Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Call to Ministry

“Here I Am, Lord”: The Call Story of Zacharie René

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From an early age, God has been writing his story in my life. I grew up in Haiti, where my mother taught me the Word of God and instilled in me a love for prayer and Scripture. At the age of twelve, in 1996, I fell into a deep coma caused by an epidemic that tragically claimed the lives of hundreds of children. After several days between life and death, I woke up with a renewed conviction: my life belonged to Jesus. That experience marked me deeply, and I promised to follow Jesus faithfully. On July 20, 2002, at eighteen, I was baptized and publicly declared my commitment to Christ.

From that point on, my passion for the Gospel grew. At age 13, my mother had invited me to lead family prayers and share reflections. Without realizing it, God was already shaping me into a servant leader. I discovered joy in teaching, sharing the Scriptures, and encouraging others in their faith.

For the past 23 years, I have dedicated my life to ministry. I have walked from village to village to serve others, tell the Good News, and encourage families. I have learned that God’s call is often confirmed not by extraordinary signs but by daily obedience, perseverance, and a love that never tires of serving others.

A verse that has guided me throughout my journey is Isaiah 6:8: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”

Each season has been an opportunity to respond again to that call, sometimes with trembling, sometimes with joy, but always with the assurance that God equips those he sends.

Now as I join the Mennonite church through Mosaic Conference, I see God’s faithfulness unfolding in new ways. What draws me to the Mennonite tradition is its strong emphasis on biblical teaching, community living, and peace witness. I believe evangelism is not only about preaching but about embodying Christ’s love in community, sharing life, supporting one another, and serving the world together.

Zacharie René anointed at the 2025 Assembly by his Leadership Minister, Stephen Kriss.

My call has not always been easy. But each trial has become a testimony of God’s provision. I have learned that ministry is not about my strength but about God’s grace. My family, especially my wife and children, has been a constant source of encouragement, reminding me that ministry begins at home.

As I look toward the future, my prayer is to be a bridgebuilder in the body of Christ. I want to see churches working interdependently, communities transformed by love, and young people discovering their worth in Christ. My call is not just to preach but to live out the Good News in every sphere of life.

I also carry a vision for my country of origin, Haiti, a nation torn and divided, longing for healing and renewal. My desire is to see Mennonite beliefs firmly established there, bringing with it the values of peace, reconciliation, and discipleship. I believe this witness can spark a great revival among the evangelical sector and serve as a testimony of God’s power to rebuild what is broken.

In the words of the Apostle Paul: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect” (1 Corinthians 15:10). It is by grace that I stand today, ready to continue saying, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

Zacharie René

Zacharie René is a pastor, biblical teacher, and Christian formation leader committed to the Gospel, discipleship, and spiritual and communal transformation within an Anabaptist perspective. He is a member of Lakeview Mennonite in Susquehana, PA. Married to Roodeline Jean Louis and the father of four children, he views family as a gift from God and a vital place of faithfulness, perseverance, and prayer.

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to the author(s), contact us at communication@mosaicmennonites.org.   

Together in Courage and Faith: Janet Panning’s Call to Serve

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by Jennifer Svetlik

Janet Panning has dedicated her life to serving both the church and the broader community through a deep commitment to faith, justice, and leadership. In March 2025, the Mosaic Conference Board voted to approve Panning as the next Assistant Moderator of Mosaic Conference. Her term will begin on January 1, 2026, when Roy Williams of North Tampa (FL) Christian Fellowship will become Moderator. 

Reflecting on this new calling, Panning shared, “I feel honored and humbled to be asked to serve in this role. I feel that Mosaic Conference is able to celebrate the faith of our Mennonite ancestors while learning from the example of our newcomer congregations. Together we are called to see and to serve the vulnerable among us.” 

The Assistant Moderator serves as vice chair of the Conference Board and Chair of the Nominating Committee. Additionally, the Assistant Moderator chairs Board and Executive Committee meetings in the absence of the Moderator and fulfils other duties as assigned. The position is for a three-year term, with the expectation that the Assistant Moderator will then serve as Moderator, pending approval by the Conference Board. Panning’s appointment will be presented for affirmation by the Delegate Assembly in November. 

