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Conference Assembly 2024

Being Part of the Multitude

November 14, 2024 by Cindy Angela

by Marta Castillo

Thirteen people were recognized as newly credentialed leaders at the 2024 Mosaic Conference Assembly. They represented seven nations, four continents, five languages, and ten Mosaic congregations. What a beautiful sight! What a wonderful work of God’s Spirit!  

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’”

Revelation 7:9-10, NIV

Salvation belongs to our God! These are the leaders that God has called forth and into Mosaic from the east, the west, the north, and the south. These are the ones whose lives and ministries share the Good News. These are the ones who bring their calling, faith, experiences, culture, and love to share with us. What a powerful experience to be joyfully received and acknowledged by the gathered assembly and immediately empowered to anoint others in that space of hospitality and grace! 

After years and years of receiving predominantly white males as newly credentialed leaders, we began to see white women emerge as leaders alongside the men. Now we are experiencing a significant shift toward a diversity of men and women that reflect the multitude of heaven. It is cause for celebration and will mean a shift in the ways we are “conference” together.   

Do we understand what these shifts mean to our system? Being together is the same and yet different. Prayer is the same and yet different. Worship is the same and yet different. Making decisions is the same and yet different. Time is treated differently, and we flex to be less linear and less concerned with completing tasks and getting to business. We make time to drum together.  

We ALL need to graciously move aside to leave space for others. Our covenants of conversation are necessary to leave more room for Spirit movement and voices that are new and different as well as those who have been around for a long time.   

We are all feeling it; a deep sense of being welcomed and belonging and at certain times feeling out of place and unsure, no matter who we are. When prayers are spoken in only Spanish, Indonesian, or another language and there is no interpretation. As people around us at Assembly greet each other with hugs and excitedly chatting in a language we don’t understand.  

Pastor Effiem Obasi (left) with Leadership Minister Jeff Wright at LA (CA) Faith Chapel.  
Pastor Segundino Casa’s (center) ordination at Iglesia Menonita Shalom (Tampa, FL), being blessed by Leadership Minister Marco Guete.  

If you are used to understanding everything that is said everywhere you go, it is hard. If you are used to a certain way to process decisions and carefully track time and productivity, it is hard. If you are used to being more focused on the conversation and not watching the clock, it is also hard.  

If you are used to being the only one in the room who doesn’t understand or looks different, it is freeing to hear others speak your language and look like you. In whichever of these experiences, you find yourself, be gentle with yourself and others in the discomfort and in the joy. 

We are learning to be united in diversity. We are being mutually transformed. God is moving quickly before us and we are seeking to be obedient by getting out of our own way to receive the gift of being together in new ways, to see new people in leadership, and to experience being part of the “multitude.” Together we worship God and cry out, “Salvation belongs our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 

Let’s recognize that our experience together is beautiful and complicated as we “embody the reconciling love of Jesus in our broken and beautiful world.” 


Marta Castillo

Marta Castillo is the Associate Executive Minister for Mosaic Conference.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Conference Assembly 2024

Assembly 2024: Walking Humbly with God, Together

November 7, 2024 by Cindy Angela

by Jennifer Svetlik

Nearly 350 people gathered for Mosaic Mennonite Conference’s Assembly on November 2, 2024. The annual Assembly opened with worship (livestream available here), which included energetic singing led by a worship team from seven Mosaic congregations.  

The focus text for the Assembly’s theme, Walk Humbly with God, Micah 6:8, was read in eight worshiping languages of the conference, Cantonese, Creole, English, Indonesian, Karen, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Posters of bibles depicting the scripture in each language, were colored by guests of the Conference-Related Ministry (CRM) Ripple Community, Inc. The youth dance group from Whitehall (PA) Mennonite honored the Humble King.

The worship team had seven Mosaic congregations represented.

Keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Dennis Edwards preached on reclaiming humility as a marker of Christian identity, which he defines as “a way of life rooted in submission to God and demonstrated in actions that foster mutuality rather than competition.” 

