Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Congregational Profiles

Congregational Profile: Perkiomenville Mennonite Church

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by Mike Spinelli, pastor

Perkiomenville Mennonite Church Meetinghouse. Photo by Charlie Ness

In 1935, seeds of faith planted on the edge of the Upper Perkiomen Valley took root. The harvest resulted in Perkiomenville Mennonite Church, a now 200-person congregation seeking to live out the same call to plant seeds in places near to home and around the world.

God used Clayton Godshall from Franconia, a feed truck driver, to scatter the seeds that would become Perk.  Clayton’s route brought him to Perkiomenville, PA where he saw no church meeting or other spiritual life.  With the help of Abram Metz and Isaac Alderfer, a Sunday school was formed and soon a church began meeting in a rented farmhouse on Deep Creek Road, about a mile from the current church meetinghouse on Gravel Pike (Route 29).

Others caught the vision and joined these men and their families in various “seed-scattering” ventures such as teaching Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, and distributing of printed “good news” papers.  The early hope was to concentrate on the children and then reach the parents. 

Perk’s first called pastor was Abram Metz, who served the congregation for 30 years beginning in 1944.  Four other pastors have served in either a solo or lead role since then – Stanley Godshall, Richard Moyer, Charles Ness, and Michael Spinelli.  Associate ministers have been used from time to time for focused ministry and include Lamar Ness, John Ayars, Dennis Detweiler, and Scott Roth.

Having fun together at a church day retreat. Photo by Tammy Snyder

Today, Perk is a gathering of people from various communities who come from all directions of the compass.  While several families attend from Perkiomenville and Green Lane, people also drive the roads from places like Alburtis, Upper Perk, Hatfield, Telford, Limerick, and Schwenksville. This leads us to encourage people to see themselves as sent to minister in the places where they live.

Perk also continues to live out its seed-scattering DNA by encouraging people to live as people sent to the world.  In recent years, Charlie Ness has taken work crews and ministry teams to Mexico to help the Monte Maria Church in its mission through meetinghouse construction, prayer ministry, and teaching in their school of ministry.  Monte Maria is pastored by Franconia missionaries Bob and Bonnie Stevenson.

Another outgrowth of Perk’s ministry is Men’s Encounter, a weekend gathering held twice a year where men come and hear teaching on walking with Christ, purity in relationships, building strong families, and working through personal issues.  Many men over the last five years have found freedom in Christ and are continuing to grow in that freedom.

Funnel cake makers at Upper Perk’s 4th of July Celebration. Proceeds fund mission trips and projects. Photo by Janet Ness.

Perk has several traditional gatherings such as a Family Fun Day, which opens our doors to our community, a Christmas banquet, and our regular worship services.  We also work to stay connected to the Upper Perk Valley through a pastor’s prayer group and ministerial association. There is the ever-present challenge of shaping our congregational activities to gather as the people of God and minister while scattered in our various neighborhoods.

Perk Church continues to dream about its ability to plant seeds in a world of change.  Our stated purpose is, “Inspiring people to follow Jesus.”  While our message is still the same, we recognize that our world has changed, becoming less inspired by the message of the church.  We would love to see that turned around and with the help of God’s Holy Spirit, we will see a new harvest of believers here in Perkiomenville.

Prayer requests for Perk:

  • Pray that we will live up to our calling as the people of God and inspire others to follow Jesus.
  • Pray for wisdom and discernment as we search for a new associate pastor.
  • Pray for wisdom for the implementation of ministry initiatives in 2020.