Panning with her husband and grandson at her daughter’s house in Montana.

Panning brings a lifetime of leadership and service experience to this new role. Raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, she became a Christian at 14 through a Young Life Club and then grew increasingly involved in her Episcopalian church. Her journey with the Mennonite church began at Michigan State University, where she discovered a brochure for the InterMenno program, sparking a life-changing year of service in the Netherlands.  

Together with her husband Steve, Janet served with Mennonite Central Committee for 12 years in Jamaica and Kentucky before settling in Pennsylvania. Since 1987, the Pannings have been part of Plains Mennonite Church (Hatfield, PA), becoming members in 2004. Janet is deeply involved in the life of the congregation—she currently serves as Chair of the Elders and contributes through children’s music, choir, playing piano during worship, serving as a host family, and participating in a small group. 

Panning has also served extensively at the Conference level. She has been a member of the Ministerial Committee for many years, with Franconia and Mosaic Conference, and has served as Chair of the committee since 2019. 

Panning retired in 2024 from the Montgomery County (PA) Office of Public Health. She continues her advocacy and health work as a consultant with Children First’s PA Lead-Free Promise Project. Earlier in her career, she spent 18 years working in refugee resettlement, on a staff team helping thousands of individuals from Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Uzbekistan, Myanmar, Syria, Iraq, the DRC, Ethiopia, and beyond find new homes and employment in the region.  

When asked about her hopes for joining the Executive Committee of the Board, Panning responded, “That together we can find the courage to follow Jesus in our broken and beautiful world. My hope is that we can discern together what the reconciliation of Jesus means in our families, our neighborhoods, our church communities, our countries and our world, and that together we can have the courage to follow Jesus in challenging times.” 

Outside of her professional and church commitments, Panning enjoys biking with her husband, reading, and spending time with their three grandsons. A recent highlight was an Amtrak journey across the country, where she particularly cherished the hours spent following the Colorado River through the Rocky Mountains. 

Mosaic Conference requires all Board members to be 18 years or older and active members of a Mosaic congregation. While no other criteria are formally outlined in the bylaws, desired qualities include a commitment to following Jesus, spiritual discernment, active involvement in church life, and experience in leadership, with an emphasis on representing the geographic and cultural diversity of the Conference. 

With her decades of dedication, cross-cultural experience, and spiritual depth, Panning will bring a strong foundation of leadership and compassion to the role of Assistant Moderator. 

Jennifer Svetlik

Jennifer is Director of Community Engagement & Editor for Mosaic. She grew up near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in intentional community in Washington DC, before moving to Lansdale, PA. She serves as Children’s Faith Formation Director at Salford Mennonite (Harleysville, PA).

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to the author(s), contact us at communication@mosaicmennonites.org.   

The Pastoral Call of Manuel García

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by Manuel García

Pastor Manuel García with his family.

As far back as I can remember, I admired my father’s passion for the pastorate. I grew up accompanying him to preach in different places, traveling to towns and rural communities in the Colombian Caribbean region in evangelistic activities. I remember with emotion his words challenging the faith of the sick and affirming with conviction that there is salvation in Christ.

On the other hand, my mother, a tireless and loving Sunday school teacher, touched my heart with her tenderness and dedication. I saw her prepare her classes with care, teaching the children every Sunday with patience and love. Her example taught me that ministry is not only about teaching, but also serving with dedication and passion. 

Given this inspiration from my parents, I have always longed with all my being to receive my pastoral credentials. Being a pastor is not just a title for me, but the greatest award that my heart has desired. 

In 2024, I was interviewed several times by different members of Mosaic Conference in the process of obtaining my credentials. Each conversation was a space where I could share my journey, my experiences, and my calling. I felt like a child in a toy store, with my heart full of joy and gratitude. 

The day I received the acceptance message was unforgettable. I hugged my wife and cried with happiness. At that moment, my mind traveled through the memories, processes, and experiences that God allowed me to live up to that moment. 