He believes that the U.S. church will “have a stronger witness, more fruitful influence, and increasingly more Christ-like reputation if we recover what humility is meant to be,” which is neither a “self-help strategy” nor “something we can turn off and on.”  

Pointing out the various ways that humility is described in the scriptures, he said, “Humility has a trajectory. It starts out as submission to God, and then moves out like a projectile to influence others.” 

The theme scripture, Micah 6:8, was read in eight Mosaic worshipping languages. The bibles were colored by guests of Ripple Community, Inc., a Mosaic CRM. 

The time of worship included a prayer in three languages for Mosaic’s discernment around relating the MC USA, and for discernment in the upcoming U.S. elections, and a prayer for the thousands of employees, volunteers, and people impacted within the Mosaic Conference-Related Ministries (CRMs). 

Those gathered honored two credentialed leaders who had died in the past year and Boyertown (PA) Mennonite, which has closed. Thirteen new Mosaic leaders (newly credentialed or transferring credentials) were anointed and then offered anointing for all who wished to receive it. 

Thirteen credentialed leaders, who were credentialed or transferred their credentials over the past year, were anointed and then anointed anyone who wished to receive a blessing.  

Following worship was the morning session, where 170 delegates committed to a table covenant, engaged in relationship building, and reflected on what from worship would inform their work for the day. Communion was shared in the table groups, and the three new Mosaic member congregations and one new CRM were welcomed: Ark of Christ (Westminster, CA), Bethel Worship and Teaching Center (Levittown, PA), and Resplandece Mennonite (Pembroke Pines, FL and Barranquilla, Colombia) and The Worm Project (Lansdale, PA).  

Time for lunch, fellowship, and visiting with the leaders of Mosaic’s CRMs and other agencies followed the morning session.

In the afternoon delegate session, Mosaic Conference’s Associate Executive Minister Marta Castillo and Leadership Minister for Intercultural Transformation Danilo Sanchez shared about Mosaic’s Strategic Plan for 2025-2027, which is the primary outcome of a two-year strategic planning process led by Mosaic’s Pathway Steering Team, and the Vibrant Mosaic Program.    

The plan is centered around five pillars: Clarity/Identity, Communication, Leadership Development, Relationship Building, and Reconciliation, and some of the proposed activities include: study groups for history and theology, expanding the Ambassadors young leaders program and Nations and Generations gathering, a Mosaic cookbook, training in peace circles for resolving conflict, and mechanisms for more two-way communication. Delegates shared feedback on how they envision their congregations and CRMs participating in the work, and what challenges they anticipate.   

Makinto and Mukarabe Makinto, Associate Pastors of LA (CA) Faith Chapel and Directors of CRM Amahoro International, led the group in a powerful peacebuilding and drumming ritual, guided by Micah 6:8. 

Makinto and Murakabe Makinto led those gathered in a peacebuilding drumming ritual, guided by Micah 6:8 and related scriptures.

“Our time spent drumming is us being Mosaic,” Mosaic Conference Moderator Angela Moyer Walter reflected after Assembly. “When we drum, we are having fun together, soaking in scripture, listening to one another and our different rhythms, and making a beautiful song for God.” 

The afternoon included discernment on redefining Mosaic’s relationship with MC USA. Read more about the delegate sessions and the vote on partnership with MC USA. 

After the vote, the Philadelphia (PA) Praise Center youth worship team led the gathered body in songs of praise. Leadership Minister for Formation Rose Bender Cook led a body prayer of surrender, reminding those gathered that “humility is a posture of the heart.” 

Philadelphia (PA) Praise Center youth worship team led the gathered body in songs of praise.

Beyond the main event, the weekend included a brunch at the Dock campus of CRM Living Branches (Lansdale, PA) with Rev. Dr. Dennis Edwards for CRM and BIPOC leaders, the annual Nations and Generations Gathering for BIPOC leaders at the CRM Mennonite Heritage Center (Harleysville, PA), and Sunday pulpit swaps and visits by Mosaic leaders.  