Congregational Profile: Philadelphia Praise Center

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(Baca dalam bahasa Indonesia)

Philadelphia Praise Center (PPC) is not just a church. In addition to holding services every Sunday, PPC is also well known for its involvement in reaching and bridging the South Philadelphia community. With a vision to be a diverse church with love and compassion for the lost and for the city, Pastor Aldo Siahaan formed the Philadelphia Praise Center in early 2005. To live out this difficult vision, PPC strongly believes that the key is in building relationships. Here are some ways PPC has carried out God’s vision for the past few years:

Most of the PPC members are immigrants from Indonesia. But as most people know, Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world. In Indonesia, Christians are a minority community that is often underestimated. But in Philadelphia, the situation was reversed. Of the thousands of Indonesian immigrants living in Philadelphia, only a handful are Muslims. Because PPC knows the feeling of being a minority, PPC took an initiative to establish good relations with the Indonesian Muslim community in Philadelphia. A few years ago when they did not have a place of worship, PPC opened the church building to be used by Muslim friends in breaking their fasts and prayers in the month of Ramadan. Since then, the relationship between PPC and the Muslim friends has continued.

In addition to building relationships with communities of different beliefs (interfaith), PPC also builds relationships with Christian immigrant communities from other countries (interculture). The PPC building is located in the middle of South Philadelphia, which is often a destination for many new immigrants from other communities, including the Hispanic community. Called to establish relationships with these brothers and sisters, the PPC leaders asked for help from Franconia Conference to send Hispanic leaders who would serve with us in preaching the good news. Finally, God sent Fernando Loyola and Leticia Cortes to begin the ministry of outreach to Hispanic souls. They came from Colorado without knowing any other Hispanic people, but God’s love opened the doors of relationships, until eventually they had many friends who were willing to learn about God’s word. Fernando and Letty currently lead Centro de Alabanza de Filadelfia, which has its own church building located South Philadelphia.

PPC also realizes that being an immigrant in America is not easy. To get immigration status, one must spend thousands of dollars. Many of us live in America as undocumented immigrants. PPC is involved in many immigration rallies or activities related to immigrant rights. When immigration raids occur, many experience fear. We are called to make the Philadelphia Praise Center a sanctuary church, a church that provides shelter for immigrants who need it. We renovated the church basement to include a proper bathroom and kitchen, in order to make it a proper sanctuary church.

This is only a small part of what God does through PPC. Let the vision that God has given us continue to carry on with the strength and wisdom that the Holy Spirit gives.

Prayer requests:

  • Immigration situation and related family separations
  • Job opportunities
  • the Indonesian political situation

Congregational Profile: Doylestown Mennonite Church

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Our congregation’s history reaches back almost 250 years, and we have seen the normal highs and lows of many mid-sized congregations. Our group of approximately 70 congregants enjoys a blended style of worship that includes old hymns as well as contemporary songs. We intentionally include a variety of voices in our worship service: scripture readers, worship leaders, and individuals willing to share about their daily lives and where they see God at work. Our active prayer ministry provides opportunities, during worship and at other times, for prayer ushers to listen to a person’s struggles with a focus on simply lifting the person and their situation before God. They also listen in prayer for a word that God might have for the individual who comes to pray.

Community Garden (Photo credit: KrisAnne Swartley)

Though the congregation’s history is long, we have a youthful energy and flexibility. We see evidence of this in the courageous step of the 3-year experiment that we called the Missional Journey, which began in 2011. Through this experiment, the congregation intentionally set aside funds and people to connect with the community around them. A community garden was started on church grounds, and small groups formed to pray and reflect on simple ways to connect with neighbors. Themes that grew out of these times together were authenticity, vulnerability, and trust in the Holy Spirit to be at work beyond us, within us, and through us.

Summer soccer camp (Photo credit: Judy Garrido)

The Missional Journey did not immediately result in an upward trend in church attendance, but it inspired more risk-taking on the part of congregation members. A disc golf group formed, bringing together congregants and neighbors. An annual summer soccer camp was also started, combining learning soccer skills with spiritual formation. The community garden on the church property continues to grow and is used in large part by neighbors of the church, donating much of the produce to local food banks. Potlucks connect garden members and church members in friendship and conversation. Funds were set aside to create a walking path, new playground, and a pavilion on the property, in order to welcome even more neighbors and create spaces for the congregation to build and deepen relationships.

New pavilion (Photo credit: Lois Myers)

Our congregation has also become more intentional about connecting with the many groups who use the building throughout the week, including girl scout troops, addiction support groups, writing groups and A Woman’s Place (the domestic violence prevention agency serving Bucks County). We intentionally invite them to special events and times of worship.

