Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

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Reflections on the Great Commission

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Faith & Life Gathering Report

As leaders, we are part of many groups with various ideas that could be used to divide rather than unify.   We hear stories of people choosing to segregate because of race, privilege, sexuality, and politics.  

But when we get right down to it, does it really matter?  Isn’t it God who sorts it all out in the end?  Our one job is to love and show each other Christ’s love.  When we sit next to each other at a sport’s event, or church pew, should it matter whom our seatmate is?  

What matters is that this person woke up and decided to go to the “House of the Lord.” They did not come to disrupt someone’s pew seat, beliefs, or faith. They came because they needed to be here.  They came to hear teaching or guidance about this Lord that has beckoned them.  They wanted to know if Jesus could help them. 

“They wanted to know if Jesus could help them.“

I can’t tell you how many churches I visited before settling on a place that wasn’t rude to me.  I settled on a place that didn’t care about the shade of my skin, or if I wore pants, how I wore my hair, or if my husband was with me or not.  

One time my sister and I went to a church visitation for a friend who had passed on. We entered the vestibule and signed the memorial book. Before proceeding further, an usher advised us that we would not be permitted inside, unless we changed our clothes.  Women were not allowed to wear pants in this church, so we were turned away.  (We actually had on culottes, wide pants that go below your knees that look like a skirt.)  

That experience left a sad memory in my mind. I decided, if Jesus was in a church like this, I didn’t want their Jesus.  I would stay home and seek my own relationship with God.  

Even alone, God did not disappoint.  He is faithful!  I would build up my Jesus muscle on my own, because something was continually tugging and calling me closer.  I eventually found a church to attend regularly, but my sister still does not go to a church building.     

I am not the only one with such a church story. There are probably many in your church, and more who are not willing to come to your church, with such stories. Therefore, I believe the message from God to us is,  “Love everyone, I’ll sort them out later.”

At the May 2021 Faith and Life Gathering, we discussed Paul and Barnabas’ challenges in Acts 15.   What did God say about Jews and Gentiles? How do you interpret what God meant?  

We have to communicate clearly what the great commission means and how we are to go about doing it, because we still have work to do.  

Peter said, “Some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.  God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did us.  He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the neck of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?” (Acts 15:7-10, NIV)

Disclosing Abuse Takes (Y)ears

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Why do an estimated sixty-two percent of children who are sexually abused never tell their story of harm and betrayal?

Shame. Shame is a natural reaction to being violated and abused.  In fact, abuse by its very nature is humiliating and dehumanizing.  The victim feels invaded and defiled, while being helpless and at the mercy of another more powerful person.  Shame, as an emotion, protects the victim by encouraging them to keep quiet.  Often, they believe if they keep quiet the abuse will not happen again.

Fear of consequences.  Victims have a lot to lose by speaking up, and usually their abusers know this and use this to facilitate their abuse.  They may fear they won’t make the team, will be given a bad grade, or will lose the gifts the abuser also gives them.  If the abuser is a family member, they fear this person will be punished or taken away.  These potential losses create conflict for the child, and therefore, they don’t speak up.

They don’t believe they will be believed.  The victim has less power than the abuser, and abuse happens in secret.  Judith Lewis Herman in Father-Daughter Incest says, “Any touch or other behavior between the child and adult that must be kept secret will be considered abuse.”  So, it is the child’s word against the adult’s word, and the one with the most authority, position, and power is almost always believed.

Denial and minimizing.  It is a common psychological defense for all of us to deny or minimize the seriousness of abuse, as a way of helping us survive and move on.  “He’s just a really friendly guy.”  “It was only a kiss, it’s not like I was raped.”  Denial, minimizing, and not remembering are important ways victims survive and move on, until it is safe enough to disclose.  Disclosing abuse often takes y(ears).

Sex is private.  Sex is typically very private and personal.  In our personal relationships, in our church, school, and youth organizations, we seldom talk about sex, especially good sex.  So, what child or adolescent wants to bring up the topic of sex, especially when it was harmful?  It’s also important to remember that young children don’t even have a concept of sex, so how can they talk about it?

Those of us with ears don’t want to hear it.  We have all been trained by our culture and media to believe that sexual abuse is caused by evil perpetrators.  We have a hard time believing that good, loving helpers and parents can use their goodness as a cover for the harm they cause.  We want to believe that our schools and churches and children’s clubs are safe places, staffed by adults who will protect our children.  So, when a child or youth speaks out about abuse, we must use our ears and listen, and believe, and respond.  They need us.

