Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Articles

Passion for Helping Others in Word and Deed 

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JENN SVETLIK STAFF PROFILE

by Mosaic Communication Staff

“I deeply appreciate Mosaic’s missional, intercultural, and formational priorities,” shares Jenn Svetlik, editor/writer for Mosaic Conference. “I feel humbled and privileged to be able to hear so many stories from diverse people from various cultures and perspectives and help share them widely within our Conference.” 

Since 2020, Jenn has occasionally written articles for Mosaic News. She joined the Mosaic communication team on a short-term basis in September 2023. She recently was invited to stay on in a continuing role. In early 2024, her part-time role will include editing, writing, and overseeing the production of the weekly e-newsletter Mosaic News.  

Jenn Svetlik and her youngest child kayak at Bartram’s Garden in Philadelphia.

“This fall, I got to know the Conference much more deeply through writing and editing articles and coming to Assembly for the first time. I have been awed by how passionate the staff is about being faithful to God’s call for us as a Conference,” Jenn shares. “So, when I was asked if I would like to continue and expand my work with Mosaic, I didn’t hesitate to say yes!”  

Jenn is a cradle Catholic who grew up in the suburbs of Houston, TX. Her growth into a personal faith commitment coincided with her youth group’s study of Catholic social teaching. As part of that formation, the group spent time at the Houston Catholic Worker, a house of hospitality for newcomers arriving from Central America. Those transformative years led her to continue to work in houses of hospitality in Austin, TX during college and develop her capacity to speak Spanish.  

Three generations of Svetliks make vánočka, Czech Christmas bread, in Texas.

Jenn first encountered Mennonites and Mennonite theology through connections within the Catholic peace movement and at Sojourners, in Washington DC, where she was a fellow in the organizing and advocacy department after graduating college. During that time, she met Sheldon Good, who eventually became her spouse.  

Her first decade of post-college professional experience was spent working in faith-based nonprofit organizations in Washington DC, including several years with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, accompanying volunteers in Nicaragua, Tanzania, Micronesia and the US.  

After leaving DC, Jenn, Sheldon, and their oldest child served briefly with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Iraq, before settling in Lansdale, PA.  

Jenn has an MA in Theology from Washington Theological Union and is passionate about faith formation opportunities. She has the opportunity to put that passion into practice as Children’s Ministry Director at Salford (Harleysville, PA), where she is a member.  

Jenn also works supporting fundraising and communications for Roots of Justice, an antiracism training organization. She is also a teaching assistant for the online education program of the Center for Action and Contemplation.  

In all these roles she is excited about the intersection of formation and communication and how communication can support deeper faith formation work.  

Beyond her many paid jobs and caring for her two elementary-school aged children, Jenn enjoys being active and spending time outdoors, such as swimming, biking, kayaking, yoga, and gardening.  “Having my hands in the soil, supporting plants in their growth, making compost, and harvesting and sharing fresh food are all central spiritual practices for me,” Jenn shares.  

Jenn Svetlik (far right) with her spouse, Sheldon Good (far left), and children during a family vacation to Montreal, summer 2023. 

She also really enjoys camping with her family, especially at Hickory Run State Park in the Poconos. “Growing up my family did lots of camping road trips to National Parks across the country. Between those memorable trips and travel as an adult, I have had the opportunity to visit 46 of the 50 states.” 

Differences That Unify, Not Divide

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by Mary Nitzsche

When I was in the ordination process, I was serving as a Leadership Minister for Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA. Since I was not pastoring a congregation, the pastors I accompanied were asked to evaluate my readiness for ordination. One pastor, whom I will call Sam, struggled with whether he could support my ordination given his theological interpretation of scripture. Sam took this matter so seriously that he re-read the scriptures about the role of women in leadership, discussed his perspective with trusted colleagues, and prayed about this decision. In his prayerful discernment, he came to his prior conclusion that women should not be ordained.  

