Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Articles

Seeking The Spirit, Discerning a Pathway

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by Jeff Wright

Annual conference assemblies are not often considered to be transformational events.  For Mosaic Conference, annual Assemblies have been nothing but transformational.

In 2022, Mosaic Conference Assembly met together in person for the first time.  Following the reconciliation of Eastern District Conference and Franconia Mennonite Conference in 2019 and two years of COVID-driven virtual meetings, the delegates met on November 5, 2022 at Souderton (PA) Mennonite Church for a day of discernment and decision-making.  Delegates and friends gathered to seek the Spirit and explore the Assembly theme of Chesed—God’s constant, steadfast, and faithful love—from Psalm 116 and 117.  

During three worship times, multiple delicious snacks, three business sessions, and one pleasant luncheon, Mosaic Conference worked hard at the continuing task of transformation from a system concerned mostly with organizational detail into a formational, missional, and intercultural community. The gathering was animated by life together in the Holy Spirit and fed through the encouragement of the scriptures, acts of praise and worship, and remembering Jesus in the celebration of Communion. Although there was contentiousness related to the denominational decision-making process and outcome from the Mennonite Church USA Special Delegate Assembly in Kansas City in May 2022, by the end of the day, for many, the uncertainty had given way to a cautious, even hopeful, optimism. 

During the morning delegate session, Angela Moyer Walter, one of the pastors of Ripple congregation in Allentown, PA and Roy Williams, pastor of College Hill congregation in Tampa, FL, were affirmed as Mosaic’s next Moderator and Assistant Moderator, respectively, effective January 1, 2023.  

The delegates also heard from and affirmed a new congregation, Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Oración y Adoración, located in Philadelphia and a new Conference Related Ministry (CRM), Amahoro International, based in Los Angeles.  

The major building block for this delegate Assembly was a listening process initiated by the Mosaic Board.  During the month of September, approximately 80% of the Conference’s communities and ministries had opportunity to dialogue with one of a ten-person Listening Task Force.  This Task Force collated and discussed the data and submitted nine findings to the Board for their further consideration. 

The Board distilled those findings into a single, four-point “Pathway” document, presented to the delegates.  The Pathway document called for an increase in prayer and fasting, along with a call to walk together and begin a two-year strategic planning process, allowing for clarifying priorities and relationships. The document also offered congregations the opportunity to suspend membership in Mennonite Church USA while remaining within Mosaic Conference. This last point would result in a change of the current Mosaic bylaws, if affirmed. 

Vigorous conversation in table groups and reporting to the wider delegate body permeated the afternoon sessions.  At the end, delegates had to offer one of three possible choices to move forward:  affirm the Pathway document, affirm the Pathway document with reservations, or withhold affirmation of the Pathway document.  Of the delegates who voted, 81.5% expressed a preference with or without reservations for the Pathway document.  

No one is claiming the process that was followed, nor the Pathway document itself, proposed a perfect solution to the challenges of a community amid theological dissent and social change.  But a pathway is necessary. It is the next effort to maintain and grow a strong Mosaic identity. We gathered yearning for consensus; we finished the day with a pathway forward.

Jeff Wright

Jeff Wright lives in Riverside, CA and Souderton, PA, and serves as Mosaic Leadership Minister for California and intentional Interim Lead Pastor at Blooming Glen (PA) Mennonite Church. After his treasured Los Angeles Dodgers were eliminated from the Major League Baseball Playoffs, he conceded that it would be OK if the Philadelphia Phillies went to the World Series.

10 Things to Know Before Assembly

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Take time to read the documents in your docket before Assembly. Print out a hard copy (if you want one) of the Assembly docket or bring an electronic device on which you can read a copy. We will not be supplying hard copies for everyone.

Enter Souderton Mennonite Church through the main carport entrance.

Registration will begin at 9:00 am and worship will begin at 9:30 am.  

Bring your stones to Assembly! (For details, please read this.) 

Lunch will be provided, as well as morning and late afternoon snacks. There is no childcare during lunch.  

We will have a collection basket at lunch. Donations will go towards offsetting the travel costs for delegates from a distance (FL, CA, VT, etc.)

A prayer room will be available next to the sanctuary from 9:30 am-6:30 pm. The prayer room is available for anyone to pray or receive prayer. 

