Mosaic Mennonites

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Submitting to God and One Another as the Pathways Steering Team

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by Marta Castillo

Every group or process I have been a part of has required submission and humility. Before I became a pastor, I thought that pastors and leaders had control in their church and organization, and they were able to get things to go their way. When I became a pastor, especially a pastor on a team with two other pastors, male, one African American and one Latino, in a congregation that was intercultural, I realized that I only got “my” way about 10% of the time. There was a lot of submission to God and to the members of the congregation where I served. It was freeing, humbling, and occasionally annoying. 

As the Pathways Steering Team, our diverse group from all over the conference has worked together over the last year and a half on strategic planning and preparing a recommendation about affiliation with Mennonite Church USA. There have been countless opportunities for us to learn to submit to God and to each other. The reality is that none of us are in control or can get our own way. All of us are seeking to honor God by being submitting to the leading of the Holy Spirit and to the others in our group and the conference. Reverent submission is honored by God. 

Statue at Eastern Mennonite Seminary (Harrisonburg, VA) titled “Love Essence” by Esther K. Augsburger. Photo by Marta Castillo. 

We seek to follow the way of Jesus in Philippians 2 which asks, “Does belonging to Christ help you in any way? Does his love comfort you at all? Do you share anything in common because of the Holy Spirit? Has Christ ever been gentle and loving toward you? If any of these things has happened to you, then agree with one another. Have the same love. Be one in spirit and in the way you think and act. By doing this you will make my joy complete. Don’t do anything to get ahead. Don’t do it because you are proud. Instead, be humble.  Value other more than yourselves. None of you should look out just for your own good. Each of you should also look out for the good of others. As you deal with one another, you should think and act as Jesus did.”  (Philippians 2:1-5, NIRV) 

The posture of submission to God results in humility towards God and one another. For the Pathways Team, it has created fertile ground for unique ideas, unexpected twists and turns, curiosity, and attention to the parts of the body that seem weaker, less represented with opportunities to honor their voice (c.f. I Corinthians 12:12-26). Time and again we are seeing the fruit of submission to another God and the “other,” not in forming the perfect strategic plan, but in honoring God and one another. The way of the Lamb of submission to God leads to honoring God and being honored by God (c.f. Revelation 5:9-12). 

Copyright ©2024 InterVarsity Press

I am currently reading Humility Illuminated by Dennis Edwards (which I highly recommend). In Chapter 3, he writes about how “indispensable humility is for establishing and maintain Christian community…humility is how love blossoms.” (p.12) 

In every meeting, in decision making, in conflict, and transition, we must strive for submission to God, considering others better than ourselves, remaining silent so that others may speak, waiting on God, and believing the intercultural value of mutual transformation open the door to God’s way being revealed and to obedience. We submit to one another to honor each other, and we are changed by the experience. We die to self and end up producing fruit of righteousness.   

The Pathways Steering Team was set up to be representative of the conference. I have heard it said that if we can work together, hear one another, and together present a plan and recommendation to the rest of the conference, then there is hope that the whole of Mosaic can do the same. Walking humbly with God and with each other will be essential for the pathway forward. 

Marta Castillo

Marta Castillo is the Associate Executive Minister for Mosaic Conference. Marta lives in Norristown, PA, with her husband, Julio, and has three sons, Christian, Andres and Daniel and one granddaughter, Isabel.

Journey (to the West)

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by Hendy Matahelemual

Every person from Indonesia is familiar with the 16th century novel from the Ming Dynasty in China, Journey to the West, which features four main characters: Monk Tong, Sun Go Kong, Tie Pat Kai, and Sam Cheng. (Translated into English by Arthur Waley in 1942 as Monkey: A Folk-Tale of China). 

The novel tells the journey of the four characters on a mission to retrieve the holy scriptures in the West, enduring 14 cold summers and facing 81 disturbances from demons and monsters before reaching their destination and bringing the scriptures back to China. 

Many do not know that this story was inspired by the real journey of a Chinese monk named Xuanzang who, from 629-645 AD, went to India and successfully returned to China bringing back 657 texts of holy scriptures. Although he managed to translate only 75 of the 657 texts into Mandarin, what he did translate was very significant. 

