Articles

Standing with brothers and sisters in Nepal

April 30, 2015 by Conference Office

by Barbie Fischer, communications manager & administration coordinator

Top of the World Coffee in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Those living in Nepal still tremble following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit on Saturday, April 25. It was centered less than 50 miles from Kathmandu.

Dale and Bethsaba Nafzinger, who have ties to Vincent Mennonite Church (Spring City, Pennsylvania), own and operate Top of the World Coffee, a café in Kathmandu. The Nafzigers reported they are all well, with little to no damage to their home and shop. However, the region is severely devastated, including several buildings in their town that crumbled.

Since the initial earthquake, there have been several aftershocks that continue to rock the region, including a 6.7 magnitude quake.

Dale says that growing up towards the end of the Vietnam War, he occasionally heard the term “shell-shocked”; now, he is experiencing it firsthand. Every time a loud jet passes overhead, causing the building to shake, or loud thunder crashes in the distance, he and others find themselves scrambling for safety.

In the midst of this, the coffee shop re-opened on Wednesday, and so far, response has been far greater than anticipated. When the Nafzigers opened the coffee shop, one of their goals was to offer a space of refuge, with comfort food and a comfortable environment in the middle of a very intense city. They are grateful, they say, to see their vision coming to life in a way they’d never imagined.

As recovery continues, Dale and his family have extended an invitation to the shop staff welcoming them to “both ‘live with us’ and ‘eat with us’ until things reach a state of normality, albeit, a ‘new normal.’”

In other areas, aid workers have struggled to reach several communities, such as those in the district of Gorkha, where the earthquake was centered, due to the mountainous terrain and devastation from the quake. The death toll has now risen to over 5,000, with thousands more injured. There is still hope, though: Not only have the Nafzingers reopened Top of the Mountain Coffee, recently a young man was pulled from the rubble after spending over 80 hours buried under what had been the Kathmandu Hotel.

Many are wishing to offer aid and support to brothers and sisters in Nepal as they tremble in the aftermath of this tragedy. Recovery will be a long process, and as Dale notes, it will be important not only to give immediate humanitarian aid but also invest in long-term initiatives to rebuild communities in the region.

If you would like to support recovery and rebuilding efforts in Nepal you can do so through Mennonite Mission Network’s Earthquake Response in Nepal. If you want to follow the progress of Top of the World Coffee, you can do so on their Facebook page.

Fischer Named as Conference Communication Manager & Administration Coordinator

April 30, 2015 by Conference Office

Lora Steiner

Barbie Fischer has joined Franconia Mennonite Conference staff as communication manager and administration coordinator. Departures by Emily Ralph, associate director of communication, and Gay Brunt Miller, director of administration, paved the way for the new position.

Barbie brings extensive experience in connecting churches to mission and ministries in their communities and globally. She first began working in mission when she was 17, on issues related to child soldiers in Uganda. She continued that work for five years, developing reintegration programs for girl child soldiers, who’d experiences the same training and fighting as the boys, but also had to deal with trafficking and sexual abuse. In that capacity, she connected the nonprofit she helped form with churches in the United States for funding and volunteer support.

She later worked with the Africa Faith and Justice Network in Washington, D.C., a group of Catholic organizations that advocates for policies that will benefit brothers and sisters in Sub-Saharan Africa. While Barbie lived in the D.C. area, she also helped do outreach for an arts-based faith community known as Convergence, running a gallery that was a part of the church building. Part of her role was to find artists whose work, whether explicitly religious or not—provoked conversations about faith and theology. She planned various community events, talkbacks with artists, and documentary screenings.

Barbie was born in Illinois and has lived “a little bit of everywhere” but considers Michigan to be most home; both her parents were raised in Sturgis, Michigan.

Barbie was raised in the Church of Christ, and first recalls encountering Mennonites through trips to Das Essenhaus in Shipshewana, Indiana. She later encountered them again when she was searching for a master’s program in conflict transformation. She found the program at Eastern Mennonite University, which drew her in for its teachings of healing and restoration that she valued from her faith, and a holistic approach she hadn’t found in other contexts.

