Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Conference Assembly

Prayer for Assembly

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by Noel Santiago, Leadership Minister for Missional Transformation

As we come upon our time for Conference Assembly, we are focused on being one in the Spirit in the bond of peace.

I believe Jesus would be looking forward to this weekend with anticipation of his prayer being answered in John 17. 

In this passage, he has prayed for himself, his disciples and then for all those who will believe – this includes you and me. After praying for his disciples Jesus goes on to pray these words, they may be His word for us this weekend:

I’m praying not only for them but also for those who will believe in me because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind— Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, So they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, so they’ll be as unified and together as we are— I in them and you in me. Then they’ll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that you’ve sent me and loved them In the same way you’ve loved me.

– John 17:20- 23 MSG

May we find that Jesus’ prayer continues to be answered as we gather together in the Spirit and in peace.

Life Together Gets More Interesting

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Since 2011, Franconia and Eastern District Conferences have come together for an annual fall Assembly holding separate business sessions, yet enjoying joint times of worship on Friday evening and Saturday morning, sharing in the recognition of newly credentialed leaders, and lunch. This year on November 3 and 4, 2017 they gathered at Dock Mennonite Academy in Souderton, Pennsylvania to do the same. However, new this year, a time of joint meeting was held on Saturday afternoon that focused on reviewing recommendations from the Exploring Reconciliation Reference Team that the two Conferences voted to commission at the 2016 Assembly.

The Assembly was centered on Psalm 133:1,3b, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” The theme was Life Together, as the focus of the Assembly was that while these two conference may have split 170 years ago, they continue to do life together.  A large part of the Assembly business this year was to look at whether these conferences would take the next step in their relationship, to look even more intentionally at reconciliation and what it would look like if they were to merge into one conference.

The weekend began with Friday night worship led by Tami Good of Swamp Mennonite Church, which included a worship team of folks whose first languages were Indonesian, Spanish and English and who came from congregations in South Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Upper Bucks and Montgomery Counties. The opening prayer was given in Indonesian, Spanish, English and even Pennsylvania Dutch. Videos were shown that highlighted  Souderton Mennonite Church’s Vocation as Mission internship program, “for young adults actively pursuing God’s kingdom in local communities.” Highlighted were the fact that the interns come from congregations across both conferences — most not even realizing there were two conferences — and the relationships built between the interns through Bible study, leadership and social issues trainings, as they worked side by side with local non-profits, businesses and ministries. The other video shown was about the ministries of Deep Run East and Deep Run West — one Franconia Conference church and one Eastern District church that happen to be across the street from one another. Their pastors, Ken Burkholder of Deep Run East and Rodger Schmell of Deep Run West, shared about how their congregations do ministry in such close proximity and how their relationship has changed over the years since their initial split. The worship time was followed by the annual ice cream social provided by Longacres Dairy.

Saturday morning, delegates began their day in separate Eastern District and Franconia Conference business sessions. This was a historic day for Franconia Conference as they became bi-coastal and accepted four new congregations as members, one from Flushing, New York and three from the Los Angeles, California area. Bethany Elshaddai Creative Community in New York is pastored by Hendy Stevans and has been connecting with Franconia Conference for about two years. Hendy is currently a student at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, attending classes at the Lancaster, Pennsylvania campus. The congregations in the Los Angeles area consist of Jemaat Kristen Indonesia Anugerah (JKIA) pastored by Virgo Handoyo, Indonesian Community Christian Fellowship pastored by Makmur Halim, and International Worship Church pastored by Buddy Hannarto. All three have had relationships with Franconia Conference for over a decade. The four congregations’ members are largely from Indonesia and joined with Franconia Conference pastors Aldo Siahaan of Philadelphia Praise Center and Beny Krisbianto of Nations Worship Center to share in a song. To learn more about these congregations check out their congregational profiles here. Following the 98% vote of affirmation to welcome these congregations, the delegates joined in singing songs in both English and Indonesian as a welcome.