Our Conference has members who speak many languages. Be prepared to greet others in a language other than yours. Here are a few simple greetings to learn:

Plan to spend some time (before worship, breaks, or at lunch) with the exhibitors in the foyer.  

Masks are optional.

CRM Profile: Amahoro International

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Mosaic delegates will be voting to affirm Amahoro International as a Conference Related Ministry (CRM) with Mosaic Conference at our fall Assembly.  Amahoro International, a non-profit organization in Los Angeles, CA. Amahoro is a global collaborative for peace and justice and participates in the social, spiritual, and economic development of Africa and African people throughout the world. Please take a few minutes to watch this video and learn more about Amahoro.

Videos and photo materials are from Amohoro’s YouTube page.

Chesed Love is the Air We Breathe

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by Emily Ralph Servant 

This is God’s chesed love in action: providing just what we need, just when we need it.

I stand in my backyard and take a deep breath, filling my lungs with cool autumn air.  “Thank you,” I whisper to the trees, the grass, the purple asters, and hot pink anemone. 

This is God’s chesed love in action: providing just what we need, just when we need it. 

In a complicated process that I really don’t understand, the earth’s plants and trees produce oxygen.  We humans, along with the earth’s animal population, breathe that oxygen in and, in another complicated process that I really don’t understand, turn it into carbon dioxide, which we then breathe back out. 

It turns out, the earth’s plants and trees need that carbon dioxide to make more oxygen.  So, in essence, they breathe in our carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen.  We breathe in their oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. And on and on it goes. 

In her book, Braiding Sweetgrass, Potawatomi botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer calls this “reciprocity:” the idea that as we receive live-sustaining gifts from others, we also have a responsibility to care for them in return.  Give and receive, balance and flourishing -together. 

This is God’s chesed love in action: God created an interconnected world in which we need other creatures for our very existence – plants offer humans their unique gift, and we offer our unique gift in return. That’s life-giving, life-affirming love! 

And I wonder whether this is a reminder for such a time as this in our Conference.  God’s chesed love created humans.  God’s chesed love birthed the Church.  God’s chesed love filled it with people from all nations and tribes and tongues and gifts and ideas and worldviews.  God’s chesed love created a world in which we need each other. 

I need the oxygen that you breathe out.  You need the carbon dioxide I breathe out. Without one another – our differences, our gifts, our challenges – we wouldn’t survive. 

Without one another – our differences, our gifts, our challenges – we wouldn’t survive. 

Sameness will kill us. But because of God’s constant, steadfast, and faithful love we have been offered the gift of reciprocity: the gift of living in balance with one another, keeping one another in check, providing for one another, flourishing together. Polarities, opposites, extremes that we may seem – we can find a rhythm of giving and receiving … of love. 

Thanks be to God! 

And thank you—for breathing out the oxygen I need to survive and thrive. I need you. 

(Deep breath.) 

Emily Ralph Servant

Emily Ralph Servant is the Leadership Minister for Formation and Communication for Mosaic Mennonite Conference. Emily has served in pastoral roles at Swamp and Indonesian Light congregations and graduated from Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

Enlarging Our Capacity

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Ampliando Nuestra Capacidad – Memperbesar Kapasitas Kita 

Adapted from the writings of Josefina Rodriguez 

The Mosaic Women’s Gathering took place on October 8. It was a special day for the women to feel close to the Lord, to study the Word, and to experience God’s love.  When we arrived at Souderton Mennonite Church from Centro de Alabanza (Philadelphia, PA), we were received with love by our sisters in Christ from twenty-one other congregations. 

As the room began to fill and our day started, we prayed and thanked God for the privilege of being together. We recognized the women who had planned the event, and we all got to know each other through a fun icebreaker activity that brought laughter and unity. 

Music was shared by video from Mission Tijuana in Mexico in Spanish, and we sang a song in Indonesian and in English, led by Marina Setyati and Lisa Quiñones.  Singing in different languages helped us realize that the language we sang in was not important since we sing praise to the Lord.  The foundational Bible verses of the day (Isaiah 54:2-4) were read in three languages, and Ramona Pickett gave a message.   

We were invited to believe the Word and guard it in our hearts. This creates space for the Holy Spirit to remove obstacles so that our capacity can be enlarged.  The words that stayed in my heart were that God is our rock. God will fight for our destiny, and we as women of faith need to open our hearts.  Sister Ramona danced for the Lord with flags and cloths as she shared her feelings on how wonderful God is.  Two young women also shared their gifts of art and music.   