This fall we will welcome quite a few new members into the congregation, and we anticipate growing even more flexible and courageous as God leads us onward in risk-taking!

Prayer Requests:

  • Pray that we deepen our identity in Jesus so that we can follow His example of engaging others with the love of God.
  • Our theme for this year is Incarnational Living. Pray that we have the courage to practice living incarnationally even when it feels uncomfortable.

 

Congregational Profile: Plains Mennonite Church

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by Helen Lapp, Plains congregation

Plains Mennonite Church is located on the corner of Orvilla Road and Route 63 (Main Street), in Hatfield Township, where a group of God’s children have gathered together for Sunday morning worship and fellowship events for more than 250 years.  The original meetinghouse was built in 1765. 

All who come to worship with us receive a welcome at our doors, an invitation to join small groups discussing Bible passages and issues of faith and practice, along with an extension of ongoing love and fellowship.  Children and youth are offered love and quality time during a Sunday morning educational hour as well as during the worship hour. A typical worship service at Plains features confession, hearty singing, encouragement to live as followers of Jesus in a changing world, an open sharing time, and caring prayers.

Excellent food is shared with joyful conversation during our monthly potlucks in the Lower Fellowship Area.  We expect those who worship with us to give generously to support church-related ministries like Mennonite Central Committee, Mennonite Disaster Service, and others, as well as meeting local needs through community-run programs like Manna on Main Street in nearby Lansdale. 

When entering Plains’ parking area, you will see a recently developed park utilizing the land adjoining the church and cemetery. A welcoming sign reads “Plains Park: A Place of Peace in the Community.”  Many from the surrounding community regularly stop by for relaxed times within this Peace Park.  Some new warm friendships are developing as church members also enjoy the park. At times, neighbors choose to join our worship services.

For the past several years, an ad hoc task force has been meeting to study the issues surrounding immigration.  One of the tangible outcomes planned by this group has been an annual, “You are Welcome” Event on July 4. This community gathering has included free food, music and games.  One of the partner congregations for this event has been the Evangelical Center for Revival, a predominately Congolese congregation in Elkins Park.  One of our members, Jim King, had a prior friendship with several of their members, including Pastor Maurice Baruti.  The Plains task force and other church members visited the congregation one Sunday morning, and then Plains hosted a joint service this year on May 19.  After lively and high decibel music and an inspiring meditation by Pastor Baruti, a carry-in meal was shared with meaningful intercultural fellowship.

This summer, the congregation commissioned Crystal and Charles Conklin and their two girls to serve with the Mennonite Central Committee as country representatives to Cambodia.  A support team was established to walk with the Conklins during this process and to serve as a bridge with them and the congregation during their five-year term.

We appreciate your prayers as the congregation continues to:

  1. Search for additional pastoral leadership to work alongside Pastor Mike Derstine and Children’s Minister, Heather Gingrich.
  2. Grow in our intercultural awareness and welcome.
  3. Be guided by our vision, “Called to journey together with Jesus, we listen to God and to each other, join in the creative work of the Holy Spirit, and joyfully share God’s saving love, justice, and peace with our neighbors and world.”

Pressing On – Congregational Profile: Mennonite Bible Fellowship

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by Julia Heck, Mennonite Bible Fellowship

Morris Mennonite Bible Fellowship is a small congregation, located in Tioga County, PA.  It is in a valley, nestled between five gorgeous mountains.  Planted in 1953, this congregation was a mission outreach of Franconia Mennonite Conference.  Some of the original workers were Sam Landis, Clayton Godschall, Bob Felton, and Willard Bergey.  Bob Felton was the first pastor.  Later, Arthur Kolb was called to serve here.  Then, in 1969, Paul and Faith Benner were called to move to the Morris area.  So, they left Finland Mennonite Church with three small children and moved to Wellsboro.  Paul became pastor in 1970, and they have been faithful to this congregation and community ever since.  Since 2008, John Brodnicki, Paul’s son-in-law, has taken the place as senior pastor, with Paul filling in as needed.

