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Quaker Thoughts on Simplicity

August 21, 2023 by Cindy Angela

Mennonites and Friends (Quakers) are different groups with different cultural and theological histories. Yet these groups have some shared concerns: a peace testimony, a refusal to swear oaths, a history of persecution and flight, and an understanding of plainness and simplicity. As a member of the Religious Society of Friends, I offer a few reflections on simplicity from a traditional Quaker perspective.

Simplicity begins on the inside. As followers of Christ, we have been commanded to seek first the Kingdom of God. Simplicity is setting aside anything that gets in the way of seeking the Kingdom. The Book of Discipline of my yearly meeting (a yearly meeting is equivalent to a Mennonite conference or convention) states: “The call … is to abandon those things that clutter [our lives] and to press toward the goal unhampered. This is true simplicity.” Simplicity can mean having fewer possessions, but also means surrender to God.

Simplicity is not the same as frugality. My Lutheran grandparents lived through the Great Depression. As a result, they crimped the toothpaste tube to get out every last bit of paste—and I recall that my grandmother even once cut off the end so that she could scrape the inside of the tube with her brush. My grandfather told stories of eating pretzel soup for breakfast during the 1920s and 1930s. This was, well, crushed pretzels soaked in water. Circumstances forced my grandparents to be frugal. But their continued sense of carefulness with resources does not strike me as a form of simplicity, but rather a survival technique born of economic trauma.

Simplicity will look different for different people. Some Friends choose against television in their homes, and some plant gardens as a spiritual practice. Still others feel called to plain or simple dress. Not everyone feels called to do this. My yearly meeting acknowledges in the section of the Discipline that “Simplicity does not mean all conform to uniform standards.” Margaret Fell Fox, an early Friend and the wife of George Fox, mentioned in 1700 that requiring everyone to be “in one dress and one color” was a “silly poor Gospel.” This means that some Friends come to worship in long dresses and suspenders. Others come to worship wearing jeans. This is okay.

Simplicity can also unite us. Friends’ practice of waiting in silence began during a time of religious and political turmoil. They felt the only way to find God in the turmoil was to strip away the structured worship services. As a result of waiting, listening, and speaking only when God prompted, Friends encountered a special unity in worship. Even today, I will sometimes be praying silently, and someone stands and speaks the very thing I am praying about.

Following God’s call to simplicity can be a form of witness. John Woolman, an American Friend and storekeeper, felt that slavery was impeding his ability to seek first the Kingdom of God. He began to speak and act against slavery before Friends in the Philadelphia area prohibited the practice. He began wearing undyed clothing because dye was made by the labor of enslaved persons. For Woolman, stripping away distracting things meant looking different from the rest of his religious community.

In keeping with the Quakerly character of this writing, I offer some questions for examination and spiritual growth for us all to consider:

Is something blocking my search for the Kingdom of God?
How has following a call to simplicity enriched my walk with God and my community?

A longer version of this article originally appeared in Anabaptist World. This abbreviated version is used by permission.

From Pre-Med to Youth Ministry

August 17, 2023 by Cindy Angela

In 2022, Pastors, Beny Krisbianto and Angelia Susanto, of Nations Worship Center in Philadelphia, PA were concerned for the youth at their church. The married couple invited Graciella Odelia, a member of Nations Worship Center and college student, to dinner. Pastor Beny and Pastor Angelia shared their concern for the youth of the church with Odelia and told her that they sensed that God was calling Odelia to take up this work.

When this dinner occurred, Graciella Odelia was a biochemistry major at Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, VA) and intended to go to medical school. But God had other plans.

After the dinner with her pastors, Odelia prayed for guidance and felt a clear sense to accept and pursue the call to youth ministry. Odelia thought she was training to become a doctor. God called her to be a youth minister instead.

Meanwhile, Pastor Beny and his family visited the revival at Asbury University in Kentucky in February 2023. He came away with a strong concern to encourage and equip the younger generation, since these youth will be the future leaders and shapers of the church. As a result, Nations Worship Center (NWC) decided to create a special service for the youth. NWC applied for and received funds from a Mosaic Missions Operational Grant¹ to support the youth ministry.

The special youth service, which is conducted in English, takes place on Saturday afternoons after worship practice. The youth service includes games, worship, a sermon, and fun, informal times of eating and conversation. Odelia and Pastor Beny take turns leading worship and presenting God’s word in a sermon.