From the vantage point of this story, I want to reflect on my journey to the West, in a different context. As one of the staff serving the Indonesian Mosaic churches in southern California, traveling from Philadelphia to Los Angeles is something I often do. Each journey holds different meanings and impressions. 

Southern California, especially Los Angeles, is where most of the Indonesian diaspora in the U.S. reside, perhaps because the weather is like that in Indonesia. 

There are three Indonesian Mosaic congregations in greater Los Angeles: Imanuel International Fellowship (Colton, CA) JKI Anugerah (Pasadena, CA) and International Worship Church in (San Gabriel, CA) and a ministry partner, Ark of Christ (Anaheim, CA) who is considering membership with Mosaic. 

The desert climate of southern California appeals to me. Apart from palm trees, deserts, and mountains, visiting Mosaic communities in California also makes every journey for work feel like visiting one’s own family. 

In addition to building relationships, every visit brings a new understanding of ministry that enriches our collective understanding. There is much to learn together because mutual transformation is one of the goals of living in community. 

As a conference with a long history of Swiss-German cultural background, and a process of assimilation into Western European-American culture, the new presence of Hispanic, African, and Eastern cultures, each with their own etiquette, can pose challenges. 

However, our shared commitment of faith in Jesus, life in the community, and efforts for peace make our journey more beautiful. 

I am reminded of the quote, “If you want to walk fast, walk alone, but if you want to walk far, walk together.” And also of the story of two of Jesus’ disciples on their way to Emmaus. As they covered seven miles walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus, Jesus approached them and walked with them. 

They did not realize that Jesus was with them until the moment they ate together, and Jesus took the bread, blessed it, then broke it and gave it to them. (Luke 24:13-35) 

This verse reminds me of two things. First, that sometimes we are too focused on our goals that we forget to enjoy the journey and miss the presence of God in every process of our lives. 

Second, how eating together is an important part of building relationships. Even when we eat together, divine revelation can occur. This happened to the two disciples of Jesus. 

Going from one place to another in Los Angeles takes a long time. However, in my journey, I was introduced to a hymn from South Africa, “Hamba nathi” which means “Let’s walk together with Me”. 

At this opportunity, allow me to share the song: 

Come, walk with us, the journey is long. 
Share our burden, and join in the song. 
Come, uplift us, and bring us new life. 
Give us peace when the journey is done. 
The journey, the journey, the journey is long. 

In our spiritual journey, let us walk together with our brothers and sisters in faith and enjoy every process with the Lord. Because He never once leaves us or forsakes us. May the Lord bless us. 

Hendy Matahelemual

Hendy Matahelemual is the Associate Minister for Community Engagement for Mosaic Conference. Hendy Matahelemual was born and grew up in the city of Bandung, Indonesia. Hendy lives in Philadelphia with his wife Marina and their three boys, Judah, Levi and Asher.

Digging Through the Roof

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By Laura Leatherman Alderfer, Salford (Harleysville, PA) and Methacton (Norristown, PA) congregations

This article was originally published by Anabaptist World and is reprinted with permission.  

Illustration by Kate Cosgrove from The Peace Table. © Shine curriculum, published by MennoMedia and Brethren Press. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The story of the man lowered through the roof to see Jesus is often told in the context of Jesus’ miraculous healings. 

We may not have thought of it as a story about inclusion, disability and accessibility. But as we look more closely at Mark 2:1-12, there is much to learn about ourselves, how Jesus views people with disabilities, and true accessibility and inclusion.

A house with no door

Imagine you’ve been invited to a party. You show up to the house, make your way to the spot where the front door should be and find — nothing. There is a place for a doorway. There is even a doormat that says, “Welcome, friends.” 

You knock on the window, but no one hears. You look for another entrance, but no one notices you are outside. 

Have we considered the people among us who feel invited but invisible? Are we aware of those looking for the front door? 

The paralyzed man and his friends created an opening to get inside the building where, for him, there was no door. How can we do the same (preferably without digging literal holes through the roof)? 