Yes, it often takes (y)ears for a victim to feel safe enough to disclose abuse.  We can sometimes reduce the years they must hold the abuse in secret, by offering our ears as a safe harbor for their story.

Editor’s note: After allegations of misconduct at Dock Mennonite Academy became public in March, Mosaic Conference received requests to provide resources for pastors and youth leaders to understand and lovingly respond as congregational members shared stories of trauma and abuse from their own lives.  This is the third in a series of four articles by John Drescher-Lehman, LCSW designed to provide information on abuse-related trauma and guidance for pastors and congregations who desire to foster openness and healing.

Resources for Trauma Series

by John Drescher-Lehman, LCSW

Mourning with our Brothers and Sisters

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This post was originally written in Spanish by Javier Márquez and is translated into English by Andres Castillo.

“I feel sad. I feel angry, because I’m from Indonesia. I feel really angry, that’s how I feel about this whole situation.” Aldo Siahaan. 

“I’m sad and angry, but also open to learn about how I can rise up with my brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.” Marta Castillo

“I am sad about this situation especially because I am living in the United States, a country that defends Human Rights.” Stephen Zacheus.

“I feel helpless. Asians are only 5% of the population in the United States. We are a real minority, and we do not know what to do. We do not know how to respond.” Benny Krisbianto.

We the Hispanic Church are not unaware of the attacks of hatred, discrimination, xenophobia and rejection suffered by immigrants in the United States, so we must feel closer than ever to our Asian brothers and sisters, in these days when they have become the focus of a wave of violence biased by hatred and ignorance.

“This Webinar is a space of encouragement for Asian-American leaders. Spirit of the living God, make this a safe and mutually transforming space for all.” With these words, the space for reflection and dialogue held by the Mosaic Conference called Seeking Peace and Justice in a time marked by Violence towards Asian-Americans opened on March 25.

As a church we seek to respond to this serious problem, and that is why we must feel in our hearts the same pain upon seeing the violence suffered by our Asian brothers and sisters as if it happened with a Hispanic person.

In our congregations, it is worth asking ourselves the same questions that were asked in the first minutes of the Webinar:

How do you feel about this?
How are you?
What are you experiencing?

We must remember that one of the fundamental calls of the Church on the part of the Spirit of God is that of unity, care among us, and a hunger and thirst for justice. May this short article serve us to address the subject also to the Hispanic churches, because this is something that also concerns us, encourages us to pray publicly in our congregations, to speak up as if it were our own people because in reality Asians are also our own people. We accept this and value the moment we understand the call of the gospel of Jesus in our lives together with his love.

Sexual Abuse is More than Sexual

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In 2018 Larry Nassar, a 54-year-old osteopathic doctor, was sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting at least 265 girls and young women, with complaints as early as the 1990s.  All but one of the reported sexual assaults were perpetrated during a “medical exam.”  He held prestigious positions at Michigan State University and with the USA Gymnastic team and was a doctor for Olympic athletes.  His trial was national news for weeks.

It is important to remember that sexual assault is much more than rape.  “Sexual abuse does not have to involve penetration, force, pain, or even touching,” according to Stop It Now.  “If an adult engages in any sexual behavior (looking, showing, touching) with a child to meet the adult’s interest or sexual needs, it is sexual abuse.  Most often sexual abuse is a gradual process and not a single event.” 

Sexual abuse will happen to one in four girls and one in six boys before the age of 18.  Most of these situations will not make the news. These victims will sit beside us on the bus, or in the pew at church during worship.  Most often they have been abused by someone they trusted.

In 93% of child sexual abuse cases, the child knows the person that commits the abuse, and in 47% of the cases the perpetrator is a close or extended family member.  Sexual abuse is more than sexual.  It is the abuse of power, trust, innocence, and relationships.  Sexual abuse not only can harm the child’s sexual development and future sexual relationships, it can also harm their ability to trust others, especially others who are close to them.

Sexual abuse is more than sexual.  It is the abuse of power, trust, innocence, and relationships.

In his book Abused Boys, Dr. Mic Hunter says there are two broad categories of abuse.  One is overt sexual abuse where there is no attempt to hide that it is sexual, but often an attempt to deny that what is being done is abusive.  

The second category is covert abuse. This is, according to Hunter, “more insidious, and therefore harder to identify, because the sexual nature of the action is disguised.  The person acts as if he or she is doing something nonsexual (like the Nassar case), when in reality he or she is actually being sexual.”

Hunter continues to explain, “The betrayal is twofold:  the child is abused and then deceived about it.  It is this dishonesty that can make covert abuse difficult to identify and therefore difficult to recover from.  The victim is led to believe that the event was not sexual, that he has not been abused, and that he should not trust his emotions or perceptions of those around him.”

