Mosaic Mennonites

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News

MDS and MCC offer support to Amish community in wake of shooting

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Joint news release of Mennonite Disaster Service and Mennonite Central Committee

AKRON, Pa. – Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) and Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) express their deep sympathy and prayers for families affected by the Oct. 2 shooting at an Amish school in Nickel Mines.

Both organizations are in contact with Amish community leaders and are offering support through a joint response.

MCC and MDS are accepting financial contributions to assist the affected community. Contributions may be made by phone, by mail or online. (See information below.)

Contributions to the Amish School Recovery Fund will help the affected community with medical care, transportation, supportive care and other needs.

“We call upon churches to unite in prayer and support for the Amish community at this time,” said Kevin King, MDS executive director.

Ken Sensenig, assistant director of MCC East Coast, visited Amish community members after the shooting and said he is observing their resilience and is impressed with their response.

Families banded together to provide emotional support and tend to immediate needs, such as milking cows while parents rushed to the hospital, Sensenig said. Many non-Amish neighbors helped by giving rides to hospitals.

“What impresses me is how strong this community is in the face of terrible tragedy,” Sensenig said.

For more information, contact Scott Sundberg, director of communications for MDS, at (717) 859-2210, (717) 917-8827 or ssundberg@mds.mennonite.net, or contact Larry Guengerich, media/education coordinator for MCC, at (717) 333-2826 or lrg@mcc.org.

Tax-deductible donations can be made by calling MCC at (717) 859-1151, or MDS at (717) 859-2210. To donate online, go to mds.mennonite.net or mcc.org. To donate by mail, send checks to MCC or MDS at the following addresses with the words “Amish School Recovery Fund” in the memo line.

Mennonite Disaster Service
1018 Main Street
Akron, PA 17501

Mennonite Central Committee
21 S. 12th St.
P.O. Box 500
Akron, PA 17501

 

Prayer and Reflection at Blooming Glen This coming Sunday evening, the Blooming Glen congregation will host a time of prayer and reflection in response to the shooting in the Amish school in Lancaster County this past Monday. How do God’s people keep hope and faith, and not succumb to fear, in the wake of such a horrific event? You are invited attend this opportunity to be prayerful in response to this tragedy. The time is 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 8, 2006.

Perkasie Congrgation Reaches out to Neighborhood with Friday Film Night

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by Mary Lou Cummings

Their days are crowded between their children and their jobs, but when Karen Zehr and Sarah Bergin get together, ideas begin to pop. Both members of Perkasie congregation, they share a passion for connecting to the people who live in the neighborhood around the church at Fourth and Chestnut Streets, in downtown Perkasie.

Karen, who lives in a nearby townhouse, knew that young families often look for wholesome, inexpensive weekend entertainment. Could a small congregation sponsor some activity as a gift to the dense, residential neighborhood? Could this be a non-threatening way to get acquainted?

The two women made lots of phone calls to iron out the details, and then proposed a Free Friday Film Night on the final Friday night of June, July, and August. The Church Council hopped on board, and volunteers helped make the event a success.

They choose family movies, two with current national distribution, and all with child-appeal: Hoodwinked was an animated feature that spiraled off from the Little Red Riding Hood story. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron was another animated drama that took place on the early Western plains, and the classic version of The Wizard of Oz offered its songs about courage and heart.

A borrowed projector shone the movie through the dark of a summer sky and onto the 30-foot white tarp pinned to the brick wall of a nearby building. Free popcorn popped in the commercial popper as church members and their neighbors opened canvas chairs and got comfortable. Children wandered in with glowstick necklaces, as if going to a parade.

The downside? Weather. Thunder and lightning and rain scattered the movie-goers half-way through the first night. Lowering dark skies kept everyone nervous on the day of the second. Still, the audiences seemed to enjoy the soft night air, the stars, and the atmosphere.

The upside? New friends. A number of neighbors warmly offered to help clean up. One girl has become Sarah’s best friend, and lurks outside on Sunday mornings watching for her. People now know several of us by name, and vice versa, and others, both young and retirement-age tell us they will be watching for next summer’s event. Some kind of long-time barrier has come tumbling down in a small mysterious way; maybe it is an attitude of mistrust of the unknown on both sides.

Sarah and Karen warn others who might be drawn to the idea to purchase licenses to show the movies, even though some accompanying limitations might be irritating. They even got an okay from Perkasie’s Borough. They also prepared a short Power Point presentation about Perkasie Mennonite Church, Mennonites, and an invitation to its activities which ran before the movie. They registered those who attended by offering a drawing for free drinks and snacks. The snacks were sold at very low prices to keep the event family-friendly and the popcorn was free.

The two women operated on a $500 budget, some of which went for wide publicity; they have applied to MMA for a matching grant.

“We learned a lot,” Sarah laughs, “because this was the first time for everything. But the movies proved to be a great ‘equalize.’ People felt comfortable attending because they were national PG movies. In our publicity we also publicized MCC school kits, and invited people to bring supplies along. Some did donate money and supplies for the kits, and that was a good educational component. The crowds were not big, but they seemed to have a great time!

Ruth serves in MVS assignment

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ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Mission Network) – Matthew Ruth, of Harleysville, Pa., began a one-year term of Mennonite Voluntary Service Sept. 11 in Fresno, Calif., as a youth worker with Valley Teen Ranch.

A 2006 graduate of Eastern Mennonite University, Ruth is the son of Sharon and Marlin Ruth and attends Salford Mennonite Church.