Three perspectives from Mark 2 offer a starting point. 

The first perspective is that of the man who was lowered through the roof. 

The text doesn’t say why he felt the need to be near Jesus. We often assume he and his friends wanted Jesus to cure his paralysis and make him walk again. But the passage doesn’t say that. 

Consider this man’s faith, the boldness, the vulnerability, as he allowed himself to be let down on a mat through a hole in the roof, presumably to the floor — and then looked up to see the face of Jesus. 

What does Jesus say to him? 

First, “Son.” Jesus affirms that this man is a child of God, an important part of the family. He belongs. That is the man’s identity, and Jesus names it. 

Second, “Your sins are forgiven.” Jesus does not immediately focus on what’s “wrong” with the man’s body. He simply sees a precious person who needs connection to God and removes the barrier of sin that separates him. It is only after certain religious people in the room question Jesus’ authority to forgive sins that he cures the man’s paralysis. 

We must not look at inclusion and accessibility as rooted in a problem with the physical bodies or brains of people with disabilities. We must see one another the way God sees us: as whole and in need of belonging, forgiveness and community. 

The second perspective is that of the paralyzed man’s friends who recognized the importance of bringing their friend to Jesus. 

According to Mark, these friends “dug through” the roof to make an opening. You can almost feel their gritty determination and sweaty effort, united in their resolve to get their friend inside. 

If you are a caregiver or friend to someone with a disability, you probably identify with these friends. You see your precious friend as fully loved and fully worthy. You feel the heartbreak of your friend’s loneliness, the frustration at the barriers and the feelings of being unseen. You might feel those things, too. 

Remember the caregivers in your midst. These people are already near to the precious children of God who must be included in all places and spaces. 

The final perspective is that of a person who isn’t mentioned: the one who owned the house. 

What about this person, who was just trying to provide a place for ­Jesus to teach and preach? He was left to deal with a hole in the roof and debris on the floor. Was he upset? 

Or did this encounter with Jesus, and with spiritual and physical healing, somehow change the homeowner? Perhaps the cost of roof repair was a small price to pay for experiencing God working a healing miracle through Jesus in his living room. 

Everyone can do something to ensure accessibility and inclusion. Yes, there is a place for planning and raising funds to make our homes and houses of worship more disability friendly. But God also may call us to open the roof in unconventional ways to let all God’s children inside. 

Questions for reflection 

Ask yourself the following questions to develop your awareness of those who are looking for the door but cannot find it: 

  • Are we willing to assume the financial costs of accessibility? 
  • Are we willing to do the relational work of learning how to connect with others who are different and open to the transformation that comes with it? 
  • Are we willing to examine our ideas about health, ability and what makes another person valuable? 
  • Are we open to breaking barriers so that every person — every body — can be welcomed in to experience healing and restoration through the power of Jesus? 

Yes, there are challenges and costs. There is destruction of inaccessible structures and old ways of thinking. 

But there is also much joy and beauty. 

And there is much love, belonging and healing when we draw near to Jesus. 

Let’s dig some holes to welcome all his friends inside. 

Laura Leatherman Alderfer

Laura Leatherman Alderfer of Telford, Pa., leads the Accessibility Ministry Team at Salford Mennonite Church, Harleysville, Pa. This article was adapted from a sermon preached at Plains Mennonite Church, Hatfield, Pa.

Partnerships Share Hope in Honduras: Healthy Niños Honduras, Deep Run East, and Honduran Leaders

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by Barbara Rice

Deep Run Mennonite East (Perkasie, PA) has been blessed to send 43 teams to Honduras since 2001, most under the leadership of Mosaic Conference-Related Ministry, Healthy Niños Honduras (HNH) (formerly MAMA Project).   

In January 2024, our team from Deep Run East arrived at the beautiful mission house in San Franscisco de Yoja, about 90 minutes from the airport in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. We were greeted by the first set of partners, the amazing HNH staff. They had been preparing for us with rooms ready, food purchased, and coordination with rural communities to receive our medical brigade and select families to receive new cement floors in their homes. Without the HNH staff and volunteers (about 24 people) ranging from the key directors, nurses, doctors, dentists, translators, and of course, the cooks, our service would not be effective or successful. These partners are dedicated Christians who desire to improve life for their fellow Hondurans. They care for our team and allow us to partner with the rural communities.  

