Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

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Reconnecting with God at Camp

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“When can I go to camp?” was the question that I repeatedly asked my parents every year, as we dropped off my three older brothers at Camp Men-O-Lan (Quakertown, PA). Finally, at the tender age of nine, I was old enough for my own week as an overnight camper. 

Distanced fireside worship during a pandemic at Bethany Birches Camp.  Photo credit: Capjoy Photography

Ironically, I was homesick the majority of the time. My counselors helped me tough it out, and I came home a veteran camper and Christian. In the midst of my emotional longing for home, I had invited Jesus to be my Savior. In my teen years, it was the place that I rededicated my life to serve Christ.

I love Camp Men-O-Lan. Over the years I had the role of a camper, counselor, Bible teacher, and board member. I proposed to my wife after a young adult weekend campfire and we held our wedding reception in the Landis Hall gym. Men-O-Lan has become my Bethel: a special place that I go to walk the hallowed grounds with Jesus to seek guidance and direction.

A poll of our congregation showed that at least half had attended Men-O-Lan since its founding in 1941. Many of them made decisions to enter into a relationship with Jesus or rededicate their lives like I had done. I have had the privilege to experience wonderful spiritual moments at other camps as well, such as retreats and family camps at Spruce Lake and Camp Hebron. 

Cooling off in the mud pit during Messy Monday at Bethany Birches Camp. Photo credit: Capjoy Photography

Christian camps are an oasis for campers of all ages to reconnect with God and each other. Full-time and summer staff form lifelong bonds and may even find their spouse through the flickering flames of the campfire. These sacred places become a spiritual institute for future pastors, missionaries, youth directors, and others serving in full-time ministry. Those not formally called to the vocation of ministry are also prepared to be Jesus in whatever realm they live, work and play. 

More than just spiritual growth for campers, Christian camps offer a social education as well. It was at camp that I had my first face-to-face living experience with those of another race, culture, and neighborhood identity. What better place to learn the beauty of diversity than at camp?

2020 has been a hard year on our camps. Many could not operate as normal with the COVID-19 regulations. I have heard of many creative ways that our Mennonite camps have ministered via “camp in a box” and virtually. Those camps that were able to hold their summer sessions will definitely be able to know what year it was by the pictures of masks and social distancing. Christian camps also took a financial hit from the cancellation of other groups that could not hold their retreats and other adventures.

I would like to challenge all of us, especially those with rich memories of your own camp experiences, to make a special donation to the camp of your choice. You can be an answer to the prayers of administrators and staff who have been called to serve God by introducing people, young and old, to their Savior through Christian camping experiences. I am a pastor today largely because of the heart work Jesus did in my life at camp.

The following camps are Conference Related Ministries (CRMs) of Mosaic Mennonite Conference: Camp Men-O-Lan, Bethany Birches Camp, and Spruce Lake. 
This is an abbreviated version of the full article that is available at https://www.mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/reconnecting-with-god-at-camp/

This is an Important Message From the Assembly Flight Crew

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Good day!  This is your flight tech crew speaking. Welcome and thank you for flying Mosaic Conference Airlines.  

We are happy that you have come aboard and made us your Conference of choice.  We know there are many other conferences that you can choose and we value your participation in our virtual assembly.

My name is Scott Roth and I will be your captain on Flight Assembly 2020, departing on Saturday, November 7 at 11:00 am (EST)/8:00 am (PST). You won’t be seeing me much during the flight because I will be in the cockpit making sure we can fly you to your appropriate Zoom destination.

We want your flight experience with us to be special.  During this season of pandemic and tense times, the conference flight crew of Assembly 2020 wants you to have the time of your life (under these circumstances).  

Expect to hear stories of God’s movement among us and through us, how our conference is growing, and future plans for the conference. Please see your inflight guide, available in six languages. (This inflight guide will be referred to as the “docket” during our time together, so make sure you can access it.)

While we are in flight, delegates will break into small groups for discussions.  These groups will be handled within Zoom. Please be patient during the times of transition.  For those that have interpretation needs, this is being handled with care, using interpretation channels built directly into Zoom.

As we fly along on Saturday, November 7, we want you to be aware of certain things we expect of you.  

  1. Each delegate will need to log into the zoom meeting on his/her own device. (This will be necessary as we break into our assigned, diverse small groups.) 
  2. Please ensure that you have downloaded Zoom onto your computer or device. Prior to assembly, create a login and test to make sure you can access Zoom.  
  3. We encourage you to experience our pre-flight Zoom session to test your connection on 
  • Tuesday, Nov. 3, 10-11 am (EST)/ 7-8 am (PST)
  • Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1:30-2:30pm (EST)/ 10:30-11:30am (PST).  