For Barbie, many aspects of faith she found among Mennonites resonate: she places high value on adult baptism, and the belief that faith is a choice to be made voluntarily. And one of the things she has most valued about her faith journey is community.

“When I read the book of Acts, it wasn’t just a service, it was a community that took care of one another, kind of like a large extended family,” she says.

For several years, while she was in college and living in Lansing, Michigan, she was a part of a house church that for her, embodied that community. She appreciated the way the congregation reached out to the community, partnered with other churches, and the intentionality with which they planned gatherings and worship services.

She also valued being able to wrestle with her own sense of being called to ministry, after growing up in churches that didn’t allow women to lead.

In her work with the Conference, Barbie is looking forward to working with churches to fulfill the mission and vision that Christ has for them. She is most excited, she says, “about helping churches be the best they can be.”

In her free time, Barbie likes to paint and be outside. She is also passionate about issues of prison reform and incarceration, and facilitates victim-offender dialogues for the Pennsylvania Office of Victim Advocates.

She lives in Northwest Philadelphia and has been connecting with Ambler Mennonite Church.

Bike to GROW: Former MEDA interns cycle for a cause

April 29, 2015 by Conference Office

by MEDA staff

Sarah French and Mary Fehr aren’t your typical 20-somethings and their upcoming adventure is no different. Both were recently part of the intern program at Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA): Sarah worked on an agriculture project in Nicaragua, Mary on a health project in Tanzania.

Sarah French and Mary Fehr kicked off the speaking part of their tour with an event in Leamington, Ontario on April 13.

After seeing the impact of MEDA’s work helping women to get out of poverty and live healthier lives, they wanted to get more involved. In May, the pair will embark on a four-month bike ride across Canada to raise $150,000 for MEDA’s GROW (Greater Rural Opportunities for Women) project in Ghana.

“The GROW project is assisting 20,000 women farmers and their families to sustainably emerge from poverty. Mary and I wanted to support a project that focused on women because we saw the gender inequalities while on our own internships,” said French. “It couldn’t be more symbolic: Two women cycling across Canada representing independent, self-sufficient women.”

Bike to GROW will begin May 18 in Victoria, British Columbia, and conclude September 5 in Leamington, Ontario. On the way, Sarah and Mary will stop at MEDA chapters, churches and community centers to speak with locals about MEDA, the GROW project, and their experiences.

“I love to take on a challenge and prove to myself that absolutely anything is possible with willpower and determination,” Fehr said. “Sarah and I cannot fail, especially with the amazing support we’ve received. We’re no longer just biking for ourselves but for all of MEDA, MEDA’s supporters and of course, the women and families in Ghana.”

“It’s really inspiring to see Sarah and Mary’s passion for how MEDA works and their determination to succeed for women in Ghana,” said Ethan Eshbach, coordinator of engagement initiatives. “Bike to GROW has encouraged many people to join us in our mission to create business solutions to poverty. Anyone can help by offering financial support, a place to sleep or by organizing a local event.”

GROW is helping women soybean farmers in Northern Ghana increase agricultural production, strengthen their links to markets, diversify the food they produce and understand more about nutrition. Funded by Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), this six-year project will improve the incomes and food security of 20,000 women and their families.

“We”re so blessed and honored that women like Sarah and Mary want to support our efforts to empower women as entrepreneurs here in Ghana,” Catherine Sobrevega, GROW country project manager. “These women work hard and persevere every day to provide for their families. You can see their smiles when they learn new things, produce a good harvest and have income because of our support. It’s exciting to know their life-changing stories are going to be shared across Canada. Our team will include both of them in our prayers. May they remain strong and safe throughout this memorable journey for GROW.”

“It only feels right to use this ride as a chance to give back to the wonderful work MEDA does every day,” say Sarah and Mary.

Stand Up. Use Your Voice. Move Your Feet.

April 22, 2015 by Conference Office

by Liza Heavener

Liza Heavener with Congressman John Lewis of Georgia

This year marks 50 years since “Blood Sunday,” an event that gripped the nation, and reminds us of the injustices faced by black Americans in Alabama and across the South. On the 50th anniversary, I returned to Selma, Alabama to bear witness to this historic event.

