Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Articles

5 Ways to Beat the Virtual Slump for the Holidays

by

I have a confession. As much as I feel blessed with the technology available for us to use in the midst of this pandemic, there has been more than one time when I think, “Not another Zoom meeting!” 

Zoom meetings are often tedious. People are less likely to get excited over a virtual gathering. But does it always have to be like that? I believe that God has challenged us this year to go out of our comfort zones. We need creative ways to celebrate the gift and be together safely.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)

It’s time to break the stigma of virtual gatherings. Here are some creative ways to make your virtual fellowships more fun and meaningful during this holiday season:

1. Virtual Christmas Vacation

Before the meeting, ask the participants to find a picture of a place that they always wanted to visit. Encourage them to change their virtual background to be their dream vacation spot. (You can even dress up!) During the meeting, each person takes turns guessing “where” the others are. Alternatively, if you’re working with a large group, ask a few people to be a “tour guide” of their locations.

2. Christmas Ornament Challenge

Divide participants into teams and assign each team a breakout room via zoom to collaborate. Ask them to design the “perfect ornament” using the virtual whiteboard option.  By the end of the breakout session, ask them to save and present their ornaments to the larger group. If there is a crowd favorite, the host can print the design into an actual ornament and send it to everyone as a gift.

3. Angel Mails

Use an online gift exchange generator to randomly select an “angel” for each participant. Then, send your assigned recipient a handwritten letter, filled with encouraging words, scriptures, or affirmations for them specifically. Sign it anonymously and mail it to the recipient. Host a virtual gathering to talk about the letters. Each participant shares what they felt after reading the mail, and tries to guess who was their “angel.”

Alternatively, if you find someone who is having a hard time, you can just assign multiple angels for one person!

4. Learn A Christmas Song in Different Languages

Mosaic Conference has six different worshipping languages. Try learning a Christmas song in a language other than your own. You can have someone who speaks a different language join your meeting and teach your group a song that you’ve never heard before.

5. Virtual Interactive Story of Jesus’ Birth

Download or print the Mosaic-made advent family activity. Meeting virtually, each family takes turns to read a part of the story of Jesus’ birth.

Hopefully you’ve been inspired to be more creative with your virtual meetings during this Christmas season. Even though we will be celebrating a different kind of Christmas this year, I hope that the Spirit still keeps the gift alive in each and every one of us.

Conference Related Ministries (CRM) Profile: Spruce Lake & Pinebrook

by

Born of Wind and Water

Staff member, Steve Landes (far right), and volunteers install goal nets for the new disc golf course at Pinebrook. Photo by Grace Nolt.

The wind blew, the rain came down, and the Pocono Mountains were drenched, receiving over 21 inches of rain.  It was the flood of 1955. God moved Norm Good and the people of Blooming Glen (PA) Mennonite Church to minister to the thousands who were affected by the storms.  

Seven years later Mr. Dalton, who owned the land that would become Spruce Lake, was approached by Mennonites interested in purchasing his property to start a children’s camp. Moved by the compassion of these men representing those who had given of themselves during the flood, he offered them an incredibly low price for 276 acres!  God moved and Spruce Lake was born.

Dedicated to Pointing People Toward Christ

The Church of South India from Seaford, NY, represents guests from multiple diverse cultures and backgrounds at Spruce Lake/Pinebrook. Photo by Grace Nolt.

Nearly 700 people came to the first open house in May 1963 and dedicated their new mountain sanctuary to the Lord for His work on July 4, 1963. 

God’s people, excited by the possibilities of pointing people toward Christ, threw themselves into the work of Spruce Lake.  And oh, God has blessed the work and ministry.  Facilities grew and programs expanded, growing from 98 campers in the summer of 1963 to serving over 43,000 annual guests and campers today. 

Recent Developments

In 2017, through the generous gifts of God’s people, God choreographed the purchase of Spruce Mountain, giving Spruce Lake a total 888 acres of beautiful woods and hiking trails. In June 2018, a new Youth Activity Center was completed, making Wilderness Camp a truly year-round youth ministry hub. And in October 2018, Spruce Lake acquired Pinebrook Bible Conference, near Stroudsburg, PA, to steward the programs and operations of this facility for “the Glory of God.”