Finally, in 2025, we traveled to Medellín, Colombia, to officially receive my credentials. It was a cold and rainy Sunday morning, a perfect setting to remember the wonders of God. In a simple ceremony, surrounded by the majesty of the Central Mountain Range of the Colombian Andes, under a kiosk without walls where the birdsong accompanied the moment, I was called to the center by brother Marco Güete. 

I felt the hands of my brothers on me and, with them, the presence of God enveloping me. When I received my credentials, my heart filled with gratitude and humility. A dream had come true. 

My wife was at my side, while my children ran through the rain enjoying nature. In my heart, I longed for my community, Resplandece Mennonite Church (Pembroke Pines, FL and hybrid), to be present in person.  

However, thanks to our hybrid connection, we shared a video and some photos with them. Shortly after, through WhatsApp, a shower of messages of congratulations and affirmations filled my soul with joy. 

It was a wonderful Sunday, a day that will remain etched in my memory. We closed the day with a delicious traditional Colombian meal, celebrating not only a personal achievement, but the faithfulness of God in this calling that has marked my life. 

Manuel García

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to the author(s), contact us at communication@mosaicmennonites.org.   

My Calling to Pastoral Ministry

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By Makinto

Growing up as an atheist in a staunchly secular German family, nothing prepared me nor foreshadowed my call to ministry, other than the will and plan of God in his infinite mercy and wisdom. Although I was surrounded by churches, the primary purpose of a church, in the eyes of my father, was to host organ concerts or be the objects of admiration for historical facts and architectural beauty. Although a protestant church offered rehearsal space to my first teen jazz band, the first time I heard the gospel was at age 16, on a European bicycle tour, when I was accosted by a barely older teen at a fountain in Rotterdam, Netherlands who explained Jesus to me in two minutes. 

Curiously, many of the songs I wrote in my early professional music career, even before coming to Christ, talked about mercy, love, a higher power or even God. It was as if my spirit longed to have a relationship with a creator I didn’t know. God also endowed me with a personality that seeks balance and reconciliation and is interested in other people’s well-being, thus foreshadowing pastoral characteristics. 

 As a professional musician and performer, I was keenly aware that music had the power to bring people together and create an atmosphere of unity, albeit temporarily. I even experienced the redeeming and healing power of music: one night in Paris at an after-hours jazz bar, I performed an original song describing the power and glory of God (this was 10 years prior to giving my life to the Lord Jesus). A distinguished elderly lady in the audience was healed from a chronic condition, which she testified about tearfully the following night, attributing it to listening to my song the previous evening. Although I lacked a personal relationship with God at the time, I nevertheless got a glimpse of God’s power and care for his people.   

Being a critical and analytical person, I researched every mayor religion to understand their core values and teachings: I read the Quran, the Bhagavat Ghita, Confucian Analects, and the Bible. All these writings talked about love as the central element of God’s transforming power and character. Fast forward to 1999 at Day Spring Church, a Bible-believing, Holy Spirit-filled charismatic church in New York City. I was increasingly convinced that the real, living God teaching, expressing, and modeling true love was the one who sacrificed himself on the cross for the people he loved. On a trip to Burkina Faso in May 2000, I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

My wife Mukarabe and I promptly immersed ourselves in praise, prophetic, and intercessory ministry and were ordained into ministry by Dayspring Church in NYC in 2003. That same year, prompted by the Holy Spirit, we left the East Coast and journeyed 11 months in a travel trailer across the continental United States. God taught us valuable lessons concerning faith, prophetic ministry, provision, healing, and obedience. We became the praise team for a church in Mississippi for three months, opened a soup kitchen, held revival and reconciliation services, and praised Him on campgrounds, city parks, and churches of many denominations in what we called “A family traveling for Jesus.”  

In 2005 God led us to Los Angeles (California) Faith Chapel, an urban church in LA mostly attended by Nigerians and African Americans, affiliated at the time with PSMC (Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference). Pastor Chuwang Pam invited me to be part of his pastoral staff as Associate Pastor of Worship and Men’s ministry, true to the central mission of the church found in 2 Timothy 2:2.  