Sexual abuse is more than sexual.  It is the abuse of trusted relationships and power.  It happens in secrecy and silence.  It is estimated that 62% of children who are sexually abused never speak up and tell their stories.  Why?

Editor’s note: After allegations of misconduct at Dock Mennonite Academy became public in March, Mosaic Conference received requests to provide resources for pastors and youth leaders to understand and lovingly respond as congregational members shared stories of trauma and abuse from their own lives.  This is the second in a series of four articles by John Drescher-Lehman, LCSW designed to provide information on abuse-related trauma and guidance for pastors and congregations who desire to foster openness and healing.

Resources for Trauma Series

by John Drescher-Lehman, LCSW

Mosaic Conference Board Continues to Take Shape

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The pieces continue to come together as we approach the one-year anniversary of our newly reconciled conference’s naming as “Mosaic Conference.”  In this month’s Conference Board meeting, we were back face-to-face in our new office at Dock Academy in Lansdale, PA, with several board members also joining by Zoom.

The last months have been a time of transition for the Board.  This was the first board meeting that included Roy Williams of College Hill congregation in Tampa (FL) and Herman Sagastume of Perkiomenville (PA) congregation.  Both joined in their respective positions as chairs of the Intercultural and Conference Related Ministries (CRM) Committees that were set up in the reconciliation structure, approved in November 2019 by delegates of both Eastern District and Franconia Conferences.  Both of the new committees are fully up and running now with members that represent the breadth of experience, geography, and wisdom of our conference.

Roy Williams, the new chair of the Intercultural Committee, has extensive board and leadership experience within Mennonite Church USA.  He brings a sharp attention to issues of finance from his banking background, as well as acuity in asking questions around biblical justice and equity.   Roy has been the long-term pastor at College Hill.

Dr. Herman Sagastume comes to the board as selected from the CRM committee.  Herman joined the committee because of his role as executive director of Healthy Niños Honduras, a Conference Related Ministry. Herman is a globally-minded leader with deep compassion and insight.  The new CRM Committee is moving forward in strengthening connections and understanding with the Conference’s extensive network of diverse ministries.  

At the turn of 2021, Merlin Hartman of Franconia congregation ended his board service at the completion of his second term with Franconia Conference and then Mosaic.   Hartman brought deep commitments to the church and openness to the Spirit’s work in our life together.  His questions and conscientiousness helped keep us moving through the reconciliation process with hope and integrity.  

Beny Krisbianto ended his one-year appointment as the Intercultural Committee chairperson after maxing out his board term of service in 2019 with Franconia Conference.  Beny’s long work with the Franconia Conference board and then an initial term as Intercultural Committee chair helped extend and establish a foundation for the committee and our Mosaic commitments to intercultural transformation.  As an urban and immigrant pastor, Beny was often able to clarify and re-contextualize decisions and movements.  His service and commitment has been a gift to our community as we have moved toward a hopeful future.

With the board transitions, we are continuing to live into our Mosaic dreams.  We celebrate the development of meaningful relationships across geography, culture, and language.  Roy is the first board representative from our Florida congregations.  Our board meeting over takeout Chinese food felt like a gathering of familiar friends.  We are able to laugh together, to hear both upbeat and difficult reports.  Together, we are able to discern the Spirit’s ongoing call as the pieces continue to come together to form our emerging Mosaic reality.  

To learn more about Roy and Herman, visit the Mosaic Board page and click on their photos!

Prayer Requests for Colombia

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Colombia has been on a national strike since April 28th, with the government responding violently to peaceful protesters and refusing to democratically negotiate terms. 

We ask that the church would raise a prophetic voice, remembering reverend Martin Luther King Jr’s words: “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”

We also ask for prayer for the protesters, whose motives are legitimate.

We ask for prayer for the churches in Colombia, that they would be more conscious of their neighbors, more attentive to the needs of the poor and the oppressed.

More information to come in the upcoming Mosaic News.

We ask for prayer for the government, not for the re-establishment of the status quo, but for democratic negotiation that brings real change to a hurting people.

Peña De Horeb: Shepherds of Souls in Need of Prayer

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This article was originally published in Spanish: La Peña De Horeb y Los Ex Presidiarios written by Javier Márquez, and was translated into English by Andres Castillo.

A few days ago, pastor Dania M. Hernández entered the building where her church meets on 11th and Washington in South Philadelphia and found the following note:

“I need your prayer. I am a God-loving soul, in the streets without a shepherd, and I need prayer. –Medeste.”