After lunch, we created travel bags to take with us on our journeys. We filled the bags with anointing oil, happy face stickers, Scripture, prayer cards, compasses, buttons, and more.  It was a reminder that God has equipped us to do good works.  God has stretched us, and now God is sending us perhaps to new unknown and uncomfortable territory.  We remember that God has promised to always be with us, until the end of time.   

We ended the day with a closing ceremony. We stood in a circle with ribbons and cords symbolizing the enlargement of our capacities and our unity. As sisters, we prayed for our Conference, and we prayed for each other.  We ended with our theme song, which spoke of how God has done a good work in us.  We left until next year. May God continue to work in us to grow the Kingdom of God. 

Josefina Rodriguez

Josefina Rodriguez is a Women’s Ministry Leader at Centro de Alabanza, a Mosaic congregation in Philadelphia. 

Congregational Profile: Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Oración y Adoración

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By Javier Márquez 

Editor’s note: Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Oración y Adoración will be presented to the delegates at Mosaic’s Assembly on November 5, for affirmation of their congregational membership in Mosaic Conference.  

Pastor Nicolás Sandoval knows well, after years of pastoral experience and serving in different places, a path that has led him through different seasons of sowing seeds and gathering the harvest. Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Oración y Adoración, a congregation in Northeast Philadelphia, PA, began when Pastor Nicolás started a prayer group that would soon become a congregation.   

On a typical Sunday morning, after a time of coffee, Sunday School is followed by worship at Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Oración y Adoración.  During the week, other events happen to keep the congregation connected.  On the first Monday of each month, Pastor Sandoval and his wife Elsa invite the congregation for a time of fasting and a prayer meeting at 7:00 pm.  They also go out into the community and share tracts and carry out short but effective evangelistic campaigns. Pastor Nicolás’ approach has not changed over the years; he believes in-person evangelism is best.  

Since the beginning of the congregation, the Pastor Nicolás Sandoval was very clear that he did not want a congregation without a conference, which is why the congregation started a time of prayer and waiting in order to find the right conference. After talking to a number of people and exploring, they got to know Mosaic Conference. They knew that this was the right place to which God was leading them.   

To learn more about the congregation, watch this video:

Finding Friendships

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By Randy Heacock 

Last Friday night I performed a wedding ceremony for a couple in Allentown, PA.  The very next day, I led a funeral service in Fairfax, VA.  The man who died had recently celebrated 58 years of marriage with his spouse.  I hope that the newly married couple will experience that many years (and more) of marriage. Although the thought of losing a spouse is hard, typically – but hopefully after decades of marriage – one of them will eventually find themselves saying goodbye to the other.    

In my premarital counseling, I encourage every couple to develop and maintain strong same-gender relationships throughout their lives.  I believe it is equally important for all of us to do this, but I think women often are better at it than men.    

Even those in the healthiest marriages need good friendships outside of their spouse. Photo by Nancy Heacock.

In Genesis, we read that it was not good for Adam to be alone. I believe this biblical witness from the start names our need for connection with other humans.  Our society is infatuated with romantic love and couples, yet both Jesus and Paul call us to a broader community to love and build relationships.  Whether married or not, I believe all of us need to develop significant, non-romantic relationships to love and be loved.  

The first time this came into focus for me was when a good friend lost his wife to cancer at the age of 48.  I saw how his deep friendships nurtured, supported, and gave him strength.  I wondered if we place too heavy of expectations on our marital relationships because we fail to develop and maintain other friendships. It is not surprising many marriages struggle when we place such an emphasis for a person to be “the one.”  

I have been blessed in my journey as I have developed male friendships.  Though I am introvert, I have discovered that I really enjoy hanging out with other men.  Whether I am playing basketball, disc golf, working together, or sitting around a table, I find these friendships energizing.   As my circle of male friends has enlarged, my life has been enriched.   

It has been equally rewarding as this circle of friends has reached far beyond my church/pastoral connections. I believe having friends outside the church has helped be more realistic regarding my expectations towards my faith community. I have learned much from my Catholic friends and from those who do not attend church at all.  There are often refreshingly honest conversations on a wide variety of topics.  Whether we are discussing parenting, job-related issues or sports, the variety of opinions is welcomed. While I do not often engage, many loud political debates also ensue, where I try to discern what makes it so emotionally charged for those arguing.  Through it all, what I appreciate is that all leave as friends and return for more in the weeks ahead.   