About 20 young people, who range from ages 10 to 20, attend. Some are from Nations Worship Center; others come from other Indonesian congregations, such Philadelphia Praise Center (PA). A few have no church home. The service is designed to meet the needs of youth who feel they have outgrown Sunday School. The youth have also done service projects, such as helping to pack food for needy families Philadelphia.

Nations Worship Center youth hang out at an ice cream place after youth service. Photo provided by Graciella Odelia.

As Odelia served NWC’s youth, she enrolled in a certificate program in Christian Studies at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. She found the courses in biblical studies, theology, and spiritual formation helpful.

“I felt that a single year of seminary education wasn’t sufficient,” Odelia explained. “I lacked the necessary skills to effectively guide the youth in their spiritual journeys.” This fall, she will begin studies in the seminary’s Master of Arts in Christian Leadership program, with an emphasis in youth ministry.

The youth from Nations Worship Center organized an Easter egg hunt event at the park this past spring. Photo provided by Graciella Odelia.

Odelia has discovered other opportunities and skills in her journey as a youth minister. To advertise for the youth service, she learned how to design flyers. She is also learning more about website design and video editing for NWC. “Exploring unfamiliar territories and learning new things have been an exhilarating journey,” Odelia said. “It was challenging, but I grew.”

Even though leading youth ministry was not her original plan, Odelia feels closer to God because of it. “This calling pulled me back to God,” she said. She is grateful for a deeper walk with God and is thankful for where she sees God at work in her life and in the lives of the youth. We pray for God’s special blessing on this ministry.

¹Missional Operations Grants (MOGs) are available to all Mosaic congregations for creative partnerships and new possibilities for missional engagement both in the surrounding community and farther away. The ministries and projects that have been funded by Missional Operations Grants are those building on the Mennonite tradition of faith and are trying new and creative initiatives to engage their own communities or people around the globe. To apply for a Mission Operations Grant, talk with your Leadership Minister.

Prepare a Way

August 17, 2023 by Cindy Angela

It was my first-time visiting Vermont as an adult, and I wasn’t disappointed. Boulder-strewn streams meandered through lush forests, surrounding open meadows, and backed by hazy mountains. As I visited Bethany congregation (Bridgewater Corners, VT), I spent the weekend eating outdoors and sitting in congregational meetings where I could feel breezes through open windows or sitting circled in the shade of established trees. I enjoyed the beauty of nature as well as the beauty of new friendships and deepening connections.

All this beauty was linked by a network of windy roads—some of which were cracked and crumbling. Vermont has been enduring a series of floods that have stretched its aging infrastructure to the limits. After the first flood this summer, crews worked quickly to rebuild destroyed roads while residents worked just as hard to clear out muddy basements, repair impassable driveways, and replant gardens. And then it rained again. And again. And again.

I heard the fatigue in our Mosaic siblings as they talked about what has felt like an exhausting cycle of rain and repair this summer. They’re self-sufficient and determined, but they wonder when the rainy season will end. This is unprecedented. No one seems to know.

As I drove home through the picturesque countryside on Sunday afternoon, skirting construction cones and passing crumpled bridges, I resonated with their weariness.

I feel like my summer has been crumbling around me. Unreliable childcare has framed weeks when one crisis bleeds into the next. Every time I put out one fire, I turn around to learn a congregation has left the conference or my computer has crashed or my daughter’s camp is canceled or someone is angry about something else. We’re patching the roads, but everywhere I turn, they keep crumbling around me. How many times have I caught myself crying out, “Can’t I catch a break?”

I thought about the long-time residents of Vermont explaining what it would take to flood-proof the roads— a significant change in infrastructure or even relocating the roads entirely. It feels impossible. As I drove past detour signs and washed-out streets, I found myself crying out to God: Is this all there is? For Vermont, for my family, for the conference?

Something stirred in my heart: Do I trust the Holy Spirit to go ahead of me, preparing a way?

I would like to say I experienced a rush of peace at the thought, but instead I felt my insides breaking open. I knew the turmoil of the father who fell at Jesus’ feet and said, “Ï believe, help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

Do I truly believe the Holy Spirit is going ahead of me in my life, ahead of us as a conference, ahead of our communities in Vermont, and preparing a path before us? I can’t see a way right now, yet the deepest part of me yearns to trust that God’s Spirit is leading us by the hand around the ruts, patching up the crumbled lanes, even building a new road in the wilderness, one beyond the reach of life’s flooding (Isaiah 43:2, 14).

