Mosaic Mennonites
Missional - Intercultural - Formational
Ark of Christ was approved by Mosaic’s board as a member congregation and will be welcomed at Mosaic’s Assembly on November 2, 2024.
Ark of Christ Church, located near Anaheim, Los Angeles, California, aims to reach the lost for Jesus. Many of its members come from Indonesian backgrounds, and the church is focused on sharing the Gospel and making disciples. Services are held at 2 PM in English, offering a welcoming place for everyone to grow in faith and experience Christ’s love.
by Jennifer Svetlik
Editor’s note: Bethel Worship and Teaching Center was approved by Mosaic’s board as a member congregation and will be welcomed at Mosaic’s Assembly on November 2, 2024.
Bethel Worship and Bible Teaching Center (Levittown, PA) was born in the basement of the home of Pastor Samuel Charles three years ago.
Formerly a co-pastor of Solidarité et Harmonie (Solidarity & Harmony) in Philadelphia, PA, Charles prayed about whether he was called to start a new congregation.
In January 2023, the immigrant families who had regularly gathered were able to move into a former church building for their worship service. In addition to Sunday worship, which often includes a fellowship meal, there is a Friday bible study that meets on Zoom.
Worship is in Haitian Creole, and there is a thriving children’s program in English. The church offers a place for recent immigrants to build networks, find jobs, and become more integrated into U.S. society. They hope to start an ESL program.
“The primary reasons our congregation desires to become a member of Mosaic Mennonite Conference are that we intend to formally align ourselves with the Conference, and we desire to advance the teaching of Jesus Christ and the tenets of Anabaptist theology within the Haitian community,” shares Pastor Sam Charles.
Bethel invites the intercessory prayers of Mosaic Conference congregations, especially for the spiritual wellbeing of Bethel and for the leaders to receive God’s wisdom and make a positive impact on the community. They also ask for prayers that the congregation might be able to acquire the building that they currently occupy.
“The long-term objective for Bethel is to facilitate positive change within the community,” Pastor Charles adds. “We hope the church can have a significant, beneficial impact on those in need of spiritual guidance, and that those who are currently lacking in such support will be encouraged to embrace the teachings of Christ. The aim is to establish a presence within the Haitian community where the teachings of the Bible and practice of worship are held in high regard.”
Jennifer is Editor & Development Coordinator for Mosaic. She grew up near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in intentional community in Washington DC, before moving to Lansdale, PA with her spouse, Sheldon Good. She is a graduate of the University of Texas and Washington Theological Seminary. She serves as Children’s Faith Formation Director at Salford Mennonite (Harleysville, PA). Jenn has two elementary-school-aged children and loves biking, camping, gardening, and vermicomposting with her family.
by Javier Márquez
Editor’s note: Resplandece was approved by Mosaic’s board as a member congregation and will be welcomed at Mosaic’s Assembly on November 2, 2024.
In the warm city of Barranquilla, Colombia, a spark of spiritual light has ignited a new chapter in the global ecclesial sphere. Resplandece Mennonite, led passionately by Brother Manuel García and his wife Viviana Ávila, has become a beacon of hope and community in an increasingly interconnected yet sometimes distant world.
Since its inception in November 2023, this hybrid church has broken physical and cultural barriers by offering Sunday services via Zoom. Thanks to this innovative format, Resplandece Mennonite has managed to gather people from diverse corners of the world, from Venezuela and Florida to Pennsylvania and, of course, its home in Barranquilla. Every Sunday, families and friends come together in a virtual space where worship and reflection merge into a deeply connected and enriching experience.
Brother Manuel García, a psychologist by profession and pastor, has dedicated his life to supporting communities through faith and knowledge. His work in Hispanic ministries, specifically with the “Therapists of the Faith Community” course, has been a vital resource for many. Alongside Viviana, his wife, who also brings her talent and leadership, the García family is committed to making faith and spiritual support accessible to all, regardless of geographical or personal barriers.
In Resplandece Mennonite’s worship services, the involvement of the entire García family is a distinctive feature. Their children, gifted in singing and prayer, not only enrich the services but also exemplify the unity and familial love that is at the heart of the church.
The impact of this virtual community extends beyond borders. A member from Miami, who works every Sunday, finds in these services a way to stay connected with his faith, while a Venezuelan family, facing the repression of the Maduro regime, can participate in worship and receive support in a safe and supportive environment.
Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you,” reflects the spirit of Resplandece Mennonite. The church seeks to illuminate the path of its members and serve as a refuge of restoration and hope.