Since then, God has allowed me to serve three churches as Pastor of Worship and Musical director, teach and preach the word, gain a certificate in Anabaptist studies from Hesston College, and be a credentialed minister in the process of ordination at Mosaic Conference.  

My pastoral role extends also to our mission in East Africa. Amahoro International, our nonprofit organization and Conference-Related Ministry (CRM) of Mosaic Conference, operates a refugee development center in Uganda. I have come to realize that God has equipped me for service in unorthodox pastoral, missional, and counseling positions that don’t always fit traditional church settings. The same is true for Joyful Music & Arts, the music school I founded in 2009 in California. Many students call me their pastor, and some of them do not attend or are not declared Christians.  

This is not to say that I won’t at some point respond to a pastoral calling in a local church or plant one, here in the US or in Africa. But I have learned to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, and He has often led me towards unorthodox ministry according to His will. His thoughts are indeed higher than our thoughts, and his plans higher than ours. Despite my own shortcomings, I have learned to trust and wait on God’s leading. 

Makinto

Pastor Makinto is director of Amahoro International, a mission organization promoting peace and development in East Africa, a Conference-Related Ministry. He has toured the world for 30 years as an international musical performer. 

A Pilgrimage of Formation: The Call of Pastor Juan José Rivera (Seguidores de Cristo, Sarasota, FL)

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Pastor Juan José Rivera (right) sings together with Leadership Minister Marco Güete (left) and Tomás Ramírez (center, Luz y Vida Mennonite) at a Mosaic Florida pastors meeting in February 2024, at Pastor Secundino Casa’s ranch in Tampa.

The Lord called me to establish 25 churches, travel to different places, and form new leaders. 

As a youth in Honduras, I took a chance at serving as an altar boy in my Catholic church for a while. I wanted to confirm for myself that the Catholic church was the true one, and in a way, contradict the Evangelical church. However, when I noticed time and time again the priest could not answer my questions, and the Christian pastor always could, God began to call me to a different path. 

My conversion to Protestantism caused fights between my parents and me. They forced me to decide between them or my religion. I tried to explain, “it’s not religion, it’s Jesus,” but my mother kicked me out of her house. Thus, a pilgrimage began in my life. 

In my newfound independence there was of course the need to survive, but I did not want to leave the church. I began studying and obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH). 

There was a pastor and some church members who helped me complete my theological studies. I studied with the church Iglesia de la Santidad, where I was taught through a Bible institute not unlike today’s Anabaptist Bible Institute (IBA). Afterward, I went to seminary in Costa Rica for three years. 

I later taught as part of a missionary outreach program with Lancaster Mennonite Conference (LMC) and obtained a certificate from the Anabaptist Hispanic Biblical Seminary (SeBAH). 

While studying in the Semilla Seminary in Honduras, I was invited to work with LMC in the U.S. I arrived there in 1988 with my wife Elena and my children Isaac, Islia Edith, Jacer (born in Honduras), and later, my son Wolseley was born in New Jersey. 

In Camden (NJ) I established the church Iglesia Menonita Manantial de Vida (Fountain of Life) as an LMC church. I was a member of the council of Hispanic Mennonite churches in Pennsylvania and participated as coordinator of the Mennonite churches in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  

Years later, I read in a Mennonite newspaper that they were looking for leaders to help consolidate a Mennonite church in Sarasota, Florida. I went to Sarasota with the goal of establishing the congregation, which consisted of newcomers. Marco Güete recommended that we join Mosaic Conference. 

This has been just a little of what I have done in my ministry. The theme of establishing congregations has been present in my life since I was young. God calls me to train leaders using Jesus’ method described in Matthew 28:19 (NLT): “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” 

I did not feel worthy: the call of Pastor Fernando Loyola (Centro de Alabanza) 

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by Fernando Loyola

Transcribed and translated by Andrés Castillo

In my father’s room I stumbled across a Bible passage: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Mat 5:8). I did not consider myself pure in heart—on the contrary, in those days I was an alcoholic and had been abusing my authority as a policeman. I began to cry. 

In this context, in Mexico, I received my call. I was neither a Christian nor did I know what it meant to read the Bible. 

