Mosaic Mennonites

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Chronicle of Two Hurricanes During a Trip to Honduras

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This article is translated to English by Andrés Castillo. Original article appears in Mosaic News En Español: Crónica de Dos Huracanes en un Viaje a Honduras por Javier Marquez

$500 from Mosaic 

The original plan was for Juan José Rivera to go back to Sarasota on November 20th, after three arduous, jam-packed weeks of work in Honduras. He’d been there for a few days, visiting Mennonite congregations, preaching and collaborating with the churches located around the city of San Pedro Sula. He carried a sum of money for basic necessities—$500—that the Mosaic Missions Committee had given him. But all plans would fall to the ground, or—more graphically described—destroyed, flooded, and erased by the hurricanes.

Tons of Water, Overflowing Currents

Pastor Juan José was visiting his native land accompanied by his wife, Elena. He had been living in the city of San Pedro Sula, in the house of members of one of the congregations he had plans to visit. Then, hurricane Iota came directly upon the city as an inferno measuring to the tons in water, with overflowing currents that made the roads disappear, creating lakes where there used to be soccer fields, and waterfalls where the hills of the city once were.

The rain wasn’t much more than a heavy downpour, but the real terror came from the wind, whose power uprooted trees and de-roofed houses. People were lost, and the turmoil was national, not only city-wide. Juan José and Elena had to seek refuge in a hotel when their host house flooded with water. They helped as much as they could, even trying to remove water from the house to rescue what was lost. At the end, they had to give up. On the way to refuge, in the street, they saw the way the people struggled unceasingly, their eyes defending themselves from the trauma of the present while trying to save their properties. Many yelled for people who wouldn’t be found, while others looked through the puddles for food, clothes, and even money. For Juan José it was frustrating to not be able to help, to watch, with his own eyes, people drowning in the currents of water that ran through the city.

An Out-of-Commission Airport

Many things were canceled, the plan was totally interrupted, but Juan José and Elena were daring more than ever to collaborate with the imminent torrent of necessity growing around them. Their mission there was to serve, although with a plan of activities defined, in that moment, after the untimely ruining of their timeline, they looked for a way to help the most they could. Also, the news that the airport was out of commission, making it impossible to return to the U.S., made it clear that there was more time for them to serve than was planned.

They traveled to the south of Honduras to the Choluteca region. There they collaborated in what they could, handing out meals, tending to the wounded—however much was needed. Many were left with nothing, and the pastor and his wife helped whoever they could. Pastor Juan José wrote a report afterwards with the specific names of those who were supposed to receive economic help from him. The original sum had doubled, leaving him to cover it with his own money at the time.

Children Rummaging through Trash, Asking for Money

One of his projects is the appropriation of a piece of arable land that he’s lent to rural dwellers in the region to work and live off of. All of this was lost, destroyed completely by the passing of the hurricanes. They now need double the help—help to restore the land, and help to work it. It was at one of these sites where pastor Juan José saw—in an event that surely duplicates itself in the entire country—children rummaging through the trash, asking for money, pulling adults by the arm, all with the same question on their lips:

– “Do you need any help with anything? Do you have any work for me?”

Finally, the pastor and his wife returned to their home in Sarasota on December 16th. The memory has remained in their hearts, just as it happened, since they left Honduras.

The Call: A Lifelong Journey with God

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I understand God’s call a bit differently than most people.  I have always felt the call to a life of service and never remember a time when I questioned that call as a goal for my life.  My wife, Sharon, and I often experienced this call together.  God’s call was the guiding force in my life’s trajectory, and I view this as simply my journey with God. 

My call has involved specific times of focus, but service in the name of Christ has been central to my life’s journey.  There were times we experienced God’s call in a sacred way as with our call to serve in Indonesia and other times when the call came through intellectual discussions with wise counselors as with the process of discerning our move to Bangladesh.

Photo provided by Conrad Swartzentruber.

I grew up in a Mennonite family with a father who pastored a mission church with the Conservative Mennonite Conference in Eastern Kentucky.  I only understood life in the context of ministry and service to others.  Our church building, Turners Creek Mennonite Church, was 50 feet from our house and the church community was all around us.  Much of my life happened in the church building.

I recall Dad’s words to me as a teenager as we discussed my life goals, “Conrad, whatever you decide to do in life, it’s good to help other people”.  Those simple words made sense to me.  Passages such as Matthew 25 and Micah 6:8 affirmed this simple call to serving and making a difference around me.

In 1982, Sharon and I answered the call to serve with the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and spent 11 of the next 14 years in Bangladesh and Indonesia.  In 1997, my call involved stepping into Mennonite school leadership at Shalom Christian Academy in southeastern Pennsylvania.  Today I serve as Superintendent at Dock Mennonite Academy.  