This year was my sixth journey to Selma, each trip bringing fresh pain, restored hope and reminders of the power of reconciliation. It was on this trip that I was moved by something Congressman John Lewis said in his distinctive slow, deep cadence: “Move your feet.” When injustice is happening in this world, don’t just pray about it. When our brothers and sisters are being ostracized, told they are not equal, stand up. Use your voice. Move your feet. This message challenges me as I look around my world at issues of injustice.

Every other year, a nonpartisan delegation of U.S. members of Congress join John Lewis to walk through the history of the civil rights movement with those who led the efforts in the 1960s. This year, over 100 members of Congress attended, a record number.

A highlight of the weekend happened on the steps of the statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Peggy Wallace Kennedy, the daughter of George Wallace, who was the governor of Alabama during the civil rights movement, reflected on her life as a small child during that time. She spoke of her father who was strongly opposed to giving blacks voting rights and is most known for saying “segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.” As she spoke, I reflected on her life’s journey, the challenges she must have faced coming to understand who her father was and how to move beyond that heritage. She shared a story about when her son, the grandson of Governor Wallace, first realized who his grandfather was. Her son asked her, “Why did “Paw-Paw do those things to other people?” She answered him saying her father “never told her why he did those things but that they were wrong, and it would be up to us to help make things right.”

This led me to give thought to the civil rights issues of today. Will our children look back at the heritage we are leaving them with pride? Are we standing on the right side of history with the current issues at hand? What are the areas of our lives and areas in the church that still have segregation? Are we moving our feet?

As the weekend carried on, we visited the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham where four young girls were killed in a KKK led bombing in 1963. We attended a riveting church service at the First Baptist Church where John Lewis had been trapped inside for hours concerned for his safety, until John F. Kennedy sent troops to escort him and others from the church. There were stories and history lessons we heard over the weekend that were heartbreaking and made me question if we have come far enough with civil rights.

But then we arrived in Selma. The delegation waited at the base of the Edmund Pettus Bridge as the presidential motorcade crossed, with the usual fanfare and “Hail to the Chief” playing.

Then, John Lewis walked to the podium and introduced the first black president of the United States. As they embraced, I felt an enormous sense of pride. Race relations in this country are certainly not perfect and there is work yet to be done. Even during the president’s speech there were people protesting recent events in Ferguson. But 50 years ago on “Bloody Sunday,” John Lewis never expected to introduce a crowd of over 21,000 people to the nation’s first black president.

The fight against discrimination is not over. We have come far but must still stand up against racism and all forms of discrimination and segregation. It is my ongoing prayer that our churches can be a true sanctuary, a home and safe haven to all. As Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” I hope the Mennonite church can move toward a place where we confront the discrimination that currently exists and chose to be on the right side of history, to move our feet and welcome every one of God’s children.

Liza Heavener grew up attending Blooming Glen Mennonite Church, and now lives in the Washington DC area.

Franconia and Eastern District Conferences to hold Child Protection Seminars

April 22, 2015 by Conference Office

It is a given that all of us want our church communities to be safe spaces for our children and youth. In light of the new legislation passed in Pennsylvania regarding protection of children, we as a church have an obligation and an opportunity to strengthen our child protection policies and culture. Some churches are already moving ahead with changes to address the new law while others are still trying to determine how to best implement the new requirements.

This new legislation impacts both volunteers and paid staff responsible for caring for children in regularly scheduled program, activity, or service including Sunday school teachers, youth leaders, Christian Education leaders, pastors, church staff, nursery staff, and Christian nurture leaders. Churches are encouraged to send a team of persons to this training including both staff and volunteers.

Franconia Mennonite Conference and Eastern District Conference are joining with Bucks County NOVA to offer a crucial training for churches – “Child Protective Services Training”. This training seminar will be held twice: Wednesday, May 13, 9:30-12:00 noon and Wednesday, May 20, 7-9:30 pm. We will meet at Towamencin Mennonite Church, 1980 Sumneytown Pike, Kulpsville. Register at http://mosaicmennonites.org/rsvp/.