The community in Morris consists mainly of life-long residential families.  In many cases, several generations have called Morris “home”.  To fit into the community, a person needs to commit to long-term presence here.  The saying goes that either you have to be born into it or bury someone here before you become a local.

The Benner family has lived in the area for around 50 years.  This has allowed us to live life as a part of the community.  We owned and ran the local general store for 13 of those years, allowing us to share common ground with many from the community.  Paul worked as a carpenter/contractor, while pastoring.  Others from the congregation have taken up occupations or started businesses in the area, so people can get to know them.  Rose and Nelson Yoder ran the Witt-Yoder Personal Care Home for several years.  John Brodnicki works in forestry, while pastoring.  Others have worked in garages, counseling, retail, medical and mental health, ski lodges, printing, restaurants, running people to healthcare visits, and cleaning and providing care in homes.

We have several people from the community who come to the church for special events.  When asked, they claim Mennonite Bible Fellowship as their church, even when they don’t attend Sunday services.  We are often asked to perform funerals and weddings for people in the community.  We are a small group, so we often work alongside other local congregations to provide holiday services and VBS.  This builds the Christian community around us and we all appreciate the feeling of inclusion.

Thursdays are special.  Several women from the congregation meet with community women to knot comforters and fellowship over the noon meal.  Sometimes they go on outings together, which promotes feelings of ownership and belonging.  Walking beside these women, through illness, death, abusive situations and times of joy, allows us to bond very closely with them.

Other ministries include prison ministry, visitation, senior banquets and working with local fire/ambulance fund-raisers to name a few.  Recently we participated in the local Trunk or Treat and Easter egg hunt.  Those of us who are employed minister through friendship ministry at work.

The needs are great in Tioga County.  Drugs and depression, both monetarily and emotionally, bind many souls.  Family division is devastating the vast majority.  Most churches are teetering to survive.  The “old faithfuls” come as much as they can, but many suffer illness.  Young families stop by, but when there are no other children there, they move on.

Many children have grown up at MBF and have spread out for various reasons.  Employment that sustains a young family is tough to find in the area.  The Christian community is suffering, so the hopes of finding a Christian spouse are low.  But God has called a few of us to return and carry on the work of the mission.

Despite all of this, we press on.  We want to remain faithful for those who do reach out for companionship, support, and prayer.  We feel that being present and available is our best witness.

If you feel called to a new adventure in ministry, please come by and check us out.  The people are warm and eager to greet anyone who stops by.  At Sunday services we offer worship, sharing and prayer time, sermons, monthly life stories, Sunday school and monthly fellowship meals.  Wednesdays, we have evening prayer gatherings.  Thursday the women’s group meets.  Support is offered any time needs arise.

Please pray for our congregation, and if you can, stop in for a visit.

Prayer requests:

  • that they would see and respond to the opportunities God provides to connect with and serve people in the community in ways that bring glory to God and draw people to Jesus
  • that they would be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit each day.

For more information, contact Pastor John Brodnicki at 570-353-2407 or Pastor Paul Benner at 570-353-7866.

 

Congregational Profile: Perkasie Mennonite Church

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by Mary Lou Cummings 

“Welcome is one of the signs that a community is alive.  To invite others to live with us is a sign that we aren’t afraid, that we have a treasure of truth, and of peace to share,” says Jean Vanier.

Perkasie Mennonite Church is a tiny but lively congregation that values welcome, whether of LGBTQ folks or others who have felt “outside the box” for many reasons.  We aim to model Jesus (our succinct mission statement)  in our daily lives in loving relationships and in service.  Many, but not all, experience their faith journey through a progressive Christian lens.   No matter where a person is in their faith journey, they are welcome. 

The communion table at Perkasie

PMC has had a long history of inclusion of those with intellectual disabilities, and several of these individuals have provided joy, humor, and spontaneity in our congregation for many years. Barbara Shisler has hosted a monthly Faith and Light chapter for many years, as well; this is a national program which offers fellowship in a spiritual context for community members with intellectual disabilities and their families.

