Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

News

Diller commissioned as Mennonite Church USA moderator

by

The new moderator for Mennonite Church USA, Ed Diller of Fort Thomas, Ky., was commissioned in his home congregation, Cincinnati (Ohio) Mennonite Fellowship, on Aug. 23.

The congregation’s pastor, Joel Miller, noted that all members are called by God to service in the reconciling work of Christ and included Diller’s wife, Karen, in the commissioning. “Today we bless Ed and Karen Diller for giving their time and gifts to Mennonite Church USA,” he said.

On behalf of the congregation, council chair Linda Headings presented a quilted wall hanging to the Dillers. “Your gift of listening without judgment, of recognizing our strengths and bringing people together despite their differences will serve you well as moderator,” she told the new moderator. She noted Ed’s servant heart and Karen’s compassionate service on behalf of others.

“Our prayer is that you will help lead our wider church to become the body Christ calls us to be,” Headings said.

Ron Byler, acting executive director of Mennonite Church USA, represented the denomination at the commissioning.

“May your desire to follow in the way of Jesus Christ help all 900-plus congregations in Mennonite Church USA grow as communities of grace, joy and peace,” Byler said to Diller.

Byler also thanked the congregation for extending their witness in the Cincinnati community and for their commitment, as individuals and as a congregation, to the broader church.

Perkasie congregation screens award-winning documentary

by

by Becky Felton, Perkasie

Perkasie Mennonite Church screened a newly-released international documentary film this September to congregational and community members. The film, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, tells the inspirational story of women caught in the middle of a vicious civil war in Liberia who banded together to find ways to bring peace.

Thousands of women — ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim — came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace. Armed only with white T-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they demanded a resolution to the country’s civil war. Despite bullets and threats of death and torture, the women prayed, demonstrated for nine straight months and helped negotiate a ceasefire and a transitional government which ousted dictator Charles Taylor.

One of the leaders of the movement, Leymah Gbowee, helps narrate her story. Gbowee later was a student at Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. She has won numerous humanitarian awards.

A New York Times columnist described the movie as a story of the “power of ordinary people to intervene in their own fate.” It was directed by Emmy-winning director Gini Reticker.

Contact Becky Felton at Perkasie congregation if interested in purchasing or borrowing a DVD of the film at info@perkmenno.org The film was screened at hundreds of locations in the U.S. and Canada in honor of the International Day of Peace, September 21.

Conference Assembly 2009: Cultivating Healthy and Growing Leaders

by

Full Online Docket
Read the full online docket in preparation for Conference Assembly in November!

Conference Related Ministry Reports
Read updates from the wide variety of Conference Related Ministries

Church-wide Agency Reports

Conference Assembly 2009 Schedule of Events

Link to map of Souderton Mennonite Church

Printed Materials
please print and bring the following document with you to Conference Assembly

  • VFP Progress Update 2009

Workshop Descriptions

Please check back soon for the following:

Newly Credentialed Leaders

**information will be posted as it becomes available.**

Conference Assembly 2009 Online Docket

by

Section I – Board / Committee Updates
Click here to read updates from the Conference Board, Ministerial Committee, Finance Committee, and FMC Properties.

Section II – Minutes 2008

  • Friday, November 7
  • Saturday, November 8
  • Summary of Actions

Section III – Gift Discernment

  • Ballot 2009
  • Gift Discernment Nomination Form
    Click on the link above to see the blank nomination form we ask delegates to fill out, suggesting names for the gift discernment process. This form will be handed out for delegate input at Conference Assembly.

Section IV – Conferring Documents

Vision and Financial Plan Update

  • Vision and Financial Plan Team Recommendations – November 10, 2007
  • VFP Progress Update document

Franconia Conference leaders meet with initiators of Open Letter

by

Stephen Kriss

Franconia Mennonite Conference leaders recently met with young leaders who crafted and signed the Open Letter to Franconia Conference, which calls for a more inclusive Franconia Conference.

Before making the letter available on the Internet, a group of these young leaders requested a meeting with Noel Santiago, Franconia Conference executive minister. The letter is now posted online and continues to garner signatures from those who support the inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons in the life and leadership of Mennonite congregations.

Franconia Conference staff Ertell Whigham, Jessica Walter and Randy Heacock, assistant conference moderator and pastor at Doylestown (Pa.) Mennonite Church joined Santiago in the conversation with young leaders–Amanda Yoder of the Blooming Glen congregation, Christian Allebach from Souderton church and Maddie Ruth, Emma Ruth and Justin Yoder all from the Salford congregation.

According to Santiago, “The conversation together between these young persons and conference leaders was cordial, healthy and informative. I believe we were able to hear and understand what these young persons wanted to communicate and commend them for the approach and grace in which they communicated it. While it is evidently clear that we’re at very different places of understanding and practice, nonetheless, this gathering was one expression of the resolution on following Christ and growing together even as communities in conflict.”

The resolution was one of three passed at the Mennonite Church USA denominational assembly in Columbus, OH, in July. Across the church, youth and young adults have been mobilized toward action and engagement out of the conversations in Ohio, particularly around issues of human sexuality.

Franconia Conference continues in dialogue with Alpha (NJ) Mennonite Church toward discernment of future relationship and postures together after the congregation’s move toward openness to members and leaders regardless of sexual orientation. Details on that process will be released in the near future.