I believe; help my unbelief!

For the last couple of weeks, my prayer has been simple and heartfelt: “Prepare the way! Holy Spirit, come. Prepare a way.” We don’t see how. We don’t know what kind of journey it will be. Just prepare a way before us. Please.

Editor’s note: Through Bethany Church and Bethany Birches Camp in Vermont, our Mosaic community is actively involved in assessing and providing for the essential needs of families impacted by the storms, flooding, and ongoing rains mentioned in this article. Bethany Church is working directly with a family with 3 children who lost their home and all their belongings. The congregation is providing funds for clothing, books, toys, and building supplies with the limited means available. If you would like to join in this work of caring for those in need in Vermont, especially this family and the surrounding community, please send donations to Mosaic Mennonite Conference (designate for Bethany Birches Flood relief) at 1000 Forty Foot Rd., Suite 100, Lansdale, PA 19446.

Reflections From the Holy Land 

August 10, 2023 by Cindy Angela

“How was the trip, Josh?  What were some of your major take-aways from Israel?” 

I’ve struggled to answer this question since returning home from a recent learning tour with about 35 folks from Franconia (PA) Mennonite Church.  We traveled together not merely as tourists, but rather as seekers of God on a spiritual pilgrimage.

Unpacking and processing the lessons from our journey will take a lifetime, but one key takeaway was a reminder of all the ways the Gospel is good news especially for “outsiders.”  At nearly every site we visited, I was confronted with this core biblical truth:  The Good News is more inclusive¹ than we might think.

We visited Bethlehem and went to the Shepherds’ Field, where angels announced that the birth of Jesus would be “good news of great joy for all people.”  It was not just for a select few; not just for insiders; not just for those who believe all the right things.

We visited Capernaum, standing on the very shore’s edge where Jesus called his first disciples. The Bible describes them as “unschooled and ordinary.”  Later he calls tax collectors and zealots — traitors and terrorists — to be his followers.  These are the people he calls to follow him?  Yes, because the Good News is more inclusive than we might think.

We visited Magdala and were brought to tears as we considered the courage, sacrifice, and faith of Jesus’ female disciples – righteous women of God who played such a crucial role in Christ’s ministry: followers, students, disciples, patrons, evangelists. 

We stood in the Upper Room, where Jesus got down on his hands and knees and washed the feet of those who would betray him. I find this nearly incomprehensible.  Yet that is what he did. 

We visited the place where Jesus was crucified, touching with our hands the rock in which his cross was set, and we remembered how as he was being put to death, he prayed for his crucifiers: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”

And then we went to the empty tomb, where Jesus defeated death and sin and shame, so that everything can be reconciled to God through him.  All things.  All people.  No exceptions.  The Good News is more inclusive than we might think.

We climbed to the top of Mount Arbel, where Jesus met the disciples after the resurrection and gave them the Great Commission.  From that vantage point, atop the mountain overlooking the towns and villages and horizon, one gets a vivid sense of what’s in mind when he says, “Go and make disciples of all nations”: that is, as far as the eye can see.

The list goes on. If I took anything away from our trip to the Holy Land, from my study of Scripture, from following Jesus throughout my life, it’s this.  The Good News of the Gospel is more inclusive than we might think.

And as followers of Christ, our invitation – our mission — is to receive, embody, and extend this Good News to our community and to the world.

May it be so … and may it begin with you.

¹I’m using the word “inclusive” here in its most basic sense: expansive, all-encompassing, comprehensive in scope.

What Color Am I?

August 10, 2023 by Cindy Angela

I was intrigued by zinnias on the buffet table when I arrived at Mosaic’s first White Caucus on July 30 at Salford Mennonite Church (Harleysville, PA). A new variety with speckles was mixed in with the brilliantly colored flowers. I am drawn to color, and yet here I was at a White caucus group. What was I doing?

(L-R) KrisAnne Swartley, Berdine Leinbach, and Emma Frederick enjoy good food and fellowship at the White caucus gathering at Salford on July 30. Photo by Jordan Luther.