This training will:

Increase knowledge of who is classified as a mandated reporter and what those responsibilities are under Child Protective Services Law.
Increase probability of suspecting child abuse when there is “reasonable cause.”
Increase knowledge of procedure for reporting of child abuse to child protective services.
Include conversation with other churches regarding best practices.
Educate and prepare our communities to deal with and prevent child sexual abuse.
Teach the steps to help prevent abuse, recognize warning signs, and react responsibly when abuse occurs.

Christopher Dock, Penn View Boards Approve Integration – Name New Superintendent and Board

April 22, 2015 by Conference Office

Unified school system on target for 2015-16 school year

The prospect of one school system providing our community with Christ-centered education for early childhood through grade 12 is now one step closer to reality. The Board of Directors of Penn View Christian School and the Board of Trustees of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School voted this week to merge the two schools, and will continue working toward the goal of implementing the new organizational structure for the 2015-16 school year.

The boards also completed another piece of that organizational structure by naming 12 board members for the new unified school system. All 12 serve as current board members of either Christopher Dock or Penn View. Warren L. Tyson, current chair of the Christopher Dock Board of Trustees, and Mark Bergey, current chair of the Penn View Board of Directors, will co-chair the board of directors for the new school system. In addition, Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber, currently the Principal at Christopher Dock, has been named Superintendent of the unified school system.

“We look forward to building on the historical strengths of each school while encouraging the development of a new school identity deeply rooted in the Anabaptist Mennonite Christian faith stream,” said Tyson. “It’s been exciting to see how the theme of God ‘doing a new thing’ (Isaiah 43:19) has unfolded since the start of the merger conversation. While each board did its own due diligence, the prevailing theme of being attentive to where God was leading us together has been important.”

“The decision to unify these schools is the result of more than six months of due diligence, but decades of collaboration and cooperation between the two schools,” added Bergey. “We are energized to be part of God’s continuing work in the education and spiritual formation of children in our community.”

Christopher Dock and Penn View Board members who will join the board of directors for the new unified school system include:

Mark Bergey, co-chair                                           Beny Krisbianto
Warren Tyson, co-chair                                        Chad Lacher
Ken Clemmer Scott Landis
John Duerksen Jim Lapp
Sharon Fransen                                                        Katie Longacre
Scott Heckler                                                             Rina Rampogu

The boards have been mindful of the school’s vital relationships with both Franconia Mennonite Conference and Eastern District Conference. Since the merging of the schools will result in a new set of bylaws that will govern both Christopher Dock and Penn View, conference leaders are working with delegates to approve those changes. That work is already underway in Franconia Conference. Future changes in the new integrated school system’s bylaws will require the approval of leaders of both Franconia Conference and Eastern District Conference.

While both boards expressed gratitude for the significance of the two votes to approve the merger, there is understanding that work remains prior to the implementation of a unified school structure this fall. The new board will work together with Dr. Swartzentruber and the staffs of both schools to give clarity to the questions that remain.

“Both Penn View and Christopher Dock bring great strengths to this new venture,” said Dr. Swartzentruber. “Beginning in early childhood and continuing through high school, this unified school system will provide a Christ-centered education, preparing students to be lifelong learners. They will receive the academic preparation needed to succeed in a global context, and will continue to learn, grow, serve, and contribute throughout their lives.”

“The path to a merger of these excellent Christian schools has been a deliberate one,” said Franconia Conference Moderator John Goshow. “Our conference looks forward to supporting the ongoing work of the boards and staffs of both schools.”

* * *

For more information, contact:
Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber
215.362.2675
cjswartzentruber@dockhs.org

Line Lexington Congregation Helps Cultivate an Oasis for Trafficking Survivors

April 16, 2015 by Conference Office

by Lora Steiner

Last year, Josh Meyer, associate pastor at Franconia Mennonite Church, raised a question at a gathering of conference leaders where conversation had heavily focused on seemingly divisive topics: “What are the important matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness that we can gather around?” asked Meyer. “For example, doesn’t everyone agree that human beings shouldn’t be abused, raped, and sold into slavery?” For some, the question sparked something new; for others, it was a reminder of the importance of work already begun.