Sam communicated his position in a lengthy written document sent certified mail to me and multiple conference leaders. The letter ended with his conviction that he would not stand in the way of the conference decision. There were no threats to leave the conference or denomination if there was support for my ordination. There were no threats he would no longer accept my leadership role in accompanying him in ministry.

Mary Nitzsche (left) was ordained as Regional Pastor of Ohio Conference at Oak Grove Mennonite Church in Smithville, OH on November 16, 1997. Photo provided by Mary Nitzsche.

 

My ordination was supported by the other pastors, conference leadership, and the Ministerial Committee of Ohio Conference and Central District Conference. With his congregational responsibilities, Sam was not able to attend my ordination on November 16, 1997, 26 years ago. 

Because I was unsure of how my ordination would impact our relationship, it took six months after my ordination to have the courage to call Sam. I asked if I could visit his congregation and get to know them. The first thing out of Sam’s mouth was, “Would you be willing to preach?”  

I was shocked and I hesitated to respond. How could he invite me to preach in his congregation while not endorsing the ordination of women, I wondered. Without needing to understand his reasoning, I accepted the invitation with humility and tears of joy. I had experienced God’s grace like never before.  

From this gracious brother, I learned the importance and priority of relationship over belief. I learned the importance of prayerful discernment on matters of belief with an openness to new interpretations. I learned that two people can take scripture seriously, study it carefully, follow Jesus faithfully, and interpret the same scripture differently. I learned that when there is disagreement, there can be mutual respect rather than judgment, and a willingness to remain in fellowship rather than separate. While I understand there are times when separation may be best for a relationship or faith community, I do not believe this should be the norm.  

Before his impending death on the cross, Jesus’ prayed three times for his current and future disciples, “that they will all be one–as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21 NLT). Jesus’ disciples had different personalities and different understandings of Jesus and his mission, and as such, the oneness to which Jesus was calling them did not mean sameness. 

Jesus’ invitation was to remain in relationship even when perspectives are different. In a polarized world in Jesus’ time and now, oneness is a sign of faithfully following the teaching and practices of Jesus. I learned this 26 years ago from my gracious brother in Christ, and I hope my life has demonstrated Jesus’ prayer over these many years of ministry.  

Mary Nitzsche

Mary Nitzsche is a Leadership Minister for Mosaic Conference. She and her husband, Wayne, are Midwest natives. They have two adult daughters, Alison and Megan, son-in-laws, Michael and David, and two grandchildren.

Sharing Stories Across Languages and Perspectives

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Staff Profile for Andrés Castillo

by Jennifer Svetlik

“I like journalism, writing, and helping people from different backgrounds share their stories,” reflects Andrés Castillo, Intercultural Communication Associate for Mosaic Conference. “Stories are a way of sharing what the Conference does, even in the midst of differing perspectives and beliefs. Working for Mosaic Conference allows me to be a part of the challenging work of holding together these various perspectives.”  

Andrés officially began his new Mosaic role, part-time, in November 2023. Prior, he had been working off and on for Mosaic conference since 2019. His role will expand to a full-time, one-year position in January 2024.  

In this role, Andrés is writing newsletter articles, making updates to the job postings and announcements page, responding to the Mosaic office email account, and greeting and supporting those who visit the Mosaic office in Lansdale, PA. As part of the Intercultural and Communication teams, he has recently been participating in Conference-related events and reporting on them in Spanish. 

“It is rewarding to hear many different stories and viewpoints, and also be able to practice Spanish and Russian,” Andrés shares. He is also looking forward to planning events with the Intercultural team that involve not only sharing food, but also exhibiting art and music from various cultures.  

Andrés really enjoys providing Spanish-English translation for Mosaic’s communication, whether long reports or brief announcements. Prior to coming on staff with Mosaic, he worked for a translation and linguistic quality control company as a translation project manager. This prior experience helps Andrés understand the needs of each translation job.  