Andrew Zetts (Salford) made the most of the amazing weather by hosting the gathering outside. First, we savored a potluck meal with special music provided by local birds. Facilitators Jordan Luther (Methacton; Norristown, PA) and KrisAnne Swartley (Doylestown) created a friendly, safe space for this small gathering of participants from Plains, Souderton, Doylestown, Methacton, and Salford congregations.

Next, KrisAnne Swartley shared how this gathering grew from a request of Mosaic’s Intercultural Committee. Each race and ethnic group within Mosaic Conference meets as a caucus for encouragement, growth, and accountability, so it seemed like a White group should meet, too. Meeting in a caucus can prepare us to interact in a multicultural environment with more cultural awareness and mutual respect.

After prayer, we collaborated on a memory-based retelling of the story of Peter and Cornelius from Acts. We noticed long-held traditions being challenged, personal emotions, and people listening. God felt the need to repeat the message 3 times. The Holy Spirit falling on this diverse group was powerful. The gospel is for all!

Jordan Luther then invited us to reflect on our experiences as White people in a race-based society. How/when did you become aware of your race? Was there a time you learned about your race from an uncomfortable experience? The conversation flowed easily even though I had never met any of these people before. Each of us had different experiences and perspectives on being White. Points of connection were made, and patterns were noticed. The time was blessed.

While counterintuitive, meeting as a White caucus for reflection shows respect for our brothers and sisters of color. Whites need to intentionally do some antiracism work on their own. I know I have much to learn. Current society gives me the choice to think about my race or not. Others are forced to deal with it every day.

I don’t like clicking a box saying I am just White. My identity is so much more in Christ. However, I can grow in awareness, consider new perspectives, and seek mutual transformation with all of God’s family.

Who knows what Mosaic’s mutual transformation will eventually look like, but maybe we will be like a colorful garden with some speckled zinnias!

Speckled zinnias. Photo by Jordan Luther.

If you would like more information about joining the White caucus or another caucus, contact Danilo Sanchez, Mosaic’s Leadership Minister for Intercultural Transformation.

Guard Each Other’s Dignity

August 3, 2023 by Cindy Angela

In the creation story found in Genesis, God declares that all of humanity carries the image of the Divine. This means that every person we encounter carries the image of God and their dignity should be protected. We should not be causing harm to one another nor do we get to decide who carries the image of God. Instead, we should be protecting each one’s dignity and seeking biblical justice and right relationships with one another. That looks like standing alongside the abused, the vulnerable, and the stranger the way Jesus did.

Those who are consistently harmed by the way the church or our society is structured often are the first to show care when others are being hurt. I remember the wisdom of a Mosaic conference leader who observed that when immigrant communities were under attack in South Philly, the black community rallied to show support. And when the black community in Norristown was hurting, the immigrant community from South Philly returned the support. The mutual care and support didn’t happen just because the churches were in the same conference and it wasn’t just because they were communities of color; they stood up for one another because they understood the command from Jesus to protect the image of God in one another and to defend the defenseless.

I recently participated in the webinar Racial Justice/Queer Justice: Fractures and Intersection in the Mennonite Church, sponsored by Raleigh Mennonite Church and the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests. The conversation centered around ways to work for both racial justice and queer justice and to recognize that there are multiple layers to our identities. The panelists in the webinar said that there are some people who are willing to work for racial justice but not queer justice. Likewise, some people who advocate for queer justice have trouble working at racial justice because of racism woven into fabric of our culture. They suggested that the missional work of the church is to become more like Jesus, who invited and welcomed all people to follow him as disciples and to become a part of the new creation.

I’ll admit, it’s only been the past several years that I have become more concerned with queer justice, and I still have more to learn. This webinar was helpful to point out my blind spots when it comes to queer justice. Part of what I teach when I speak about racial justice is that we are created in the image of God and therefore reject any hierarchy that says some humans are better than others. I have come to realize that, if I’m willing to hold that truth when it comes to racial/ethnic communities, then I must extend that same truth for people who are part of the LGBTQ community. I desire for all people to be part of the body of Christ and not to experience harm.

Right now, both immigrant and LGBTQ communities in Florida are experiencing harm. There are laws that are making it difficult for people to freely live their lives, so that they are living in constant fear. This is not theoretical–there are pastors and churches in our conference who are facing these realities. How can we protect the image of God in one another and stand with those who are hurting or afraid?

