Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

News

Flores resigns position at Mennonite Church USA

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By Marathana Prothro, Mennonite Church USA

Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership and Western District Conference (WDC) together announce a ministry transition for Gilberto Flores, director of Denominational Ministry and Missional Church for Executive Leadership. In addition to giving overall leadership for Denominational Ministry, Flores also ministered to the needs of five area conferences including Franconia Conference. Beginning in February 2009, Flores will leave his post with Executive Leadership to begin ministry with WDC as associate conference minister for Texas.

Flores said his choice to enter conference ministry was independent of his decision to resign as director of Denominational Ministry and Missional Church. The opportunity to work with WDC was presented days after his official resignation from Executive Leadership.

“Gilberto will help us enter the next phase of church development and growth in Western District Conference and specifically in the Texas area,” said Dorothy Nickel Friesen, conference minister for WDC. “Gilberto has incredible skills, and his missional perspective will push us to become the church we should be.”

As associate conference minister for Texas, Flores will work alongside Nickel Friesen to provide services to pastors and congregations in the Mid-Texas Region and give overall leadership and direction to the church planting programs and nurturing of new congregations, all on behalf of the conference. The full-time position, among other things, includes the following responsibilities: supervision of church-planting pastors throughout the district; consultation with congregational search committees; advocacy for pastors and congregations to elected or appointed conference leadership; development of communication links to missional church initiatives.

Flores will continue his ministry with Executive Leadership through Jan. 31, 2009. When he began the director position in December 2007 the Executive Leadership ministry known as Congregational and Ministerial Leadership changed to Denominational Ministry. With the new name came a new structure that includes seven denominational ministers, rather than four, who oversee relationships with the 21 area conferences of Mennonite Church USA. The transition resulted from conversations with and prompting from conference ministers in 2007.

Flores has a ministry journey that includes 23 years of varying roles in the Mennonite church in Latin America and more than 15 years experience in serving in the United States. While in Latin America, Flores and his wife, Rosa, served as pastors, church planters and missionaries in different countries.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Flores was academic dean of SEMILLA, a Mennonite seminary serving all Central American Mennonite denominations; director of CONCAD, an ecumenical organization focused on human and community development; and director of Fraternidad de Iglesias Evangélicas de Guatemala, an ecumenical organization focused on social development, pastoral leadership and peace-justice advocacy.

Flores and his wife moved with their four children to the United States in 1993 to serve as church planters in San Antonio, Texas. Since then, Flores has worked as a director with the former General Conference Commission on Home Ministries, the Anabaptist Biblical Institute (IBA), Mennonite Mission Network and Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership where he currently is director of Denominational Ministry and Missional Church.

Flores has two master’s degrees, one in theological studies with a focus in pastoral theology and another in sociology with a focus in religion studies. He has published multiple essays on a variety of topics.

“Gilberto has brought uncommon insight on our missional vision, combined with unique relational skills with area conference leaders. He has tirelessly traveled across the span of our conferences, offered counsel to conference ministers, and been a helpful and guiding presence on behalf of the staff of denominational ministers of Mennonite Church USA,” said Jim Schrag, executive director for Mennonite Church USA. “We wish him well in his new position of ministry with Western District Conference, for which he is clearly suited and called. We will miss his leadership in Denominational Ministry and his leadership in the missional church calling of Mennonite Church USA.”

Urban Anabaptist courses commence at Eastern University

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Since the Fall of 2004 Palmer Theological Seminary, has been offering courses with an emphasis in Urban Anabaptism. Recognizing that it was the only regional seminary available to Mennonite pastors seeking a hands-on urban ministry focus, Palmer drafted an agreement with Eastern Mennonite Seminary to work together to provide a “more cohesive, authentic education in their tradition” to Mennonite seminarians attending Palmer.

Courses have engaged such topics as the socio-political genesis of the Anabaptist movement to Anabaptist theology in the urban context. This Fall two Ubran Anabaptist Emphasis courses are being offered. “The Bible, Pacifism and Just War” will be taught by Dr. Ron Sider and “Leadership, Learning, and Nonviolence: How can we build toward peace in and increasingly connected and violent world?” will be taught by Franconia Conference staff member, Stephen Kriss.

According to Dr. Sider, Palmer currently has a number of students who are Mennonite or who share an Anabaptist perspective. “Palmer wants to serve those students and also offer all its students the opportunity to better understand the Anabaptist perspective (which at several crucial points is shared by Baptists).” notes Sider. “I am personally happy to have Palmer offering Anabaptist courses because I am both the longest-serving faculty member at Palmer and also an Anabaptist.”