The joint Franconia and Eastern District Conference Saturday worship was a time of song, remembering those who have passed on in the last year, and anointing 15 newly credentialed leaders. Following the anointing of the newly credentialed leaders, the leaders were dispersed throughout the auditorium and those in attendance were invited to be prayed over by them. It was truly a time of commissioning and sending forth. There was also a time of recognition of the Centennial of Mennonite Women USA and a video celebrating Eastern District and Franconia Conference’s shared Sistering Committee, a local chapter of Mennonite Women USA.

Following lunch by Landis’ Market, the delegates from Eastern District and Franconia Conferences joined one another around tables to hear from the Exploring Reconciliation Reference Team. The team reviewed their report that had been previously sent to the delegates, which can be accessed here. They also highlighted their recommendations. At their tables, the delegates were then invited to discuss any affirmations, concerns or questions they had regarding the report or the recommendations put forth. These were recorded on sheets of paper and submitted to be compiled and shared with those tasked at carrying out the recommendations, should the delegates vote to move forward with them.

The core recommendation from the team is that Eastern District and Franconia Conference “enter a formal engagement process for the purposes of healing and reconciliation and with the intention of becoming a single, unified conference by November 2019.” In order to do this, the team recommended the forming of two teams: one to work intentionally at addressing the “spiritual and emotional components of reconciliation,” known as the “Healing and Reconciliation Team”, and the other being the “Identity Development and Structural Implementation Team,” tasked with managing “the process of forming a single unified conference, with particular attention to the structure, staffing, financial, and cultural realities of creating a single conference from the two existing conferences.”

Nancy Kauffman, Mennonite Church USA Denominational Minister for the two Conferences, closed the joint time in prayer.

After a short break, the conferences gathered in separate rooms where their delegates recorded on flip chart paper their largest affirmations and concerns regarding moving forward with the recommendations. Present were David Brubaker and Roxy Allen Kioko, consultants from Eastern Mennonite University who had been hired in 2016 and were working with the Exploring Reconciliation Reference Team. Following this and some open microphone time for questions and answers, the delegates voted. With a 90% affirmation from Franconia Conference and a 99% affirmation from Eastern District Conference, both agreed to move forward with working at reconciliation and exploring more formally what a merged conference will look like.

This means that over the next few weeks, both Conference Boards will be looking for nominations for the two teams presented in the recommendations. The goal will be to have these teams appointed no later than the end of the calendar year. According to the recommendations, there is a goal for the Healing and Reconciliation Team to hold a Reconciliation service at a Spring 2018 Assembly, and planning will therefore need to begin quickly. The Identity and Structural Development Team will, over the next two years, work to develop a shared mission and vision, a new organization chart and budget to be presented to the delegates in 2019. Therefore, a decision on whether or not these two conferences will merge will not come until 2019. Over the next few weeks, leaders of both conferences will work to address questions raised about the process. Keep your eye out for more information on that.  Nominations are due by Friday, December 1 at midnight.

To close this historic day, the two conferences joined together in song as they continue to look forward to Life Together.

 

 

 

Delegates Begin Conferring for Assembly

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This year, Franconia Conference delegates are being asked to consider two main agenda items at the Fall Assembly: One being four congregations for membership, three of these congregations come from California and one from New York. All four are Indonesian congregations and have ties to Franconia’s Indonesian congregations in South Philadelphia. The second item delegates are being asked to consider is the recommendations from the Exploring Reconciliation Reference Team, which states that the team recommends that Eastern District and Franconia Conferences, “enter a formal engagement process for the purposes of healing and reconciliation and with the intention of becoming a single, unified conference by November 2019.”

Both of these items are monumental for Franconia Conference. Therefore, delegate discernment around them began this past week at two Assembly Scattered meetings. These meetings are an opportunity for delegates to gather together and discuss the agenda items and ask questions of conference leadership. The scattered meetings began last week, one being held on October 5 at Franconia Mennonite Church and a second on October 10 at Swamp Mennonite Church with combined participation of around 100 delegates. Two more scattered meetings are scheduled for this coming week: October 16 at Nueva Vida Norristown New Life and October 17 via video conference. Currently, 61% of Franconia Conference delegates have either attended or are registered to attend an assembly scattered meeting.

