      

Centering on Jesus in a World of Change

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by Marta Castillo

In a scattered, distracted, and diverse world, we value being centered. A centered person is focused, balanced, and grounded–mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. As we center ourselves, we connect with an essential, internal, and authentic self in the present moment. We do this through spending time with God in prayer, silence, reading Scriptures, Sabbath rest, and in community. Centering helps us find peace in chaos by quieting our minds and making space for grace. 

For the thirty years that I attended Nueva Vida Norristown (PA) New Life–a culturally, theologically, and economically diverse body of believers–we survived and thrived because we centered ourselves on God’s vision for us: to worship the Lord in unity; to experience the transforming and gifting power of the Holy Spirit; and to proclaim the gospel of reconciliation through Jesus Christ in word and deed. We had so many differences, but we centered ourselves on God and on our relationships with one another to be a witness and a community. 

In June, the Mosaic Mennonite Conference Leadership Ministers met with Mark Baker, the author of Centered-Set Church. Our conversation focused on the challenges and opportunities of maintaining a centered approach within a conference composed of diverse congregations with varied identities and beliefs. We reflected on Mosaic’s experience accompanying these congregations and the importance of creating a centered vision that can hold us together while offering grace and manageability. 

 Mosaic’s vision and mission–and our three priorities of missional, formational and intercultural transformation–are part of the center that we can continue to develop. We discussed centered-set concepts in Mennonite theology including from the Anabaptist Essentials: Jesus as the center of our faith; community as the center of our life; and reconciliation as the center of our work. 

The group explored how different congregations and ministries define their center. Some long for clear boundaries and others desire a more centered approach. We acknowledged tensions between maintaining unity and making space for diverse beliefs. We affirmed the need for grace margins, for discernment, and for time and trust to work with differences. We asked: How do we balance necessary boundaries with room for interpretation and transformation? How do we approach future dialogue and collaboration? 

Mosaic Mennonite Conference is a young organization, shaped by old and new elements, navigating rapid change —experiencing both loss and growth in relationships and membership, while facing upheaval in the world around us. Let’s continue the conversation on what center we need to have to live into our vision together to “embody the reconciling love of Jesus in our broken and beautiful world.” 

Listen to Dr. Mark Baker (part one and part two) to learn more about Centered-Set Church.   

Marta Castillo

Marta Castillo is the Associate Executive Minister for Mosaic Conference.

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To contact Marta Castillo, please email mcastillo@mosaicmennonites.org.

Mission Possible: Neighbors, small seeds, and a refrigerator

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by Randy Martin & Jacob Curtis

In the summer of 2024, Ambler (PA) Mennonite provided a three-month sabbatical for our pastors. We decided that while they were away, we wanted to get more curious about Jesus’ mandate to love our neighbors. Backed by a Missional Operations Grant from Mosaic Mennonite Conference, we brought in a series of speakers from community organizations. We asked them, “What are you seeing and hearing around Ambler? Who are our neighbors? What gifts are they bringing and what challenges are they facing? And how can we be present with them?”

As we listened to these speakers, we began to make connections. Mark Boorse, the Director of Program Development at Access Services, talked to us about his work with people who are unhoused. He shared a photo of an ice-fishing tent he’d set up for a couple sheltering by the river in Norristown. We recognized them because we had helped them find housing during the winter of 2021! We started to see how our church could be one small part of a whole web of care.

Tom Albright and church members on the prayer walk around Ambler. Photo by Randy Martin.

This connecting phenomenon happened again when our speakers from WeCare Ambler asked if we could partner with them, another church, and a local food cupboard to pay back rent for a mother facing eviction. Together, we paid two-thirds of it. When the woman’s employer heard what we were doing, they agreed to pay the final third. When everything was settled with the landlord, the mother texted us, “Oh wow. Thank you so-o-o much…It was a struggle trying to figure things out. I am so grateful. Thank you.”

State Senator Maria Collett (second from right) was one of the elected representatives who celebrated the launch of the new community fridge at Ambler Mennonite on March 29. Pastor Michelle Curtis in the center. Photo from Maria Collett’s Facebook page.

To process everything we were learning, we turned to Tom Albright, a former pastor of Ripple Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Tom met with us six times, planned question-and-answer sessions with the speakers, and led “circle church” services to discern where we were seeing the kingdom of God in action. He also took us on a prayer walk through Ambler, stopping to pray outside some of the organizations we had learned about earlier as well as important sites from our church’s history.

Retired pastor Tom Albright leading a “circle church” session to reflect on local mission. Photo by Randy Martin.

We see these seeds growing. Several of us are volunteering at a monthly food distribution event led by Chosen 300 Ministries. We recently hosted a free Saturday lunch at the church to celebrate the launch of our new community fridge. The refrigerator is a way to supplement the dry goods that most food pantries offer with fresh foods that require refrigeration. The fridge is located outside our front doors, so people can stop by anytime to take what they need or give what they can. Getting this project off the ground has been a real cooperative effort, with help from local individuals, businesses, and nonprofits.  

Brian Jenkins runs the monthly Chosen 300 food-distribution event in Ambler. Pastor Michelle Curtis is pictured center left. Photo shared by Brian Jenkins.

