Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Angela Moyer

Beauty for Brokenness: Growth toward Wholeness

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Womens Gathering 2013
Women from Franconia and Eastern District conferences attach symbols of healing to an oak tree at this year’s Beauty for Brokenness seminar. Photo by Anne Yoder.

by Lynne McMullan Allebach, Arise

On the morning of Saturday, June1st, thirty women came together at Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville (Pa.) for the first women’s equipping event sponsored by the new Eastern District & Franconia Mennonite Conferences Women’s Committee.

Angela Moyer, co-pastor of Ripple congregation (Allentown, Pa.) and occupational therapist at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation, spoke about melding a clinical model for recovery from trauma with the story of Christ to bring healing for hurts, whether small or truly traumatic. She explained how we can choose to “act in” by doing things destructive to ourselves or “act out” by doing things that are destructive to others, or we can choose to heal by taking positive steps toward forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace.  Sister Mary Julia McKenzie, chaplain at Penn Foundation’s Recovery Center (Sellersville, Pa.), spoke about the work of recovery, especially as it relates to drug and alcohol addictions. She shared a poem about an oak tree as a symbol of resilience in the face of trials, then invited the participants to decorate items to be placed on a drawn oak tree as a part of the closing worship time.

Phyllis Chami shared a devotion she had written about Eve and Mary, two women of God. The devotion came out of her own personal trauma and how God has played a part in her growth toward wholeness. Lynne Allebach also shared the story of the loss of her son and how the care of others aided in overcoming her grief. Participants met in small groups to discuss their own trauma experiences and their need for recovery. The morning ended with a time of worship that included a version of “Beauty for Brokenness” with words written specifically for the gathering.

Franconia and Eastern District Conferences sponsored a seminar last year on training women for relationships of mutual care.  Responses to a survey taken after the training indicated an interest in continued equipping gatherings that address the needs of women. Anne Yoder, West Philadelphia congregation, answered the call for ongoing ministry and assembled a committee to begin brainstorming ideas. The theme of Beauty for Brokenness was chosen as a motif for the June event as a way of examining trauma and seeing how people may grow toward wholeness from places of brokenness.

Beauty for Brokenness was well received and there was support expressed for continuing to meet, probably twice a year.  “There were women from eighteen churches here, most from smaller congregations that do not have established women’s programs,” observed Yoder. “It is a joy to be able to provide a forum for so many who are looking for spiritual and emotional encouragement and for friendships with other women of faith. . . .  I am so grateful to see the Spirit moving among us, empowering us to sister each other through our life journeys.”

To join the planning team or to receive information about future gatherings, please e-mail Anne Yoder at ayoder1@swarthmore.edu.

You are invited to God@Work…shops!

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by John Stoltzfus, Franconia & Eastern District Youth Minister, for the Conference Assembly 2012 workshop planning team

Where is the life of your congregation intersecting with the life of our broader conference fellowship? In what ways are you seeking to grow into the life of the emerging kingdom of God among us? In the new one day schedule for our upcoming Conference Assembly, we each have the wonderful privilege of participating in a workshop addressing a relevant issue and shared mission in our life together as the body of Christ. Everyone, delegates and non-delegates, is invited to consider attending one of these workshops as a way of helping us catch a greater glimpse and vision of what God is doing among us.   We invite you to spread the word in your congregation and invite others to attend both the workshops and the evening worship service.

We hope one of the four offered workshops will be relevant to the needs of your congregational life. We also desire that they give opportunity to build deeper connections with other congregations who are working on the same issues. The workshops will be offered from 10:00-11:30am on the morning of Conference Assembly.  Be sure to register by October 31. We will hold these workshops based on sufficient registration.

It Takes A Congregation…. Restoration, Connection, and Belonging for People with Disabilities

This workshop will focus on how, by including persons who are marginalized, the whole congregation benefits.  Stories of how congregations are responding to people with disabilities including those with autism and intellectual disabilities and veterans with disabilities will be featured. Materials will be provided to enable congregations to focus on belonging for all people.

Presenters:

  • Joe Landis is the founder and Executive Director of Peaceful Living, established in 2000, a not-for-profit agency located in southeastern PA. Peaceful Living serves 80 families in community-based services and offers a congregational coaching program. Joe has been an avid advocate for individuals with intellectual disabilities for 40 years. Joe is a member at Salford Mennonite Church.
  • The coordinator of the Friendship Connection, Loretta Moyer, has been with the program since its start in 2007. Loretta is a member of Rockhill Mennonite Church.
  • Patricia A. Hedrick (B.S. Special Education, M. Ed.), Zion congregation, recently received National Board Teacher Certification as an Exceptional Needs Specialist.  She is currently on sabbatical from her position as a life skills support teacher in the Souderton Area School District. While on sabbatical, she will be studying toward a certificate in Special Education Supervision and working as a volunteer for Peaceful Living.

