Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Bethany Elevation Community Church

Congregational Profile: Bethany Elevation Community Church

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(Baca dalam bahasa Indonesia)

Initially, Pastor Jacob Limanto was given the mandate by Pastor Abraham Alex Tanusaputera (Senior Pastor of Bethany Church of Indonesia), even though they both had never met personally. With the new synod established by Pastor Alex in Indonesia, who was originally under the auspices of the Indonesian Synod of Bethel Church and became the Synod of the Indonesian Bethany Church, Pastor Jacob was appointed and ordained as Pastor for the Bethany Church in New York City.

Since then Ps. Jacob realized his call to pastor the church of God. It began with 7 people of the early church, Ps. Jacob, Mrs. Rita, and their two children and some women who are faithful to pray. After a month of holding a prayer meeting at home, the congregation agreed to decide to look for a place of worship. Until then, the Bethany Church was still renting a room from another local Church. As the ministry and congregation developed, Ps. Jacob got the vision and mission from God that the congregation, in following God, the church can produce eternal fruit in God. In carrying out this vision and mission, Ps. Jacob has been pastoring this church of God for 17 years. The congregation continues to pray that God will continue to add souls to be saved.

In its development as a local church in the United States, the Bethany congregation continued to follow the Lord’s movement and even longed to be a blessing to the local community. However, to carry out this mission, the Bethany congregation must adjust to the culture and law in the United States, where Bethany New York congregation was founded. For this reason, as a local church, we are willing to open our minds and hearts to be able to get a legal and spiritual shelter. Therefore, the Bethany congregation, represented by Ps. Yakub, met with Ps. Beny Krisbianto from Franconia Mennonite Conference. Ps. Beny welcomed the longing heart of the Bethany New York congregation to join Franconia as a spiritual, legal and even cultural shelter.

After going through several stages of introduction and adjustment, the time came for the Bethany congregation to serve the community that God entrusts together with the local congregations who are members of Franconia Conference. Therefore, like being “born again”, the Bethany church took on a new name, Bethany Elevation Community Church (BECC), and is now part of Franconia Mennonite Conference.

At present, the BECC congregation is very excited to welcome the Lord’s movement that is sweeping His people.  The congregation is very thirsty and hungry for the truth of the Word of God and longs for the birth of leaders who have gifts to serve the church.  Other than that, the focus of the congregation is to get a permanent place of worship so that it can develop services especially for Sunday school and youth services, to be prepared for the next generation.

Please continue to pray that we can do the Great Commandment, to love God and love people, to save lost souls at any cost. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest, so that He sends workers for the harvest. We also specifically pray for a fixed place of worship, so that we can expand services for young people and Sunday school.

An Indonesian Food Story

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(Baca dalam bahasa Indonesia)

by Hendy Stevan Matehelemual, Indonesian Light Church

Food is an important element in Indonesian culture. There are more than 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia and each ethnic group has its own unique food. When we talk about Indonesian food, the variations will be plentiful.

Pastor Beny Krisbianto (Nations Worship Center) doing food delivery. Most pastors will also deliver food when there’s a food festival event.

The relationship between food and the community in Indonesia is also very close. It would not be over-the-top to say that the culture of the community in Indonesia is very concerned about the food served. In the Christian Batak tribe, for example, if you want to respect someone who has a higher status, you would serve pork at your meeting with them.  To serve anything else would be considered an insult.

Bethany Elevation Community Church (New York) doing Liwetan

It’s not just the type of food that matters, however, but also the variety of ways that it can be presented. In Javanese and Sundanese culture, food is very closely related to togetherness, so a tradition called liwetan arises. In liwetan, everyone sits around dishes placed on banana leaves and eats directly from them. The sense of togetherness that arises while eating this delicious food creates a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Food is also an essential way to reach out to people and establish relationships. Franconia Conference’s Indonesian congregations in South Philadelphia—Nations Worship Center, Philadelphia Praise Center, and Indonesian Light Church—hold Indonesian food festivals each year. This is done, not only as a fundraiser, but also to open the door of heartfelt hospitality and to share a sense of pride with others, especially those outside the church community.

Pempek from Palembang (savory fishcake with spicy vinegar sauce)

The menu offered is diverse, ranging from the typical Batak Saksang, the Palembang Pempek, the ethnic Chinese noodles, the Javanese Ketoprak, the Padang Rendang, and the Madura Sate, and many other foods and dessert.

Satay (grilled pork meat on stick with peanut spicy sauce)

There is a saying in Javanese culture: “mangan or mangan sing penting kumpul,” meaning, “Even though there’s no food, it’s important to gather.” This saying came from a tradition that believes that whenever there’s food, there must be a gathering of people. Therefore, it’s not an overstatement to say that food is always central in the Indonesian culture.

ILC invited their neighboring congregation, St John’s Baptist, to share a meal

I believe that food is the entrance to the heart and soul; when we share food, we bring a portion of our lives to share with others. Indonesian food is famous for its spices, spiciness, and flavor. Although we are a minority in this country, we Indonesians can contribute greatly to being salt and light in whatever part of the world God places us. We are here to become living bread, as a witness of Jesus to the nations and generations.

When we are sharing food together with other people, we are breaking down each other’s walls (ethnicity, religion, culture) and building bridges where the Holy Spirit can perform His miracles through us.