Jennifer Svetlik

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. 

Filed Under: Articles, Conference Assembly Tagged With: Conference Assembly 2024, featured_article

Pathway Recommendation Receives 71% Affirmation at 2024 Mosaic Assembly

November 7, 2024 by Cindy Angela

by Jennifer Svetlik

Nearly 350 people gathered for Mosaic Mennonite Conference’s annual Assembly on November 2 at Souderton (PA) Mennonite’s meetinghouse. Guided by the theme “Walk Humbly with God,” and the text of Micah 6:8, the day opened with worship and opportunities to fellowship and make connections (a report on all the Assembly’s activities is available here).  

During the morning session, 170 delegates from congregations and Conference-Related Ministries (CRMs) engaged in conversation and shared communion. They welcomed and prayed for three new Mosaic member congregations (Ark of Christ [Westminster, CA], Bethel Worship and Teaching Center [Levittown, PA], and Resplandece Mennonite [Pembroke Pines, FL and Barranquilla, Colombia]) and one Conference-Related Ministry (CRM) (The Worm Project). In the afternoon session, delegates voted on a ballot item focused on Mosaic’s relationship with Mennonite Church USA (MC USA). 

Mosaic credentialed leaders led Communion at table groups, in six languages.
Three congregations and one Conference-Related Ministry were welcomed as Mosaic Conference members and received prayer.  

Among the guests that were present were Jon Carlson, Moderator for Mennonite Church USA (MC USA); Glen Guyton, Executive Director of MC USA; Michael Danner, Associate Executive Director for Church Vitality of MC USA; Camille Dager, Chief Communication Officer for MC USA; Wil LaVeist, Senior Executive of Advancement of Mennonite Mission Network; Amy Gingrich, Executive Director of MennoMedia, and Leonard Dow, Vice President of Community and Church Development of Everence. There were guests and delegates from 12 U.S. states, Mexico, and Colombia.  

In the afternoon delegate session, Mosaic Conference’s Associate Executive Minister Marta Castillo and Leadership Minister for Intercultural Transformation Danilo Sanchez shared about Mosaic’s Strategic Plan for 2025-2027, which is the primary outcome of a two-year strategic planning process led by Mosaic’s Pathway Steering Team, and the Vibrant Mosaic Program. Delegates offered verbal and written engagement with the plan within their table groups.  

Executive Minister Stephen Kriss opened the presentation on the Pathway Steering Team’s recommendation of partnership, rather than membership with MC USA. He led with a time of prayer and a recognition that “this has not been an easy time” within the life of Mosaic.

“For some of us, [the relationship with MC USA] is a sacred relationship, for others it is a challenge. For some of us the relationship is new and undefined… For some it represents family, generations, and connections that go beyond this space and this time,” Kriss said.  

When addressing the leaders of MC USA, Kriss said, “I repent of any sense of arrogance in our conversations together,” and regarding what may happen after the vote, regardless of outcome, he said, “We commit to trying to work this out… We will work in good faith and a sense of openness. I will work with a sense of vulnerability.” 

MC USA Moderator Jon Carlson addresses the delegates. 
Mosaic Associate Executive Minister Marta Castillo and Leadership Minister for Intercultural Transformation Danilo Sanchez share about the strategic plan. 

Kriss committed to the delegates a sense of transparency, “to be as clear as we can about the process…We want you to know what is happening and what is true.” Kriss then gave the floor to Carlson and Guyton to address the delegates. 

Carlson acknowledged that for many people, “at times, it feels like to be Mennonite is to spend an awful lot of time explaining ourselves,” and yet we want our church to be a safe place where we can “quit explaining ourselves and just be…When there becomes a need to explain ourselves within church, it’s easier to just separate and create a new space.”  