Click here to test your connection any time during these times.  

Here is our pre-flight check-list.  To ensure your best inflight experience, please follow these guidelines: 

  1. Please make sure you have “booked your seat” (registered for assembly). If you have not registered, please do so immediately by clicking here.  Registration is required to ensure you have a seat on the plane.  For security, access to Zoom will only be given to registered participants. 
  2. On the morning of your flight, please be present for boarding at 10:45 am (EST)/7:45 am (PST).  This will give you time to be comfortable in your seat as we prepare for take off.  We will not be having any food/beverage service on this flight, so please bring your own.  
  3. Finally, if you have questions about using Zoom or need further assistance, please view our tutorial video below!
  4. We will land and disembark by 1:15 pm (EST)/10:15 am (PST).  
  5. Finally, we invite you to our afterflight celebration of worship on Sunday, November 8, 11:00 am (EST)/8:00 am (PST).  Tune in via YouTube or Facebook Live. I will be your captain as well for this celebration. No pre-booking (registration) is required for Sunday’s worship. Invite your friends and enjoy this time of celebration!

We here at Mosaic Conference Airlines are excited to have you join us on Flight Assembly 2020.  In closing, as your virtual captain for the weekend, I want to thank you again for choosing us.  

Congregational Profile: College Hill Mennonite Church

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Photo provided by Roy Williams

In 1927, Charles and Anna Byer, missionaries sent by Lancaster Mennonite Conference, arrived in Florida and opened the Tampa Mennonite Mission.  Originally known as the Ida Street Mennonite Church, services were held under the trees or in a tent until they were eventually able to rent a facility.  Over the next 25 years, the mission put down roots in the community, purchased property, and three distinct congregations were formed.  One of those three — College Hill Mennonite Church — held its first service in the building at 3506 Machado Street, Tampa,  on December 7,  1956.

For much of its history, College Hill was primarily an outreach to the children of the community, holding children’s church services, VBS, clubs, and social activities.  When Pastor Jon Moore arrived in the early 80’s, he undertook the work of transitioning College Hill into a fully-functioning “adult church”.  This transition was continued — and completed — when current pastor, Roy Williams, began in 1985.  At the time, College Hill was made up of about 12 people, operating on a shoestring budget, who simply went out into the community, visited people and invited them to church!

Community Food Pantry on Tuesdays. Photo provided by Roy Williams

Over the past three decades, College Hill has continued its emphasis on community outreach and programming, with their efforts and funding far outreaching what might be expected of a congregation of under 50 people!  Their food pantry serves 300 to 500 families per week, not only with food but also with information and services, as local organizations are invited to set up tables and talk to the guests about insurance, voter registration and other similar topics.  In the past College Hill has collaborated with Hillsborough Community College and the University of South Florida to facilitate adult education classes.  Scholarships are offered to College Hill children and youth through their “LTC: Let’s Talk College” program.  They’ve also taken their program, “Reality, Recycling & Religion” into the public schools, which subtly introduced Christian principles; this curriculum has now impacted over 10,000 children and adults in their neighborhood. 

(L to R) Pastor Roy Williams, Bryant Townsly & Janee Prince. Photo provided by Roy Williams

When he began at College Hill, Pastor Roy Williams brought a background in banking and commercial real estate lending, and continued the principles he had been practicing by investing in people and the community. The church continues to work at jobs creation and nurtures small businesses by offering grants for people to start a new business of their own. These grants come with just one condition: that the recipient would pass it forward at some point in their life, when they are able to help somebody else.

With a mission statement of “Perfecting Saints for Ministry”, College Hill Mennonite Church continues to invest in their people through mentorship and leadership training, preparing people for ministry – be it at College Hill or elsewhere. As he approaches the twilight of his ministry years, Pastor Roy anticipates the priorities and passions of College Hill Mennonite Church continuing, no matter what his role may be.

Prayer requests:

*  pray for them as they transition into Mosaic Mennonite Conference
*  pray for their future, and whatever it may hold for them

When Seeking Opportunity Leads to Chaos and Desolation

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At all times in human history, people have moved to countries where there is work and economic security. Today, many Africans are going to Italy and Spain. Arabs are moving to France and Germany. South Americans and Arabs are fleeing to the United States.

