Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Charlene Smalls

The Fruit of the Spirit Is Showing Up

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by Charlene Smalls

In March of this year, I received an invitation to join Sandy Drescher-Lehman (Methacton [PA]) for a sermon preparation group, in which Mosaic pastors could come together to study from the Lectionary and prepare for upcoming sermons. During our most recent session, we reflected on how valuable this time has become for each of us. Today we would like to invite others to come alongside us and share in this experience. We have organically leaned into what it is to be Mosaic together, serving and sharing life as we study scripture and prepare for the work assigned to us.  

In the group, we reflected that there are other pastors across the U.S. studying from the lectionary for their upcoming sermons too. I wonder if God is pleased with this nationwide oneness, even if our sermons and contexts are different. Participating in this group has lightened the sermon prep load for me. It is a gift to sit with your peers in ministry, wrestle with Scripture, and see the different sermons that take shape in the group. 

Recently as we studied the scriptures together, we recognized that God has been working in us to deepen our study time and build relationships. God is allowing us to share about our varied contexts, which gives us a peek into the wholeness of the Kingdom God. The Fruit of the Spirit is showing up in this group.  

You are invited to join us virtually on Tuesdays at 10:30 eastern time. Contact Beverly Benner-Miller at Beverly@plainsmennonitechurch.org for the link.  

Charlene Smalls

Charlene Smalls is co-pastor of Ripple in Allentown, PA.

May 2024 Faith and Life Gathering: The Foundation of the Church 

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by Charlene Smalls, Noel Santiago and Hendy Matahelemual

The Faith and Life Commission of Mosaic Conference provides space for pastors and credentialed leaders to build ties of friendship and support. We convene quarterly to discuss scripture and listen to how we might interpret and apply those scriptures. We pray for each other and our congregations in light of our reflections. We seek to develop relationships of mutual trust and accountability, deepening our convictions and the involvement we have in the congregations we lead. (based on the reflections of Lindy Backues [Philadelphia Praise Center]) 

Captions: Participants gather virtually for the May Faith and Life Gathering. Photo by Hendy Matahelemual.
Participants gather at Wellspring Church of Skippack (PA). Photo by Noel Santiago. 

Gathering online one day and in person the next, credentialed leaders from around Mosaic gathered to read, reflect, share, and pray for each other during the May 2024 Faith and Life Gathering.  

The theme for this gathering’s focus was the Foundation of the Church. Using 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, three questions opened the conversation: 

  1. Building is a process. Building communities, relationships, and the Kingdom of God here on earth requires work. What can we hold on to and what can we release so that together we strengthen the foundation? (One waters, one plants, God gives the increase). 
  2. How are we building the church or laying the foundation in the context of our priorities – Formational, Missional, and Intercultural? 
  3. What partnering has helped deepen and strengthened you and your ministry? 

A sampling of what participants shared included: 

  • How do we move on and make peace with the people that have not returned to our congregations, after attempts to reach out and embrace what is new?  
  • A recognition that if we cannot talk to one another, how can we talk to or share Good News with others? 
  • Always bring the process of building back to Jesus. 
  • How well do we understand one another’s context, recognizing the differences within the Mosaic Conference? 
  • Having a clear articulation of who we are and not allowing our political views to interfere with Kingdom work, which can pose a danger to the strength of the building.  
  • The importance of being rooted in our gifts and learning from each other, staying humble despite our differences, and remaining open to transformation. 
  • Heartfelt, deep sharing and praying 

While those gathered were small in numbers, the wisdom, care, sharing, and prayers abounded. May God continue to help us build the church on the foundation of Jesus! 

Charlene Smalls

Charlene Smalls is co-pastor of Ripple in Allentown, PA.

Noel Santiago

Noel Santiago is the Leadership Minister for Missional Transformation for Mosaic Conference.

Hendy Matahelemual

Hendy Matahelemual is the Associate Minister for Community Engagement for Mosaic Conference.