Carlson added, “My sense is that Mosaic has spent a lot of time needing to explain yourself to those in denominational leadership… your approach to multicultural ministry, your growth pains…and it’s exhausting.”

He continued, “I believe there is space for welcoming and belonging for every part of Mosaic within MC USA if that is where you want to be…I am open to doing the work of figuring out what are the structures that give us life, what are the areas of friction and disagreement, and where current structures aren’t serving us well, how can we update and modify those.”

Guyton shared some of his journey to becoming a Mennonite. “If I can belong in this institution for 31 years, I know that there is a place for anyone. God has called me to this place, and I pray that you find the place God has called you to.”  

The delegates discussed at table groups the grief or challenges that they personally, their congregation or their CRM would experience with a redefined relationship with MC USA, and the signs of hope and life, as they look to the future of Mosaic.

In the afternoon delegate session, feedback was received by delegates in written form by table leaders as well as word clouds that were updated in real time. Mosaic Leadership Minister for Strategic Priorities Emily Ralph Servant reads feedback aloud. 

Delegates were then asked to vote on the ballot, which read: “To affirm, with gratitude, the work and recommendation of the Pathway Steering Team to establish a robust partnership with Mennonite Church USA, and to bring recommended bylaw amendments for delegate discernment at the 2025 Mosaic Conference Assembly.”  

The ballot item is a request from the delegates to the Mosaic board, which the board will need to carry out with MC USA during the next year. The voting process used a green-yellow-red system to more effectively hear dissent.

The three-color voting system was explained in three languages.

The vote passed with 71% affirmation, which means that Mosaic Conference leadership will be working toward defining a relationship of partnership with MC USA. 

MC USA has previously stated that “conversations related to partnership are ongoing and likely require MC USA delegate approval.” 

“Continued dialogue with MC USA leadership is very important, so that we don’t just splinter and cut each other off,” Moderator-Elect Roy Williams said, reflecting after Assembly. “We are made of many parts – it’s in our name – and how we move forward in exploring partnership will shape us as a Conference moving forward, too. My challenge to MC USA and to Mosaic is how can we improve the relationship that we have.” 

Mosaic Conference materials for delegates provided some information about the concept of partnership with MC USA: “We identify as Mennonites and desire an ongoing relationship with MC USA to help ground us in the Anabaptist story. At the same time, reducing the time spent struggling with MC USA structure and policies will allow Mosaic’s leaders to focus on our strategic plan, conference priorities, and identity work. We acknowledge that this change will not resolve the differences in our congregations around human sexuality and we are committed to discerning our conference posture as an early step in implementing our strategic plan.” 

There were 69 delegates (40%) who voted “I affirm,” 52 (31%) who voted “I affirm with reservation,” 34 (20%) who voted “I do not affirm,” and 15 (8%) who abstained (according to Mosaic Conference bylaws, abstentions are counted as “no” votes). 

Acknowledging the variety of perspectives of delegates, Mosaic Conference Moderator Angela Moyer Walter said, “Some of us are excited, some are confused, sad, or angry, and God is with us in this journey.”  

“There is a clear sense of trust and affirmation from the delegates for the discernment and recommendation of the Pathway Steering Team,” Moyer Walter said, when reflecting on the vote after Assembly. “And yet as we have seen throughout the Pathway process, a breadth of diversity in perspectives and experiences within Mosaic. We are taking all the feedback heard throughout Assembly to the board meeting later this month and it will shape our way forward.”  

*This article was updated on 11/7/24 to reflect the language written on the cards used for the vote. 


Jennifer Svetlik

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. 

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Conference Assembly 2024

Entering Assembly with Gratitude

October 31, 2024 by Cindy Angela

by Stephen Kriss

Two years ago, amid a lot of emotions, we gathered in person at Assembly for the first time “as Mosaic” at Souderton (PA) Mennonite. It was hard and holy. It felt different. Our theme focused on God’s chesed, or lovingkindness and pre-existent grace, which I’m still convinced will be essential for Mosaic to thrive, along with yieldedness and the ability to go the second mile (c.f. Matthew 5:41).  