Core Ministries Change Lives

Summer Wilderness Camp and Day Camps, plus winter Ignite Youth Weekends, reach into the lives of hundreds of children and youth every year with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Countless young people have accepted Christ at Wilderness Camp. 

“Ignite” Winter Youth Weekends at Spruce Lake’s youth activity center. Photo by Josh Reichart.

Outdoor Education helps school students and adults discover the wonders of creation and our awesome God who made it all. For many, it is the highlight of their school year.

Programmed Family Retreats & Events at Spruce Lake/Pinebrook support the entire family with biblically grounded speakers and worship leaders, with plenty of fun and relaxed time together.

Church & Community Groups bring thousands of people each year to hear God’s voice through hospitable staff and the peaceful beauty of woodlands and waterfalls. 

Here, people of all ages from varying backgrounds can feel the Lord’s presence, focus on their relationship with Him, and experience the diversity of Christians interacting as friends.

Opportunities to Serve and Volunteer

At Spruce Lake/Pinebrook, approximately 150 year-round full-time and part-time staff serve the body of Christ and our communities. Over the summer, about 100 additional staff help us fulfill our call to ministry every day. Each avenue of service is of genuine value to God. 

Spruce Lake/Pinebrook also depend on the generous service of volunteers all year long. Many individuals and groups help keep the ministry flourishing. Contact us to offer talents and time.

Prayer Requests

  • Wisdom and direction for the Franconia Mennonite Camp Association (FMCA) board members and staff as we continue to point people toward Christ
  • That the Lord would protect the ministry – our guests, staff and properties — from the COVID-19 virus. 
  • Bring the campers, families, couples, and individuals back soon to experience what God has for them at Pinebrook and Spruce Lake. 
  • That FMCA would continue to thrive as we seek to point people toward Christ.

Mosaic Conference Office Update

by

A new location for the Mosaic Mennonite Conference offices will open on Monday, December 7 at 100 Longacre Center on the Dock Mennonite Academy, 1000 Forty Foot Road, in Lansdale, PA. We are happy to return to Dock in our new hospitable and friendly office space though some finishing touches will be yet to come in the next months.

We are grateful for this opportunity for ongoing collaboration at Dock and look forward to working, meeting, and hosting from the new office suite and meeting rooms.  

The office is staffed Monday to Friday from 9-3:30pm.  At this time though, most staff continue to work dispersed so please call ahead to schedule appointments.  The office will be closed for the holidays on December 24 and 25 as well as December 31 and January 1.  

The temporary office located in Hatfield, PA is now closed though the sign may remain onsite yet for a few weeks.  New signage has not yet arrived for our new space which is located just off the Detwiler Road entrance to the campus.  This new office location is across campus from our previous location at Rosenberger Center.   

  • Photo by Emily Ralph Servant
  • Photo by Emily Ralph Servant

Crops for Hunger

by

In 2018 Deep Run East (Perkasie, PA) Mennonite Church started an initiative to encourage new ideas and vision for the use of our abundant resources. We were challenged to find new and innovative ways to serve God with our resources,  including our church buildings and grounds. I remembered an article I saved from the Mennonite Weekly Review, dated June 10, 2002.

A field of soybeans planted by Deep Run East congregation this past summer. (Photo provided by Kermit Yoder)

The article told how farmers in Minnesota donated the proceeds from their crops to the Food Resource Bank (now Growing Hope Globally.) Growing Hope Globally helps subsistence farmers grow their own food, earn an income, feed their families, and improve their livelihoods. Farmers in North America help farmers in need around the world in an effort to end world hunger. 

Our church is blessed with 40 tillable acres of land, so I suggested we consider a “Growing Project” with this resource of land.  In December 2019, the congregation affirmed the idea and responded by allocating existing funds and making contributions. Team leaders for the project,  Phil Nyce, Henry Rice, Mark Schmidt, and Kermit Yoder, began planning for the 2020 planting season. It was determined that soybeans would be our crop. Our fields were planted on May 27, 2020. 