Andrés has the distinction of currently being the only member of Gen Z on the Mosaic staff. “Working for Mosaic in my 20s seemed interesting because I’d be the only person of my generation on staff, and I think and act differently because of the perspective my life experience provides,” Andrés reflects. “I think having someone from my generation is a benefit and challenge at the same time, because my generation is an angry one, and we prioritize different things than the older generations.”  

Andrés grew up in Norristown (PA) and now lives in Philadelphia. He is a graduate of West Chester University of Pennsylvania with BA degrees in Spanish and Russian language. He attends Methacton congregation (Norristown, PA) with his grandparents. He appreciates that the congregation is very accepting, and also enjoys the open sharing time during the second hour after worship. 

Andrés Castillo, Mosaic staff member, makes shoofly pies (a PA Dutch baked good) under the direction of his nana. Photo provided by Andrés Castillo.  

In addition to the English, Spanish, and Russian he knows, Andrés is casually studying Polish these days in preparation for an upcoming trip to Poland and Slovakia. He hopes to eventually learn Arabic.  

He enjoys practicing mixed martial arts, playing video games, exploring Philadelphia, and going to the gym. He plays guitar, bass, and drums and enjoys writing and playing music with three hardcore bands comprised of his good friends.  

As a cook, Andrés enjoys trying new recipes from other cultures, especially Slavic, Hispanic, Indian, and Southeast Asian cuisine. “But these days, I mostly cook on a budget and eat vegetarian food, sometimes even inventing new vegan creations by accident,” Andrés says. “I eat a lot of chickpeas.”  

Jennifer Svetlik

Jennifer is a member of the communication team, helping with editing, writing, and content creation. She was born near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in an intentional community in Washington DC, before moving to Lansdale, PA with her spouse, Sheldon Good. She is a graduate of the University of Texas and Washington Theological Seminary. She serves as Children’s Faith Formation Director at Salford Mennonite (Harleysville, PA). Jenn has two elementary-school-aged children and loves biking, camping, gardening, and vermicomposting with her family.

As a Leader, I’m Tempted

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by Hendy Matahelemual

A church asked me to preach as part of a series on the prophets. The week I was scheduled, the prophet was Jesus. When I prayed about what to say, I felt the Holy Spirit wanted me to talk about how to lead like Jesus. I was taken aback. “No, not leadership,” I thought. 

Leadership is one of the most challenging topics for me to preach about. Perhaps this is because I struggle with self-confidence. Most of the time I don’t feel like a good leader. 

Henry Nouwen’s book In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership, gave me encouragement. Nouwen writes that a leader is tempted to be relevant, spectacular, and powerful. In my leadership roles, I’m tempted to try to be everything to everyone. Especially in an immigrant community, the pastor’s role is not limited to preaching and leading Bible study. We are expected to be so much more: handyman, driver, interpreter, legal counsel, realtor, and 24/7 emergency and information hotline. The community might have unrealistic expectations. If we are not careful, burnout and depression are around the corner. 

When Jesus was tempted in the desert, the devil tried to get him to use his power for the wrong reasons. I think the devil uses the same tricks on leaders today. I have fallen into the “relevance” trap because I want to be recognized as a pastor who helps people. There’s an urge inside of me to be useful for my congregation, conference, and community. 

There is nothing wrong with helping meet people’s needs. But the motive must be genuine love, not a desire to impress others or fill a void in one’s own life. Meeting the world’s needs might solve an immediate problem but not an eternal one. Maybe you fixed someone’s furniture or helped resolve an asylum case. These good deeds don’t meet the deepest human need: God’s love. 

“God’s love can be manifested through personal connections,” Nouwen writes. “We live in a culture where everything is measured by results, achievements, and numbers, but there’s less emphasis on relationships and connections. As leaders, we need to be irrelevant to this culture by being vulnerable as individuals who also need love from God and care from the community.” 

The next temptation is to be spectacular. In Indonesia, I worked as a pastor at a megachurch. We had an average attendance of more than 2,000 people and about 40 staff. Every year, we baptized around 100 people. 