Ambler Mennonite is also a part of the first cohort of congregations in the new Vibrant Mosaic initiative. We’ll be learning more about local mission and doing more local mission experiments with grant funding. We’re excited to see what God will do next! 

Randy Martin

Randy Martin chairs Ambler’s Ministry Team. 

Jacob Curtis

Jacob Curtis copastors Ambler Mennonite with his wife Michelle. 

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to the author(s), contact us at communication@mosaicmennonites.org.   

MCC 2025 Summer Service Workers We’re Learning From

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In addition to hosting fourteen Mosaic Mennonite summer Ambassadors, five other young people within Mosaic congregations participated in the MCC summer service program, a 10-week program for young adults of color in the U.S. that runs from June to August. The program encourages and strengthens leadership capabilities within young adults while nurturing a commitment to community engagement.    

Ivan Farrel, a summer service worker at Philadelphia (PA) Praise Center, admits hesitancy in joining this program. As a nursing student who has not enjoyed pediatrics, he was reluctant to work with children in the summer Vacation Bible School program. But he recognizes the value in providing a space for low-income families to send their children in the summer and decided to step out of his comfort zone.  

In addition to organizing the VBS, Farrel is responsible for helping to organize the Indonesian Night Market in August, an annual event designed to bring the whole local Indonesian community together, amid cultural and religious diversity. He is also volunteering as a student nurse at a free clinic, leading the Youth Worship team to develop their musical potential, collaborating with other MCC youth leaders to create a Youth Worship Night, and helping his pastor with any work for the common good. 

“Being a leader isn’t primarily about telling people what to do,” Farrel reflects. “It’s more about leading by example and teaching and being adaptable.” 

Farrel asks for prayers around the current presidential administration’s stance on immigration, for the safety of immigrants, and efforts to resist current policies. “I’m working closely with immigrants, and the fear is so real,” Farrel says. “Recently the place next to my dad’s workplace got raided by ICE agents.” 

Joseph El Timotius, (center in the photo from MCC Orientation), became a service worker to “pursue God’s calling to serve and to learn how to be a heart-centered leader to empower the next generation of Indonesian youth immigrants in Philadelphia.”  

Joseph is leading kids and youth ministry at Nations Worship Center (Philadelphia, PA) through a youth camp and Vacation Bible School for the local Indonesian community. In these spaces the children and youth are empowered to make an impact in their communities.  

“Meeting new friends from different backgrounds, cultures, and communities helps me to see the world in a different perspective and to have a growth mindset,” El Timotius reflects. He invites prayers for the Mosaic Indonesian congregations in Philadelphia who will gather for a youth worship event on August 2. 

Hillary Karn of International Worship Church (San Gabriel, CA) became a Summer Service Worker because she wanted to get more involved in her congregation in a way that would allow her to grow and serve more intentionally. Several members of the congregation had mentioned that she has a natural connection with kids, and hearing that affirmation of her gifts encouraged her to step forward in service.   

This summer Karn is a teacher for the young children and preteens in her congregation.  

“These kids represent the next generation of our faith community, and it’s such an honor to walk alongside them as they learn about God. I truly hope that through our time together, they begin to understand what it means to be a child of God and grow up with a strong foundation in faith,” Karn reflects.  

The experience this summer has helped Karn see how she wants to grow in her journey as a teacher and as a follower of Christ. “It’s humbling and motivating to know that there’s always room for growth, both spiritually and in the way I lead others,” she adds.  

She invites prayers for a summer that is full of joy, learning, and meaningful moments for her and the children she serves.  

When asked why she is a Summer Service Worker, Victoria Lioe of Indonesian Light Church (Philadelphia, PA) shares, “I desire to grow deeper in relationship with God and be more intentional about living my faith. God is stirring something new in my heart — a stronger hunger for God’s word, a deeper conviction to serve others, and a desire to surround myself with a community that supports and challenges me spiritually.”  

She continued, “I’ve been praying for a space to be equipped and mentored, and I’m also excited about connecting with others who are on similar journeys — to encourage each other, grow together, and build lasting relationships centered on Christ.” 

Lioe also believes God has placed gifts and callings in her that she hasn’t fully explored yet, and she wants to be faithful in developing those for God’s glory.  

Over the summer Lioe has been helping clean and maintain the church, coordinating programs, managing schedules, and assisting in planning events, which has helped her build leadership and organizational skills and to understand what happens behind the scenes. One of the most meaningful roles she has been in is leading the youth. She supports them through lessons, activities, and spiritual guidance. Lioe also visits elderly members and others in the congregation, offering encouragement and care.  

“I’ve learned that ministry is not just about being in front of people or having a title — it’s about being consistent, dependable, and willing to serve in any way that’s needed, even when no one is watching,” Lioe reflects. “I’ve also seen how important emotional and mental support is within the church, which is why pursuing a mental health certificate has been eye-opening. It’s helped me understand how to be more compassionate and present for people going through silent struggles.” 

