Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Articles

Prayer for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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by Jill Duffield

This prayer was originally published here in January 2020.

God of all tribes and nations, today we remember and give thanks for your servant, Martin Luther King Jr. His words moved a nation toward justice and equity. His witness called forth the best of us, casting a vision of unity and reconciliation that we have yet to achieve.

We know that remembering the saints is not enough, and so we ask for the wisdom and strength to emulate their bravery, their tenacity and their willingness to stop at nothing to speak truth to power.

As we see the rise of hatred and white supremacy, the explosion of division and bigotry, we boldly ask for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Do again, Lord God, what you did at Pentecost, upend our expectations, break through our tribal loyalties, knit us together as one humanity, give us the ability to speak in each other’s languages, until all of us dream your dreams, see your visions, speak your words and not only understand each other, but long to be with one another.

On this day that is not simply a day on the calendar, but a day on which we serve and work, pray and hope, struggle and strive to bend the arc of history closer to justice, abide with us, inspire us, shape us into the people your prophets call us to be: united, beloved and a beautiful reflection of your glory. Amen.

The Entrepreneurial Impulse of the Spirit

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By Stephen Kriss

This week I attended the funeral of David G Landis at Blooming Glen (PA) Mennonite Church. David helped steer a small neighborhood market in Telford, PA to become a family-owned regional chain, committed to essentially operating the business on the Golden Rule.  The meetinghouse was packed. We celebrated David’s entrepreneurial spirit and his capacity to do good business while remaining committed and engaged with the church, all while shaping his own family with those same commitments.  Dave and his wife, Carolyn, welcomed me as a Western Pennsylvania interloper, to feel appreciated, challenged, and loved in the community of Mennonites of Southeastern Pennsylvania. 

A few pews in front of me was Cory Longacre, our Conference treasurer. Cory’s dad, Henry Longacre, died last summer.  I also attended his funeral at Swamp Mennonite Church in Quakertown, PA.  Henry had served on our Conference properties committee till his death.  Henry’s life was also deeply shaped by the church and his own entrepreneurial capacities.  Henry, too, included me in ways I never expected with respect, care, and challenge.  I’m grateful for his questions, guidance, and family legacy. 

In the 1980s, both men helped shape a critical part of our Conference with the idea of purchasing commercial property in Souderton, PA that could help sustain and extend our ministry.  Along with Wayne Clemens (Perkasie congregation), Henry Rosenberger (Plains congregation), and Bryan Hunsberger (Souderton congregation), these men dreamed of a time and place when we might need the capacity of secondary incomes to extend what historian John Ruth has called “the right fellowship.” 

As a result of their foresight, that commercial property now helps match every donor dollar that Mosaic Conference receives.  It also helps support our Missional Operational Grants that support new initiatives.  And, it provides space for the thriving ministry of Care and Share Shoppes, a Conference Related Ministry that generates nearly a million dollars annually to the work of Mennonite Central Committee.  It’s also the home to a branch of Ten Thousand Villages and to medical practices. 

We have been blessed by businesspersons who combined their deep love for the church with their risk-taking and financial skills to help sustain our ministries long term. Their collaboration and charisma mean that we are a different kind of Anabaptist community. I am committed to honoring their legacy through our work and ministry. The Gospel means treating our neighbors well no matter who they are nor how close they live to us. I see this entrepreneurial spirit thrive in both our traditional and emerging communities of Mosaic.  

As we look at 2023, we would be irresponsible to not admit the challenges ahead of us, but we also need to acknowledge our faith in Jesus and the legacy of pastors and leaders who have gone before us. We are called to be both faithful and entrepreneurial, pastoral and apostolic.  

I begin this year anew committed to our work, building on our faithful foundations and the capacities of our marketplace and ministry worlds.  We know that Jesus is Lord of it all.  Though it is challenging, it is also essential to carry this faith into the future together, from our newest church plants that stretch from Tijuana, Mexico to Baltimore, our past missional endeavors that have taken root in Vermont and North Jersey, our newest Mosaic communities in Florida, and our communities with 300-year-old cloud of witness cemeteries like West Swamp and Towamencin.  The steadiness and entrepreneurial impulse of the Spirit will not only sustain us but take us to places we haven’t even yet imagined.  