When I moved to the US, everything changed. I pastor a small congregation. At one point, we had fewer than ten people in our Sunday service. I had to work two or even three jobs to support my ministry. In the first three years, we baptized three people. My wife and I felt like failures. Friends back home asked why we were wasting our time and energy. They said we should return to Indonesia. 

We are glad we stayed. I learned a lot leading a small congregation. The congregation sees me as I am. I cannot hide behind the pulpit on a big stage, out of reach. Others see my vulnerability and our lives become intertwined. My congregation sees our struggles in marriage, parenting, and making ends meet. At first, this seemed like frailty. But we grew to understand it as a blessing. Others love us as we are. 

Nouwen says a leader needs the people as much as they need the leader. I’m trying to grow as a leader while being led by others, and to lead like Jesus by not giving in to temptation to be relevant, spectacular, or powerful.   

A version of this article originally appeared in Anabaptist World and is reprinted with permission.

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.

Nurturing Accessible Children’s Ministry

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by Jenn Svetlik

Mosaic Conference declares, “We believe God’s design is for all people in all places to flourish and to be transformed by loving, mutual relationships with God and one another.” Persons with disabilities and those who are neurodivergent (having developmental or neurological function that differs from what is considered “typical”) are a part of this beautiful mosaic.

“Some of the children in our early elementary Sunday School class have trouble sitting and staying in their chairs. These children have specific sensory needs for movement,” shares Rachel Mateti, Children and Youth Minister at Plains (Hatfield, PA) Mennonite Church. “The barrier to their learning was the expectation to be still and quiet. To help with their sensory needs, we purchased wobble seats for our classroom. When using them, the children are more focused and able to follow the lesson.”

This is a small example of what a congregation can do to remove the barriers that disable certain people, so that all divine image-bearers can participate fully and share their gifts.

God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.

1 Cor 12:6-7, NLT

Plains has been working at this effort for over a decade, seeking to understand the barriers that people with disabilities face, and making both community life and facilities welcoming to persons of all kinds of abilities. Heather Gingrich, who leads the congregation’s Autism Support Group, recently co-wrote an article for Anabaptist Disabilities Network about their support group, congregational learning, and their new inclusive playground and accessible park.

Spring Mount (Schwenksville, PA) is another Mosaic congregation who has been working for years to make their space welcoming for those with autism and sensory processing needs. The emerging work at Salford (Harleysville, PA) on building community with neurodivergent children was recently featured on the Shine Curriculum blog.

About 20% of people are neurodivergent or have a physical, sensory, or intellectual disability. That means there are families in our congregations who are impacted. “In being proactive about planning to welcome families impacted by disability, I think back to the old movie Field of Dreams,” shares Mateti. “If you build it, they will come.”

These are some examples within Mosaic Conference, but some of us have been curious about other congregations across the Conference:  

  • How have you been working at creating accessible environments for people of all abilities?  
  • How does your congregation understand disability?  
  • How do you talk about inclusion of those with disabilities and neurodivergence?  
  • What are you doing or would like to be doing?  
  • What questions do you have about this work and what support would benefit your congregation?
Children play in the spinning cocoon that is part of the new accessible, sensory-friendly playground. Photo provided by Plains Mennonite. 

We are gathering congregational leaders (pastors, children’s faith formation leaders, and volunteers) for a workshop with the Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADN) on Saturday, January 27, at 9 AM-12 PM/ET. We hope you might join us either in person at the Mosaic Conference Office in Lansdale, PA or via Zoom.  

The workshop, Nurturing Accessible Children’s Ministry for families of children with disabilities or neurodivergence, will be led by Bonnie and Lyle Miller of ADN. Some of the topics will include:  

  • Congregational Vision: what is the goal of a congregation in increasing accessibility? How can we proactively plan to welcome families with different needs? How can we create a sense of belonging that values each person who comes through our doors, and their unique gifts?  
  • Relating to families: Identifying needs, communication, and creating care plans 
  • Community: Nurturing care for the whole family, congregational awareness and education

Click here to learn more and register for the workshop with Anabaptist Disabilities Network on Saturday, January 27. Suggested registration is $25/person. The registration deadline is Friday, January 12.