These scattered meetings provide vital discernment time as together, delegates work to confer around whether or not to admit four new congregations as members and whether or not to continue to envision a single united conference with Eastern District. The hope is that by the end of Assembly 2017, Franconia Conference will know if they have 4 new member churches and whether or not they will be working to implement a team to envision a united conference with Eastern District (EDC), so that in November of 2019 they will be able to vote on whether or not to merge with EDC.

Admitting the four congregations as members would make Franconia a bi-coastal conference. Modern technology makes relationships across great distance a bit easier.  At one point in Franconia’s history, leaders used to take 7-hour buggy rides to visit constituents; now, it would be a 7-hour bi-coastal plane ride. As Steve Kriss, Executive Minister, said in a recent article, “In the past, we have worked at church planting in Hawaii.  We have maintained long term partnerships with congregations in Mexico City.  For 50 years we have traveled the six-hour trip back and forth to our congregations in Vermont.  This will have some similar characteristics; there will for sure be challenges, but I believe that we’ll learn and be stronger by cultivating these partnerships together.”

Since 2011, Eastern District and Franconia Conferences have been working together more formally with their leadership, meeting on a regular basis and sharing in joint assemblies each fall. Congregations in close proximity have also worked at building relationships. At the 2016 Conference Assembly, both conferences agreed to implement an Exploring Reconciliation Reference Team (read more about that here) to see if Reconciliation was possible between the two Conferences. That team not only believes reconciliation is possible, but also believes there is a possibility for merger as laid out in their final report. However, there is still work to be done before merger can be considered. This year at Assembly, delegates will discern if they believe God is calling them to that work.

As the Conference continues to work to equip leaders to empower others to embrace God’s mission, there is much prayer and discernment to be done.

Worthy of our Calling to Extend Christ’s Peace

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by Stephen Kriss

During the last staff meeting in this space in between, I invited my colleagues to share their celebrations and questions for the last month.   Without exception, the celebrations and questions had to do with pastors.   We celebrate the completion of pastoral search processes, with the beginning of Mike Spinelli’s leadership at Perkiomenville; the call of Maria Hosler Byler to an associate pastor role at Salford; Josh Jefferson’s installation and licensing last Sunday at Souderton as a youth pastor; and Sandy Drescher-Lehman’s beginning as pastor at Methacton. Many of these processes were lengthy discernments.   We celebrate the new beginnings and new possibilities that leadership can bring in the life of our communities.

Conference staff took a road trip with Pastor Bruce Eglinton-Woods (Salem), to explore the community where the congregation is ministering.

Our questions had to do with how we walk with pastors and congregations through difficult times.  We wonder how God will provide with prolonged pastoral search processes at Franconia and Taftsville.  We prayed as John Bender from Allentown who was in the hospital making difficult decisions between life and death, as he was readmitted to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia (he made the decision by the time our meeting had ended).  We prayed for an upcoming surgery that Charlie Ness from Perkiomenville will be undergoing.   These are all things we attend to as staff beyond our meeting time and carry in our hearts and heads.

The last month has meant focused attention on planning for Conference Assembly — a great time to celebrate the work God is doing in our midst, and spend time discerning and equipping ourselves for the future.  Registration and the docket are available at http://edc-fmc.org/assembly/  to help us, as a conference, prepare for assembly at Penn View Christian School.  Postcard invitations and posters will be coming to your congregations in the next two weeks. We’ve hosted and gotten some feedback from our time with David Boshart (moderator-elect) from Mennonite Church USA.  We’re prepping for his return at assembly to discuss more specific issues around human sexuality that continue to challenge our capacity to be church together, while going to the margins to be and proclaim the Good News.

Our conference executive minister Ertell M. Whigham comes back on the job on Saturday, October 1.  My season of this stretch of the race as acting executive minister has passed.  I’m ready to return the baton and responsibilities back to Ertell as he navigates the next few months.  I’ve learned a lot in these months.  I’ve been busier than usual with meetings, emails, texts and phone calls.  I have lots of hope for us as a community, but recognize our fragility at the same time.  God continues to bless us with flourishing, and challenges enough to test and grow our hearts, minds, and souls.