The delegation from Deep Run East prays with the HNH staff before traveling to a local community. Photo by Barbara Rice.  

When our vans arrive at the rural community, usually a 90-minute ride on rough mountain roads with breathtaking views, we meet the second set of partners, the community leaders.  The HNH staff work with them to organize our visit. The leader is usually a pastor, teacher, or someone respected in the community. They have selected where we set up the clinic (most often a school building) and which families are in most need of a cement floor. They organize those who have arrived to visit the clinic with a numbering system. They assist the HNH staff with registering people and taking pictures for the medical record system. Often local people help with weighing and measuring during the medical clinics, because they know the families and can help them navigate through the stations in the clinics. These are people who care about their communities and without them our service would not be as effective or successful.   

Children of the community welcome the volunteers excitedly, anticipating that there may be toys shared! Photo by Barbara Rice. 
After a successful day with community leaders, the HNH staff and the delegation from Deep Run East celebrate. Photo by Barbara Rice. 
One of the community leaders’ tasks is selecting who will receive the water filtration systems. Photo by Barbara Rice. 

We have experienced much joy in serving with HNH and have come to love the Honduran people for their hospitality and desire to work together to bring healing and hope to the most vulnerable in their country. With these partnerships we can show God’s love. 

And thank you to one more set of partners—all of those who pray for our teams. 

Would you like to be a partner? As we visit communities, we find that over 50% of the children with have some level of malnourished children. The most severe cases are invited to the Nutritional Rehabilitation Center where children can be brought to health and mothers can learn more about nutrition and childcare. We are happy that more families are willing to come to the nutrition center, but as a result, HNH is experiencing a gap in funding. If you want to help, please visit the Healthy Niños website.  

Barbara Rice

Barb Rice lives in Quakertown PA. She is a member of Deep Run East (Perkasie, PA) and serves on the Healthy Niños Board. She has organized many Deep Run East teams to Honduras.

Mental Health Sunday at Zion Mennonite

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by Mike Ford, Maureen Gingerich, and Jessica Fenchel

“We all have dips in our life trajectory, we all have low times emotionally. And in these times, it’s good to get help, it’s important to be there for each other,” visiting speaker Jessica Fenchel shared during the sermon time at Zion (Souderton, PA) during a recent worship service and intergenerational Sunday school on mental health. We read Galatians 6:2 and Matthew 25:35-36 to remind us that we need to be a community of healing for each other, and that mental health is just as important as physical health. 

Fenchel, Senior Vice President at Access Services, was joined by Maureen Gingerich, Vice President of Integrated Health Services at St. Luke’s Penn Foundation, to speak with the Zion congregation on this topic, and provide space for questions and answers during Sunday school.  

Sharing about the scope of the problem, Fenchel cited, “As many as 70% of high school students in Montgomery County report prolonged experiences of depression and anxiety.” 

Emphasizing the negative effects of loneliness and isolation on our health, Gingerich pointed out that the “lack of social connection can be as impactful as smoking 15 cigarettes per day, according to research shared in the Surgeon General’s 2023 Advisory on the Health Effects of Social Connection & Community”. 

Yet there is good news: we heal in community. Faith and spirituality are a significant part of healing and growth for most people, and we, as followers of Jesus, can be part of that community of healing. We can create spaces of vulnerability where people can share safely.  We can be good listeners. We can cultivate congregational cultures where people feel welcomed, validated, and accepted. We can provide resources for professional help. We can build and maintain caring relationships now so that when times of crisis come, we can step into the gap to support others. 

Fenchel reminded us that “We sometimes refer to vulnerability as brave, but it shouldn’t have to feel so brave to be honest about how we’re really doing.” Our congregations can have a role in creating a feeling of safety about sharing honestly.  