A local congregation has always been an essential part of discerning and affirming our call.  We have been blessed to connect with congregations in several states and countries that have provided guidance and encouragement.  We have been involved at Plains Mennonite Church since 2009.  We have traveled to India several times to learn from and to resource pastors and their wives through the Peace Proclamation Ministries International.  We continue to support the work of MCC through events like the Pennsylvania Relief Sale.  Sharon’s work at the Material Resource Center directly benefits the ministry of MCC.

God’s call for me was always affirmed by a local congregation but was not formalized by ordination until this year.  In my school leadership role, I had prepared academically by completing a doctoral degree.   We recognized, however, my role in the Mennonite school was equally one of faith leadership.  Conversations with school and church leaders encouraged me in the direction of pursuing ordination.  The connection of our Mennonite schools and the Mennonite denomination is essential in preserving our mission and vision for our schools.  The role of a local church in the lives of our students is critical for encouragement, faithfulness, and accountability. 

In October 2020 we celebrated my ordination via a Zoom service.  This unique format due to COVID-19 allowed family and friends in many different places to join.  It felt symbolic of the community that has surrounded me and affirmed my call throughout this journey.  Sharon and I are grateful for the many people who have encouraged and challenged us.  We are always aware of God’s presence in our journey.  

Our call will continue.  We have much more to learn.  We want to continue our work of reconciliation.  We want to continue to walk humbly with our God!

Mennonite Church USA Assembly: Update

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Mennonite Church USA announced on January 27 that the biennial Delegate Assembly, which normally happens over several days, will be scaled back to one virtual session due to uncertainty over COVID-19.

Delegates will meet online from 1 to 3:30 p.m. EDT on July 10, 2021, after the regular events of MennoCon21, scheduled for July 6-10 in Cincinnati, OH.

A long-awaited decision on whether to retire the Mennonite Church USA Membership Guidelines is being postponed because delegates will not meet in person this summer.

The hybrid convention, with worship, fellowship and educational activities, will have both onsite and virtual options.

Photo from Mennonite Church USA

Giving Justly

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My family taught me through example to be generous with what I had and to share with those in need. The Church taught me to give a tithe of 10% of my income back to God. When I was younger, I remember reading the counsel that as your income increased, that you should seek to increase the percentage of your giving.  

When I read scriptures about Jesus’ conversation with the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-29) and the descriptions of the early church’s economics in Acts 4:32-35, I am convinced that I am off the mark about money and wealth. 

In his book, “Who Will Be a Witness? Igniting Activism for God’s Justice, Love, and Deliverance,” Dr. Drew Hart expresses the need for the church to move “from a hyper-individualistic lens of wealth as an issue of rights and private property, to the viewpoint of early Christian leaders that nothing is solely yours to do with however you desired. Everything was from God and was to be shared.  People that hoard wealth and then give to the poor are not actually engaging in charity.” (p. 250, emphasis mine) 

That is the line that stuck with me. Most of the time, I give from my extra.  I keep back what I need or may need in the future.  I give from what I think I can live without.  

Hart continued:

We ought to participate in the new thing God is doing, and it cannot exclude our economic discipleship and our relationship to wealth and poverty.  There is significant dissonance between the American church and the thrust of biblical teaching on wealth and poverty, especially when we see that scriptural wisdom climaxes in the life and teachings of Jesus.  We will not find a faithful way of participating in God’s economy until we are converted from our internalized thinking, which is apathetic to poverty and triggered by any form of redistribution of resources.” (p.250)

How do I (and how do we) move towards giving “with an eye towards redistribution and not merely comfortable charity”?

Injustice has always allowed for unequal distribution of money and wealth.  Injustice and racism in the United States has benefitted white people economically.  This video by Phillip Roger Vischer (co-creator of Veggie Tales and What’s in the Bible, founder of Big Idea Productions and Jellyfish Labs) gives an excellent explanation of the ways that wealth has been unequally distributed over the years.  

When the rich young ruler heard Jesus’ word, he turned away from Jesus (Luke 18:23). But Zacchaeus does not. Instead, Zacchaeus stood up and said, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (Luke 19:8, NIV)  Zacchaeus gave money to the poor, but he also made reparations and made amends for the wrong he had done, by paying back money to those who had been wronged.

During our recent webinar with Dr. Hart, I asked, “What steps can we take to answer Jesus’ call to be radically faithful with our wealth?”  

Hart responded, “If you care about something, you will find ways to respond.”   

Lord Jesus, I care about your call to economic justice and discipleship.  Help me to find meaningful ways to respond and to be faithful!