“The urban Anabaptist focus at Palmer is unique, bringing Anabaptist theologies to bear both in practice and theory with the diversity of students in Philadelphia. It’s an opportunity to explore the Good News from a Radical Reformation perspective in a context where students are deepening their abilities and perspectives on cultivating a sense of shalom within and beyond their communities,” says Steve Kriss, who began teaching at Palmer this semester.

For more information on Palmer Theological Seminary and the Urban Anabaptist Emphasis courses visit www.palmerseminary.edu

Fall brings staff transitions at Franconia Conference

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This fall has brought a handful of transitions to the staff at Franconia Conference.

In mid-August Karen Burkholder and Lora Steiner resigned from their roles with the conference. Karen, who was a receptionist for the conference, began a position in Christopher Dock Mennonite High School’s Development office. Lora, formerly a Communication Associate for the conference, is an MDiv student at Drew University and is now participating in her pastoral internship at James Street Mennonite Church in Lancaster, Pa.

While the end of summer brought goodbyes for conference staff the beginning of the school year brought two interns on staff. Joe Hackman, an MDiv student with Eastern Mennonite Seminary, has joined Franconia Conference staff as an associate for leadership cultivation and Nate Stucky, an MDiv student at Princeton Theological Seminary, has joined Franconia Conference staff as an intern in youth ministry.

Joe will focus primarily on young adults and providing pastoral care to college students. He’ll be working with Franconia students at Mennonite schools, as well as Messiah, Temple, Philadelphia Biblical University and Eastern University, with a particular emphasis on students who, for whatever reason, aren’t well-connected with the congregations in which they were raised. Joe will also be recruiting students for the Ministry Inquiry Program and other conference/congregational-based opportunities.

Joe says he hopes to create more space for conversations with college students-conversations about the conference itself as well as issues related to the broader Mennonite church. Students sometimes have these spaces at school, says Joe, but he’s looking for a way to “foster conversation with students within the conference.”

Joe, who has been working for the past three years as a history teacher at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, returned to full-time seminary studies this fall through Eastern Mennonite Seminary’s Lancaster program. He’ll be taking classes in Lancaster as well as at Biblical Seminary in Hatfield, Pa. and is hoping to better connect the conference with Mennonite and Anabaptist-minded students at Biblical.

Joe is also working as a pastoral intern in the Salford congregation, where he and his wife Angela are members. Joe plans on pastoring when he finishes his studies, but isn’t sure where. He says the decision to move back the area where he was raised was intentional, and he’s interested in seeing how the suburban context and dynamics of wealth and poverty affect how Christianity is lived out. “I’m pretty fascinated with suburban spirituality . . . I’m interested in how to express Christianity and Anabaptism in a suburban context.”

“I am excited about working with Joe, in continuing to cultivate his questions, his creativity and his gifts while he brings a sense of continued catalytic care to young adults and college students from Franconia Conference,” says Steve Kriss, director of communication and leadership cultivation. Joe joins the leadership cultivation and communication team for his time with the conference.

Nate will work alongside Conference Youth Minister Marlene Frankenfield participating in campus pastor responsibilities such as chapel planning and conference responsibilities like the fall youth leadership retreat.

When Nate began to plan for his internship requirements for his studies he said, “I sought out Marlene as someone to work with because of my previous experience with her, and my interest in campus and conference level youth ministry. I have great admiration for Marlene, and I owe a great deal of my own sense of call to Merv Stoltzfus, who is also a conference youth pastor (Atlantic Coast Conference). I love the challenge of working with teenagers, and I find great joy in relating to other youth workers. I hope to give and receive a great deal as I partner with Franconia Conference and Christopher Dock.”

Marlene was ready to offer Nate ample experiences in both of her roles. “I hope to connect Nate with as much hands on experience as possible,” she says. “In my Franconia Confernece and Dock combination role I hope to connect him with a variety of ministry experiences. Resourcing and soul care for youth pastors and volunteer youth leaders. Working with student leaders planning chapel, leading worship and mentoring. Learning about Mennonite Church USA youth ministry and the ways Franconia Conference connects. Nate has already helped with planning the leadership retreat for November and we are looking forward to Nate being the keynote speaker at retreat. I hope to connect him with some congregations to meet youth leaders and lead a youth bible study.”

“I am looking forward to learning from Nate,” continues Marlene, “he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in youth ministry to this internship. I hope to learn more about what he is learning at Princeton Seminary and from our informal conversations around what he notices about campus life and Conference youth ministry. I am incredibly blessed and looking forward to this year working with Nate.”

Nate and his wife of nine years, Janel, have two children, Joshua and Jenna. Nate is a native of Kansas and a graduate of Bethel College. Before his studies at Princeton, Nate served as a youth pastor with an Atlantic Coast Mennonite Conference congregation in Maryland for six years and farmed in Kansas for two.