Isaiah 25:1-9  25:8 Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. Photo by Marco Güete.

More than three thousand years ago Elimelech, driven by famine, went with his wife, Naomi, to live in Moab for more than ten years. In Moab, Elimelech and his three sons died, leaving three widowed women full of anguish, doubt, and death. The survivors’ lives were full of desolation and chaos.

Now, in the United States, millions of people are living the same experiences of Naomi and her two daughters-in-law. Many are living the same experiences of Jews in Germany and almost all of Europe under Nazi persecution in the 1940s. Some are living the same experiences of the persecution of blacks by white supremacy in the United States in the sixties.

Migration is a universal right. The freedom to migrate appears as a right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This international document was adopted in 1948. It contains descriptions of fundamental individual rights and the most basic freedoms that correspond to all human beings, including the request for asylum in other countries. The right to seek asylum is also an integral part of US law.

Every human being persecuted and threatened in their country has the right to migrate, yet the majority prefer to stay at home. For those who do leave, they are abandoning their roots, family, culture, and their food. They are being expelled and separated from what they love.

Crying Giant, 2002, Tom Otterness,  The Hague, Netherlands photo provided by Marco Güete.

History repeats itself and the powerful persecute the disadvantaged. The invisible, or those who do not have legal documents to stay in this great country, are constantly under threat of major raids by the government, detaining fathers and mothers, separating them from their children and deporting them. Children are terrified of going to school. Parents are terrified to go to work. It is a life of panic, chaos, and desolation. 

Thousands, if not millions, of the invisible ones are members of churches and many are from our Mennonite Church. In the story of Elimelech, Naomi, and Ruth, there was redemption through Boaz, whom God used as God’s instrument. The church today is the instrument of God, and the church is all those who participate in it.

Two Conference Authors Launch Cookbook

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Book cover. Photo provided by Jaynie McCloskey.

October has been called “National Eat Better, Eat Together Month.” For many of us, the pandemic has changed our relationship with food, how we prepare it, and how we eat with one another. Now that most of us are spending more time at home, many new opportunities and incentives for acquiring our food from homegrown gardens have arisen. 

Sustainable Kitchen offers specific guidance on plant-based cooking (including recipes that can be derived from home gardens). This is a helpful resource not only because of the pandemic, but because it provides a holistic way of thinking about our food choices. Both of the authors, Heather Wolfe and Jaynie McCloskey, attend Taftsville (VT) Chapel Mennonite Fellowship.

Sustainable Kitchen is beautiful — the pages feature pictures of meals and scenes of food preparation. It can serve as a guide for many, well-beyond our Vermont community and Mennonite churches across North America. 

Cookbook authors, Heather Wolfe (left) and Jaynie McCloskey (right), of Taftsville (VT) Chapel Mennonite Fellowship. Photo provided by Jaynie McCloskey.

The book has been out less than a month, but it has been enthusiastically received.  Several shipments of the book are selling out before arriving at local bookstores. It is sparking conversations with friends and neighbors who might not normally think about the connections between our environment, spirituality, and daily food consumption choices. The content  is relevant to anyone. 

“We all must eat, and what we eat matters. Our daily food choices can either harm or help us, others, and our planet. In the world around us, so much ill health–physical, spiritual, and environmental–is related to a poor diet… Food is essential to healing our bodies, our spirits, and our environment…” (from the introduction of Sustainable Kitchen).

The authors of the book have made it their mission to make healthier eating more achievable for readers.  “In writing Sustainable Kitchen, our goal has been to inspire and empower you to plan and cook meals of plant-based, planet-conscious foods daily,” wrote Wolfe and McCloskey.  “We wanted to create a full-kitchen resource, giving you the tools to support a healthy lifestyle for your families, communities, and our planet.”

An example of a recipe from Sustainable Kitchen. Photo provided by Jaynie McCloskey.

Co-author Heather Wolfe said, “The pillars of the book are built on it being a very holistic approach to food that is life-giving and healing.” The book contains over 140 recipes and provides practical ideas for moving to a diet that is more connected to the earth and to one another. 

“It was a passion project over two years in the making,” described Wolfe on how the book came to be. “Jaynie [McCloskey]  was part of a women’s discernment group that was meeting on a regular basis and they were talking about their dreams. One of Jaynie’s dreams was to write a cookbook, and she decided it was time to do it.”

McCloskey pitched the idea to Wolfe, who serves as a dietitian at nearby Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and the two began collaborating. McCloskey met over lunch with Steve Kriss, Mosaic Conference Executive Minister, who helped get the two authors connected to Herald Press. 