My wife claims that I am a “fake introvert”. Regardless, I will keep encouraging all to develop same-gender relationships within and beyond the church.  It takes time, investment, and even a willingness to be uncomfortable.  For me, it has been well worth the effort.  I believe it has enhanced me as a follower of Jesus which is good for my marriage and my church.     

Randy Heacock

Randy Heacock serves as a Leadership Minister for Mosaic Conference while continuing in his role as pastor of Doylestown Mennonite Church.

What Exactly Will We Do at Assembly?

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By Stephen Kriss

After the Assembly Scattered meeting in California, Pastor Grace Pam of Faith Chapel said, “I appreciate the way we are trying to worship, pray, and do our business work together.”

We are trying. 

In our first in-person Mosaic Assembly on November 5 at Souderton (PA) Mennonite Church, we will worship, listen, celebrate, remember, eat, pray, and embrace. And we will likely disagree.   

Mosaic is ultimately a set of relationships and commitments to God and each other. Gathering at tables together is not only practical, but it’s symbolic of our community identity.   

Sundanese Table Spread. Photo by Vina Kencana.

We will have tamales made by the women of Centro de Alabanza (Philadelphia), Longacre’s (Bally, PA) ice cream, funny cake from West Swamp congregation (Quakertown, PA), and a Sundanese lunch (Indonesian Light Church, Philadelphia).  Food will be one way that we do the important work of entering each other’s worlds. 

In our worship, we will sing, pray, anoint, and receive communion together. This is the rhythm of our life together as people in the way of Jesus.  We receive. We bless. We share. We listen. We proclaim. 

And we will do the holy work of the church, including the work that postures Mosaic for the next few years. 

We will affirm a new Conference Related Ministry, Amahoro International, and a new congregation, Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Oración Adoración (Philadelphia, PA). 

We will affirm our new moderators. Angela Moyer Walter served as Assistant Moderator with Franconia and now Mosaic Conference and will move into the role of Moderator. Angela grew up at the former Rockhill congregation (Telford, PA) and graduated from Dock Mennonite Academy (Lansdale, PA). She is one of the pastors at Ripple Church in Allentown, PA.  She is bi-vocational, working also as a pediatric occupational therapist, and bilingual in English and Spanish. 

Roy Williams is on the Mosaic Board and serves as the Chair of the Intercultural Committee. The Mosaic Board has selected him as the next Assistant Moderator. Roy brings a depth of board experience and strong commitments to urban ministry.  He has been moderator of Mennonite Church USA and is vice chair of the Mennonite Education Agency board.  Roy will retire in December from his long-term pastoral role at College Hill Mennonite Church (Tampa, FL). 

The leadership duo of Angela and Roy will bring broad experience and strong commitments to our constituent community.   

We will discern a pathway forward. The Pathways document emerged from the recommendations of the Listening Task Force. The document calls for strategic work that is a natural next step in our Mosaic communal life. Yet this natural step comes at a difficult time in our relationship with Mennonite Church USA.  

The Pathways document has four key actions: 

  1. Continued prayer and fasting. 
  2. Commitments to walking patiently together. 
  3. Launching a strategic planning process to clarify our future. 
  4. Allowing congregations to suspend their membership in Mennonite Church USA if their conscience discerns this is necessary at this time. 

The Pathways document will be presented for consideration as a whole document—delegates will not be able to affirm only pieces of it. While the board could call for the process and commitments of steps 1-3, only delegates can approve the by-law change required for step 4. This is critical discernment work. Can we commit to prayerfully walking together so that we can move toward our future in a way that clarifies our relationships with each other and MC USA?

Some of us want to move quickly while others of us don’t want any change.

Some of us want to move quickly while others of us don’t want any change. This proposal provides opportunities to extend grace to one another amid our differences. There is a risk that we have polarized so much that this document will not pass, yet the Board believe this pathway offers us the opportunity to move together with clarity and wisdom. The delegates will decide if we affirm and extend that grace of conscience to each other. 

In the commotion and confusion of our changing times and new identity, we do this while being rooted in the steadfast love of God, bearing witness to Christ in whom we are centered, and anticipating the Spirit’s presence with us. 

Stephen Kriss

Stephen Kriss is the Executive Minister of Mosaic Conference.