This week, we will gather again to mark the conclusion of the Pathway process and recognize our ongoing growth and challenges. We discerned to keep our meeting date ahead of a contentious US presidential election, knowing that it could bring additional emotions into the space. We continue to experience growing pains. After two years together, the Pathway team has given us a new strategic plan, already approved by the Board, with priorities that include relationship building and clarifying our identity. 

Amid all of this, I am coming to Assembly grateful. Over the past number of weeks, the majority of Mosaic delegates have been engaged in listening and discerning. This is a hard time to do church across difference. We have language, culture, and geographic differences on top of our theological, social, and political ones. I’m grateful for each person who has given time, energy, prayer, and sometimes restless sleep to this process thus far. It is evident that we care about our future together, even when we disagree about what that future could look like. 

Nearly 200 delegates will take their places at the Assembly table groups, to encounter God together, bringing their own experiences and wisdom of their communities to the table. We will use the method of red, yellow, and green colors as a way to avoid up/down decisions. This approach allows us to hear dissent and move toward yieldedness.  

We will vote to affirm the Pathway Team’s recommendation to establish a healthy partnership with MC USA. This is a vote to keep the process moving for another year so that we can clarify what partnership means, with bylaw adjustment options coming in 2025. It extends chesed so that we can have better clarifying conversations about our relationships with Mennonite Church USA and allow those of us who had griefs and concerns to be heard and to listen as well. In the year ahead, we will learn more together to be able to make more informed decisions, deepened and broadened by our engagement with each other and MC USA leaders. 

In some ways, this process keeps us in what can feel like the wilderness (c.f. Exodus 15-16). We cannot move forward, and we cannot go back. The wilderness was a time of learning new behaviors and of distraction and complaining. There was manna and quail. There was a golden calf and broken tablets. 

Being together in a wilderness can help us learn about God’s provision. It gives space for praise led by worship leaders like Miriam. It gives time for young adults like Joshua and Caleb to grow into their leadership skills. It’s also a place of becoming a people redefined no longer by enslavement but by a new identity that emerges as both beautiful and broken. 

I’m grateful God has brought us this far. We know it’s by grace. And as we gather with a bustling group that bursts the seams of Souderton Mennonite’s meetinghouse, we know the Spirit will show up. I humbly and expectantly look forward to experiencing the Spirit’s leading us, together. 


Stephen Kriss

Stephen Kriss is the Executive Minister of Mosaic Conference.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Conference Assembly 2024

10 Things to Know Before Assembly 2024

October 31, 2024 by Cindy Angela

1. Read the docket and other important documents before Assembly. Print out a hard copy (if you want one) or bring an electronic device on which you can read it. We will not be supplying hard copies. 
 
2. Ahead of time, review the FAQ document to understand how the voting will work (including red, yellow, and green colors) for delegates regarding the partnership recommendation with MC USA. 

3. On Saturday, Nov. 2, enter Souderton Mennonite Church through the main carport entrance. There is a parking lot across the street from the meetinghouse, on Chestnut Street, and parking around the building. Plan that parking and getting through the registration line could take 15 minutes.  

4. Doors open for registration at 8:50 am. Arrive early for community time in the Fellowship (Exhibit) Hall where Conference-Related Ministries (CRMs) and other agencies will be available to connect. Worship will begin at 9:30 am.  

5. From 12:30-2 pm, both the Exhibit Hall and lunch will be available. Be sure to plan time to visit both!   

6. Marta Castillo will be available during lunch in the lunchroom to meet with credentialed leaders who still need to complete items to renew their credentials. Stop by to ask questions or to verify what you still need in order to renew. 

7. Please bring a handheld rhythm instrument, such as drumsticks, for the peacemaking and drumming time during our afternoon session. If you don’t bring something, your hands work great too! 