Gingrich emphasized the importance of community, saying, “Community helps us build and maintain healing connections that sustain us through life’s challenges and joys.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and digital media have affected the way we interact with each other, making it easier not to interact face-to-face. Yet personal, face-to-face interaction is the way God has wired us to best relate to and care for each other. Time together in community, and wise use of technology to enhance our relationships, and professional help for those facing trauma, death, depression, and isolation are all beneficial supports that offer the potential for healing and holistic wellness.  

For those seeking to connect with a professional counselor or therapist, talk to a pastor or consider these resources:  

Mike Ford

Mike Ford loves Jesus and people, and has combined those two loves for the last 40 years through work on a college campus, Program Director at two Christian camps, hospital chaplaincy, and serving as a Youth Pastor and Preaching Pastor at several Mennonite congregations. Mike oversees Zion’s Jr/Sr High youth ministry and helps with its outreach activities. 

Maureen Gingerich

Maureen Gingerich, MPH, MSW, LCSW, has 15 years of experience in the behavioral health field, the majority of which have been with St. Luke’s Penn Foundation. She currently serves as Vice President of Integrated Health Services, overseeing the areas of quality, licensing/accreditation, navigation, Administrative Case Management, and HealthConnections.

Jessica Fenchel

Jessica Fenchel is Vice President of Behavioral Health and Chief Operating Officer at Access Services. She has been at Access Services for over 10 years, during which she was key in the startup of innovative initiatives across multiple service spaces including crisis, forensics, schools, and homelessness.

Giving Hope and Uniting People in West Palm Beach

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by Andrés Castillo

In February I spent a day brushing up on my Russian at the home of Pavel and Marina, leaders of the Shores of Hope community in West Palm Beach, Florida. Shores of Hope is a ministry that accompanies and ministers to Ukrainian and Russian refugees in the area, as well as other Russian speakers who grew up in the USSR.  

I watched as Tajik friends cooked an aromatic feast of plov (pilaf) and okroshka soup. Homemade Pad Thai joined the spread later. I joined Pavel in a surprise duet—him on balalaika, me on guitar—of Russian folk songs. Monolingual English speakers, second-generation Russian-Americans, first-generation Russian immigrants and Tajiks sat around the living room and shared what was on our hearts and minds and learned about each other’s lives. 

Shores of Hope community members from Tajikistan serve homemade Plov (rice pilaf). Photo by Pavel Gailans.

It was international yet intimate. 

Shores of Hope’s partnership with Mosaic was clear after the first Support Group meeting with Mosaic staff members. At the meeting, Pavel told Shores of Hope’s story: 

“Giving hope and uniting people is our motto,” Pavel says. “We began to meet a lot of people from Ukraine and Russia who were seeking refuge in the U.S. We felt heartbroken about the situation. 

Shores of Hope community members gather in Marina and Pavel’s living room to share what is on their hearts and minds. Photo by Marina Gailans.

We became part of a small Slavic bible study. We asked them if they would be interested in helping spread the Gospel here in Florida and we organized a Christmas concert. 

People in Ukraine are fleeing war, and they need someone that will just love them. The Christmas concert made us realize that God wants us to do this. 

We were in awe of seeing different doors open. We were able to meet many families and welcome them into our home, just to have dinner or talk. Many immigrant families are interested in coming to our home for events.” 

Pavel also shared other aspects of Shores of Hope’s mission: 

“One of our hopes is not just to raise funds for refugee families, but also start a business club to help them learn about the U.S. economic system and what they want to do. 

We also want to address issues related to the war. We are against this war, and we have intentional, challenging conversations in our home with Ukrainians and Russians alike. 

We embrace those who are connected somehow to the Russian language or have an interest in our culture. Meetings and events are held in Russian, and you will find that there is a strong connection between those who grew up in the Soviet Union.” 

Marina and Pavel are currently awaiting work authorization, which will help them financially and make certain processes more efficient. They will continue to host gatherings in their home and minister to the Shores of Hope community.

Drane Reynolds from Homestead Mennonite Church prays for the meal in English while Pavel interprets into Russian. Photo by Andrés Castillo.