Missions and New Church Development

This workshop will focus on five areas of missions and new church development:  establishing a prayer-filled missional vision; sustaining and sustainable models of ministry; succession planning; communication; and project-based vs. committee-based funding.

Presenters:

  • Samuel Claudio Jr. is currently the co-pastor of Christ Fellowship Church, Allentown, Pa., an inner-city Anabaptist body of believers seeking to manifest Christ in their community. He has worked as a church planter over the past five years in both the Eastern District Conference and previous ministry areas.
  • With over thirty years of urban ministry experience, Jeff Wright serves as New Church Development Coach and Consultant for the Eastern District Conference of Mennonite Church USA through an arrangement with Urban Expression North America.  Since it was launched in 2009, Urban Expression North America has worked with over thirty urban church planting projects in cities located in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.  Jeff currently resides in Riverside, California.

Music – It’s Not Really a Universal Language

This seminar will focus on the biblical vision for God’s people. It will include practical suggestions on how the church can begin “worshipping its way into God’s future” (Rev. 7) by reflecting on current congregational worship patterns and by developing a keener sense of the global faith family through worship that is transcultural, contextual, counter-cultural, and multi-cultural. Time will be given for group sharing of congregational worship experiences.

Presenter: James R. Krabill served for 14 years as a Bible and church history teacher in West Africa. He is author/editor of various articles and books, including his most recent, Worship and Mission for the Global Church (2012).  He currently serves as Senior Executive for Global Ministries at Mennonite Mission Network.

Believers Baptism:  Faith Formation of Children and Youth

What does faith formation of children and youth with a goal of genuine Believers Baptism look like?  Does faith formation look the same as it did 10 or 20 years ago?  This workshop will highlight several contemporary children and youth ministry models and integrate them into conversations and observations of youth and children within our churches.  This material originates from Angela’s Seminary Capstone Project and she is anticipating not only sharing pieces of her work but also hearing from other voices within the Conference community in regards to this topic. All are welcome to attend including Sunday School class teachers, youth sponsors, pastors, and anyone relating to youth and children.

Presenter: Angela Moyer works on the pastoral team at Ripple-Allentown and as a pediatric occupational therapist (OT) at Good Shepherd Rehab in Allentown, Pa.  She recently moved from Telford to the Zume House (intentional community) in Allentown after graduating from Eastern Mennonite Seminary-PA campus this summer.

Conference pastors recognized for leading and serving

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by Stephen Kriss, skriss@mosaicmennonites.org

Tom & Carolyn Albright
Tom & Carolyn Albright

Tom Albright, lead pastor of Ripple, an emerging Anabaptist missional faith community in Center City Allentown was recognized by the Lehigh County Council of Churches with the Ecumenical Service Award for 2012.  According to the Council, “the award is not to glorify the individual, but to give witness to the important work of affirming and strengthening Christian unity. The award is given to well-known and little-known individuals, to people deeply involved in the life of the Conference and to those who have offered their gifts elsewhere.”

Ripple is a church-plant that was birthed from Franconia Conference congregation, Whitehall Mennonite Church, just outside of the city.  Tom and his wife Carolyn were honored with this award for “hearing God’s call and moving into the city.”  He accepted the award on behalf of the emerging community at Ripple, suggesting that this award wasn’t only about him but also about the community of people who gather weekly and who live the Good News every day in their hearts and on the streets of Allentown.

Earlier this year, Ripple called two additional pastors–Ben Walter and Angela Moyer—to serve alongside the Albrights in leading this growing congregation of approximately 100 people.  Albright is the first Mennonite pastor recognized by the Council with this award, given since 1981.  The award presentation was marked with a dinner on May 15 at Allentown’s Dieruff High School.

Aldo Siahaan received his award on May 22. Photo by Basil Zhu, China World News.

As part of WPVI ABC-TV’s celebration of Asian American Heritage month in Philadelphia, Aldo Siahaan, lead pastor of Philadelphia Praise Center, was honored for his commitment to the Indonesian immigrant community since arriving in Philadelphia over a decade ago, part of a wave of approximately 10,000 immigrants from Indonesia who settled in Philadelphia in the last 15 years, the majority of whom were Christians escaping religious persecution in their homeland.  Siahaan is the first Mennonite pastor to receive this award.