May the new year be full of possibility and hope.  May we work with faith and steadfast love.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

Stephen Kriss

Stephen Kriss is the Executive Minister of Mosaic Conference.

Facing the Dark, Welcoming the Light

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By Brooke Martin

It’s mid-January now. Winter darkness has settled in. Most Christmas decorations are put away along with the ambiance they offer. Christmas outdoor decorations are a rare sight. We have made it past the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. Depending on the person, this information ranges from obvious and unmissable to something inconsequential and possibly un-noted.  I find myself noticing the darkness more in January when the joy of the Christmas lights fades and the darkness is more evident. 

In my home, we have white lights that stay up year-round, a strand around the kitchen, and a strand on a wall in our living room. In part this is a practical choice, for the times we come home after dark, welcoming the light to aid us in reaching the light switch without tripping over strewn toys on the floor. 

Warm white lights can offer a cozy welcome and calm respite after whatever the day has brought. As evening calm settles into our house, I can be intentional about unwinding. Sometimes the warm light helps me center in yoga, inviting me to tune-in and listen anew to the Triune God around me. Other evenings I snuggle in with a warm drink intuitively embracing the complement of light and darkness, the cold of winter with the warmth of heat and a blanket. 

Light in the darkness can also be a symbol used to remind my children of the Holy Spirit’s presence watching over them. A lava lamp and small lamp are switched on when my children climb in bed. When their thoughts are scary, or a shadow in the closet tricks their eyes, they come to find my husband and me.   

We have a few practices to engage during these times. Putting the power back in my kids’ control, we flip the image, helping them imagine their fear appearing in a silly or less threatening way. What happens when the scary thing wears a rainbow tutu … how about if it has a clown nose or rides a unicycle? We also equip our children by reminding them that God is with them, we are here, and they are safe. A hug goes a long way.  

We have a prayer that we have taught our children. It is not perfect, it does not mean their room is as bright as daylight. It can be picked apart, but it does name their bravery and remind them that Jesus, our hope, is light. 

“Jesus is with me 
And Jesus is the Light, 
And where there is light, 
There can be NO DARKNESS. 
Help me be brave.” 

As evening comes today or clouds cover the sky, may we also be able find the lights, and may God use them to center and comfort us and to spark hope and bravery. 

Brooke Martin

Brooke Martin is the Youth and Community Formation Pastor for Mosaic Conference. Brooke lives in Telford with her husband, Nathaniel, and their two children.

Mosaic Conference Children’s Author Finds Niche

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by Lucy Brubaker 

BOOK REVIEW

The Abissi family (from L-R: Mark, Maria, Gia and Frank). Many of Maria’s books are based on her family.
Photo from MariaAbissi.com

Maria T. Abissi began writing stories when her children were born and is now the author of over twenty books for children ages 8-12. Her characters, settings, and themes come from her family, friends, and real-life experiences. A unique aspect of many of her books is telling the story through the lens of a person with a disability. This creates understanding and empathy for her characters.  

Abissi, an active member of Souderton (PA) Mennonite Church, has a heart for sharing God’s love with young people. By weaving together stories of children with disabilities with an understanding of who God is, her writings demonstrate how God cares for all of us. Characters’ attitudes change when they learn to know someone else’s story. The stories teach us to have empathy for others. 

The Cousins series is a set of five books about interactions between cousins who solve problems together and learn to care for each other. Gabriella is one of the characters.  She has a genetic condition called 22q deletion syndrome. (Abissi’s daughter, Gia, also has 22q.) The reader experiences the struggle, chaos, and cousin drama from Gabriella’s perspective. Through it all, Gabriella learns that God is with her through difficult times. 