Energized by Love and Peace

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HONORING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

by Eileen Kinch

If you visit Ripple Church on a Wednesday morning, you will likely find Pastor Charlene Smalls cooking. She makes hot, fresh meals for the unsheltered and takes the food to the Allentown Transit Center, where she gives the food to the hungry and homeless. Spend the rest of the day with her, and you will probably pick up food donations for the next hot meal. “I love to cook,” she says. “It’s me pouring myself into ministry.”   

In 2020, Smalls became the first African American woman to be credentialed in Mosaic Conference, as well as in the former Franconia and Eastern District Conferences. At the time, she did not think of the historical significance, but today she is honored and wants to live up to this distinction. “I was called to serve in this space at this time,” she says. “I have been called to be a light in my community and in the Mennonite faith.” 

Photo provided by Charlene Smalls.

Smalls, a New Jersey native who has lived in Allentown, PA for 35 years, is one of four co-pastors at Ripple Church (Allentown, PA). Before her time with Ripple, she was a servant leader at Union Baptist Church with Helping Hands International. Helping Hands focuses on immediate, practical needs. Smalls helped to run a clothing bank and organized back-to-school events that provided backpacks and school supplies for students. She also organized Thanksgiving dinners for needy families. 

Photo provided by Charlene Smalls.

But Ripple Church offered something else Pastor Charlene was looking for: an opportunity to meet needs, but also to connect deeply to the community, even to its suffering. She has a passion for people who are broken. At Ripple, she ministers to the forgotten: the unhoused, the mentally unstable, and the addicted. Ripple Church also invites and welcomes these folks to worship. 

During a summer internship with Ripple Inc., a separate nonprofit organization, Pastor Charlene learned that, like the Baptists with whom she worshiped before, Mennonites value salvation. But Mennonites also value peace.  

“Salvation without peace is incomplete,” she points out. Peace with God comes from Jesus’ presence in our lives, but it also comes in other ways, such as accepting God’s comfort when we are distressed. God’s peace must be modeled in our lives, churches, and families.  

Pastor Charlene is especially grateful for the peace she experiences through prayer, Scripture, and music. This is important because some days the work of ministry is difficult. Accepting God’s call to ministry means saying yes to pastoral phone calls at 3:00 am. It also means seeing suffering but recognizing human limitations to address it. The peace and joy that Christ offers amid chaos and heaviness is not as the world gives. 

Pastor Charlene looks forward to God directing her path in future peacebuilding work. She wants to invite those who hold power to “experience people of color in a deeper way.” She hopes that by sharing power and sharing space, people will be open to the transformative work of peace and justice. 

Pastor Charlene is grateful for her co-pastors at Ripple Church. The co-pastors divide the tasks of worship and fellowship. Pastor Charlene often preaches and leads worship on the first and second Sundays of the month. During the week, she is involved in cooking meals and visitation. This involves visits to the hospital or to the sick and shut in.  

Photo provided by Charlene Smalls.

On the days when ministry is hard and even ugly, Pastor Charlene never experiences any lack of strength. God is faithful and always sends help.  “Each day brings new challenges, trauma, and blessing,” she says. “But I still say, ‘Yes, Lord.’” 

Eileen Kinch

Eileen Kinch is part of the Mosaic communication team and works with editing and writing. She holds a Master of Divinity degree, with an emphasis in the Ministry of Writing, from Earlham School of Religion.

Listening to Wisdom’s Call

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Faith and Life Gathering Reflection

by Charlene Smalls

The August 17 Faith and Life Gathering gave me the opportunity to be the voice of wisdom.  Following introductions, we prayed for the leading of the Holy Spirit to be with us, as we discerned what wisdom had to say. The people at my table asked me to read the scripture, so that we might hear wisdom from a woman’s voice, as personified in Proverbs 8:1-5 (NIRV).

