Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

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Independence Day

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Cicadas have been a big deal in my Baltimore, MD neighborhood.  Ever since Brood X emerged in mid-May, they have dominated conversation in Facebook groups, in the checkout line at the grocery store, and between neighbors stopping on the (cicada-strewn) sidewalk to chat. 

Kstern, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Maryland is near the epicenter of the emergence in Washington, DC, and boy, are we aware of it.  One neighbor had so many cicadas in her yard that they hung like leaves from the bushes lining her walk.  Others couldn’t walk in their yards without a constant crunch, crunch underfoot.  Conversations outside were difficult and the incessant cicada song could be heard indoors, even with all the windows closed.  At its climax, the cicada song was like thousands of dentist drills going at once.  You couldn’t escape it. 

We spent weeks trying to convince our three-year-old that she could be scared and brave at the same time, that it was safe to go outside, that the cicadas were harmless (if just a little clumsy and annoying).  We covered our young bushes and trees with netting so that the cicada’s insistent egg-laying wouldn’t kill off too many branches on plants that were too young to survive that kind of massive pruning. 

For six weeks, we’ve had our eyes on the calendar.  The experts promised us that the cicada’s above-ground life cycle would wrap up by July the 4th. 

Our Cicada-Independence Day. 

In the last week, as the sound has died down and we have been able to walk in our yard without stowaways catching a ride on our clothes or hair, I have realized how much tension I had been carrying for the last couple of months. 

Photo by Scott Webb from Pexels

It wasn’t that the cicadas were dangerous or even extraordinarily disruptive.  But having them around meant being constantly on guard.  It meant having to think through and plan for what, before, had been simple or reflexive.  It meant living with constant noise, constant fear (for my daughter), and constant inconvenience. 

As we approach the Fourth of July weekend, I am aware that there are many families in my city who are still waiting for their own Independence Day.  And just like the constant dentist-drill song of the cicadas has worn me down, many families are exhausted just from trying to live life under the extra “noise” of systemic racism, violence, or unjust economic policies. 

Many of these encounters in and of themselves aren’t enough to wear someone down.  But when they’re concentrated on a minority of people, they can accumulate to do real harm—just like the excessive pruning of young bushes and trees by the cicadas.  It all adds up. 

As the adult cicadas are dying off here in Baltimore and their young ones are burrowing into the ground for another 17 years, I find my home and yard are becoming livable again.  But as I’m tempted to settle into my own peaceful space, God shakes me from my easy comfort and calls me to a new alertness—because none of us are free until all of us are free. 

This is the kind of [Independence Day] I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts….  If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people’s sins, if you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight… You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.

Isaiah 58:6-12, MSG, italics added

Celebrating God’s Call

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A reunion of Mennonite service personnel who had served in Indonesia provided an opportunity for our first visit to Nations Worship Center on June 27, 2021. A friend who had worked with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Indonesia wanted to attend Nation’s Sunday morning worship. Having met the church’s pastor, Beny Krisbianto, at a Conference meeting a few years ago, my wife, Mary, and I looked forward to taking our friend to Philadelphia for last Sunday’s worship.

Pastor Angelia Susanto of Nations Worship Center (Philadelphia, PA) is the first Asian woman to be credentialed in Mosaic Conference. Photo provided by Beny Krisbianto.

After squeezing our car into a tight parking space on Ritner Street, we entered the church, welcomed by face-masked ushers who led us to our chairs. Following the half-hour time of praise, led by the worship band, Pastor Beny greeted the congregation, especially welcoming the twenty-some persons who had once lived and worked in his home country of Indonesia. Instead of preaching, Pastor Beny introduced his wife, Angelia Susanto, who recently graduated from Missio Seminary in Philadelphia. Later in the service, Pastor Angelia would be formally licensed as co-pastor for the congregation.

Pastor Angelia shared with the congregation her call to follow Jesus Christ. From a Christian home in Indonesia, she become a youth leader in her church. After college she found employment in a prestigious bank. Earning a master’s degree, she was assigned a position handling accounts with international corporations. She continued youth ministries in the evenings.