The authors hope that Sustainable Kitchen will empower, encourage, and inspire others to join them in the kitchen for a journey into a healthier future through food.

When Life is CANCELLED

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When the calendar said CANCELLED, George stepped in.

“George” (a “staff” member at Living Branches, a CRM) shares his adventures virtually with residents during the pandemic. Photo provided by Living Branches.

George, a 4-foot stuffed gorilla on “staff” at Living Branches (a Conference Related Ministry, CRM, retirement community in southeastern PA), stepped up when life shut down. Before the pandemic, George’s role was to bring a smile to those whom he met in person.  But now, George was on a mission.  

In March, retirement communities responded to Governor Wolf’s “stay at home” directive. Most of the daily activities that provided connections and community for residents were suddenly cancelled.   

When foot traffic and travel was cancelled, “Out and About with George” served to bring “community” back to the residents by bringing them along for the virtual journey through videos and photos that were shown on the in-house TV channel.  George enlisted others, including CEO Ed Brubaker, to share the story, pictures, humor, and conversation of their travels.  

Among George’s adventures was a 93-mile bike ride with Brubaker, a day at the beach, roasting marshmallows over a campfire, and riding a John Deere tractor.  A highlight was George’s participation at the graduation of Nursing Assistants.

George was not alone sharing joy during challenging times. Volunteers at Frederick Living doubled their efforts as well. Supplies were provided to residents to continue individual participation in the Mennonite Resource Center (MRC) quilting project. Volunteers ensure care and food for the pair of swans that grace the pond at Frederick Living.  Other volunteers restack library bookshelves. Some work to ensure that worship is broadcasted live to residents.  

A staff member spreads joy with bubbles at Living Branches. Photo provided by Living Branches.

Because of the efforts of those who have stepped up, the quality of life is most certainly not cancelled.  Yet, the pandemic still has been difficult for residents. “It has been sooo long. We want to gather, visit, eat, and worship together,” a resident shares. “We miss hugs, family dinners, and singing.”  

Video visits and the chat room bring family and friends together.  Worship services, exercise classes, and movies through in-house channels fill those cancelled spots. “We have found that innovation, resilience, patience, and prayer keep our Life Communities together,” says CEO John Hendrickson of Frederick Living. 

CEOs continue to emphasize how staff team members are showing genuine love and care for the residents during this time.  Wearing PPE, staff members sweat as they protect our residents and have volunteered for the little extras that mean a lot. They continue to provide care in spite of anxiety surrounding their health. 

And, although the PA Department of Heath has eased visiting regulations, how those regulations will be implemented will be balanced with risk and safety. Finding the appropriate response is a daily challenge. 

Staff members at retirement communities work hard to find ways to bring fun to quarantine life. Photo provided by Living Branches.

Through it all, the universal longing for personal touch and connections is never cancelled.    “The wait [to hug my mother again] was hard, but we are very thankful that our community follows science and procedures that keeps my mom and other residents safe,” says Sharon Metzler-Ruth, whose mother is a resident at Souderton Mennonite Homes. “There is nothing more important than that.” 

“This is a challenging, frustrating, and maddening time,” says Ed Brubaker, CEO of Living Branches.  “But [it is] also inspiring as I have watched folks ‘step up’ and do their work in amazing ways.” 

We are community. We are hands and feet serving and creating a helpful, just, and Spirit-filled community.  Please pray for all of our Conference Related Ministries in this unprecedented year, as we live our faith together. 

Congregational Profile: Iglesia Menonita Luz y Verdad

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The Miraculous Church Building

Editor’s Note: Mosaic Mennonite Conference anticipates welcoming eight Florida congregations (that were formerly part of Southeast Mennonite Conference) at this fall’s conference assembly.  Iglesia Menonite Luz y Verdad is one of the eight congregations. 

Iglesia Menonita Luz y Verdad (Light and Truth Mennonite Church) is located in Lakeland, Florida. The church began as a result of a joint effort between the Mennonite Church of College Hill in Tampa, FL and Southeast Mennonite Conference. 

(L to R) Left to Right: Juan De Jesus, Pastor Lydia De Jesus, Mariano Ponce de Leon, Hilda Ponce de Leon, María Lebron (photo credit: Judy Gonzalez)

Lydia de Jesus is the second pastor in the history of the church. Pastor Lydia and her husband were founding members and very active in the programs and life of the church. When the founding pastor concluded his responsibilities with the congregation, Pastor Lydia was called as the leader and later as the pastor. With the help of the conference and other church leaders, she was trained in pastoral ministry. 