Line Lexington Mennonite Church is in the latter group. The congregation seeks to support local ministries—as many churches do—where its members can contribute funds as well as time. Line Lexington is situated just off Route 309, a primary conduit between Philadelphia and Allentown. Within a half mile of the congregation are several adult bookstores, bars, and massage parlors—establishments where victims of sex trafficking are generally more likely to be found. For more than two years, a group from the congregation has been meeting to pray for the community.

In March, Line Lexington hosted a fundraiser for Oasis of Hope, a ministry based in northern Pennsylvania that is a safe home for trafficked children. Its mission is to build awareness about sex trafficking of children in the United States, and restore the lives of survivors in a faith-based environment.

Shared Hope International defines human trafficking as “the buying and selling of people, as if they were store-bought merchandise.” It is, simply put, receiving or paying money for the sexual exploitation of another person.

Oasis of Hope, run by Debbie Colton, is a safe house for girls aged 12-19 who have been victims of sex trafficking. (The average age of recruitment into sex trafficking is 13.) Services are free, and range from music and art therapy, to counseling, to life skills and medical care. Oasis of Hope also offers home schooling and GED courses, as well as college preparation and support to attend trade school—things, as Colton puts it—that give the girls hope, and a future.

Oasis of Hope receives no government funding, and operates entirely from donations. Live-in staff come as missionaries and are asked to commit to one year of service. The organization does not preach to the girls; staff are trained to focus on love, to show unconditional love—which is how God speaks to them.

Colton spends much of her time on the road, speaking at schools, universities, and churches to raise awareness about sex trafficking. Colton says that not only can the victims be anyone, the buyers can, too. The last she’d heard, the top three buyers of sex are pastors, policemen, and lawyers.

Pornography, she says, feeds the problem.

“Please do not judge people if they come to you,” she asked the audience at the Saturday evening event, speaking of those dealing with addictions to pornography. “They need your help and they need your love… If you are involved with pornography, please get help.”

Colton also encouraged the audience to talk to their children and grandchildren because young children are vulnerable. She told the story of a 24-year-old man who posed as an 18-year-old and joined a church youth group, and started dating a girl in the group eventually leading her into a complicated relationship and two years of life as a trafficked person. “This stuff can happen, and it can happen to anyone’s child.”

Colton says the biggest thing that people can do to support the work of Oasis of Hope is to pray: “Pray for our ministry and pray for our staff and pray for our girls.”

“We are walking on the front lines and Satan does not like it at all… We need prayer.”

Over the weekend in March, Line Lexington raised about $5000 for Oasis of Hope.

Local artist's exhibit to open at Rockhill Mennonite Community

April 15, 2015 by Conference Office

by Rockhill Mennonite Community staff

"Cyclamen blooming," by Melissa Olson — “Cyclamen blooming,” by Melissa Olson

Artist Melissa Olson of Glenside will be exhibiting her work at The Gallery at Rockhill Mennonite Community beginning on April 18, 2015. Earlier this year, two of her paintings were featured with the Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators at the 2015 Philadelphia Flower Show.

Olson’s love for nature is among the many inspirations that influence her work, as she constantly looks for different ways to interpret its intricate detail and countless shades and textures. Her exhibit at Rockhill Mennonite Community will showcase a broad range of her talent.

Created and managed by Rockhill residents, the venue is open to anyone. Resident and exhibit planner Helen Zartman pointed out that many living at Rockhill have attended art shows all their lives.

“It’s amazing to think that they now have a gallery in their home stocked with work that they can browse or purchase anytime they’d like,” says Zartman.

Beyond local residents, the exhibits often attract visitors from neighboring towns as well as fans of the artists on display. “We see it as a way to offer something very special to Rockhill’s residents and visitors while helping local artists promote their work,” added Zartman. “As for us, we get the privilege of displaying all this beautiful art in our gallery!”

Olson herself will be appearing at the gallery on the exhibit’s opening day on April 18, 2015 from 2–4pm. For the event, Rockhill will be providing complimentary refreshments. The exhibit run through June 13.

The Gallery at RMC is open daily from 9am–5pm and is fully accessible to visitors with disabilities. For more information, please contact Juanita Nyce at 215-257-2751, ext. 142.

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Unified school system on target for 2015-16 school year

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