One evening, driving her motorcycle through a rain storm in the city streets, she heard the voice of the Lord, asking, “Lia, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” she answered, and heard the Lord saying, “Feed my sheep.” Hearing the Lord repeat the question two more times, she broke down in tears.

After persons on two occasions prophesied that she was being called to church ministries, she began studying in a local seminary in Indonesia. Her family questioned her decision to leave her prodigious bank position.

Leadership Minister, Marta Castillo (left), affirms Pastor Lia Susanto. Pastor Beny Krisbianto, Executive Minister Mary Nitzche, and others look on in support. Photo provided by Beny Krisbianto.

On one of Pastor Beny’s visits to Indonesia, he and Angelia met at a church gathering which eventually led to marriage and her move to Philadelphia. She continued her biblical studies in Philadelphia, often taking their infant daughter along to class. Studying part-time while caring for her family and supporting her husband in ministry, Pastor Angelia finally celebrated her seminary graduation in June. Her forceful presentation left no doubt that she brings a unique strength to the ministries at Nations Worship Center.

Joining the worship virtually, Pastor Angelia’s pastor from Indonesia addressed the gathering. He confirmed everything that she had testified about God’s leading in her life.

Mosaic Associate Executive Minister, Mary Nitzsche, preached the sermon, confirming Angelia’s call as well. Marta Castillo, Mosaic Leadership Minister of Intercultural Formation, then led in giving Lia the charge to pastoral ministry. The elders of the congregation joined in the prayer of dedication. Pastor Angelia is the first Asian woman to be credentialed by Mosaic Conference.

At the end of the service, Pastors Angelia and Beny’s daughter celebrated her fifth birthday. Guests were invited to a feast of Indonesian food prepared by members of the congregation. It was a day we will long remember, and we give thanks for evidence that the Lord continues building his church.

Leadership Marta Castillo anoints Pastor Lia Susanto during Pastor Lia’s credentialing service on June 27, 2021. Photo provided by Beny Krisbianto.

Healing from COVID-19

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No one has been immune to the COVID-19 pandemic. While some may have experienced great loss, all of us—including church leaders—have experienced some sort of trauma during the past 15 months.

To learn about healing processes for this trauma, twenty-five Mosaic Conference pastors and leaders gathered on June 11-12, 2021 for a hybrid workshop at Swamp (Quakertown, PA) Mennonite Church and via Zoom. Three experts in the field of trauma and trauma healing—therapist John Drescher-Lehman, LCSW; Dr. Leah Thomas, professor of pastoral care at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary; and global peacebuilder Dr. Al Fuertes—shared their collective wisdom.

Three experts in the field of trauma and trauma healing— (from left to right) Dr. Al Fuertes, Dr. Leah Thomas and John Drescher-Lehman, LCSW.

Trauma results in a loss of connection, therefore the need to re-connect is critically important; we cannot just re-connect and ignore the trauma, however. Throughout the weekend, participants were reminded that healing from trauma happens best in community. In this unique time of trauma healing, when everyone has been affected by the pandemic, it is important to remember that leaders need to recover from our own trauma while also holding space for others to recover.

“The light God lit in us does not go out, even when we struggle with pain.”

When trauma occurs, it is very normal to either avoid and abandon or become hyper-focused on the emotional, spiritual, social, sexual, physical, or intellectual parts of our lives. During the opening session, candles were lit for each of these areas, and participants were invited to light their own candle from these flames, honoring the effect trauma has played in their lives during the pandemic. Drescher-Lehman reminded us, “The light God lit in us does not go out, even when we struggle with pain.”

Throughout the weekend, presenters reminded participants that if trauma is not addressed and honored, re-traumatization is likely to occur. As leaders, we want to ensure that our own trauma, and our collective trauma as a congregation, is processed in healthy ways, preventing further traumatization.

Thomas shared three keys for post-trauma healing: Calm, Connection, and Communication. We can create calm together through practices like communal prayer, singing, silence, appropriate touch, and familiar rituals/liturgies. To build connection, we want to work on authentic relationships with each other. In fostering communication, we want to be clear, kind, and transparent, setting boundaries, and being authentic and intentional. We also want to offer people choice, giving permission for them to participate or not, especially when recovering from trauma. Through all of these steps, it is important that we are compassionate with ourselves and each other.