8. Our Assembly Support Fund remains open for online giving and also through a collection basket at lunch. Your gifts offset the travel costs for delegates coming from a distance (FL, CA, VT). 

9. A prayer room is located next to the delegate session room, off the coffee area, from 9:30 am-4:30 pm. It is available for anyone to pray or receive prayer. 

10. In addition to the mid-day luncheon, light snacks (including PA Dutch and Mexican pastries), coffee, and tea are provided throughout the day. Childcare is available. There is no childcare during lunch. 

We look forward to seeing everyone on November 2! Need more information? Visit the Assembly Webpage. 

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Conference Assembly 2024

What to Expect at Assembly 2024

October 24, 2024 by Cindy Angela

On Saturday, November 2, around 350 people, including delegates and credentialed leaders from across the country, will gather in Souderton, PA for the 2024 Mosaic Conference Assembly. Guided by this year’s theme, “Walk Humbly,” we will worship and pray together, eat and fellowship, and have engaged conversations on the future of Mosaic including our strategic plan, Vibrant Mosaic program, and denominational affiliation.  
 
The day will begin with worship, which is open to all, even those not signed up as a guest. It will also be live streamed for those not attending in person. There will be lively music and a sermon from Rev. Dr. Dennis Edwards, who will preach on the theme of humility, guided by the text of Micah 6:8. 

Our worship service will also recognize newly credentialed leaders, honor those among us who have died in the last year, and pray for the work and workers of our Conference-Related Ministries.   

The morning delegate session will follow worship, and each delegate will be seated at a table group with a table leader. All table leaders were invited to a training prior to Assembly, which is part of the initial work in the intercultural priority of the strategic plan. Each table group will commit to a covenant which says, in part:  

“As we talk during delegate sessions or chat in the breaks, we commit to practicing God’s loving-kindness, faithful truth, and humility.
Loving-kindness: Listening carefully to words, feelings, body language, and silence while keeping confidentiality. 
Faithful Truth: Taking responsibility for our words, using “I” language, speaking clearly, and naming feelings without blaming others. 
Humility: Assuming the best of others, honoring the consensus of the group, caring for those with a dissenting opinion, and remaining open to God’s Spirit, even if it means changing our mind.”

This kind of covenant had been used with Assembly tables groups in the past and is being reinvigorated this year.  

During the delegate sessions, three new member congregations (Ark of Christ [Anaheim, CA], Bethel Worship and Teaching Center [Levittown, PA], and Resplandece Mennonite [Pembroke Pines, FL]) and one Conference-Related Ministry (The Worm Project) will be welcomed.  

There will be times of singing praise and having communion together. There will also be an opportunity to learn more and discuss the Vibrant Mosaic Program and the strategic plan. Instructions for the vote will be given (reference the FAQ document for more on the different colors that will be used) and delegates will be invited to respond to the partnership recommendation (ballot text available in the docket). 

Makinto, Associate Pastor of LA (CA) Faith Chapel and Director of Conference-Related Ministry Amahoro International, will again this year lead the group in a powerful peacebuilding and drumming ritual, guided by Micah 6:8. Participants should bring a handheld percussive instrument such as drumsticks (or plan to drum with your hands.) 

What to Expect: Prayer Room

All are invited to spend time in the prayer room during Assembly. The room is a space for intercessors to gather and pray onsite for the Assembly participants and proceedings. Intercessors who are not onsite commit to praying from where they are. Each is invited to pray for a half-hour block of time from the start of Assembly until its conclusion.

Any assembly attendees who want a quiet space for reflection can visit the prayer room. (The prayer room is located near the delegate hall, off the coffee space. Please follow the signs.) If an intercessor is present, they will be available to pray with any who comes in and desires prayer.

While the focus of the prayer room centers on the Assembly proceedings, the prayers can include personal concerns that attendees may have beyond the Assembly agenda.     