One day, the desire to follow Christ came to me, but I didn’t know where to start. I told my mother, who simply responded, “you already follow Christ.” While it was true that my family was Catholic, I knew that even drug traffickers in my country aligned with the Catholic faith. I replied, “I feel like there is more to following Christ.” 

One day my older brother introduced me to Kirk Hanger, a Mennonite missionary, and through him I learned about the gospel. I started going to church, where I met my wife, Letty. I began studying and became a teacher. Although I still didn’t understand what it meant to follow Christ, I wasn’t drinking, and things were going better for me. 

Unfortunately, the increased salary of the new job influenced me, and I relapsed. I stopped going to church and my wife’s leadership role was taken away. I began to be mentally and verbally abusive to her, which caused her to leave me and take our two daughters with her. I reacted by doing what I knew best: I drank. 

I was ready to let myself die, so much so that I ended up with alcohol poisoning and my sister, a nurse, aided me in recovery. The Lord reminded me of something I had once said: “God, I know You exist, but I want to live my life my way.” 

I went to a rehabilitation center. During my time there, I felt that the Lord was calling me to go to the United States. I knew my wife, Letty, was there and while I was finishing my rehabilitation program, she called me and invited me to come reunite with her. 

Despite the possible dangers, I believed it was what I should do. “Don’t the United States belong to me?” God asked me. The next day I started the journey and managed to get to Denver, where my wife lived. This call really was from God. 

In Denver, Letty and I went to church, worked, and lived “the American dream.” One day through Kirk Hanger my wife received a call to go to Philadelphia. I was helping her there when we suddenly received a call; Aldo Siahaan from Philadelphia Praise Center (PPC) was looking for a pastor who could help engage the Hispanic community. 

Shortly after accepting PPC’s invitation, people began to call me “pastor.” I did not feel worthy. I prayed, “God, confirm this call, and may there be no shortage of food in my house.” 

We now live a few minutes’ walk from Centro de Alabanza’s new building, which is undergoing renovations. I am studying at Anabaptist Mennonite Bible Seminary (AMBS). Some members of the church are studying with the Anabaptist Bible Institute (IBA) and with the Hispanic Anabaptist Bible Seminary (SeBAH) and my wife and I lead Bible studies. 

We have two daughters: Fernanda, 22, who supports with praise by playing the piano; and Daniela, 19, who is studying law. My hobbies are watching movies based on real events with my wife and reading about Biblical topics. 

Crazy for Jesus: Virgo Handojo’s Call Story

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by Virgo Handojo

My childhood was filled with the traditions and rites of Chinese culture, which are still deeply rooted in my heart. Unfortunately, those beautiful memories did not last long. Changes in political policy in Indonesia at that time prohibited the development of Chinese traditions. Even so, Chinese teachings and traditions still leave an imprint on my mind. 

Junior high is the second place where I learned of God. I was educated in a Catholic school. Here I learned that attending mass at church is more important than knowing God or learning from the Bible. When I was in junior high school, I attended catechism for one year to be baptized as a Catholic. 

Monday afternoon, March 5, 1979, was an extraordinary day in my life. God touched my life. Tiong Gie, my hometown friend and childhood friend, invited me to a prayer meeting where I experienced a new birth. It is difficult to describe in words, but I have felt the touch of the Divine hand. Since then, I have started to learn to hear and obey God’s voice and live with Him. 

Virgo Handojo speaking at JKI Anugerah. Photo provided by Virgo Handojo.

Meanwhile God began to expand my ministry and relationships with other Christians. Through the Sangkakala family led by Mr. Adi Sutanto with a prayer meeting in Semarang, God began to train my life, together with young people my age. We took turns preaching, becoming traveling evangelists to other villages and cities. Through a network of families, jobs, schools, and the services of the Sangakakala foundation, this spiritual movement and its prayer groups have spread to other cities.  

Through these services I grew both spiritually and in ministry experience. At that time, we also started to plant churches, both in villages and cities, at home and abroad. Through this youth movement, many mission foundations, synods, and new churches have sprung up, both at home and abroad. 