Rooted in the spirit of Jesus, MVS 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. 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.

Mennonite Mission Network is the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA and envisions every congregation and all parts of the church will, together, be fully engaged in God’s mission sharing all of Christ with all creation. More information about MVS is available online: service.mennonitemission.net

Diehl begins Service Adventure assignment

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ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Mission Network) – Nicole Diehl, of Perkasie, Pa., began a Service Adventure assignment Aug. 21 in Johnstown, Pa.

A 2006 graduate of Pennridge High School, Diehl is the daughter of Linda and Mark Diehl and attends Rocky Ridge Mennonite Church.

In this program of Mennonite Mission Network, young adults, age 17-20, live in a household community with a leader for 10 ½ 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.

But the most memorable experiences often occur in the quiet moments: a conversation with a housemate, a friendship with a small child, working alongside other Christians, getting involved in a new congregation, or being alone with God.

Mennonite Mission Network is the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA and envisions every congregation and all parts of the church will, together, be fully engaged in God’s mission sharing all of Christ with all creation. Find more information about Service Adventure, including stories and photos, online: service.mennonitemission.net/SA

Blank serves in communication post at Goshen College

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GOSHEN, Ind. — Megan Blank, a Franconia Conference native, is serving in a key student communication post at Goshen College for the 2006-2007 school year.

Blank, a senior communication major and the daughter of Steven and Lorene Blank of Souderton, will serve as Record editor for the 2006-07 fall semester. A 2003 graduate of Souderton Area High School, she attends Salford Mennonite Church.

The Record is a weekly student publication, written, edited and designed by students. A vital part of the campus community for over 70 years, the newspaper is supervised by Duane Stoltzfus, associate professor of communication and former copy editor for The New York Times.

Letter to delegates and leaders: Conference board acts to accept PPC as new congregation

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Dear Delegates and Leaders of Franconia Mennonite Conference:

On May 25, we wrote to you asking for your prayers and support for the Philadelphia Praise Center, a congregation composed of Indonesian immigrants meeting for the past year in South Philadelphia. Thanks to those of you who shared counsel and for many of you who have been praying for these sisters and brothers. This letter serves as an update about the journey of the Philadelphia Praise Center congregation and membership in Franconia Mennonite Conference (FMC).

You may recall in the May 25 letter, we shared about the relationships built over the past six years between FMC and Philadelphia Praise Center, beginning with FMC hosting then-president of Mennonite World Conference Mesach Krisetya. You may also recall that Philadelphia Praise Center (PPC) leaders also attended last November’s Conference Assembly Gathered. Thanks to the Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference (PSMC) which has six Indonesian congregations and several Indonesian Mennonite leaders from both PSMC as well as Mesach’s conference in Indonesia that goes by the acronym GKMI, seasoned Indonesian Mennonite pastors have been working with FMC and PPC.

The May 25 letter stated: “The board may consider an action in June on your behalf to protect the future of this congregation by accepting PPC as a member of FMC. We will be in conversation with you again to communicate how that is being done in order to respect and honor the delegate responsibilities you carry.” This letter today is part of the promised communication.

At the June 26 Conference Board (CB) meeting, following healthy conversation and questions about potential material, legal, and financial issues that could affect the conference by taking this step, CB members acted on behalf of the delegate assembly to receive Philadelphia Praise Center as a member congregation of FMC as of June 26, 2006. The CB members in this action formally recognize Philadelphia Praise Center as a member congregation and plan to provide time this November for delegates to affirm this action and to help celebrate PPC as a member congregation at Conference Assembly Gathered. This process is similar to how pastors are processed for credentials. It is also similar to how persons go through membership preparation when joining a congregation. In most congregations prospective members work with pastors and elders for a period of time before they are presented to the congregation for affirmation.

As leaders representing you, we want to assure you that we did not act lightly in receiving this new congregation on your behalf. We discerned that the relationship has six-year roots, PPC leaders were introduced fraternally last fall to delegates, and that the process honors intercultural relationships while respecting FMC by-law parameters. Throughout the process we have kept you informed using both the regular MennoLife updates and additional separate letters. Throughout this process we have received appreciative support for leading in this way. Whether or not this is the way that all future prospective congregations will be handled is open to conversation.

Four pressing issues motivate Philadelphia Praise Center in their desire to move toward full membership in FMC as soon as possible:

  • A desire to formally develop ties to congregations beyond themselves firmly rooted in the Anabaptist tradition
  • A need to develop healthy congregational structures that will allow flexibility and continued growth
  • Paths of connection that will allow members of PPC to contribute their gifts within the city of Philadelphia and globally
  • Relationships that will assure the current leadership remains at PPC in this time of change that exerts difficult pressures related to immigration status

Both of us writing this letter are direct heirs of those who benefited from Dutch Mennonites who sent a bishop to help establish a fledgling congregation at Germantown. Today we are borrowing an Indonesian pastor and mentoring another so they can help this fledgling congregation in Philadelphia to proclaim an Anabaptist witness in the City of Brotherly Love. Executive Minister Noel Santiago recalled a prophetic word from Pastors Lesly Bertrand and Westerne Joseph (leaders of our Partner in Mission in Haiti, Grace Assembly Network): because you have been open to the nations, God will send the nations to you.

We ask for your ongoing prayer support. Feel free to contact us if you have questions or ideas.

Sincerely in Christ,

Merrill S. Moyer, Conference Moderator

Philip C. Bergey, Conference Executive