There will be an extended period for lunch and relationship building, including time to visit the Fellowship (Exhibit) Hall, to visit with Mosaic Conference-Related Ministries and other agencies. This space will be open prior to worship and throughout the lunch period for visiting before or after eating. At 2pm, the Exhibit Hall will close. 
 
Beyond the Saturday Assembly is a weekend of connecting and being community together. On Friday morning, Rev. Dr. Edwards will speak at a brunch for the leaders of Conference-Related Ministries and other Mosaic leaders. In the evening, the Renewing Nations and Generations annual gathering for People of the Global Majority/People of Color will offer participants time to connect, worship, eat, and learn together on this year’s theme of “Might from the Margins.” Sunday will include some pulpit swaps and visits by guest pastors. 
 
We look forward to seeing you at Mosaic’s Assembly on November 2. For further information, please see Mosaic’s Assembly webpage.   

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Conference Assembly 2024

Humility as a Way of Life

October 10, 2024 by Cindy Angela

BOOK REVIEW

by Danilo Sanchez

Editor’s Note: Rev. Dr. Dennis Edwards will be the 2024 Mosaic Conference Assembly worship preacher and will spend time with Mosaic leaders throughout the weekend. The following is a review of his most recent book.  

I was intrigued when the theme of humility was announced as the focal point for Mosaic’s 2024 Conference Assembly. In this difficult time of division and polarization, where healthy dialogue is rare, humility is greatly needed.  

At the Mennonite Church USA Convention in 2023, Moderator Jon Carlson named our tendencies toward certainty and what happens when we talk with someone who we believe is fundamentally wrong. We get stuck and we draw lines. Humility invites us to consider that we could be wrong and invites us into curiosity about the person with whom we disagree. 

In Rev. Dr. Edwards’ book Humility Illuminated: The Biblical Path Back to Christian Character, he describes humility as a way of life. We must embody it and make it part of our character. Biblical humility has a trajectory that begins with submission to God and moves toward embodiment in all areas of life.  

Humility Illuminated

As I read the first chapter of the book, the word ‘yieldedness’ or gelassenheit, from our Anabaptist tradition, came to my mind. It is an open surrendering that is both spiritual and physically embodied. We yield to Christ and to the community of faith. It includes admitting that we don’t have all the answers, and it may include surrendering our voice or will to the larger faith community as the way of Christ is discerned together.  

This posture and way of life takes practice, perhaps a lifetime. Dr. Edwards names repentance and fear of the Lord as part of humility and yielding to God; a reminder that we serve an awe-some and holy God. 

In Chapter 5, Dr. Edwards describes leadership as shepherding. Drawing from the life of Jesus, he makes many biblical connections between humility and all that shepherding entails. Jesus is the good shepherd who leads, guides, and cares for us when we are weak. 1 Peter 5 reminds us that leaders do not lord their power over others but humbly demonstrate love. In a culture that can be focused on power and fame, this scripture is an important reminder of how we are called to wield our power and influence. 

Dr. Edwards describes how leaders are called to foster mutuality and a sense of unity. As leaders we can become self-reliant or self-assured in our knowledge and experience. Humble leadership invites us to be vulnerable, admit to our church members that we struggle, and allow ourselves to be prayed rather than only praying for others.  

There is much for us to learn about humility from Dr. Edwards in his latest book. I look forward to the ways that Dr. Edwards will enrich and bless our community during the November 2, 2024, Mosaic Conference Assembly.  


Danilo Sanchez

Danilo Sanchez is the Leadership Minister for Intercultural Transformation for Mosaic Conference. Danilo Sanchez lives in Allentown with his wife Mary and two daughters. He is a pastor at Ripple and leads in the areas of leadership development, discipleship, and teaching.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Book Review, Conference Assembly, Conference Assembly 2024

Mosaic Board Paves the Way for Annual Assembly and Beyond

October 3, 2024 by Cindy Angela

by Jennifer Svetlik

On September 30, 2024, the Mosaic Board’s agenda focused on actions for the November 2 Annual Assembly and Mosaic’s future. The Board opened with the week’s praying scripture, Heb 13:1-3, and reflected on what it means to keep on loving each other as siblings in this moment.