One of the quotes from the webinar that I wrote down comes from James Baldwin. He said, “We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.” We may not all agree with the philosophies behind or techniques practiced by advocates of racial justice or queer justice but let us all at least agree not to deny the image of God in each of us. As Mosaic Conference, let us be Spirit-led and act like Jesus who stood with the oppressed, the vulnerable, and the stranger.

How a Small, Low-Income Church Bought its Building

August 3, 2023 by Cindy Angela

(L-R) Pastor Maritza (of Christ Lutheran) and Ripple pastors: Charlene Smalls, Angela Moyer Walter, Danilo Sanchez, and Dan Blount celebrate after the ribbon cutting.

Ripple began as a small group of people who were interested in being more like Jesus but were frustrated with traditional forms of church. When the leaders felt a call to move into downtown Allentown, PA from the suburbs, they were welcomed by many. Ripple became a community of people connected with those living on the margins, many of whom live on the street, and joined Franconia (now Mosaic) Conference in 2012.

We typically have 40-50 people in gathered worship on Sunday and connect with many others during the week. We teach that Jesus is the center of our faith, community is the center of our life, and reconciliation is the center of our work.

As a community, however, we did not have a permanent location. Every 1-2 years, we moved due to growth or because our lease was not renewable. We lost friends who could no longer walk to the new location, and we had to find ways of connecting with our new neighbors. We moved five times in eight years.

Ripple Pastor Charlene and Ripple congregant, Joe, at the ribbon cutting of the newly owned church building.

In 2021, Christ Lutheran Evangelical Church asked if we would like to buy our current meeting place for $200,000; it felt like a huge opportunity. Could Ripple really own a building? How could we afford it? How would it change us? Is this what God wanted? What was best for the community?

Dave Dettra, Board Chair, said, “When I first heard about the opportunity … I didn’t think we could ever pull it off.” But as we weighed the pros and cons and listened, it felt like an invitation from God. Ripple members who are accustomed to very precarious and difficult housing situations were excited to have a place of stability in the community. We all loved the idea of being able to put down roots.

We were hesitant in pursuing this, knowing that we weren’t a wealthy congregation. And then we prayed. We thanked God for the opportunity and were excited about the possibilities, but $200,000 was a lot.

In the fall of 2021, we began raising money. We distributed folders for Ripple members to collect quarters so that every person would have a way to participate. No matter the donation, we knew it mattered to God. Each month we celebrated when people handed in a full quarter folder ($10).

We reserved space at downtown concerts to collect donations while handing out popcorn. We held a silent auction and a bake sale. In the first year, we raised $100,000. We applied and received a large grant through MC USA’s Mennonite Men, getting us to the point where it seemed like this really could happen.

Two children participate in the ribbon cutting for Ripple’s newly owned building.

(L-R) Dave, Pastor Danilo, Phyllis, and Pastor Charlene read a litany of dedication at the dedication service

In January 2023, we were pre-approved for a mortgage through Eastern Mennonite Missions. However, with a mortgage, building expenses, and regular church expenses, finances would be tight. The leadership team prayerfully decided we should try and raise some more money before moving forward with the purchase.

And God was faithful. Within weeks, we were contacted by an organization interested in renting our space and a foundation that wanted to partner with us in neighborhood engagement. Then, a supporter offered us an interest-free loan, rather than taking out a mortgage with interest. Suddenly, the building purchase, with its ongoing expenses, was possible. It was truly an act of God.

(L-R) Pastor Danilo, Pastor Charlene, Jeremy B (Ripple Treasurer), Dave D (Ripple Board Chair), Pastor Angela, and Pastor Dan at the closing on June 15.

We finalized the legal details for the sale. We also made plans for a new system to pay bills and manage the needs of the building. On June 15, 2023, we closed on our new building. We held a dedication service with the congregation on June 25th with lots of celebration.

Buying our building was a lot of work, but “God made it happen,” said Dettra. “What I’m looking forward to most is for the church to be even more active in the community and to see how God uses the church to support the community.”

A group photo of those who gathered for Ripple’s Service of Dedication on June 25.

Curious about Ripple Church and what all is happening in our new building? Come and join us for worship and a meal any Sunday at 4pm; we’d love to share our stories with you!

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