“I have very little free time, but I feel blessed to live here in the U.S. and have certain freedoms,” shares Pavel. “We never dreamed that we would know you [Mosaic]. We are grateful that you and MCUSA want to be a part of our lives and believe in what we do. It’s divine encouragement for us.” 

Marina and Pavel have been married nearly 25 years and have two children, Pavel (11) and Anastasia (9). Marina enjoys managing Airbnb properties, but for most of her life she has been involved in ministry and enjoys that even more. Pavel studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University. He recently took up a chaplaincy role at a hospice facility and an interim pastorship at Homestead (FL).  

Andrés Castillo

Andrés Castillo is the Intercultural Communication Associate for the Conference. Andrés lives in Philadelphia, PA, and currently attends Methacton Mennonite Church. He loves trying new food, learning languages, playing music, and exploring new places.

MC USA Constituency Leaders Council Focuses on Reimagining Church 

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The original version of this article was published by MC USA. This shortened version includes quotes from Mosaic’s participants in the meeting.  

The MC USA Constituency Leaders Council (CLC) reflected on the question, “What does it mean to do church together?” at its biannual meeting at College Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana, on March 21-23, 2024. Moderator-elect Marty Lehman presided over the meeting, which introduced leaders to MC USA’s new strategic plan, invited them to participate in reinvention exercises, and offered inspiration through storytelling. 

Fifty-eight leaders, representing area conferences, racial/ethnic groups, constituency groups and MC USA Administration, attended the meeting. The three representatives from Mosaic Conference were Moderator Angela Moyer Walter, board member Emmanuel Mwaipopo (Norristown [PA] New Life), and Executive Minister Steve Kriss. In addition, Leadership Minister Marco Güete also attended in his staff role with Mennonite Education Agency (MEA), Camille Dager (Zion [Souderton, PA] in her staff role with MC USA, and Melissa Stoner (Philadelphia [PA] Praise Center) in her role on the MC USA Leadership Discernment Committee.

Conference Moderator Angela Moyer Walter, third from right, gathers around the table with other CLC participants. Photo by Camille Dager.

MC USA Executive Director Glen Guyton presented the new denominational strategic plan, which seeks to reimagine church. Objectives of the plan include identifying and leaning into the key markers and practices of the Anabaptist faith community, communicating in new ways and through new channels, providing prophetic leadership in peace and justice, developing a streamlined and effective denominational structure, and creating a sustainable funding system. 

MC USA Associate Executive Director Iris de León-Hartshorn led attendees through a workshop to reimagine church using Reinvention Academy tools. MC USA designed the workshop to help leaders analyze how adaptive they and their organizations are to anticipating, designing, and implementing change. Common fears among attendees included fear of conflict/polarization, fragmentation, loss of identity, loss of resources, and change. In considering how they might address these concerns, many participants recognized that they have considerable influence over their fears. 

Board member Emmanuel Mwaipopo, left, and Moderator Angela Moyer Walter, center, talk with Mennonite Mission Network Executive Director Marisa Smucker. Photo by Camille Dager. 

“I appreciate the annual face-to-face gatherings for CLC as a time to catch up with other conference and denominational leaders, to strengthen our relationships and renew connections from across the country,” reflected Kriss. “What happens in between the meetings and during meals is often as significant as the meeting content itself.” 

“Hearing stories from congregations across the denomination was valuable,” shared Moyer Walter. “Additionally, Marco’s MEA presentation and new video is very exciting and the fruit of many years of hard work. I also appreciated the lunchtime conversation around global partnerships, with Executive Director of Mennonite Mission Network, Marisa Smucker.  

Shared worship (including a reflection from Mwaipopo), faith formation through storytelling, and sharing about youth and young adult faith formation were other substantial components of the meeting. The next CLC meeting is Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, via Zoom.  

Three Possible Pathways for Our Future as Mosaic 

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by Stephen Kriss

In November 2022, our Mosaic delegate body met for the first time in person. And we had our first shared crisis of identity. Mennonite Church USA’s (MC USA) Kansas City summer 2022 special delegate session, which included repealing the denomination’s membership guidelines and passing a Repentance and Transformation resolution, created ripples of emotion for many persons across Mosaic.  