The Board unanimously approved the membership of Bethel Worship & Teaching Center (Levittown, PA), Ark of Christ (Orange County, CA), Resplandece Mennonite (Miami, FL and Barranquilla, Colombia) as congregations of Mosaic, and The Worm Project as a Conference-Related Ministry. Profiles of these four communities will be released in October in Mosaic News so that they can be introduced prior to being welcomed at Assembly.

“These four ministries represent the diverse languages, cultures, and contexts of Mosaic with both local and global impact,” shared Executive Minister Stephen Kriss. “We are grateful for the opportunity to embrace and recognize each as a new member with their unique gifts and possibilities.” 

The Board also reviewed feedback from the seven delegate preparation sessions that took place throughout September. These sessions were an opportunity to learn more about Mosaic’s strategic plan, the Vibrant Mosaic program, and the Pathway Steering Team (PST)’s recommendation on affiliation with Mennonite Church USA (MC USA), and to respond and ask questions. Delegates were highly engaged in these meetings. Many delegates indicated trust in the PST’s discernment process over the past two years, and desired more understanding of how a partnership, rather than membership, with MC USA might work. 

“There was a lot of gratitude for the work of the PST, the work that God is doing amongst us, and the abundant opportunities that lay before us,” shared Conference Moderator Angela Moyer Walter. “Many delegates also need time to digest and reflect on what the PST had two years to work with.”

In response to delegate feedback, the Board shaped a resolution that gives space and a timeline for a more fully developed plan for partnership with MC USA. 

It reads, “To affirm, with gratitude, the work and recommendation of the Pathway Steering Team to establish a robust partnership with Mennonite Church USA, and to bring recommended bylaw amendments for delegate discernment at the 2025 Mosaic Conference Assembly.” 

On Oct. 2 delegates received the Assembly docket, which includes this resolution and a supplemental document that offers more information about the rationale and implications of the board’s resolution. The resolution does not include a bylaw change at this year’s Assembly. 

“The Board discerned that this resolution is the best next step for Mosaic Conference to move forward together and live into our Conference vision and priorities. Partnership allows us to do that best; it does not mean withdrawal from MC USA, nor does it mean the status quo,” explained Kiron Mateti, Board member and PST member (Plains [Hatfield, PA]).  

“So much changed in the last month in terms of public communications that shaped what kind of partnership could be available. This resolution provides more space for clear, healthy discussions between Mosaic staff and MC USA and opportunities to provide more understanding to all about the hard work partnership would entail,” Mateti continued.

“Sometimes it feels like the opportunities that Mosaic has in our new strategic plan to live more deeply into our mission and vision have been overshadowed by the question of affiliation with MC USA, a question that affects some communities more than others,” Moyer Walter added. “There are congregations that have long-standing relationships within MC USA, and others who have much less relationship with MC USA.”  

Responding to the text of the resolution, MC USA Executive Director Glen Guyton shared, “Mosaic Mennonite Conference is a beloved part of MC USA. We value the relationship that we share and will continue to share with the people who comprise Mosaic. The Executive Board and Staff welcome continued dialogue and collaboration with Mosaic leadership as we discern together.”

Mosaic Conference’s Annual Assembly, the third-ever in-person gathering of the delegate body, will feature Rev. Dr. Dennis Edwards sharing with groups of leaders on Friday, and preaching on biblical humility during Assembly worship. 

“God has brought us this far and will continue to be with us. I am very excited about the opportunities ahead of us, and what the Spirit will do among us,” Moyer Walter encouraged.  


Jennifer Svetlik

Jennifer Svetlik is the Editor/Development Coordinator for Mosaic.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Assembly 2024, Conference Assembly 2024, Pathway, Vibrant Mosaic

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