The healing of trauma is also shaped by the intersection of a person’s culture and life experiences. In some ways, trauma is universal and there are core symptoms (avoidance, irritability, sleep issues) that happen to all persons who experience trauma. Culture can also greatly impact trauma, however, in how we describe it, how we present and process emotions, how we understand suffering and healing, and how a person makes meaning or heals from the trauma. Even within shared cultures, individuals can respond very differently to trauma, as their experience of trauma is shaped by their sense of self, personality, resilience, theology, and personal and/or familial history. As church leaders, it is important to pay attention to the three aspects (universal, cultural, and individual) of pastoral care to persons processing and healing from trauma.

“As I participated in the COVID healing workshop via zoom, one of the presenters asked us to find a place and a position that made us feel comfortable, whether sitting or lying on a couch. I closed my eyes and followed his instructions of breathing and visualization. I inhaled and exhaled and became more relaxed. I envisioned a bright day with a panoramic view of a big, green, grassy field. There was a rabbit and a dark image of a bird (probably representing me) on the left-hand side looking into the grassland.

As I processed this time, I realized I had been staying at home for over a year, not even going out grocery shopping. The visualization exercise encouraged me to go outside again, to heal in God’s creation of nature.”

– Wendy, workshop participant

One way that participants were guided to process the trauma of COVID-19 was through somatic spiritual exercises, such as breathing exercises and gentle yoga. “The body can tell us when we are in danger and unsafe, but the body can also tell us when we are safe and grounded,” explained Dr. Leah Thomas. As a result, paying specific attention to our physical bodies can help us identify areas in our lives that may need attention and healing.

As we move into the next phase of pandemic life, it is important to honor and acknowledge how each of us as individuals and as congregations survived. Taking time to honor the unique journey, giving time to grieve, and express gratitude for making it through, will all aid to post-pandemic healing and resiliency.

Facing my Fears of Dogs … and the End of the Pandemic

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When I was little, I was afraid of dogs. I remember my parents talking me through my concerns, helping me understand dogs better and guiding me to gradually face my fear. With some explaining, and some experience, what had been scary and overwhelming became tolerable. It’s been a relief to be able to enjoy dogs rather than fear them! 

It turns out my experience with dogs can be applied to the pandemic too: when we pay attention to our bodies, get the perspective of someone with more knowledge, and take the brave step of gradually facing our fears, the changes become more manageable. This is just one of the insights I gained from James Mast, LPC, during a webinar he led for Salford (Harleysville, PA) Mennonite Church on June 2 regarding late pandemic life from a mental health perspective. (To watch the full webinar, Pandemic Spring, click here.)  

As we considered where we’ve been and where we are headed, I felt relief and even joy in facing what I had feared. Mast named what many of us have been experiencing as “the Great Reassessment”: we’ve been jolted out of our patterns and forced to face our limits in a way some of us have never experienced before. We’ve needed to decide what’s most important. We’ve needed to faced loss in so many areas of our lives.  

It’s easy in such a moment to long to go back to what was. But when we honor the losses and choose to step into the new future, we can grow in wholeness. Church leaders can create spaces for this, using the gift of ritual to meet people in this Great Reassessment.   

Mast also taught us something from his experience with people in crisis: It may be harder to adjust as a crisis ends than it was to make the sudden adjustments needed at the start of the crisis. In March 2020, we did what we needed to do to keep ourselves and others safe and healthy. But now, what is needed? How can trust and hope be rebuilt? These are questions that others have asked as they emerge from a crisis. As unsettling as they may be, they’re signs that we are on a healing journey. 

“It may be harder to adjust as a crisis ends than it was to make the sudden adjustments needed at the start of the crisis.”

A highlight of the presentation was this hopeful and practical tip: the more we talk about our concerns, the better we are able to address them. Talking through what we are experiencing helps us gain a sense of control, which can give us hope. Being clear about our own boundaries can help us find safety in a world where boundaries and COVID precautions are changing quickly. Likewise, asking others about their comfort level (that is, seeking consent) is an act of love and respect to our neighbor.  

This past year has been hard on relationships – our networks may feel frayed and ragged. But when we are honest with each other and are willing to companion one another in love, we can be part of healing and hope. 