Samson, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, is the main character in the four-book series, Seasons with Samson. Samson’s adventures in each book take him through beautiful seasonal landscapes. Abissi creatively weaves text and photos collected from her friends and family into a story told from Samson’s point of view. Each book concludes with an inspiring verse. 

Book Cover from MariaAbissi.com

Abissi’s years as a teacher come through in Are You Afraid of Thunder? She starts with the misunderstandings about what causes thunder and then gives the scientific explanation along with helpful illustrations. Her encouragement to the reader is to be curious, listen, and observe.  

In the two-book series Cosmo’s Moon, Abissi incorporates information about the night sky into the story of Cosmo, a middle school student who loves studying the moon, but is challenged by a class bully.  

Abissi’s classroom experience is also evident in the book Going for Green. Mrs. O’Teri helps her students change from avoiding their classmate with a disability to understanding why he interrupts and doesn’t follow the class rules. She explains that not all disabilities are visible. She encourages them to find Michael doing something right and provides a list of “tricks” to help them all be ready to learn. 

During the pandemic, Abissi wrote a daily devotional called Who is God? It gave comfort to her daughter at a time when she and many others were feeling anxious and overwhelmed. This 31-day collection of scripture, photos, thoughts, and prayers reminds us of God’s loving presence and sweet comfort. 

We all know that life can be complicated, and in Abissi’s book, Not Just a Vase, we are reminded that many layers and details of a story are often hidden from view. In a time when we are very quick to make judgments, this story is a good reminder to all of us to be still, to listen, and to love others. 

Abissi’s books are easy reads for preteens. They can also be read aloud to younger children, and they provide opportunities for real life discussions. The books make an excellent addition to church libraries. Abissi’s books are available at her shop on Amazon.

Lucy Brubaker

Lucy Brubaker lives in Telford, PA, with her husband Ed and attends Souderton (PA) Mennonite Church. They have a daughter and son-in-law in Portland, OR. She enjoys gardening, biking, traveling, and writing. 

A Call to Prayer

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By Mike Clemmer 

Years ago, as I began my first pastorate, my wife gifted me with a beautiful hand-crafted kneeling bench. She knew how important it would be for my ministry to daily spend time with the Lord in prayer and “bow down, kneel before the Lord, and acknowledge that He is God” (Psalm 95:6). 

Time with the Lord and before the Lord is paramount in hearing from God and in worshipping the Lord. Through prayer and the scriptures, we learn more of God’s heart. We also invite the Holy Spirit to speak and guide our thoughts and actions. It is a daily practice that is too important to avoid or dismiss.  

I keep the prayer bench in my church office and find myself on the kneeling rail often. Yet unfortunately, I also find myself walking past it way too often as well. Perhaps my pride tells me that I already know what’s best or maybe I simply feel like I do not have the time to pray. In any case, my time of kneeling before the Lord is often hijacked by my own selfish thoughts and interests.  

As I begin 2023, the reminder of my need to pray and prioritize time before the Lord is more timely than ever. With busy schedules and the pressures of ever-changing cultural norms, discernment surrounding matters of faith and the church has become a very difficult task. We long for a clear word from the Lord on all matters of faith and practice, yet we often walk right past our prayer benches. Instead, we look for clear direction through what feels best or what makes the most sense to us. I find myself even speaking for God on some of these things without ever spending the time on my prayer rail listening to God’s voice. 

Mosaic Conference is also in the midst of a discernment process. Conference delegates recently passed the Pathways Document which lays out a plan forward in discerning our relationship with each other, with Mennonite Church USA (MC USA), as well as other matters of practice in the church.  

In the Pathways document, the first bullet point is a reminder for all of us to kneel before the Lord and pray. It states: 

We believe that we are called by God in this time:  To share in the practice of continued prayer and fasting so that we may discern, yield, and listen to the Spirit among us.  

This is a simple call to prayer and fasting. It is an invitation for all of us to spend time in God’s presence and to listen to and yield to what the Spirit tells us. How will we respond to this call to prayer? Will we be able to kneel on our prayer benches each day, study God’s word, and allow the Spirit to speak to us, or will we simply walk by and believe that we already know what God wants for us?  