1Doesn’t wisdom call out? 
    Doesn’t understanding raise her voice? 
2 At the highest point along the way, 
    she takes her place where the paths meet. 
3 Beside the gate leading into the city, 
    she cries out at the entrance. She says, 
4 “People, I call out to you. 
    I raise my voice to all human beings. 
5 You who are childish, get some good sense. 
    You who are foolish, set your hearts on getting it. 

As a woman, I was captivated. I sensed the Holy Spirit speaking, saying that wisdom calls and she is like a mother who meets her children at all points. No matter where they are, she is there, beckoning them to safety and assurance. She is bold in her efforts to make sure they receive all that she has to offer, and when they veer off the path, she stands tall like a willow tree blocking their path to destruction. When they call, she answers. 

Does wisdom not point us to a loving God, the one who answers when we call, giving direction? But we don’t always like the answer, so we ignore wisdom’s nudge to turn to God and away from destruction.  

After reading Proverbs 8, we discussed four questions. Below are the questions and a summary of our responses:  

What are the characteristics of wisdom described in this passage?

Some of wisdom’s characteristics are slow, but powerful, and attainable. Wisdom is knowledge and experience correctly applied. Wisdom is the ability to discern what is right and what is wrong. 

What is wisdom’s call or counsel and to whom?

Wisdom’s call and counsel is to all humankind. It calls us to live and share a life centered in Christ, a life lived in light and not darkness. Wisdom invites us to live life at its best.  

How are we to access the needed wisdom to help us know how to proceed?  

To access this wisdom, we need to create safe spaces where we can listen, yield, and be open to receiving wisdom. “Wisdom creates a safe space to share our deepest and hardest questions through a spirit of love that frees us from fear,” said Noel Santiago. 

How can we support one another as we pursue wisdom in our different ministry contexts?  

We need to make ourselves available to one another outside of meetings, conferences, and other formal settings. We must respect our differences and seek understanding of those differences. We need to listen so that we hear in different contexts and pray for a non-anxious spirit as we guide our congregations. We also need to pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance on how deep to go into the issues being addressed at this fall’s Assembly. 

It is our prayer that these conversations will help us to speak clearly and truthfully, lead justly and diligently, and to pursue wisdom before riches, power, status, or anything else.

Charlene Smalls

Charlene Smalls is co-pastor of Ripple in Allentown, PA.

Is Pentecost Still Relevant Today?

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On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, as promised by Jesus, descended on the followers who gathered together — in one accord — in Jerusalem.

That day, they were transformed from a body of believers to the first church of Jesus Christ. People visiting Jerusalem from all over the world could hear the invitation of the gospel in their own language. It was an invitation to come, as well as an invitation to go share the good news.

A new narrative of the power of Jesus was written that day. Jesus keeps his promises! The promise of the Holy Spirit had been fulfilled. Language barriers had been broken, and now, all people could share in the gospel. The gift of truth had been loosed into the atmosphere to teach us, empower us, bind us in relationship, equip us for the work of reconciliation, convict us of injustice, guide us into all truth, and help us to live a life more like Jesus.

So if you were to ask me if the power of the Holy Spirit is still relevant and at work in our lives today, I would say, “yes,” in spite of ourselves. God is still renewing our minds, convicting our hearts and leading us to repentance. Yes, the Holy Spirit still draws us to God for the work of the kingdom, even when the work seems too hard. God still guides us into all truth, so that our hearts hear and understand the need of all people to be one, as intended. The Holy Spirit enables us to consider the hopes, dreams and conditions of others, even when popular culture dictates that we don’t.

Each Sunday at our church, we light a Christ candle to remind us that Jesus is the light of the world and that God is still among us. That light stood in unison with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, giving power to the powerless and hope to the hopeless. That power is still at work in us today, guiding us to a timeless God, to do a timeless work. Peace and blessings to all who labor for the glory of God.

Don’t Miss Mosaic’s Pentecost Worship Service!

Wednesday, June 15, 2022
7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT

Learn More

This article was reprinted from Mennonite Church USA with permission. To view the original article, please click here.