A White Pastor on a Quest

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I am a white pastor of an all-white Mosaic congregation. I feel it is essential that I work at promoting racial justice, yet I really struggle to know how to do that. My congregation is trying to navigate how we can be involved in promoting racial justice in our community and nation. 

Screenshot from the Facebook Live interview with Dr. Drew Hart and the Mosaic Intercultural Ministry Team.

As a result, I joined the recent Facebook Live interview with Dr. Drew Hart and the Mosaic Intercultural Ministry Team in hopes that I might receive more guidance on integrating this valuable work with my ministry. 

Marta Castillo, Danilo Sanchez, and Hendy Matahelemual, staff members of the Intercultural Ministry Team, led a virtual interview on January 28 with Dr. Drew Hart about his newest book, “Who Will Be A Witness? Igniting Activism for God’s Justice, Love, and Deliverance.”

The conversation started with a question for Hart about economic apartheid. Economic apartheid looks into why people of color are disproportionately poorer in the US. Many people in the US culture believe that people are poor or rich due to how hard they work. However, this is not true. Hart explained how many US government programs for economic uplift in the 20th century were structured deliberately as government handouts for white people and discriminated against people of color.

Hart illustrated how the story of Zaccheus in Luke 19 provides an example of how both redistribution and reparations are necessary to alleviate poverty. In response to Jesus’ initiative in his life, Zaccheus promises to give half of what he has to the poor (redistribution) and to repay four times over anyone he has cheated (reparations). 

We are so immersed, suggested Hart, in our cultural assumptions about economics that our ears are deaf to the voice of Jesus on economic issues. We need to embrace “teaching the way of Jesus for our economic lives,” encouraged Hart. Our problem is not a lack of knowledge but a failure of will. “Certainly in the church we can do what Jesus wants us to,” emboldened Hart.

Another question asked Hart what he does when people accuse him of reading the Bible through a social justice lens. All through the Bible, Hart responded, God reveals God’s self as being deeply concerned about justice. Both the Exodus and the words of the prophets show that God is concerned to create justice. We also see Jesus’ concern and action for the deliverance of the poor and oppressed. The Bible is a book about justice. 

“There are basic themes in the Bible that if you don’t address them, something is deeply wrong,”  explained Hart. 

Hendy Matahelemual raised the issue of nationalism, describing nationalism as being a force in his native Indonesia as well as the US. In response, Hart talked about the myth of American exceptionalism – the idea that the US is different or better because of our form of government. 

Hart asked, “How should the church navigate the government?” As Mennonites, who have often seen governmental interaction as something to be minimized, this is crucial. Our interaction, encouraged Hart, should be focused on concern for the most vulnerable and promoting communal responsibility.

The conversations were very helpful in my ongoing quest to learn how I can lead my congregation to work for racial justice. To continue my pursuit, I am also going to be joining one of the Mosaic groups studying Hart’s book. I hope you will join me.

Creatively Using Grant Money for FL Youth

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by Laurie Oswald Robinson

Pandemic realities are shifting how Mennonite Mission Network (MMN) is partnering with others. This shift includes sharing $15,000 with Mosaic Conference to support its youth and young adult leadership development.

Mosaic Conference is using the support — the majority of a $20,000 grant MMN received to help form young leaders — to fund the new ministry of Mosaic youth coordinator Michelle Ramirez. She is overseeing Mosaic’s new Forming Youth Leaders program for Florida congregations, eight of which joined Mosaic during its November assembly.

Michelle Ramirez. Photo by Emily Ralph Servant.

Ramirez — who grew up in the Florida faith community, where she held other leadership positions prior to this new appointment — is now helping young people develop their gifts in their local context. She is a member of the Luz y Vida (Light and Life) congregation in Orlando.

“I love to hear each person’s unique story and work together to expand the kingdom of God,” Ramirez said. “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.”

MMN’s Christian Service department periodically applies for grants through Forum for Theological Exploration. In 2020, they received $20,000. MMN has kept $5,000 for further engagement with the conference through shared training opportunities and future travel costs.

Conference leaders, including Executive Minister Stephen Kriss, felt the Spirit moving in this fine-tuning and reshaping. “I’m so grateful for the initiative of Mennonite Mission Network to partner to explore new and more focused ways of service and leadership development with our Florida congregations,” Kriss wrote in an email. 

“While this has been a challenge to launch amid a global pandemic, I appreciate Mission Network’s flexibility and responsiveness to the context and possibilities,” expressed Kriss. “Michelle brings care, passion and strong relational connections to help shape next-generation leaders for the sake of the church and the world, in the way of Christ’s peace.”