Farmland owned by Deep Run East congregation (with the church in the background) grew crops to assist in fighting world hunger this year.

In April, just before we planted the soybeans, Joe Dise and his uncle, Dean Overholt, approached our team about wanting to help out families in need locally and through Crops for Hunger due to the pandemic. Their idea was to plant extra sweet corn to harvest and sell or give to local people in need. 

As a team we were all in. But with COVID-19, some of the initial ideas for distributing sweet corn were not feasible. A roadside stand seemed to be a safe way to distribute the sweet corn. We offered the corn without cost, free if you needed or for a donation to Crops for Hunger.  The sweet corn produced $1,333 for our Crops for Hunger project.

For years, Deep Run East has been providing support to programs in Honduras. Growing Hope Globally has a program in Honduras implemented by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). One of our members, Joel Kempt, is on staff with MCC in Honduras and was directly involved in formulating the program. We decided to support this program with the proceeds of our sweet corn.

Mark Schmidt, of Deep Run East, working in the fields.

November 7 was finally the day that our soybeans were harvested. God blessed Bucks County, PA with a wonderful growing season, timely rain, and warm temperatures this year. The crop exceeded our goal. With a 62 bushel per acre average, we harvested 2,496 bushels of soybeans. We arranged for our crop to be purchased by Weaver’s Toasted Grains in New Holland PA. Church member, Dale Overholt, and his employer, PV Transport, generously hauled the crop to market. 

Nate Wilson, of Deep Run East, works with the soybean crops.

When we received the payment from Weaver’s Toasted Grains, the check was written for more than the agreed upon price.  The owners wanted to help out and generously contributed to the project as well. 

The total proceeds from the sale of the sweet corn and soybean crops totaled $33,499.79.  We are grateful for the many people who helped out with this project, through prayer, labor, materials, and money. We were blessed to have used our resources to help others utilize their land to feed their families and communities throughout the world. 

Working with Youth to Expand the Kingdom of God

by

“I’ve always had a passion to work with youth in the church,” shares Michelle Ramírez, Youth Coordinator for churches in the Florida region for Mosaic Conference. “They are the next generation of leaders and I love to help them see that there is no better reward than to work for God by serving in your church.” 

Eight congregations in Florida joined Mosaic Conference during the November 2020 assembly. Ramírez recently began working in youth leadership cultivation with these congregations in this new, part-time role for the conference. 

Ramírez works with the conference’s youth formation team and oversees the Forming Youth Leaders program for the Florida congregations. This program focuses on reaching and mentoring the youth in these congregations to inspire and train them in how to be effective leaders in their congregations. “The program has just officially started so I am currently building a team of representatives in each congregation so that I can become better acquainted with the youth ministries already in place,” says Ramírez. 

The goal of the program that Ramírez oversees is to have youth active in leadership, in whatever ministry they choose to work in. “I’m most looking forward to working with youth from different congregations,” Ramírez reflects. “I love to hear each person’s unique story and work together to expand the Kingdom of God.”

Ramírez is a pastor’s kid and was raised in a church environment. As a youth she served in the translation ministry and the worship ministry. As a young adult, she became a leader of the youth in her congregation, a role in which she still serves. She is a member of Luz y Vida congregation in Orlando, FL which joined Mosaic Conference in November and where her father is the lead pastor.

Michelle Ramírez (back row, 2nd from left, with blue bandana) with youth from her church summer camp. (Photo provided by Michelle Ramírez)

“I know what it’s like to serve God because your parents make you, and what it’s like to serve God because you want to with your whole heart,” Ramírez shares about her childhood. She hopes to cultivate a sense of personal connection and motivation for the youth in owning and leading with their faith. “I hope to help them see that if we work for God with all our hearts, God is with us every step of the way, no matter how hard things may seem!”

Ramírez graduated with a degree in computer engineering with a specialization in cyber security. Her primary work is as a certified autism teacher in a private school for children on the autism spectrum. 

Ramírez loves to learn languages. She currently knows five languages well enough to communicate clearly (English, Spanish, Portuguese, sign language, and Japanese), and in several, she is fluent. She is in the process of adding a sixth language, as she is learning Korean. “I find different languages to be so interesting,” Ramírez shares. “I like that communication between humans isn’t limited to just one language or culture.” 