Siahaan was honored for his work in community service and communication among the immigrant community in South Philadelphia along with approximately ten other leaders from the diverse Asian communities in the city.  He is the founding pastor of the now multilingual, multiethnic urban Anabaptist congregation of Philadelphia Praise–approximately 250 people, the largest Mennonite Church USA congregation in the city.

An award celebration was held at the historic Joy Tsing Lau restaurant in Philadelphia’s Chinatown section on May 22.  The celebration included cultural celebrations of the Delaware Valley’s Asian communities, from Pakistani dance to Japanese Kobuki-style drama.

For Siahaan, the honor was unexpected.  But for members of the congregation at Philadelphia Praise, the honor was appropriate and even missional.   According to Adrian Suryajaya, a young adult leader from Philadelphia Praise who attended the event along with Siahaan, “The time has come for Godly leaders to rise and be recognized, to be salt and light.  Christians are called to being God’s love, passion and Good News to the community where we are placed.”

Youth and leaders dream for the future

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Photo by Tim Moyer

by Angela Moyer
Youth Pastor, Rockhill Mennonite Church

Dreaming about direction for Youth Ministry in the Franconia Mennonite and Eastern District Conferences was the topic of conversation for the gathering of pastors, youth leaders, Conference Related Ministry directors, and youth on Monday June 6th, 2011. Visioning and conversations were held around round tables with multiple opportunities to share table conversations with the entire group.

Jenifer Erickson Morales began the evening by facilitating conversation about the roles of children and youth in Scripture. It was evident that children and youth held significant roles in the story of God’s people. Marlene Frankenfield and Scott Benner shared historical perspectives of youth ministry in Franconia and Eastern District Conferences which revealed certain trends and patterns reflecting the values of fellowship, faith, and service. Intentional mentorship and discipleship of youth has been a significant piece in the stories of both Conferences.

Common themes of the evening were desires for relationship building and resource sharing among Conference churches, youth calling for deeper spiritual conversations, and desire to include the contributions of youth into the regular ministries of the church. Geography, culture, finances, time, and priorities were all acknowledged as significant barriers to achieving these goals. Finding the balance between fellowship/programming, discipleship/faith formation, and levels of support to congregations will be a task for the Conferences as direction for youth ministry is defined.

[podcast]http://mosaicmennonites.org/media-uploads/mp3/Envisioning the Future of Youth Ministry (full).mp3[/podcast]

View the photo album

Overwhelmed by Generosity; Young adults to build relationships in Mexico City

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A group of younger adults will fly to Mexico City this July to build relationships and learn about connecting with local community. The trip, led by Rockhill Mennonite Church and Franconia Mennonite Conference, will partner with the Conferencia de Iglesias Evangélicas Anabautistas Menonitas de México (CIEAMM) in offering children and youth programs and community outreach.

“This is an exciting possibility for young leaders to contribute and learn in one of the world’s biggest cities, to help build on generations of leadership, service, and partnership between
American and Mexican Mennonites,” said Steve Kriss, Director of Leadership Cultivation for Franconia Conference. “I love the energy of Mexico City and the creativity of young leaders
there.”

Rockhill Mennonite’s youth pastor, Angela Moyer, has taken her youth group on service trips to Mexico City twice and felt like the time had come to expand the relationship between Mexican
and American Mennonites. In the past, American churches have always sent money, she said, “but these churches don’t need our money—they appreciate our time and energy.” Time and energy used not to construct buildings, but to share in the task of ministry.

The growth of technology has meant that these new relationships, separated by thousands of miles, can remain connected in everyday life. “I can text them,” Moyer said. “We’re on Facebook.” As she looked ahead to this summer, Moyer began to imagine how to further nurture these relationships. The idea for this trip as a broader Conference opportunity emerged; a trip that will be mutually beneficial for both American and Mexican Mennonites.

American visitors are blessed by their Mexican brothers’ and sisters’ hospitality, passion, and love. “[The team] will be overwhelmed by generosity,” Moyer said. They will experience
what it means to be involved in local community in tangible ways and catch a glimpse of what Anabaptism looks like in a context that doesn’t include shoe fly pie and funny cake.

At the same time, “We bring them the world,” said Moyer. Because of financial and immigration issues, many Mexicans can’t make the trek to the US. When American Mennonites visit, the CIEAMM’s young people get a chance to connect with the global church beyond Mexico, have an opportunity to learn and practice their English, and discover that the US is more
than Hollywood.