Editor’s Note: This is an abbreviated version of an article that originally appeared in Anabaptist World on January 15, 2021. To read the full version, click here. 

Zion’s Bean Bag Program Receives Grant

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Everence Stewardship Consultant, Randy Nyce, presents a check to Donna Halteman, founder and coordinator of the Zion Bean Bag Food Program. Photo provided by Everence.

Zion (Souderton, PA) Mennonite Church launched the Bean Bag Food Program in 2016 to offer a steady supply of food for students who rely on school lunches. The program has grown to serve students at ten schools.  Recently, the program received a $3,500 Everence Financial® chapter grant to help provide local students food to take home on weekends.

The Everence chapter grant program supports organizations that help people with basic needs such as food, housing and health care. The grants are made possible when members purchase many Everence products.

“We’re happy to encourage a program that we know is so important to many local families,” said Randy Delp, Managing Director for Everence in Souderton.

Anyone interested in helping to provide meals for kids to take home may contact Zion Mennonite Church, 149 Cherry Lane, Souderton, PA 18964. Please make checks out to Zion Mennonite Church with memo: BBFP.

What Can I Learn From a Zoom Conference?

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Reflections of Eastern Mennonite Seminary School for Leadership Training

Mosaic Conference was represented by a number of pastors at the annual Eastern Mennonite Seminary School for Leadership Training, held January 11-15 via Zoom. 

The virtual platform had its pros and cons. Ken Burkholder, pastor of Deep Run East (Perkasie, PA), debated whether to participate in a virtual conference, but did, despite missing connecting in person with friends and colleagues. 

Rodger Schmell, pastor of Deep Run West (Perkasie, PA), liked the virtual format because “[it] allowed me to participate without the hassle of travel and COVID precautions.” However, Schmell agreed with Burkholder, “There is a greater depth of interaction and energy with a speaker when meeting face to face.” 

Sandy Drescher-Lehman, pastor of Methacton (Norristown, PA) Mennonite, and Wayne Nitzsche, pastor of Perkasie (PA) Mennonite, reported that they were more easily distracted with home or church life interruptions, making it harder to stay attentive and connected. Overall, all of us agreed that the overall theme, speakers, and topics exceeded our expectations, despite the drawbacks.

Dr. Meghan Larissa Good was the keynote speaker for this year’s School of Leadership Training through Eastern Mennonite Seminary.  

The theme of the week was “From Surviving to Thriving…God Breathes Fresh Hope.” Meghan Larissa Good, teaching pastor of Trinity Mennonite (Glendale, AZ), presented the  keynote titled, “Leadership in Desert Places: Stories from the Wilderness.”  

Good recounted Moses’ response to God’s call in Exodus 3.  Moses wasn’t sure he was up for the challenge of leading the people saying, “Who Am I?”  But, God assures Moses by saying, “I Am…” affirming the presence and power of God in the moment and in God’s past guidance and actions.  

Burkholder related Good’s reflections to the current challenge of leading during this time of uncertainty observing, “This was a timely word of grace and encouragement to me.” Drescher-Lehman added, “Maybe the wilderness for the Israelites was about learning to trust God so they would be ready, eventually, to build God’s kingdom.” She wondered whether we are using the wilderness of COVID-19 to build our trust in God and discern God’s call. 

Schmell appreciated Good’s seminar, Introducing Communities to the Work of the Spirit. Good’s challenge, “You can’t live a Christ-centered life without the Spirit and you can’t live a Spirit-filled life without Jesus,” inspired Rodger to preach a sermon series on the Spirit.  

Schmell was also challenged in a seminar on anger and reconciliation by Michael Gulker, President of the Colossians Forum. As a person who does not enjoy conflict, Schmell was nudged to see conflict as a “gift rather than a wedge.” Gulker encouraged, “What if we could harness the energy around conflict and use it as combustion for God’s people?”

Wayne Nitzsche appreciated the input of David Fitch, Pastor of Life on the Vine Christian Community in Chicago.  Fitch explained that our personal beliefs lock us into positions. In those locked positions, we no longer hear each other or can be in a relationship because we don’t share the same beliefs. Rather than debate and try to convince others of our point of view, we do well to listen and focus on building relationships. 

Drescher-Lehman appreciated, Ministry in a Post-COVID World, led by Amy Gingrich and Joe Hackman, both of Menno Media. The pandemic has accelerated the shifts and trends already impacting the church. Some of these shifts include intergenerational education, cooperation with other churches, partnerships with organizations that are doing their one thing well, welcoming occasional or online-only people rather than assuming everyone will stay so we can count them in our membership. Drescher-Lehman was encouraged that Methacton is already making changes to live into this next phase of Christendom.