In her free time, Ramírez likes to read fiction books and play video games with her mother. “My mom doesn’t know how to play, but she likes to watch me play and tells me what to do or where to go, even if I already know,” Ramírez says with a laugh. 

Solidarity in Voting and Beyond

by

Photo by Mary Sanchez

As our country prepared to vote this year, the Mosaic Intercultural Team encouraged many people in our conference to vote as an act of solidarity: solidarity with black and brown people who are fighting for their lives, solidarity with the incarcerated and undocumented who can’t vote, and solidarity with those who are poor and vulnerable. In this way, we bear witness to the reality that God is just, compassionate, loving, and cares for the vulnerable. (To read more, click here.)

This year more than ever, it felt like voting as solidarity was important. In recent years, white supremacy has been allowed to thrive and it has damaged the lives of many people I care about; it feels like every day a new group of people has been attacked or oppressed. As I went to the polls on November 4, I used my vote to bear witness to the God of justice and truth, the God of the defenseless, the God whose love has no borders, the God of freedom and restoration, and the God of who loves all humanity. 

As followers of Jesus, the work remains the same—to fight white supremacy, protect the oppressed and marginalized, and preach the gospel of Jesus. The Mosaic Intercultural Team plans to press forward with that work.

The days after the election I saw many memes and tweets with comments about the results. There was one that caught my attention. The original post said, “You know what I’m going to do the day after Election Day if my candidate loses? Go to work. Be happy. Live my life. Love others. If he wins? Same.” 

Someone in the Twitter-verse decided to correct it. It now read, “Remember that politics are personal to the marginalized and oppressed. Be grateful for the privilege that allows you to be relatively unaffected by policy decisions and show compassion and continued allyship to those who are in pain because of an outcome which may change their life.”

To me, this corrected statement captured the idea of voting as solidarity. To some people, whether their candidate wins or loses, it doesn’t change their day to day life. But for others, who is president directly impacts their well-being, safety, and rights. 

When the election results were announced, some of the country breathed a collective sigh of relief. For my black and brown friends, Muslim friends, LGBTQ friends, and immigrant friends, it felt like the nightmare was finally over. 

With the president-elect and vice-president-elect, it feels to some people like there is hope for things to change. Yet even with the new administration, we know that white supremacy still has a strong hold on this country. Many thought the country reached post-racial status when Obama was elected. Trump’s presidency proved that to be wrong. But it would be equally wrong to think that with Biden and Harris in the White House, white supremacy is defeated in this country. 

As followers of Jesus, the work remains the same—to fight white supremacy, protect the oppressed and marginalized, and preach the gospel of Jesus. The Mosaic Intercultural Team plans to press forward with that work. 

Post-election, solidarity might look like visiting those in prison or advocating for prison reform, supporting a sanctuary church or visiting the border, serving at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen, checking on your black friend or donating to black community organizer groups, or just educating yourself about white supremacy and the ways it impacts society (click here for resources). 

As a conference, when we focus on our priorities of being formational, missional, and intercultural, we will bear witness to a God who is just, compassionate, and cares for the poor and the vulnerable.

Conference Related Ministries (CRM) Profile: Material Resource Center (MRC)

by

The Material Resource Center (MRC) of Harleysville (PA) works alongside Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) to share God’s love and message of peace with people suffering from poverty, oppression, natural disasters, and war. This Material Resource Center is a Conference Related Ministry (CRM) of Mosaic Conference. 

MRC Volunteers from Dock Mennonite Academy lend a hand at January 2020 Great Winter Warm-up comforter making event. (Photo by Ruth Ann Kulp)

Founded in 2003, the MRC moved to Souderton, PA in 2010. The center is located just off Schoolhouse Road, between Harleysville and Souderton. A three-day MCC meat canning event takes place here in the spring each year. 

Darning Egg Gifts is also located in the MRC building. Items such as hand-loomed rugs, comforters, aprons, items for babies, pillows, and home decorating items are handmade or repurposed. All items, donated by the creative artisans, are perfect gifts for many occasions. Sales from Darning Egg Gifts support the work of MRC.