Giving Justly (Part 2)

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Editor’s note: This post is a continuation of an article Marta Castillo wrote in February. To read part one, click here.  

Randers Museum of Art, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Zacchaeus was a wee little man 
And a wee little man was he 
He climbed up in a sycamore tree 
For the Lord he wanted to see 
 
And when the Savior passed that way 
He looked up in the tree 
And said, ‘Zacchaeus, you come down! 
For I’m going to your house today! 
 

What a fun little song to teach the young ones! To tell the whole story, we need to add another verse. 

When Jesus went to Zaccheus’ house, Zaccheus was transformed. 
And he said, I going to give half of my stuff to the poor. 
And pay back times four to those who I have wronged. 
And Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house.”  

This is not singable, unfortunately. A musician/songwriter could help us out. 

The call to salvation and transformation in the story of Zaccheus is a call to practice jubilee with our money. In his encounter with Jesus, Zaccheus realizes that he has a responsibility to the poor. He also realizes that he has a responsibility to pay back those that he has exploited through personal interactions and through the system.  

In our language of today, Zaccheus gave half of his money to people who were poor and organizations that served people who were poor. He also paid reparations to those whom he had cheated or taken advantage of through personal transactions or through the unjust system of his time.  

Today, in the US, this word, “reparations,” triggers all kinds of thoughts and feelings. In our pastors’ book study of Drew Hart’s book, “Who Will Be a Witness,” our group had an excellent but difficult conversation around economic justice – our history, church giving, generational wealth in white churches, large endowment funds, and investment accounts. 

Hart writes in his book, “Zaccheus seems to provide a really powerful starting point for a theology of reparations in the church…Making amends and setting things right in broken relationships is at the heart of a Christian theology of reparations.” 

I invite us to consider how we can creatively and faithfully be transformed spiritually and economically by reading the complete story of Zaccheus: 

  • Can we commit to give half of our money and offerings to the poor?  
  • Can we purposely, individually or as churches, give to organizations that are owned, led by, and serve communities of people of the global majority (also known as people of color)?  
  • Can we provide scholarships to students of color in our communities, through local organizations, or other congregations in the conference?  
  • Can we give to Mennonite Church USA Justice Fund to provide a way for individuals and congregations to support MC USA churches that are actively involved in dismantling racism, addressing police brutality, reimagining policing in our society, or combating poverty? 

It made no financial sense for Zaccheus to give half of his money to the poor and to pay back four times to those who he had wronged. We do not know what happened to him after this story. We only know that he became a follower of Jesus, and he did not walk away sad, holding on to his wealth like the rich, young ruler. 

Can we accept Jesus’ invitation to come in and dine with us, to repent, and allow God’s economics of jubilee transform our lives? 

A Bedtime Liturgy for Spiritual Formation

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Meyer kids at Bake Oven Knob (Appalachian Trail). Photo provided by Josh Meyer.

Nearly every parent with young children can attest to the importance of regular rhythms and routines for little ones.  Particularly early in a child’s development, routines are both stabilizing and comforting.  Of course there is value in spontaneity, but predictable patterns provide a valuable foundation for children. 

Like many other parents, one of the places we’ve sought to develop intentional routines with our three kids is at bedtime.  After the traditional activities (teeth brushing, potty, PJs, stories), we begin our “bedtime liturgy.”  This includes: (1) prayer time, (2) special words, and (3) family commitments.   

  • Prayer time.  My wife prays with the children.  In addition to praying for them, we’ve committed to praying for a different family from our church each week.  It’s been neat to see the kids latch onto this concept and get excited about the families we’re praying for throughout the year.   
  • Special words.  Each night, I speak “special words” over each child.  This is a personalized reminder of who they are, what we see in them, and how deeply they are loved by us and by God.  Genesis 1 reveals that words create worlds (notice that God speaks creation into existence –  Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24, 26).  In the same way, we want to use our words to create a world where our children hear every day the deepest truths about who they are and who God is.      
  • Family commitments.  We end the “bedtime liturgy” by saying our family commitments together (right).  These are rooted in Matthew 23:23, where Jesus identifies certain parts of the Law as being more important than others.  As a family, we want to be committed to the things Jesus says are most important: justice, mercy, and faithfulness.  This is a newer practice for us, but within a few months the kids have memorized and internalized these key values.   