Jennifer Svetlik

Jennifer is a member of the communication team, helping with editing, writing, and content creation. She was born near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in an intentional community in Washington DC, before moving to Lansdale, PA with her spouse, Sheldon Good. She is a graduate of the University of Texas and Washington Theological Seminary. She serves as Children’s Faith Formation Director at Salford Mennonite (Harleysville, PA). Jenn has two elementary-school-aged children and loves biking, camping, gardening, and vermicomposting with her family.

Personal Advent Resources for Pastors 

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by Jennifer Svetlik

Photo by Max Beck on Unsplash

“As a congregant, I was able to soak in Advent in a special way, but as a pastor, I find it harder to stay focused when it’s my job to ‘make Advent happen,’” admitted Michelle Curtis, Co-Pastor of Ambler (PA) Mennonite. 

Advent can sometimes get so busy for pastors and congregational leaders that personal devotion time can get sidetracked. To support fellow pastors during this time, a few Mosaic pastors share recommendations, reflections, and resources.  

“I enjoy the calm centeredness of the Advent wait,” shared Sandy Drescher-Lehman, Pastor of Methacton (PA) Mennonite Church. “It’s been hard for many people to understand the importance of saving the hymns of Jesus’ birth until the end of the month when the rest of their lives are influenced by Christmas decorations and gift buying for two months before the actual celebration of Jesus’ birth.” 

“I come from a family that was distrustful of anything ‘high church’ and was also anti-ritual,” said Pastor Nathan Good, Pastor of Swamp Mennonite Church (Quakertown, PA). Pastor Nathan explained that his congregation has a strong history of embracing rhythms of the church calendar and has stronger rituals and practices in these areas. “I have come to appreciate these seasons more as a result,” Pastor Nathan reflected.  

“More than simply a liturgical season, Advent is remembering that God is with us, for us, and in us, this is our eternal hope, for Christ’s return in glory,” shared Tomas Ramírez of Iglesia Luz y Vida (Orlando, FL). “Even when we put up lights and exchange gifts as others do in this season, for us who are centered in Christ and his coming, we are focused on hope.” 

Photo by Grant Whitty on Unsplash

Hendy Matahelemual, Pastor of Indonesian Light Church (Philadelphia, PA) reflected, “Our church is focused on the Jesus story and how we can become more Jesus-centered in our theology and practice. So that’s what Advent means to me … to really understand the work of Christ from the beginning.”  

“In Advent, we wait for God to act and find that God acts through fragile and broken humanity,” shared Nathan Good.  “So even though we feel weak and unable to make a difference, we know and trust that God can use our fragile efforts to transform creation through love.” 

Looking for some personal (or congregational) nourishment this Advent season? Here are a few recommended resources from other Mosaic leaders:  

Jesus: A Pilgrimage by James Martin, SJ. Recommended by Hendy Matahelemual, Indonesian Light Church (Philadelphia, PA). 

Bless the Advent We Actually Have Free Advent Devotional by Kate Bowler, which includes scripture, blessings, reflections, and discussion questions to “make the act of waiting holy.” Recommended by Sue Conrad Howes, West Swamp (Quakertown, PA) 

The Grand Miracle from the Christian History Institute, featuring gorgeous art, scripture, and writings of C.S. Lewis. Recommended by Michelle Curtis, Ambler (PA). 

Sacred Pauses: Spiritual Practices for Personal Renewal by April Yamasaki, this book is helpful for those struggling with an anti-ritual past. Recommended by Nathan Good, Swamp (Quakertown, PA) 

Because of Bethlehem by Max Lucado. Recommended by Tomas Ramírez, Iglesia Luz y Vida (Orlando, FL). 

Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens. Recommended by Andrew Zetts, Salford (Harleysville, PA) 

25 Days of Advent Family Devotional, available in six languages, daily verse of scripture telling the Christmas narrative, created by Brooke Martin, Youth and Community Formation Pastor for Mosaic. 

Jennifer Svetlik

Jennifer is a member of the communication team, helping with editing, writing, and content creation. She was born near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in an intentional community in Washington DC, before moving to Lansdale, PA with her spouse, Sheldon Good. She is a graduate of the University of Texas and Washington Theological Seminary. She serves as Children’s Faith Formation Director at Salford Mennonite (Harleysville, PA). Jenn has two elementary-school-aged children and loves biking, camping, gardening, and vermicomposting with her family.

Long-Haul Goodness 

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by Patti Loughridge and Sandy Drescher-Lehman 

While some folks may suffer from long-COVID, our congregation, Methacton Mennonite Church (Norristown, PA), wondered how we could practice long-haul goodness.  

From a congregational conversation in the summer of 2021, a group of us began to talk about forming what we called a “Green Team.” We soon created a mission statement to inform our efforts:  

We honor our responsibility to faithfully steward God’s creation, by guiding the community of Methacton Mennonite Church on a path to greater environmental care, both corporately and individually, through education and ecologically sustainable practices. 

(L-R) Patti Loughridge, Green Team Leader, and Pastor Sandy-Lehman with one of the new trees at Methacton Mennonite Church.

The Green Team began to share some of our life-long practices with each other and the congregation, such as ways to reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose. We also brainstormed together to think of new initiatives we could do individually and together.  

Eventually, an idea emerged from our prayers and dreaming. As good Mennonites, our initial impetus was both practical and financial. We wanted to have less lawn to mow, which would save us money and reduce our carbon emissions. We decided we should focus on a small section of our church property.   

Besides the practical and financial benefits, the team soon realized other benefits for this emerging idea of an outdoor sanctuary, such as taller grass that would enhance pollinating habitats for bees, butterflies and ladybugs, opportunities for nesting for certain bird species, and the insurance of water retention to slow down the effects of run-off and erosion.  

Then the dream of planting trees was added to our outdoor sanctuary, for many reasons. Trees are beautiful and sacred, they provide a food source and shelter for wildlife, they help cool our planet, they absorb carbon dioxide and give off clean oxygen, and they help keep rainwater in place, re-charging the ground’s water supply. To create this forest-like outdoor sanctuary, our church community was invited to “sponsor a tree,” in memory or honor of a loved one or for their own tending in the years to come.  

Members of Methacton planted 25 tree saplings on their church property in October. 
Various native trees, such as maples, redbuds, oaks, sweetgums, and walnuts, were planted on Methacton’s church property.

After two years, our dreaming and planning became a reality. The anticipated weekend finally arrived in October. Together, we dug holes, planted, mulched, and placed a wire cage around each young tree, 25 in all, to protect it from the plethora of deer that visit our church property. 

Now, 25 native trees’ leaves are turning colors on the edge of our lawn, giving glory to their Creator, with thanks to the people who had the vision, funds and sweat equity to inspire us. We stand in awe of the increased greening of the earth as we watch the young maples, redbuds, oaks, sweetgums, and walnuts bless the world for years to come. 

All photos provided by Sandy Drescher Lehman.

Patti Loughridge

Patti Loughridge received a degree in landscape design from Temple University and has enjoyed her lifelong career as a Horticulturist. Even when not at work, Patti enjoys puttering in her garden, growing vegetables, cooking, and finding new ways to make the earth a greener place. Patti attends Methacton Mennonite Church and serves there both as team lead for the Green Team and as a member-at-large on the Core Ministry Council.

Sandy Drescher-Lehman

Sandy Drescher-Lehman enjoys reading, writing, eating good food with people who also love to do that, pastoring at Methacton Mennonite Church, and riding tandem with her husband, John. Together they find joy in making beautiful spaces, and hosting Hipcampers, Wild Church, and retreatants on the land they tend, called FernRock Retreat.