Volunteers of all ages, and many faith backgrounds, contribute to the goal of supporting MCC’s work in the following ways:

  • checking and packing kits 
  • cutting and sewing patches for comforters 
  • cutting and sewing kit bags
  • quilting by hand and machine
  • knotting comforters
  • cutting and packing discarded T-shirts for sale as rags
  • sorting and baling excess items from Care and Share Thrift Shoppes 
  • baling cardboard for recycling
  • weaving rugs from strips cut from jeans and corduroy pants 
  • making unique gift items for Darning Egg Gifts
  • assisting with office work

Because of COVID-19, the need for hygiene supplies and other materials that MRC sends worldwide have been in high demand. MRC volunteers have adapted to new ways of working at the center, with temperature checks, mask wearing, and social distancing. 

Cardboard baling during Warehouse Work Weekend at MRC. (Photo by Sharon Swartzentruber)

Donations of items for school kits, relief kits, and hygiene kits are appreciated (see our website for lists of kit contents) as well as fabrics for making drawstring bags and comforters. Cardboard and T-shirts can also be dropped off for recycling. Cardboard is baled in the warehouse and sold to a paper company. T-shirts that are 100% cotton are cut into pieces and sold as rags.

Monetary donations are also greatly appreciated and can be sent by check or given securely on the website.

Visit us at:
MCC Material Resource Center, 737 Hagey Center Dr., Unit C, Souderton, PA 18964, phone 267-203-8074; mcc-harleysville.org; facebook.com/mccmrc

A New Normal, With Thanks

by

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (I Thes. 5:18, ESV)

During this 2020 Thanksgiving week, the Apostle Paul challenges us to, “Give thanks in all circumstances!” I confess that I have not always had a very thankful spirit or attitude this year. In fact, with the pandemic, heightened political tensions, and disagreements within the church as to how we can gather safely, my focus has often been far from thanksgiving. Instead, it has been side-tracked to focus on self-preservation, complaining, and trying desperately to hold on to what I once knew as normal.  Balancing church and faith, and life in general, have felt far from normal this year.

In past years, my ability to give thanks in all circumstances seemed to be easier than it is now. Indeed, my Thanksgiving Day celebration was simple. It was a once-a-year acknowledgment of God’s blessings, blessings that I fully expected to receive from God for me and my family for our faithfulness. 

The day of celebration included family as well as special foods, like oyster filling and pumpkin pie, and always started with a time for everyone around the table to share what they were thankful for. It was beautiful, it was simple, and it was predictable. Playing out the script of the day gave me the feeling that I was blessed. And it felt normal. 

But Thanksgiving is not about me feeling blessed. It is about being thankful to God, in all circumstances. In reflection, the normalcy of my Thanksgiving has always been changing. 

My parents and my sister who were always integral parts of the table celebration have gone home to be with the Lord. My siblings now have their own times of celebration with their families. My children have grown up and are not always able to be present at our gathering. Even those who once contributed the oyster filling and the pumpkin pies are no longer able to be with us. The table and the people around it has always been changing, and that is ok. I have realized that my perfect, scripted Thanksgiving has actually never been normal.

Although it has taken me many years to see this clearly, this realization is even more of a reason to give thanks. I now see that the portrait of the perfect Thanksgiving Day that I have painted in my mind is really a work in progress; it is never finished. 

I also see now that God has always been present and working in my life (and in the world around me) in spite of circumstances and changes, and that is something to really be thankful for. Although family and traditions help make Thanksgiving enjoyable, the importance of understanding that we are nothing and have nothing without God is what is central. Whatever the circumstances, God is with us and should be the center of our thanks.

Due to COVID-19, my family will not be together for Thanksgiving this year.  I know that this is true for many people. We call it a “new normal,” but perhaps it is just normal, like each one of the years before this one. What is the same is that we are all called to give thanks to God. 

Perhaps with this attitude of thankfulness, we will also be able to see and appreciate that thanksgiving is not just a yearly occurrence, but an everyday experience. 

Photo provided by Mike Clemmer