To be clear, I don’t share this to brag or to puff ourselves up.  I realize a post like this runs the risk of appearing pretentious or self-righteous.  That’s not my intent.  Rather, I simply want to share a practical example of what’s been working for us right now, one way among many to intentionally develop godly routines in the lives of our children.   

Maybe something like this can be useful to those of you with young kids; maybe it won’t.  But I’m hoping all of us with children – whatever age they may be – are thinking intentionally about how our life rhythms are forming and shaping them.  And more broadly, that every one of us is committed to regular practices that develop and sustain our faith in and relationship with God.   

Meyer family at Bake Oven Knob (Appalachian Trail). Photo provided by Josh Meyer.

Painting Tiles at a Mosaic Youth Event

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On Saturday, June 5, several youth groups from Mosaic congregations gathered at Philadelphia (PA) Praise Center for a youth gathering involving games, art, and spiritual input.  

The genesis of this event was found in some blank ceramic tiles and paint that were donated to the Mosaic Office last fall.  The tiles and paint eventually found their way to Jenna and Emmanuel Villatoro (Youth Pastors of Philadelphia Praise Center). The Villatoros wanted to create a joint youth event with other local youth from Mosaic Conference and anticipated using the tiles and paint as one of the activities. 

Including Philadelphia Praise Center, who hosted, youth from Centro de Alabanza (South Philadelphia, PA), Ripple (Allentown, PA), and Whitehall Mennonite Church (Whitehall, PA) attended the event.  

The gathering started with high energy as participants played a rousing game of “Never have I ever” and other ice-breaking activities. Hendy Matahelemual, of Mosaic Conference, continued the activities with a short reflection about being the salt and light of the world. 

The remainder of the afternoon was spent with a painting lesson, led by Donna Backues, a local artist. Backues encouraged the youth to paint the tiles using themes of fire, flames, and water, to represent Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, and baptism. 

The finished tiles were then baked in hot ovens to set the artwork. The tiles will be transported to the Mosaic Office in Lansdale, PA to be used as coasters.  

Watch the video to learn more about the festivities! 

IBA: Bible Institute for All

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Translated into English by Andres Castillo

In the last articles we briefly told of the founding of the Instituto Bíblico Anabautista (IBA; Anabaptist Bible Institute) as well as some people involved in the original proposal which has grown to be a fundamental part of our Hispanic churches throughout the United States.

It is important to note that the IBA today has centers in virtually every area where there is an Anabaptist Hispanic church, and that it has been a fundamental resource for the training of properly grounded pastors who lead the churches God has called them to.

The IBA’s mission doesn’t only manifest itself in that it receives people of all education levels. In fact, it tries to be an education center that prepares the leadership of communities in a comprehensive manner. This is why the IBA rejoices when a non-pastor student joins and finishes the program. This was the case of Fanny Ortiz who, after five years of study, finally managed to graduate on March 19 in a celebration led by pastor Juan José Rivera at his church Seguidores de Cristo (Followers of Christ) in Sarasota, Florida.

She was to be able to see the characters of the Bible with a more realistic eye instead of sizing them on an Olympic scale, something that continues to impact her more than anything else learned in her

years of study. She saw that the stature of Bible heroes was not less, but more, admirable because they were just ordinary people who lived lives with the same difficulties as us, and yet decided to dedicate themselves to the service and obedience of the Lord.

Ortiz has recently finished her studies and is considering continuing to study soon at the Anabaptist Hispanic Bible Seminary (SeBAH). For now, she has decided to finish her nursing studies. She already has a degree of nursing assistant, exemplifying how personal goals are both those of the ministry and the professionals and boards in due time can be realized.

Those who are studying at the IBA, or who are thinking of doing it soon, should know that it is a place where all students share common experiences. Just as there are easy learning moments, there are others that are not so easy. In the case of Sister Fanny, a certain book on preaching was “not so easy.” It is a book she has since overcome, but not without shedding a few tears of struggle. She is now a graduate of the institute who feels she will be able to contribute much better with her service in the church and with her spiritual life for the years to come.