At the beginning of these three months, I felt drawn to the text to “live a life worthy of my calling.”  This time, ending this stretch, I want to turn that text back over to us as individuals and a community, to stay focused on the things we’ve discerned together, and to live, work and minister together in such a way that honors the sense of call that exemplifies what God has invited us toward in extending the peace of Christ to each other and to neighbors nearby and faraway.

Promises & Practices: Recap of the Conference-Wide Gathering

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By Barbie Fischer

On Saturday, September 10, in lieu of pre-assembly scattered meetings, members of Franconia Conference were joined by their sisters and brother from Eastern District Conference at Franconia Mennonite Church for a morning of dialogue and discernment around the topic of promises and practices. This dialogue was led by David Boshart, moderator-elect of Mennonite Church USA (MCUSA) and executive conference minister for Central Plains Mennonite Conference.

boshart2The day began with worship led by Larry and Doris Diener of the Franconia congregation, followed by David Boshart offering insight into why he has hope for MCUSA. He stated that while he has hope, he finds that his hope for a “vibrant future for Mennonite Church USA is provisional.” He offered three provisions he sees, stating, “there is a vibrant future for Mennonite Church USA provided that we:

  1. Rekindle the gift of God’s grace that has made us alive through the power of the cross of Jesus.
  2. Keep the good works for which we have been created in proper perspective.
  3. Recover our joy in our common life through covenant and spiritual practice.”

In the second part of the morning, David spoke of promises and a “biblical understanding of covenant that originates with God and which we have received through our baptism.” Specifically saying that, “our mission as a church is to bear witness to this covenant by embodying together, and by God’s grace, the way of the kingdom.”

boshart1It was brought up that covenant is mentioned throughout the denominational documents both in the Confession of Faith and Membership Guidelines – a covenant being, “an offer of a holistic relationship based on an unconditional promise memorialized in a sign.”

David demonstrated how often the church seems to work out of a more contractual relationship, standing face to face, looking to Jesus on the side, rather than a covenantal relationship, standing shoulder to shoulder, looking at Jesus.

He also spoke of his own conference, Central Plains, and their search for unity, mentioning that they have asked themselves, “is it possible to find our unity in common spiritual practices?” From that, they went on to develop A Covenant of Spiritual Practices.

There was discussion times throughout the morning where attendees were asked to discuss the following three questions:

  1. How might understanding our relationships within the denomination as covenantal be a gift to us rather than a burden?
  2. How do our expectation for one another change when we move from face to face orientation where we are the negotiators to a shoulder to shoulder orientation where we are all trying to draw closer to Jesus?
  3. Does covenanting to common spiritual practices offer more hope for the future of MCUSA than doctrinal uniformity? (Recognizing there is tension between the two and this is not a choice of one or the other, but perhaps a recalibration of the tension.)

Following the morning session, credentialed leaders and those pastoring Franconia Conference congregations were invited to stay for further giving and receiving counsel on relationships between congregations, conference, and MCUSA. This came as a request from the conference board who was seeking counsel and wishing to hear the perspective of Franconia Conference credentialed leaders and those pastoring the conference congregations.

Boshart_David_2014To hear the full audio of David Boshart’s presentation and view his PowerPoint, visit: http://mosaicmennonites.org/media/audio-gallery/.

Submitting a Church Together Statement

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As Franconia Mennonite Conference embarks on how to live together as the Church — one body in Christ — the conference board and staff will be working with congregations who are interested in drafting and submitting Church Together Statements for consideration by the delegate body at Fall Assembly. These statements are an opportunity for pastors and congregation members to shape the focus and work of the conference.

Church together photo 8-6-15A Church Together Statement is more than just a document. It is a process where the conference engages issues with respect and Christian love. The process for the statements has been developed to aid, as the conference seeks to live out the words of scripture, that “Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way,” (I Corinthians 14:40), and to be a discerning community so that together, the conference can reach an understanding that “seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15:28).