My prayer is that we can all humbly prioritize prayer and the spiritual disciplines in our journey towards discernment and that God’s voice will clearly be heard as we bow before God’s throne each day in 2023.  

Mike Clemmer

Mike Clemmer is a Conference Leadership Minister and serves as the pastor of Maple Grove Mennonite Church (Lancaster Conference).

Burkholder Finishes and Reflects on Moderator Role

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By Eileen Kinch

On December 31, 2022, Ken Burkholder concluded his three-year term as Mosaic Conference moderator. In this role, Burkholder gave leadership to the Executive Board, the Executive Committee, and the Conference Assembly.

Prior to being moderator, Burkholder served on the former Franconia Conference Board. “Ken has steadily and graciously led us through our reconciliation process and through a global pandemic, in the midst of complicated denominational relationships,” said Steve Kriss, Executive Minister of Mosaic Conference.  

COVID-19 has defined Burkholder’s time as moderator. His term began in January of 2020, and the lockdown came in March. The Mosaic Executive Board quickly switched from in-person meetings to meetings over Zoom.  Two of the three Conference Assemblies that Burkholder led also took place virtually. “Leadership is about planning and setting a clear vision,” Burkholder pointed out, “but it also requires flexibility to adjust to unexpected situations, such as a pandemic.” 

Mosaic continues to experience the wide-ranging effects of COVID-19. Burkholder observed that current tensions in Mosaic Conference are not new; the same tensions were already present in the former Franconia Conference. Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) actions and COVID-19, however, accelerated these tensions. The polarized, divided atmosphere “raised the temperature and level of anxiety,” and the lack of face-to-face communication made the tensions harder for people to handle. “We need to be talking together, taking communion, and praying together,” Burkholder said. Mosaic needs to heal from the disruption of fellowship. 

We need to be talking together, taking communion, and praying together

KEN BURKHOLDER

Yet there were joys and accomplishments for Burkholder amid the challenges. The Shalom Fund, a mutual aid effort during the pandemic that raised $217,945, was a “terrific testimony to the community … [and to] God’s faithfulness.” The Board was also able to meet in person, but outside, at Spruce Lake Retreat in July 2020 to form Mosaic’s mission and vision statement, as well as to affirm that Mosaic was to be missional, formational, and intercultural. Burkholder was glad that the Board affirmed these biblical and Anabaptist values. 

Ken leads with a tangible love for God and the Church…

ANGELA MOYER WALTER

“Ken leads with a tangible love for God and the Church,” said Angela Moyer Walter, Mosaic’s incoming moderator. “He listens well, laughs readily, and understands the complexities of church leadership. During difficult times, he is humble, honest, and open to the leading of the Spirit.” 

Although Mosaic faces challenges, Burkholder remains hopeful in what God has done, what God is doing, and what God will do. He hopes that Mosaic Conference will focus on where it is united, which is in its vision to embody the reconciling love of Jesus in a beautiful and broken world. He looks forward to focusing primarily on his pastoral team role at Souderton (PA) Mennonite Church.  

Mosaic Conference extends it sincerest thanks to Ken Burkholder for his work and trusts that God will be working through him in his future endeavors. 

Eileen Kinch

Eileen Kinch is part of the Mosaic communication team and works with editing and writing. She holds a Master of Divinity degree, with an emphasis in the Ministry of Writing, from Earlham School of Religion.

Jesus’ Prayer for the Disciples (and for Us)

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FAITH AND LIFE GATHERING REPORT

By Jessica Miller

Less than a week after our Mosaic Annual Assembly, credentialed leaders came together in November for the final Faith and Life gatherings of 2022. At these meetings, we spent time reflecting on Jesus’ prayer for his followers in John 17 and praying for our Conference and one another. It seemed appropriate, after the first in-person assembly of Mosaic Conference and a time of difficult conversations and discernment, to spend time praying and dwelling on what it was that Jesus prayed for his disciples and for all who would follow him.  