Dania’s ministry began in her native Nicaragua, inherited also by a family that received and helped missionaries. At a very young age, God gave her the desire to serve. She was able to travel across her country, and learn to live what she calls “true life”: addressing the levels of need and poverty in the world.

Pastor Dania not only receives notes at her church, but also people from the streets, people who have had a very difficult life, and who have uncertain futures. In one case, Pastor Dania was even told: “I’m going to take my own life. You’ll be the last person I’ll talk to.”

These continuous occurrences characterize the ministry of the church Peña de Horeb. Since its birth almost three years ago, it has been a ministry that gives living water to souls who thirst for just a taste of grace and love.

Peña de Horeb, like many rock bands, was born in a garage—Dania’s. Pastor Dania took advantage of her transportation business to share the Word and started a small group that originally planned to meet only for Bible study. At that time, she was part of Centro de Alabanza, where she had learned the Mennonite vision of reaching out to others and of community service.

Shortly after starting the Bible study, Dania reached out to someone who had invited a group of ex-convicts to attend the service at her home. She was frightened, she told them. In response, the person told her not to worry, that they were going to show up anyway—and they did. Fifteen ex-convicts arrived in a van and went straight down to her basement.

“That day, the Lord led our service,” explains Pastor Dania.

That day, the pastor had the support of Pastor Aldo of Philadelphia Praise Center (PPC). His church has also found great, timely support from different people of Mosaic Conference, such as Steve Kriss, Marta Castillo, and Noel Santiago. Pastor Dania and her community are a church that has received the revelation of God to effectively share Christ with the neediest around them, just as God promised that He would give drink to His people in the desert.

To Survive, Push the Button

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How are you doing? How are you really doing??

If you ask me how I’m doing, I’ll always answer, “I’m good!” But, I’m not always sure if I am good. It has been a long year.

I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers
flow in the right direction, will the earth turn
as it was taught, and if not how shall
I correct it?
Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,
can I do better?
Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows
can do it and I am, well,
hopeless.

“I Worried” by Mary Oliver

There has been a lot to worry about this past year. Author Anne Lamott describes it, “My best friends are exhausted. We have scary diagnoses, we zoom into memorial services, our short term memories dissolve like Pop Rocks.  And Jeremiah says, ‘The harvest is past,’  and Elijah lay under a bloom brush and said, ‘I have had enough.’  Then he slept” (from Dusk, Night, Dawn). 

When is it enough? Kate Bower, in her podcast, Everything Happens, asks, “How do we find ‘enough’ in a life that keeps getting…. harder?  Our lives are shrinking. We are shrunk by the pandemic or by illness, by age, or by any number of losses. Life is not always bright and shiny.   We’re not feeling very #blessed.” 

Where is God in all of this?  What about faith in the eternal love and presence of God?  

In February 2021, 40% of Americans had symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorders. Our post-pandemic anxiety is still strong … and are we really post-pandemic?   

Is a worldwide mental health crisis the next pandemic?  Two-thirds of US adults say their sleep quality has declined in the past year. More than half have experienced undesired weight changes, and one in four are drinking more. Between the social isolation, economic instability, political turmoil, racial violence, death and sickness, and uncertain future, no wonder mental health in the US is on the decline and demand for treatment is skyrocketing. (Psychology Today, March 2021)

Many resources for coping have been removed by the pandemic.  This includes our gathering as a body of believers. Even most of our spiritual community has been virtual. No touch allowed.

Yet our foundational belief in the spiritual community is the key to finding God’s love despite our circumstances. Bowler tells us that the feeling of “not enough” is met by community. We can be made enough by the touch of each other: touch of our families, friends, church, mental health providers, God.  

Community is our “emergency button.” To survive, push the button. We are not alone. We are in survival faith mode, where all we need is a daily dose, like my blood pressure pills, just enough for the day.  Nothing big, just enough.

As we re-enter the new normal, we need to be kind and gentle, for most of us are suffering the emotional repercussions of the last year. You are not alone in this.  We can seek help, this is not a time for stigma. Reach out and touch.  

So we pray. We pray that you will take away our natural temptation for cynicism, denial, fear and despair. Help us have the courage to awaken to greater truth, greater humility, and greater care for one another. May we place our hope in what matters and what lasts, trusting in your eternal presence and love. (by Richard Rohr)  

And after we pray, Mary Oliver invites us:

Finally I saw that worrying had come to nothing.
And gave it up. And took my old body
And went out into the morning
And sang.