The board has specifically requested statements that:

  • Support the conference’s mission of equipping leaders to empower others to embrace God’s mission
  • Propose ways in which we apply the MC USA Kansas City resolutions to our Franconia Mennonite Conference context
  • Propose ways for Franconia Mennonite Conference pastors and congregations to continue to deepen relationships in 2016

Once an individual has an idea for a statement, they should engage in a time of scriptural study and discernment, preferably with their congregation or Conference Related Ministry (CRM). This study should include a time for hearing differing viewpoints and it is expected that they will be heard with a spirit of seeking to understand the basis of viewpoints that may be different.

Upon drafting the statement, the individual author or group must receive affirmation for their statement from their congregational leadership body (board, elders, deacons, etc.), CRM board, or a conference-related committee. The affirmation of the statement by one of those bodies must be included at the end of the statement, along with the name and contact information of a point person. Any Church Together Statement submitted will also need to be accompanied by a written statement containing:

  1. the purpose and/or reason for the proposed Church Together Statement
  2. the intended consequences of the adoption of the Church Together Statement
  3. the name and contact information of the congregation, CRM, or conference committee with a designated contact person proposing the Church Together Statement

After having drafted the Church Together Statement, receiving affirmation, and composing the written statement with the above information, the Church Together Statement should then be submitted to the conference administrative staff. The administrative staff will then pass the statements on to the Church Together Statements Committee.

The committee will review the statements; they may ask for more information and will work with the author(s) to provide guidance and suggestions in the wording of the statement in an effort to decrease possible confusion or unintended consequences. The committee will also discern with pastors, as well as conference board and staff, which Church Together Statements should be part of our fall Conference Assembly.  In order to allow ample time for delegates to discern the statements, the committee will only be putting forward a limited number at Conference Assembly.

Once the committee has identified statements for fall Assembly, those statements will be sent to the conference board, who will engage in corporate discernment regarding their suitability for consideration by the delegate body.  Among questions considered by the board (but not limited to) are:

  • Does the proposed statement enable us to join God’s activities in the world?
  • Does the proposed statement enable us to live and act in ways that allow God’s healing and hope to flow through us to the world?
  • Does the proposed statement advance FMC’s mission, and guide us toward God’s preferred future for us?

As a result of its discernment process, the conference board may take any of the following actions:

  1. Bless the forwarding of the Church Together Statement to the delegate body for action at the annual conference assembly
  2. Return the Church Together Statement to the committee with recommendations for further review and editing
  3. Not forward the Church Together Statement, if it is determined that it does not further the purposes for which statements are adopted, or that it does not have sufficient church-wide support, impact or interest to merit delegate assembly time devoted to such proposed statements. If a statement is not forwarded, the conference board may provide to the author(s) other suggested avenues for consideration

The Church Together Statements Committee, conference board and staff will be working diligently over the next few months to support all of the conference churches in this process. For more information on the Church Together Statements and the committee, see the Intersectings article Being Church Together – FMC invites Resolution/Statements at Fall Assembly. The full Church Together Statement Policy can be viewed here. Questions related to specifics about the Church Together Statements should be directed to Ertell Whigham, executive minister, or Joe Hackman, Church Together Statements Committee Chair. For assistance with drafting a Church Together Statement, contact your local LEADership Minister.

Being Church Together – FMC invites Resolution/Statements at Fall Assembly

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_MG_2504Franconia Mennonite Conference is one body in Christ, as 1 Corinthians 12:13-14 says. Yet living as one body, is not always easy as there are many parts to the whole.

Throughout Franconia Mennonite Conference we see the different parts of the body of Christ as we have differences in perspectives, mindsets and convictions. Yet, as one body, it is important to be able to move forward together.

This year, the conference board has decided to invite resolutions for discernment at conference assembly. In the Franconia Mennonite Conference context these “resolutions” will be known as Church Together Statements. These statements give pastors, delegates, and congregations a way to shape the focus and work of the conference, proposing to the body how to live and move forward as we are church together.