In response, at our first annual face-to-face, Mosaic delegates affirmed the Pathway Forward which includes strategic planning (needed at this point in our story together), an option for congregations to remove themselves from MC USA, and a promised discernment about our relationship with MC USA as a Conference community. This was a lot for the first annual face-to-face session.  

This is a lot for a new community to bear in its beginning. However, we are both deeply rooted and freshly new. By the grace and lovingkindness (chesed) of God, we have continued to flourish with surprising growth and provision in this two-year period. Our board has led with steadiness and our member congregations have engaged in mutuality and the agreed-upon work of our core missional, formational and intercultural priorities as we seek to embody the reconciling love of Jesus in our broken and beautiful world. 

In these two years, the Pathway Steering Team, which represents the diversity of gifts and perspectives of our Conference, has diligently worked on strategic planning and is moving closer to discernment on a recommended path for our Mosaic affiliations.  

In the meantime, Mosaic staff and board have made sure the work of the Conference continues. For me, as Executive Minister, this has meant understanding our relationship and responsibilities with MC USA and the implications of remaining within the denomination or finding alternative paths. 

Last month, I shared with the Pathway Steering Team three possible pathways I can identify for our future as Mosaic:  

A Pathway of Autonomy

As someone of Slavic descent, I recognize that autonomy can present new possibilities and challenges. Franconia Conference has been an autonomous conference in the past. Our community has capacity, in human and financial resources, to operate autonomously. We would still be Mennonites. We would find new ways to relate to other Anabaptists. We would seek membership in Mennonite World Conference. I have explored possible affiliations outside of MCUSA, and from my perspective, none would fit who we are or give us the support and space we need to live into our vision and mission.   

A Pathway of Continued Commitment

When Mosaic formed, we assumed continued membership in MC USA. We have deep connections broadly across the church and our continued engagement would offer our strength, diversity, and perspective to the largest Mennonite group in the U.S. Our membership in MC USA gives access to resources that are important in our credentialing process and in supporting some of our most vulnerable and newest communities with grants for ministry, educational opportunities, and financial backing for the purchase of new meetinghouses. Continued membership would maintain those programmatic connections and relationships across the country. The challenge for some of us is that this affiliation has become a liability rather than a strength that enables us to live more fully into our vision and mission. 

A Pathway of Collaboration or Partnership

At the last MC USA gathering, Mennonite Health Services and Everence altered their relationships with MC USA. We have had some initial conversations with leaders in MCUSA on what a different relationship might look like, in which we could collaborate on some areas of shared interest while holding our own polity and membership guidelines as Mosaic. This would require something new for MC USA (timely, given that we just discussed reinventing the church at our annual Constituency Leadership Council [CLC] gathering). This would also require something of us in Mosaic. Is it possible that Mosaic is a better MC USA partner rather than full member? Would this allow us to live into our vision and mission more fully? 

I have committed to a sense of holy indifference as the Executive Minister of Mosaic. I can see strengths and vulnerabilities in each of these paths. And it’s possible that the Pathway Steering Team will offer an alternative recommendation.  

What I do expect is that a year from now, Mosaic will be a different community in some way. This may be difficult, and it may also be invigorating. So far, the Spirit has continued to show up. I am committed to us living into our vision and mission of embodying the reconciling love of Christ even in difficult circumstances together. We won’t get it right all the time, but I want to keep us focused on living into who we have felt God has called us to be, both broken and beautiful. 

The Pathway Steering Team will likely have the strategic plan ready for board review at the May meeting at Bethany Birches Camp in Vermont. We hope there will be a recommendation for the board regarding affiliation at the August meeting. Conference delegates will have an opportunity to discuss this in our Assembly preparation gatherings, as we prepare for further discernment at the November 2, 2024, annual Assembly at Souderton (PA) Mennonite Church. 

As the pathway emerges, may we have the courage to do what is right and good, may we extend God’s great chesed to all, and may we walk humbly as individuals and as a Mosaic community. 

Stephen Kriss

Stephen Kriss is the Executive Minister of Mosaic Conference.