On Fridays, the church organizes the “Restored to Restore Seminar,” an online evangelical event that reinforces its mission to build and strengthen the faith community. Additionally, as part of Mosaic Conference, Resplandece Mennonite has the support and collaboration of faithful leaders who believe in its mission and vision.
Resplandece Mennonite Church is a living testament that faith can flourish and expand in any circumstance, bringing light and hope to every corner of the world. In times of distance and challenges, this digital community reminds us that true spiritual connection transcends physical limits, illuminating the path with the love and glory of the Lord.
Read more about Resplandece Mennonite.
Javier Márquez is Writer & Communication Coordinator for Mosaico Colombia. He is an Anabaptist Colombian pacifist and poet.
By Javier Márquez
Editor’s note: Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Oración y Adoración will be presented to the delegates at Mosaic’s Assembly on November 5, for affirmation of their congregational membership in Mosaic Conference.
Pastor Nicolás Sandoval knows well, after years of pastoral experience and serving in different places, a path that has led him through different seasons of sowing seeds and gathering the harvest. Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Oración y Adoración, a congregation in Northeast Philadelphia, PA, began when Pastor Nicolás started a prayer group that would soon become a congregation.
On a typical Sunday morning, after a time of coffee, Sunday School is followed by worship at Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Oración y Adoración. During the week, other events happen to keep the congregation connected. On the first Monday of each month, Pastor Sandoval and his wife Elsa invite the congregation for a time of fasting and a prayer meeting at 7:00 pm. They also go out into the community and share tracts and carry out short but effective evangelistic campaigns. Pastor Nicolás’ approach has not changed over the years; he believes in-person evangelism is best.
Since the beginning of the congregation, the Pastor Nicolás Sandoval was very clear that he did not want a congregation without a conference, which is why the congregation started a time of prayer and waiting in order to find the right conference. After talking to a number of people and exploring, they got to know Mosaic Conference. They knew that this was the right place to which God was leading them.
To learn more about the congregation, watch this video:
The history of North Tampa Christian Fellowship goes back almost 100 years. In 1927, Lancaster Conference missionaries started Tampa Mennonite Mission. Three distinct congregations emerged as a result of this missionary effort. The three congregations met and ministered in the neighborhoods of Tampa, FL.
In the mid 1960s, two of those groups, the Ybor City Mennonite Mission and the Ida Street Mission, merged to become one multicultural congregation. The emphasis of this merged congregation’s outreach was to connect with second and third generation Hispanics living in Florida. In 1972, the congregation moved to a new location and adopted a new name: North Tampa Christian Fellowship.
By 2009, North Tampa Christian Fellowship was in need of a “reboot.” With support and oversight by Southeast Mennonite Conference leadership, College Hill (Tampa, FL) Mennonite Church offered support and assistance in re-starting North Tampa.
North Tampa continued as an English-speaking, multicultural body of believers ministering across diverse racial, cultural, and economic groups. As a church they are committed to Mennonite/Anabaptist principles of missional church outreach, peace and justice, anti-racism, simple living, community, mutual aid, spiritual formation, and worship.
With ongoing oversight from the College Hill congregation and under the leadership of Pastor Carl Walcott, North Tampa Christian Fellowship continues to stand as a city on a hill, signaling to society God’s love, grace, and forgiveness. As a congregation, they invite and call all people to live together as children of God’s family.
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!
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.
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
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.
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
Luz y Vida (Light and Life) Mennonite Church was started as a church plant in 2009 in the College Hill neighborhood of Tampa, FL. The new church was a project started by Pastor Tomas Ramírez and his family, funded by the Southeast Mennonite Conference and the College Hill Mennonite Church. The College Hill congregation offered the use of their church building and support by providing health insurance.
The congregation flourished and after a year moved to the Orlando area. Currently the congregation is renting space with another congregation, but they hope to have their own building in the future.
The church has a multicultural Hispanic ministry including many Brazilians. A strength of the church ministry is combining the message of the Good News with involvement in the social needs of the community. The congregation offers many social services to the community, notably in the areas of food, mental health, optometry, and eyewear.
The church program, “See Better to Learn Better,” has the goal of providing 100 eyeglasses to 100 low-income young students. Many students are taking classes online and rely on their computers and tablets to study and need proper eyewear. Pastor Tomas is an optician. The church has professional equipment to make formulated eyeglasses. The entire pastor’s family is active in the church programs.
There are many more ministries and programs within the church. The congregation has a large emphasis on youth ministry. The youth are organized and have an annual retreat at a camp and invite participants from other churches in the area. The church also has a men’s program called “Men of Courage.” Its mission is to offer help to the church community as handymen.
The Luz y Vida congregation has a leadership training program, which trains persons to be sent to different parts of the city to start new Mennonite communities.