She invites prayers that she would “continue to serve with humility, joy, and a willing heart—even during times when things get difficult, go unnoticed, or when it feels like people look down on me or don’t fully appreciate the work I’m doing. There are times when the responsibilities I carry feel overwhelming, and I might feel like giving up. Yet, I want to remain faithful, grounded, and focused on the purpose God has placed on my life.” 

Amajae Sanusi is also serving as a Summer Service Worker at LA Faith Chapel. 

Photo provided by Rachelle Kratz, MCC.

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to the author(s), contact us at communication@mosaicmennonites.org.   

Deepening Relationships and Developing Leaders through Vibrant Mosaic

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by Danilo Sanchez

Since Mosaic Mennonite Conference launched Vibrant Mosaic, the first learning cohort of Mosaic congregations has been actively engaged in relationship development, intercultural transformation, and formation for mission.  

The 2025 cohort, announced in January, was selected based upon geography, established relationships, and language (English/Spanish). These inaugural five congregations are Peña de Horeb (Philadelphia, PA); Ambler (PA) Mennonite; Blooming Glen (PA) Mennonite; Faith Chapel (Los Angeles, CA), and Encuentro de Renovación (Miami, FL). Each congregation selected four lay leaders to participate in Vibrant Mosaic. 

Leadership Formation through Learning and Experimentation

Vibrant Mosaic focuses on developing leaders within congregations through three core pathways: learning cohorts, missional experiments, and specific resourcing for leaders of color. Learning cohorts participate in classes around Mosaic’s identity and three priorities (formational, missional, and intercultural). The learning cohorts commit to journey together for up to two years.  

At the end of the first year, after taking two of the classes, the congregations in the cohort are encouraged to launch a missional experiment based on insights from the class. To support these efforts, each participating congregation receives $5,000 in funding, with an additional $5,000 available for those continuing into a second year.  

Enhancing Curriculum for Intercultural Transformation 

The two classes offered in 2025 are Vibrant Relationships (which focuses on our intercultural priority) and Vibrant Identity (which focuses on our Mosaic identity). With guidance from Dr. Eric Law of the Kaleidoscope Institute, instructors redesigned their syllabi to include more intercultural practices and theory in their teaching. Dr. Law is the creator of the intercultural practice of “mutual invitation” used in Mosaic conference gatherings. This practice highlights power dynamics in conversations, uses a multi-voice circle process, and respects cultural differences.  

Dr. Law gave the instructors resources that were sensitive to cultural differences and suggested teaching methods that are less dominant-culture centered. Dr. Law encouraged instructors to invite participants to experience the content holistically and practice living it out. Dr. Law also offered strategies on facilitating bilingual gatherings in a way that better includes those who don’t speak the dominant language. Dr. Law’s insights have been essential to making Vibrant Mosaic what Mosaic needs at this time. 

Navigating Challenges with Intentionality 

Although the first course was originally scheduled for January, the Vibrant Mosaic team chose to delay the launch. Cohort members expressed confusion and uncertainty about the program’s goals, prompting the team to prioritize clearer communication and relationship-building. 

Rather than rushing ahead, the team embraced a posture of wisdom over urgency, ensuring that participants had a shared understanding of expectations before proceeding. This decision ultimately strengthened the cohort’s foundation. 

By June, the Vibrant Relationships class concluded with evidence of deepened relationships and applied learning. The Vibrant Identity class will begin in August.  

Participants have found the opportunity to develop relationships across differences to be a particularly meaningful aspect of Vibrant Mosaic.  

“Coexistence is more than simply being together; it’s about closeness. Through this closeness, our perspectives of others begin to shift, and we also change how others see us,” reflects Jocelyn Mendoza, Iglesia Menonita Encuentro de Renovación (Miami, FL). 

“Vibrant Mosaic has brought together people of different races, languages, and backgrounds; and through it we can come together, share, and be united in one mind and spirit.” 

Similarly, Eden Strunk of Ambler (PA) Mennonite shares, “One of the most impactful things for me has been the sharing of stories and experiences. Stories continue to develop and sometimes we get interwoven into other’s stories.”  

She continues, “With so much changing around us, it is important to have spaces like Vibrant Mosaic to learn and grow so we can open our hearts, minds, and souls to the work to which Jesus calls us.”  

Looking Ahead

The Vibrant Witness class (which focuses on our missional priority) is set for March 2026 in California and Vibrant Discipleship (which focuses on our formational priority) is set for May 2026 in Vermont. 

We will soon form the second cohort, based on geography, established relationships, and language (English/Indonesian). If your congregation is interested in participating in the second cohort, please contact me, Vibrant Mosaic Co-Director Danilo Sanchez. 

Other aspects of Vibrant Mosaic include specific resourcing for Mosaic leaders of color through the Oasis Conference, as well as antiracism training. Vibrant Mosaic is made possible in part by a Thriving Congregations grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc.  

Danilo Sanchez

Danilo Sanchez is the Leadership Minister for Intercultural Transformation for Mosaic Conference and co-director of the Vibrant Mosaic program. He lives in Allentown with his wife, Mary, and their two daughters. Danilo serves as a pastor at Ripple, where he leads in the areas of leadership development, discipleship, and teaching.

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to Danilo Sanchez, contact him at dsanchez@mosaicmennonites.org.