Gathering at the Table

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Editor’s Note: Nations & Generations Gatherings are a component of our annual Assembly gathering. These gatherings, are held for the leaders of the Global Majority (the leaders of color) in Mosaic Conference. Three gatherings, November 15 (English), November 18 (Indonesian), and November 20 (Spanish), were held via zoom this year.

I am a firm believer in God’s intentionality. On November 15, I had the pleasure of gathering with a small, diverse group of people from our Mosaic Conference for a gathering entitled, Nations and Generations. Not clear with our purpose at first, I quickly realized this was transformational work in progress.

It is my belief, that by divine appointment, those who were there for this session are those that were meant to be there. There was some pain at the table and a clear need for healing. Healing from seeing and experiencing racial injustice in sacred spaces. There was sorrow and regret at the table. Sorrow and regret that was birthed out of guilt by association. Bitterness had a seat at the table. Bitterness that had grown out of years of past hurt.

There were those who wanted to forget and those who wanted to remember. Those who felt like insiders and those who felt like outsiders. There were those who had a deep desire for transparency, trust, and truth.

But most importantly, Hope was at the table. Hope … that one day we would sit at a unified table where power, resources, and decision-making are evenly distributed. Where there is no them and us. Just one nation under God for generations to come.

The Generations that make up Mosaic Conference, with all its broken pieces, need to be at the table. For the ones who want to forget, let the elders help them remember. Remember the good for its value and the bad so it is not repeated.

Needs that were identified by this Nations & Generations Gathering:

  • Shoulder tapping to gather the nations and Generations together.
  • A realization of a different language, but a unified heart.
  • Sharing of power, resources, decision-making.
  • Realization that there is a History of Black Mennonites.
  • Recognition of all the history being built within the Conference.
  • Be the change that we are talking about.
  • We must engage in honest conversations that lead to forgiveness, not sweeping it under the rug.
  • We want to learn to live the example of Jesus who invites all to the table. Meeting them where they are in their language. Jesus knew he could not reconcile with people if He looked down on them, was condescending, or patronizing. Instead, Jesus desired to know them in their context.
  • We must look at our Conference in its entirety. Those who have been around a long time, both white people and people of color, have thoughts of a truly mosaic conference. Those who have paved the way in the Mennonite faith, we need you at the table. You have valuable wisdom and knowledge to share. You bring history. All of the nuances bring life.

Celebrating our African-American Culture

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Charlene Smalls, minister at Ripple (Allentown, PA), is passionate about educating our African American community of its rich history and rich roots. Her passion is heightened now, in this time of grief and trauma due to COVID-19, our inability to gather with family and friends in community, and racial unrest and injustice. She invites all of us to awaken to the needs of the Black community and work together to address those needs.

“Awaken my brothers and sisters to the rich roots and culture of the Black men and women that you sit with, mostly in silence. Embrace us as a people, a culture, and a community,” Smalls said. “Sit with your heart rather than just speaking from your education and your book learning and look at the picture. You can not speak to an issue that you haven’t lived.”  

From December 26 to January 1, Smalls shared about Kwanzaa, a weeklong celebration of African and African American culture, with her congregation. “I heard about diversity, diversity, diversity when I came into the conference. I learned about the Mennonite faith, accepted it, and celebrated it as my faith,” said Smalls. “Kwanzaa celebrates and affirms black people. I invite you to learn and celebrate our culture, accomplishments, and principles with us in the same spirit that I celebrate with you.”  

Yvonne Platts, of Nueva Vida Norristown (PA) New Life, has been celebrating Kwanzaa for many years. Because of COVID-19, she went online to share the principles. She hopes that people can see and embrace the beauty, strength, and gifts of Black people.  

Minister Charlene Smalls and Yvonne Platts posted videos of their Kwanzaa celebrations on Facebook. Learn more about Kwanzaa through these videos that our sisters recorded with commitment, love, and passion.  