Amid War, Staying in Bethlehem is Costly 

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by Eileen Kinch

Photo by Sameeh Karram on Unsplash

As Israel hunts down Hamas militants with sweeping attacks throughout Palestinian territories, the devastation is felt by both Muslims and Christians. In the West Bank, faculty at Bethlehem Bible College cling to hope that Christian friends in Gaza hold on to life. 

“Bethlehem has been under siege,” reported Andrew F. Bush on Oct. 31. A part of Methacton Mennonite Church (Norristown, PA), Bush directs the college’s Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice. “The Israeli Defense Forces’ closure of all the roads into Bethlehem is strangling its economy. With little money, families are conserving their resources. Few cars are on the road. Restaurants are closed.  

“These troubles are light, though — and everyone in Bethlehem knows it — compared to the devastation of Gaza. The prevailing mood in the city … is one of depression and anger at the indiscriminate bombing in all parts of Gaza, and the thousands of innocent Palestinian lives lost, including 3,500 children.” 

Although many foreigners streamed out of Bethlehem at the war’s outbreak in October, Bush felt his family needed to stay because the college’s peace studies program is more critical than ever. 

“Staying is costly. It causes great anxiety for our adult children in the States,” he said. “We also must work through our moments of panic when an app on my phone alerts us to an incoming rocket. 

“By remaining in Bethlehem, we have been able to walk with our Christian friends through these dark weeks. Some faculty at the college have needed support when their family members were killed by an Israeli missile that struck the St. Porphyrios Orthodox Church in Gaza that was sheltering Christians on Oct. 19.” 

“In that one attack 17 Christians lost their lives, in addition to the several thousand that have been lost in the whole Gaza Strip,” wrote BBC President Jack Sara of the college’s commitment to help deliver aid to those impacted by violence. “We are equally saddened but the loss of lives, but also very concerned that soon Gaza will not have any Christians left there at all. 

The college’s founder, Bishara Awad, went to the US as a young man in the 1960s for higher education. When he returned to work with Mennonite Central Committee in Palestine in 1972, Awad noticed that many other Palestinians did not have the same educational opportunities. In 1979, he founded Bethlehem Bible College as an option for Palestinians to receive a theological education without international travel. 

Today the college offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees. It is also home to the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice, a program that teaches peace and justice from a Palestinian perspective. 

BIPJ began in 2021 when BBC, which identifies as a “Palestinian Christian Evangelical university college” and welcomes students of all denominations, relaunched its peace program, which had faltered for logistical reasons. Bush, professor emeritus of missiology at Eastern University in St. Davids, PA, came to BBC in 2019 and developed an online format for the program. 

Peace runs deeply through BBC. For founder Bishara Awad, peace came only after he was able to forgive the Israelis who killed his father in 1948. When Awad was 9, his father was killed by an Israeli bullet when he left the house and walked into the street. Awad and his siblings were playing in the backyard. 

As Palestinian Christians, Awad and his family held strongly to Jesus’ teachings against war and violence. But he harbored anger and bitterness toward the Israelis. It was not until he was an adult that Awad was able to forgive them and be released from his hatred. After this, he became a more effective teacher. 

“It is only right that from the city of the birthplace of the Prince of Peace, we sow seeds of peace throughout all the world,” he said in 2021. 

Editor’s Note: A longer version of this article originally appeared in Anabaptist World on Nov. 2, 2023, and is re-published here with permission. To view the full article, please click here.  

Eileen Kinch

Eileen Kinch is a writer and editor for the Mosaic communication team. She holds a Master of Divinity degree, with an emphasis in the Ministry of Writing, from Earlham School of Religion. She and her husband, Joel Nofziger, who serves as director of the Mennonite Heritage Center in Harleysville, live near Tylersport, PA. They attend Methacton Mennonite Church. Eileen is also a member of Keystone Fellowship Friends Meeting in Lancaster County.