In the past year, Brent Anders and Joe Matthew were invited to present two Second Hour seminars with resources, stories and language  tips to help us all be more understanding and helpful in our relationships with LGBTQ attendees, friends, and neighbors.  We are officially a Welcoming Congregation, and a number of our most recent new attendees sought us out for this open and welcoming  environment.

PMC has trained many young people through the years, and finds joy in seeing these now-grown-up children living lives of faith and service in places around the country and the world.  Today we have fewer children (although the ones we have get lots of love!), so we  are exploring how to offer our wisdom and resources to young people’s programs  run by others.  Bucks Kids First is a program for at-risk kids (many in foster homes) which will be using our building for after-school mentoring four days a week.   We also volunteer with other community programs like Bridge of Hope Bux-Mont, a homeless ministry for single mothers.

Perkasie hosts a Civil Conversation on guns

Hosting  Patchwork Coffeehouse and Soul Talk (a progressive Christian study group) are other ways we reach out to the community.  Favorite volunteer opportunities include FISH, MCC Material Resource Center, MCC, Care and Share, and ministries to the homeless. In recent years we have also hosted “Listen, Live, Local” events, including one evening inviting community conversation on gun control,  and another on bridging the gap between right and left in the  U.S.

The PMC community enjoys singing a capella music from the three Mennonite hymn books, and is looking forward to dipping into the  new one next year.  We value creativity in each other,  which allows for both rich experience and change.  One advantage of being small is the freedom to vary worship spaces and styles.  During the summer, we meet more informally in our fellowship room, often around tables, and various members lead  worship.  “Every member a minister” is a favorite motto, which we take seriously.

Historically, our group was founded by Blooming Glen Mennonite Church  as a mission outreach for young people in Perkasie.  Over the years, gifted pastors offered leadership,  such as Richard Detweiler, James Lapp, Jim Burkholder,  Barbara Shisler, Beth Yoder, Wayne Nietszche, and  Jessica Hedrick Miller, among others.

We appreciate your prayers as we seek to strengthen our relationships with people around us and model the love of Jesus that welcomes all people into God’s beloved community. Pray that we would be in tune to the movement of the Spirit in our community so that we can join in the good work that God is already doing.

Congregational Profile: Taftsville Chapel Mennonite Fellowship

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by Steve McCloskey, pastor, Taftsville Chapel

Photo courtesy of Allen Guntz

Taftsville Chapel Mennonite Fellowship is situated in the idyllic hills of Vermont with a limited number of neighbors in the immediate vicinity of our meeting space. Nevertheless, each Sunday, congregants gather from across the Upper Valley of New England (some coming from over an hour away in Western Vermont or from across the river in New Hampshire) to join together as a vibrant multi-generational community in worship of God and discipleship in the way of Jesus Christ.

Even though we may not see a lot of neighbors in our sparsely populated part of the world, this doesn’t stop us from living in response to the question: how can we love our neighbors, including those in distant parts of the earth and future generations yet to be born?

Photo courtesy of Allen Guntz

As a pastor who began at this church about two years ago, the people of this congregation have inspired me with a number of decisions to care for our planet and our global neighbors. Shortly before I visited the church for the first-time, the congregation made the decision to install solar panels on the roof of the building; these panels generate more than enough electricity for our building’s use and we donate the excess as credits to help the nearby ministry of Bethany Birches Camp.

There are several ways that the church has practiced Creation Care: we have been featured in the local newspaper, The Vermont Standard, for our eco-consciousness; we won an award from the local environmental organization, Sustainable Woodstock, for our commitment to energy efficiency; we are currently in the process of further-weatherizing our building with new insulation and tightened doors and windows to reduce our energy use.

Photo courtesy of Allen Guntz

We are fortunate to live amidst the beauty of the Green Mountain State; we cherish the land that our Creator has given us, and we hope to preserve this for future generations. Underlying this commitment is a willingness to keep asking the question: “How can we live simply that others may simply live?” This, to us, is implicit in faithfully loving our neighbors, and, ultimately, our Creator.