Spend "A Day Away for Spiritual Retreat" with Whitehall Mennonite Church

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On Saturday, October 11 Whitehall Mennonite Church will sponsor “A Day Away for Spiritual Retreat” at the Mary Immaculate Center on Cherryville Road in Northampton, Pa.

This day-long retreat, led by Tom and Carolyn Albright, will teach a creative response to celebrating the harvests in our lives based on the teachings of Jesus in John 7:1-19 and the Jewish celebration of Succoth, highlighted in Exodus 23:16, “Celebrate the Feast of Harvest with the first fruits of the crops you sow in your life.”

Beginning at 8:30 am and ending at 3:00 pm, the retreat will include a time to reflect in silence, fellowship with a small group, relax, evaluate and rejoice in the blessings of life. The cost for the retreat is $20. While drinks will be provided, participants are asked to bring a bagged lunch and wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes. Registration deadline is October 1, please register by contacting Tom Albright at 612-767-6052 or 610-462-1075.

for more info on the School of Leadership Formation click here

The Faith Walk of a Child An Intentional Journey

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Franconia Conference School for Leadership Formation presents

October Pastors and Leaders Breakfast

The Faith Walk of a Child
An Intentional Journey
Thursday, October 16, 2008
8:00 am to 10:00 am
Franconia Mennonite Conference Center
771 Route 113
Souderton, PA 18964 (map)

Several years ago, Franconia Conference began thinking about spiritual formation from cradle to grave for each of its 7,000 members and their neighbors. Recently, as part of a joint strategic plan, Quakertown Christian School, Penn View Christian School and Christopher Dock Mennonite High School developed a spiritual formation framework. This framework, entitled Passing on the Faith: A Community Work, asks the question, how do we as families, churches and schools work together to encourage and guide the faith formation of children and youth so they become radical followers of Jesus Christ?

Marlene Frankenfield, Sharon Fransen and Mary Benner will share this framework with you.

Four Franconia young adults serve with Mennonite Mission Network

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Four members of Franconia Mennonite Conference congregations are serving through Mennonite Mission Network Service programs this year.

Laurelyn Foderaro, of Harleysville, Pa., began a one year term of Mennonite Voluntary Service September 2008 in Washington, DC, as a Protection Counselor with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. A 2008 graduate of Goshen (Ind.) College, Foderaro is the daughter of Janet and Anthony Foderaro and is a member of Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville, Pa.

Heidi Kolb, of Spring City, Pa., began a one year term of Mennonite Voluntary Service September 2008 in Seattle, Wash., as a Clinic Registered Nurse with Puget Sound Neighborhood Health Centers. A 2007 graduate of Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va., Kolb is the daughter of Nancy and Roland Kolb and is a member of Boyertown (Pa.) Mennonite Church.

Rooted in the spirit of Jesus, Mennonite Voluntary Service invites adults, age 20 and older, to join together in Christian ministry for one or two year terms in more than 20 locations in the United States and one international site. Since the program began more than 60 years ago, thousands of volunteers have had the opportunity to live out their faith through this program of Mennonite Mission Network.

Corinne Jager, of Sellersville, Pa., began a one year service term with the Service Adventure program in August 2008. Jager will be living in community with other young adults in a unit house in Albany, Ore. A 2008 graduate of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School in Lansdale, Pa., Jager is the daughter of Molly and Adolph Jager and is a member of Blooming Glen (Pa.) Mennonite Church.

Timothy Landes, of Hilltown, Pa., began a one year service term with the Service Adventure program in August 2008. Landes will be living in community with other young adults in a unit house in Albuquerque, N.M. A 2008 graduate of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School (Lansdale, Pa.), Landes is the son of Sandra and Steve Landes and is a member of Doylestown (Pa.) Mennonite Church.

In Service Adventure, young adults, age 17-20, live in a household community with a leader for 10 months. Since 1989 Service Adventure participants have served in medical clinics, tutored children, worked with senior citizens, repaired old housing and helped meet needs across North America. They’ve visited new cities; experienced different people, foods and cultures; climbed mountains and camped in deserts; attended concerts, lectures and college events.

Mennonite Mission Network is the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA and exists to lead, mobilize and equip the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Mission Network envisions every congregation and all parts of the world being fully engaged in mission. More information about these programs is available at Service.MennoniteMission.net.

September Pastors and Leaders Breakfast

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Is your congregation prepared for the national health care crisis? Are you aware of how your congregation’s decisions on health effect those around them, both locally and globally?

Come to the Mennonite Conference Center on Thursday, September 18 from 8 a.m. to noon to hear persons from MMA share on the topic “Health Resources for Pastors.” This time will provide pastors with resources on engaging the topic of health in congregational settings whether in church business meetings or preaching and teaching. A $5 donation is appreciated toward this hot breakfast.