As pastor, Pastor Lydia’s primary ministry is serving this community with the ministry of evangelization, Bible study, and visitation in homes and hospitals. She is currently the only female pastor in Florida with ministerial credentials in Mosaic Conference. 

In the beginning, the church moved locations regularly, as it did not have its own building to call home. “The Luz y Verdad Hispanic Mennonite Church building is a miracle from God,” said Pastor Lydia De Jesus. In March 2014, the church was a small congregation of about 30 people. The congregation purchased an abandoned warehouse for $95,000.

In order to pay for the building and the renovations needed, the congregation collected a down payment of $9,500 from its members and had a special fundraiser, selling Puerto Rican food. They also raised another $40,000 for remodeling and construction, including an AC unit. Labor, valued at $30,000, was donated by church members. The church also received a grant in the amount of $17,425 from JoinHands, a resource sharing ministry of Mennonite Men.  

Through hard work, generosity, and prayer, the abandoned warehouse was transformed into a wonderful worship place. The image of the neighborhood became more positive after the presence of the new church. Today, other church groups rent the building for their worship services and other activities. For the members of Luz y Verdad, the church building is indeed a miracle. 

The vision and mission of the church are to reach out with the Gospel of Christ to people who do not know him as their personal savior, baptizing them, and making them disciples of the Lord. Another mission is to use the church building for the worship of God and offer community services. Finally, the church desires to be a beacon of light with the message of Jesus for all people in need of salvation, economic needs, health, and substance addiction.

The community where the church is located is low-income with many basic needs. The Hispanic population is very diverse, with the majority from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. These demographics are also similarly represented in the church

It Tasted Good

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Last night, I made tuna casserole for dinner.

It’s a dish I associate with my midwestern, working-class upbringing: noodles mixed with canned tuna and cream of mushroom soup, topped with cheddar cheese, and peas on the side but better mixed in.  It was a staple when I was growing up, alongside its simpler cousin—boxed mac and cheese with a can of tuna thrown in for protein and flavor.

We didn’t have many foods that we would consider to be ours, just those we thought were everyone’s: lasagna, tacos, pizza, meat and potatoes.  Those were the days before we were exposed to authentic food from other cultures, when the extent of “ethnic food” in our household was stir-fry in a teriyaki sauce with fried rice.

Last night, I made tuna casserole for dinner and I grieved what whiteness has stolen from me.

When my ancestors immigrated to the United States in the 1700s and 1800s and 1900s, they were “encouraged” to assimilate to “American” culture: to speak English, to change their dress, to adapt their traditions and foods.  By the time I was born in the 1980s, we no longer spoke any German, Swedish, or Gaelic.  We didn’t have any recipes passed down from generation to generation, no holiday traditions, no sweet names for our grandparents or aunts, no homestead to return to.  We were rootless.

Last night, I made tuna casserole for dinner and I found God in my grief.

I can’t be transformed by the cultures that surround me until I expose the harm that whiteness has caused them and me.  I must grieve and peel back the layers of whitewashing that have hidden my identity and blinded me to the culture that my family has built, the culture that makes me who I am.  I must heal.

Last night, I made tuna casserole for dinner … from scratch: with gluten free noodles and homemade cream of mushroom soup, freshly grated cheese, and my own onion and breadcrumb topping.

I remembered the times that money was tight for my parents, for my grandparents, for my great-grandparents. I thought about how they worked the land to produce food and preserved its bounty for their family and friends.

Last night, I made tuna casserole for dinner.  I served it with home-canned green beans and carrots and peaches, lovingly carried up from my basement shelves.

I thought about the stories I would tell my daughters about my growing up years, about my family’s history, both the proud moments and the shameful ones.  I’m going to cook them the rice pudding my grandmother made—hot and sweet and soupy—even though she didn’t like it, because she knew it was our favorite. I’m going to teach them the phrase “I can smell the barn,” put on Mario Lanza’s Christmas album while we open our stockings on Christmas morning, and sing to them while we swing in our backyard.

Together, we’re going to recover identity and rebuild culture, out from the shadows of whiteness.  Together, we’ll relearn who we are, reclaim our own uniqueness, and reject the tendency of whiteness to define “normal.”  And we will meet God there.

Last night, I made tuna casserole for dinner and it tasted good.