I was involved in the pioneering of the Indonesian Christian Congregation Synod (JKI Synod), which is theologically affiliated with the Charismatic Anabaptist movement. In 1986 I was ordained and served at the Maranatha Indonesian Christian Congregation church, Ungaran. Together with the JKI synod, we started the Maranatha Bible School, which became the seed of Sangkakala High School, Salatiga. 

In 1987, with just $65, I landed in Los Angeles to study at Fuller Theological Seminary. By God’s grace, I managed to complete three master’s degrees in the fields of Intercultural Studies, Theology, and Leadership, and in 2000 a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Studies from the School of Psychology. In 1989 God brought me and my wife to Mrs. Dina Boon from the city of Sierra Madre, CA. We were asked to clean Mrs. Dina Boon’s house from dark powers.  

Through this ministry, the International House Fellowship was born in Dina Boon’s house. At the end of 1990 this family association grew to 30-50 people from 10-13 different nationalities. Through this partnership, the Anugerah Indonesian Christian Congregation (JKIA) was born on September 19, 1992, at the Free Methodist Church, Pasadena. The first services began on Sunday, September 20, 1992. A few months later the church moved to Sierra Madre Congregational Church in Sierra Madre, CA. 

At the San Jose Mennonite General Assembly (July 4, 2007), JKIA, along with two Indonesian Mennonite churches in Los Angeles and the Philadelphia Praise Center (PPC), established the Indonesian Mennonite Association (IMA). Today IMA is a member of the Racial Ethnic Council of the Mennonite Church USA. Truly, God exists, is miraculous, and really loves us all. Amen. 

My Narrative of Inadequacy, Flipped Upside Down

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by Gary Alloway

Growing up, I was a kid who was a good at everything but never excelled at any one thing. I was a committed athlete, but never a star. I was a good student, but there were always a few students above me. I had friends, but others were more charismatic. Since I never had my own “thing,” I always saw this as a weakness in myself.  

When I was 16, God got a hold of my life, and I chose to follow Jesus. At age 18, in a moment of doubt and desperation, I heard God speak the words, “Serve me.” I consider those two moments to be my points of calling. I gave my life to serving God and helping broken people find Jesus.

And yet, for much of my young adulthood, I wandered. I wandered intellectually, trying to find how my beliefs held together. I wandered theologically, exploring everything from evangelicalism to Orthodoxy. I wandered between non-profit ministry and pursuing an academic career, and somewhere in the midst of this, I got a business degree.

At age 24, I was in seminary and not sure what I was doing with my life. I still felt like I was good at a little bit of everything but was not excelling at any one thing.  

One day, God turned this narrative on its head. I was talking with an old friend, and a light came on. Jesus took the narrative of inadequacy and said to me, “You are exactly who I need you to be.”  

Suddenly, I looked again at pastoral ministry and realized that this is a job that requires being good at a little bit of everything rather than being good at one particular thing, especially in the local church. What other job requires public speaking, counseling, budgeting, and knowing the basics of building repair? What other job changes so drastically from day to day … I may be planning a liturgy at one moment and planning a community meal in the next. What other job provides new challenges in every season, often ones that I could never foresee?  

I attended an academic seminary. I remember a professor, who had served the church for many years, say, “If you really want to use your brain, go into pastoral ministry, not academics.” He was right. For someone whose brain likes to wander in a million directions, pastoral ministry never runs out of things to think about. For someone who gets bored easily, pastoral ministry provides something new in every season. For someone who is good at a little bit of everything, but fails to have a specialty, pastoral ministry is a perfect fit.  

I often get exhausted by the ever-changing, never-settled state of the local church. But if church work ever gets boring, then I will probably be ready to move on. So, today I celebrate the local church, with all its chaos and challenges, and am thankful God made me just as I am. 

Gary Alloway

Gary Alloway is a pastor and church planter of Redemption Church of Bristol (PA), which is a Mosaic Partner in Ministry and was founded in 2009.  Gary serves with his wife, Susan, and his children, Augie (9) and Rosey (7), who deeply love pretzel dogs from the Bristol Amish Market.  Gary has a passion for Philadelphia sports, crossword puzzles, and for seeing broken people connect to the amazing love of God.