“Kwanzaa offers a new dialogue on Black culture, about our positive contributions to the world, and not just the negative stigma of race,” says Dr. Adam Clark, associate professor of theology, Xavier University. “The beauty of Kwanzaa is it doesn’t start Black history from slavery,” explains Clark. “It actually starts us as inventors of civilizations.”

Kwanzaa, comes from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza,” or “first fruits of harvest.”  It is celebrated annually, December 26 through January 1. 

The seven principles (nguzo saba) of Kwanzaa include: 

  • Unity (umoja)  – To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. Unity in Christ – Ephesians 4:1-6;11-13
  • Self-determination (kujichagulia): To define, name, create, and speak for ourselves.  Take Hold of the Prize – Philippians 3:12-17
  • Collective work and responsibility (ujima): To build and maintain community; to make our brothers and sisters’ problems our problems, and to solve them together.  Working Together – I Thessalonians 5:12-18
  • Cooperative economics (ujamaa):  To build and maintain our own businesses and profit together from them.  Community Harvest – 2 Corinthians 9:10-15
  • Purpose (nia): Our collective vocation is one that builds and develops our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.  Caring for One Another – Hebrews 13:1-7
  • Creativity (kuumba): To always do as much as we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.  Sharing Our Gifts – 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
  • Faith (imani):  To believe fully in our parents, teachers, leaders, people, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. Faith, Love and Understanding – Ephesians 1:15-25

The primary symbols of Kwanzaa are the seven candles, candle holder, unity cup, placemat, crops, corn, and gifts. A key custom during Kwanzaa is the daily lighting of the Kinara, the candle holder. The black candle symbolizes the people themselves, the red candles are for the struggle or blood shed in the past, and the green candles represent the Earth or the abundance of future possibilities.

Called To Care, Sent To Serve

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by Charlene Smalls, Ripple congregation (Allentown, PA) 

Charlene Smalls, co-pastor of Ripple, preaches during a Sunday worship service.

I was raised by a long line of strong, God-fearing, caring black women who believed that there was power in knowing the name of Jesus. I sense there has always been a call on my life to serve God. As a young girl growing up in the Baptist church, I could strongly sense the presence of God, but had not grown in my understanding of the person of Jesus Christ yet. That understanding actually came with lots of life lessons and a long journey. 

I had two grandmothers that I attended church with: one was Pentecostal, the other was Baptist. I believe I learned to sense the presence of God from my Pentecostal roots, but was drawn to Baptist theology because of its structure. The gift of God, given to me from both these women, helped me get through the loss of a sibling, living with a grieving mother, having a father who returned from the military with a drug addiction, and my own mistakes and failures. The one consistent thing in my life was the presence of God, to which I was always drawn, no matter what. 

In 1989, after a failed marriage, I moved to Pennsylvania and joined the Union Baptist Church where my spiritual growth truly began. I was blessed to remarry, and I have been gracefully married for 30 years to my soulmate. After opening a nail salon that I called Intimate Expressions, my call and ministry unknowingly began. Sitting in that business day after day, as Jesus healed me, He used me to help bring healing to others. 

Life is full of storms, and it was in the midst of a storm that I received my call. I can remember pacing and praying one evening. When God spoke it was not to answer my prayer, but to announce the call on my life. I was thinking, “You have to be kidding! I am broken. How can I minister to others?” 

I have come to realize that I was called to care. I see my call as a sending, God telling me to “Go.” I knew God was sending me, and I knew that wherever He sent me, He would also be with me, as He always has been. 

After being a licensed Baptist minister, receiving my degree in Arts and Religion at Liberty University, and serving as Director of Outreach at Union Baptist Church for 15 years, I now serve as Co-Pastor at Ripple Mennonite Church. This is where Jesus has sent me to care for others. 

My experience with the Pentecostal faith taught me to sit in the presence of God and be open to the voice of the Holy Spirit. That same voice has now led me to this place and an understanding that Jesus is the center of my faith, community is truly the center of my life, and reconciliation is the purpose of those who are called to care.