The Americans’ presence is also an encouragement. Moyer noted that Mexican pastors have asked her, “Why are you guys here serving the kids in our community when most of our own
church isn’t here?” Something about the presence of visitors, working alongside local believers, increases the energy in their own church for Bible School.

And for the CIEAMM, Bible School is still a big deal. The thirteen congregations that form the CIEAMM are on the fringes of Mexico City, ministering to broken families. The children who
live in their neighborhoods have nowhere to go when school is out; Bible School provides a safe and loving place and welcoming diversion, just down the street.

“We’ll be creating space for the church to love the community, in whatever way the local pastors feel would be helpful,” Moyer said, adding with a laugh, “That could take on a very different
look.” One time, she remembers, her youth group joined Bible School children on a peace march. Another time, a pastor was invited to a child’s 1st birthday party—so he brought the
entire team along.

No matter what happens, this will not be a typical service trip—it’s not about accomplishing a project, but about supporting and encouraging the work of the Mennonite Churches in Mexico
City. For those who have never been on a trip overseas before, this will be a great way to ease in, said Moyer. And for those who are service trip veterans, this will be a breath of fresh air, a chance to experience the meaning of generosity and locality.

The Mexico City trip, July 20-August 3, still has several slots available. For more information or to sign up, contact Angela Moyer (moyer1218@hotmail.com). The cost is $1000 per person.

An Intersection with God

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Angela Moyer
moyer1218@hotmail.com

I have described my calling experience or path of intersection with God like a cell phone ring tone. You don’t hear it at first, but then it gets louder and louder until you cannot ignore it. My calling began long before I realized what was going on. Once I realized I was being called to ministry, I looked back on events and conversations and realized that they all contributed to sensing and accepting God’s call to ministry in my life.

I first realized that I might be receiving a call to ministry at the Franconia Conference Assembly in 2004. I was there as a delegate for my church and there was a time of prayer and affirmation of the newly credentialed pastors. I began to weep for no reason. I had no idea why, but I had this sense that God was telling me that I would be up there some day. Unfortunately, I had an initial reaction of, “No way! I’ll tell you, God, the many reasons why I will never be a pastor. Ministry is not in my plan, I am an occupational therapist, I love my job, I didn’t go to seminary, and pastors are much closer to and know God much more than I do.”

But after that weekend, I began to reflect on why I had been so stirred by that prayer and the things that had been going on in my life, and I realized that maybe God did have some things in the working for me to pursue ministry. I knew I needed to at least be open to the idea and see where God would take me.

Many things had come together that year. My demanding job schedule had changed, I moved back to Souderton, PA, in order to work with the youth at my church, and realized that I really enjoyed it. Though I appreciated my job, I was more fulfilled with my time spent with the youth. I had been affirmed by the church regarding my work with the youth, and the church was completing period of transition where we began to look at areas in the church to grow, one being the youth. I remembered Franconia Conference Minister Walter Sawatzky and Interim Pastor Bob Petersheim both telling me earlier that year that they had sensed I had some ministry gifts that I should think about. I hadn’t at the time, but soon I realized that those conversations were a confirmation of the call I’d been experiencing.

Once I recognized all of these things there was too much coming together to ignore and I began to see things differently. God’s plan of salvation and his love for his people really began to convict and fascinate me. I realized that I had been given a gift of loving, encouraging, and listening to youth. I was able to develop these gifts while working in a city hospital with people in a variety of crisis moments. I saw the experiences, opportunities, and gifts that I had been given were all coordinated in order to prepare for this calling to youth ministry. These encounters helped me to begin to feel more comfortable with using the word “calling” and further confirmed that what I was experiencing was truly a calling from God. Finally, I shared this with my church, Rockhill Mennonite, and they too affirmed the call to pursue youth ministry.

I realize that many people including my parents, family, friends, teachers at Penn View Christian School and Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, and members of my church family all created the foundation for me to be able to hear and be open to receiving God’s call.
intersection.jpg
I have learned how important a calling is in ministry, because you need it to get through the struggles, questions, and tough times. I would have never embarked on this journey of ministry if I hadn’t been called by God to do this, and I will never survive the struggles in ministry without it. I have no formal pastoral training and so I have many doubts and times of second guessing. But I have learned that I am not called to be perfect, no matter the training, but to point others to God. It would be much easier to remain in a place of comfort where I have the qualifications and experience to know what I am doing. But I know that God has called me to be at this place and there is no other place I would rather be.