As we read through John 17 together, we were struck by the tone of deep care and compassion that Jesus expresses for his followers. Jesus’ deep love for them overflows as he prays passionately for their spiritual and physical well-being, the way we might pray for a dear friend or family member. He knows that following his death and resurrection, the disciples will face many challenges and difficulties. He knows that they will be threatened physically by corrupt empires and spiritually by forces of hatred and division (v. 14), and he wants them to be able not just to survive, but to thrive despite all they will face.  

Jesus must have known that his followers would face these same challenges for generations to come, because he prays for all who would eventually follow him (v. 20), including us. We marveled at the fact that the deep love and care Jesus expressed for the disciples in his last days extends to us as well. We too are friends of Jesus, and he prayed passionately for our well-being and the well-being of our Conference.  

With a prayer for unity of purpose (vss.11 & 21), Jesus prays that we would have the joy of Jesus made complete in us (v. 13) and that we would know just how much God loves us (v.23).  Jesus prays:  

“… that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them.”  – John 17:22b, 23, 26 (NLT) 

According to Jesus, it is the love of God in us that unifies us and shows the world who he is.  

As we closed our time of reflection, we shared what we believe this text is inviting us to in Mosaic Conference and prayed for our future together. Jesus’ prayer for unity through God’s love invites us to commit to building relationships amid our diversity.  

We prayed that in the midst of the glorious, messy, and hard work of being church together,  

  • we would be able to find the joy that Christ has for us. 
  • we would bear witness to the truth of God’s love by how well we love each other. 
  • we would trust that all of us are friends of Jesus so that we might love one another. 
  • our love for one another would bring glory to God, so that the world might know that we are followers of Jesus.  

As we enter a new year and a new phase of life together in our Conference, may it be so. May we in Mosaic, empowered by the Holy Spirit, become together, a true embodiment of Jesus’ joy and God’s love. 

Jessica Miller

Jessica Miller is the Associate Pastor of Perkasie (PA) Mennonite Church. She and her husband, Patrick, enjoy traveling, reading, yoga, cooking, and anything related to Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.

The Gift You Don’t Expect

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By Michelle Ramirez 

Besides commemorating the birth of Christ, the holiday season is about giving and receiving gifts. But what if a gift you joyfully receive comes with something you weren’t expecting at all?  

I recently received a gift of a puppy from someone who knew I really wanted one.  You can imagine the joy I felt in receiving this gift. I have always loved dogs and wanted a dog my whole life. Unfortunately, because my family moved around a lot, I was never able to have one. One of our church members recently had a dog who gave birth to a litter of nine puppies. He knew how much I always wanted a dog, so he gifted me a puppy, to my surprise.  

In the days leading up to my puppy’s homecoming, I prepared myself as best I could, knowing puppies are not easy to care for. I read all the information I could find and bought whatever I thought would be necessary, but I still felt unprepared. I received the gift I always wanted, but I didn’t expect all the responsibility that came along with it.

I realized how very similar this is to how we respond in our walk with Christ. We pray fervently for something but find it hard to accept the trials that can come with asking for something. The Lord, in His infinite mercy, may grant us the gift we want, but He also grants us the tools we need to receive it. 

Atlas, Michelle’s new puppy, as he prepares for homecoming. Photo provided by Michelle Ramirez.

Often, we forget that in the asking, we also receive gifts we weren’t expecting. Those extra gifts could be, like me with my puppy, extra responsibilities, momentary struggles, or even our characters being tried by fire. Even though God gives us these unexpected gifts, what is great is that He knows He gave it to us with a purpose (see Jeremiah 29:11). His plans are always to prosper us and not harm us. The gifts we weren’t expecting become the tools we need to actually grow.  

So this holiday season, while we receive gifts from loved ones, let’s remember we are constantly receiving gifts from our heavenly father as well. Those gifts might come with added things we weren’t expecting, but it will always be for our good!

Michelle Ramirez

Michelle Ramirez is the Youth and Community Formation Coordinator for Florida for Mosaic Conference.