In a letter sent earlier this week to pastors, _MG_2333Ertell Whigham, executive minister, and Joe Hackman, Church Together Statements committee chair, stated, “At this year’s assembly we will not entertain Church Together Statements that recommend changes to Franconia Mennonite Conference bylaws or polity. Rather, we seek statements that continue to foster a deepening of relationship and witness between pastors and congregations. We appreciate all you have been doing to build relationships through the conference and hope this spirit of one body is reflected in the Church Together Statements.”

The letter goes on to say, Church Together Statements are invited that:

  • Support the conference’s mission of equipping leaders to empower others to embrace God’s mission.
  • Propose ways in which to apply the MC USA Kansas City resolutions to the Franconia Mennonite Conference context.
  • Propose ways for Franconia Mennonite Conference pastors and congregations to continue to deepen relationships in 2016.

All Church Together Statements will be submitted to the conference administrative coordinator to be reviewed by the Church Together Statements committee. This committee represents some of the geographical, cultural, and theological diversity present in the conference. The committee consists of Joe Hackman (Salford) as chair, Angela Moyer (Ripple) as co-chair, Aldo Siahann (Philadelphia Praise Center), Robin Long (Blooming Glen), Ken Burkholder (Deep Run East), Kris Wint (Finland), and Donella Clemens (Perkasie).

This committee will discern with pastors, and conference board and staff which of the Church Together Statements should be brought before the delegate assembly this fall. For more information on Church Together Statements and the process for submission take a look at the Church Together Statements Policy for Franconia Mennonite Conference Delegate Discussion and Action.

The Calling of a Delegate

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By Barbie Fischer

delegates photo-webAs Conference Assembly is approaching, it’s time that we discern who within our midst is called to be a delegate for our congregations. All ordained and licensed leaders who hold active credentials in Franconia Mennonite Conference are called to be delegates. All conference board members are called to be delegates. In addition, congregations are given the opportunity to discern who from their elders and deacons may be called to be a delegate and also who amongst their congregation members may be called to be a lay delegate.

A delegate is defined as one who is chosen or elected to vote or act on behalf of, or for, others. In the context of the conference, a delegate is not just a role — it is a call. A call to represent a piece of the body of Christ. A call to represent a congregation or conference related ministry. Delegates are a vital piece to the functioning of the conference.

1 Corinthians 12: 13-14 says “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”

The fact that the body of Christ is made up of different parts is evident in Franconia Mennonite Conference as we have differences in perspectives, mindsets and convictions. Yet, as we are all part of one body, it is important that we are able to move forward together. In order to do this we must confer with one another, listen and hear from the different parts of the body.

Every year, Conference Assembly is set aside for delegates from each congregation and conference related ministries to listen, hear, and “discern the direction of the conference vision and objectives by conferring together.” (Franconia Mennonite Conference bylaws Article IV, Section 1).

To aid delegates in their call, Franconia Mennonite Conference has created a Delegate Ministry Description, outlining that delegates are expected to:

  • pray for God’s Spirit to lead us all in being a faithful and worshipping community.
  • keep aware of what is happening within Franconia Mennonite Conference between assembly sessions and facilitate two-way communication between their congregation and the conference.
  • attend and participate in all regular and special conference assembly sessions.
  • provide a post-assembly report to their congregation.

Deacon/Elder and lay delegates are chosen by their congregations. In order for the conference to assist in equipping these delegates for Assembly, it is important that they are identified by their congregations on an annual basis and that the congregations affirm that their appointed delegate(s) are able to attend the Conference Assembly, scheduled this year for November 14th.

As Conference Assembly is quickly approaching, the conference will be supplying congregational leaders with information to assist in discerning their deacon or elder, and lay delegates.  A delegate selection worksheet and guidelines can be found HERE and a copy of the delegate ministry description can be seen HERE.

May the Holy Spirit guide us as we discern who is called to represent our piece of the body of Christ. May the Spirit grant us wisdom as we discern together as the body of Christ the next steps for our conference.