Taftsville Chapel has been described as an “eclectic” community of faith.  Many of us do not come from Anabaptist backgrounds; others of us are founding members of our church who came to the Upper Valley from Pennsylvania over 50 years ago, doing 1-W alternative service as conscientious objectors to the military draft and serving at the nearby Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.  Our community is held together like patches on a quilt: some of us exercise together doing CrossFit, others (literally) quilt together.  We regularly serve at a local homeless shelter, engage in advocacy for our immigrant neighbors, and serve one another in simple, practical community. We are happy to be a “city on a hill” in the rural Upper Valley, coming together in the old schoolhouse where our church meets, nurturing and building relationships with Jesus, each other, our communities, and our world.

Photo courtesy of Allen Guntz

Prayer requests:

  • We thank God that our congregation has come together like various patches on a quilt, each one of us with our own story. Pray that our congregation continues to grow in “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3) as a church family, even as we come from different backgrounds, places, and testimonies.

  • Pray that our gatherings for worship “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). Give wisdom, vision, and guidance to church leadership in this endeavor.

  • Pray for us as we build relationships with those outside of our congregation, that we may “promote the building-up the body of Christ in love” (Eph. 4:16) to our global neighbors and those who live nearby us in the Upper Valley of New England.

Congregational Profile: Deep Run West Mennonite Church

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Deep Run West in Perkasie, PA was founded in 1849 after issues that divided the existing congregation into two groups. These groups eventually were called “Old Order Mennonites – Deep Run East” and “New Order Mennonites – Deep Run West”.  The issues were over creating a written church constitution, Sunday Schools and church publications.

Combined worship service with Second Mennonite of Philadelphia at Camp Men-O-Lan (photo by Cami Dager).

Within a hundred years, those “new” ideas were eventually embraced by the “Old Order Mennonites.”  Today, we share services and combined youth groups with each other a few times each year where both congregations have their specialties.

We partner with Second Mennonite of Philadelphia each year. We enjoyed our annual Sunday summer service and picnic at Camp Men-O-Lan with our friends this year.

This year we had 100% participation of our church youth members that attended Camp Men-O-Lan for summer camp programs and a few young adults that are employed during summer camp season as well. Serving and supporting Camp Men-O-Lan is just one of our important ministries to our church family.

We found that we cannot just open our doors and expect that people will come in. We encountered a new way for us to spread the gospel and reach the community to share Jesus Christ with those around us. In 2018 we began to hold Vacation Bible School and a Community Day event in the community park. There we shared Jesus through worship songs, crafts, games, and food.  We were able to hand out Spanish Bibles to those who didn’t own a Bible in their language. We learned to extend our congregation and mission field beyond our church building to connect to individuals in our community.

Our children and youth ministries consist of children from our local community. Our youth ministry is held weekly all year long and our Primary Kids Club is held fall to spring. These ministries provide an opportunity to continue to share the gospel and help lay a foundation of faith with the young of age. This is especially important when there are several children who are hearing about Jesus for the first time. This is as faith-filling to our teachers and sponsors as to those who are hearing God’s word.

Pastor Rodger Schmell, his family & Deep Run West elders during the sabbatical blessing and sending (photo by Howard Stenger).

This year we have embraced the church’s very first pastor sabbatical. Pastor Rodger Schmell has been with Deep Run West, first as a member who was born and brought up here, and then, who returned as a youth pastor for several years. He then was invited to take on the role as lead pastor for the last 16 years. The church held a blessing and sending for Pastor Schmell and his family this summer, which began his sabbatical on July 7th.

Deep Run West is seeing God at work, transforming many people and places in and outside our doors.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Prayer requests for Deep Run West:
*  prayer that our church leaders seek God’s will and leading through His Holy Spirit as we continue to approach changes and renewal of the Spirit.

* prayer as we continue to build relationships in our community, that we meet new people to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

* prayer for our pastor and his family during sabbatical; that he experience the joy of God’s presence and time of renewal in his relationship with God and his family.