Conference News

“I am grateful for a God who gathers us in together. I am grateful for a conference who is willing to wrestle together, who is willing to speak, invite, challenge, and be honest,” shared Leadership Minister for Intercultural Transformation Danilo Sanchez in his opening remarks at Mosaic Mennonite Conference’s Annual Assembly on November 1, 2025.  

“I don’t know how the Spirit will show up today, but we are grateful for your presence here and the God that we serve,” he continued.  

The morning began with vibrant worship led by a team representing seven nations and at least nine languages. The team sang in each other’s languages, embodying the rich diversity of the conference. Worship leader Makinto wrote a new song for the gathering, “We Are Your Witnesses.” 

The Assembly’s theme, Be My Witnesses (Acts 1:6-8,), was introduced through Scripture read in six of the conference’s languages—Cantonese, Russian, Indonesian, Kirundi, English, and Spanish. 

(The worship livestream is available here; more photos are available here). 

In her sermon, Rev. Dr. Meghan Larissa Good cast a vision for renewed Anabaptist witness, rooted in Jesus as the center of everything. Reflecting on the temptation for Anabaptists to “be proud of our humility,” she reminded participants that it is Jesus’ kingdom that matters, not our particular brand. 

“If there is one thing that will be the death of our witness in the next 50 years, it will be trying to save our own lives,” Good challenged. “A church equipped for witness is one that is postured and prepared to give its life away for something better.” 

“God excludes nobody. God wastes nobody. If you want to be part of the mission of Jesus, the answer is ‘yes,’” she encouraged. 

The time of worship included a welcome and prayer for three new member congregations: Iglesia Menonita del Cordero (Brownsville, TX); Iglesia Menonita Fuente de Agua Viva (Los Fresnos, TX); and Redemption Church of Bristol (PA). 

Participants also honored five credentialed leaders who had died in the past year and recognized two congregations (Salem Mennonite [Quakertown, PA] and Vincent Mennonite [Spring City, PA]) and a Conference-Related Ministry (Spruce Lake Retreat [Canadensis, PA]), that had left Mosaic.  

Sixteen Mosaic leaders—newly credentialed, newly ordained, transferring credentials, and credential reaffirmed—were anointed and then offered anointing for all who wished to receive it. 

During the morning session, 165 delegates committed to guidelines for respectful communication, and shared communion, and engaged in conversation around the board’s recommendation around denominational affiliation.

(Read more about the delegate sessions and the vote on affiliation with MC USA.) 

Lunch followed, offering time for fellowship and connection with leaders from Mosaic’s Conference-Related Ministries (CRMs) and other partner agencies. 

In the afternoon, Makinto and Mukarabe Makinto, Associate Pastors of LA (CA) Faith Chapel and Co-Directors of CRM Amahoro International, led the group in an embodied peacebuilding and drumming ritual guided by Acts 1:6-8. 

Participants were invited to reflect in table groups on Mosaic Conference’s new Centering Document (see: A Mosaic Identity: Clarifying our Center) and offer verbal and written feedback.   

Beny Krisbianto, pastor of Nations Worship Center (Philadelphia, PA) noted that his table group emphasized that keeping Jesus at the center of Conference life will bear much fruit, and that listening to one another amid many differences will lead to a “rich theology.” 

At the close of the discussion on the Centering Document, Emily Ralph Servant, Leadership Minister for Strategic Priorities, shared, “All of your table feedback is shared with the board. This is a living document. As they continue to receive your feedback, they’ll continue working on expressing who we are.”  

The conference recognized board members who are completing their terms at the end of the year: Kiron Mateti (Plains Mennonite [Hatfield, PA]), Angela Moyer Walter (Ripple Church [Allentown, PA]), Herman Sagastume (Healthy Niños Honduras), and Rodger Schmell (Deep Run West [Perkasie, PA]). 

Beyond Saturday’s main gathering, the weekend included “Witness Together,” on Friday night: an evening of worship, intercultural relationship building, and equipping on Mosaic’s three core priorities of formational, missional, and intercultural transformation. On Sunday, numerous Pennsylvania congregations received visits by Mosaic leaders and guest preachers from Mosaic pastors and partner agencies.   

Over 300 people gathered for Mosaic Mennonite Conference’s annual Assembly on November 1, 2025, at Souderton (PA) Mennonite’s meetinghouse. Centered on the theme “Be My Witnesses” (Acts 1:6-8), the day opened with worship and opportunities to deepen relationships (a report on more of the Assembly, including worship, is available here).   

During the morning delegate session, attendees shared communion, recognized board and committee members, and affirmed incoming board members and committee chairs: 

• Roy Williams, Conference Moderator (3-year term, beginning Jan. 2026) (College Hill Mennonite, Tampa, FL) 
• Janet Panning, Assistant Moderator (3-year term, beginning Jan. 2026) (Plains Mennonite, Hatfield, PA) 
• Jim Musselman, Board Secretary (3^rd term, beginning Jan. 2026) (Zion Mennonite, Souderton, PA) 
• Haroldo Nunes, at-large member (1^st term) (Resplandece Mennonite, Florida, Colombia and hybrid)  
• Jenny Fujita, at-large member (1^st term) (Blooming Glen [PA] Mennonite) 
• Lucy Hananto Parsono, at-large member (2^nd term) (International Worship Center, San Gabriel, CA) 
• Michael Howes, Ministerial Committee Chair (1^st term) (West Swamp Mennonite, Quakertown, PA)  
• Lindy Backues, Conference-Related Ministry Committee Chair (1^st term) (Philadelphia [PA] Praise Center) 
• Emmanuel Mwaipopo, Intercultural Committee Chair (1^st term) (Nueva Vida Norristown [PA] New Life) 

Board Recommendation on Affiliation 

The Mosaic Executive Committee shared with delegates the rationale for the recommendation “to discontinue Mosaic Mennonite Conference’s membership with Mennonite Church USA and cultivate healthy mutual partnerships with Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite World Conference, and other Anabaptist communities.”

“The board does not make this recommendation lightly,” said Conference Moderator Angela Moyer Walter. “For some of us the relationship has been healthy, and we are experiencing significant loss and disorientation, and for others of us it has been painful, and we were ready to discontinue membership last year. Our task as your leaders is to make a recommendation on what is best for the whole of Mosaic.”  

Moyer Walter noted that efforts to explore new partnership structures with MC USA revealed significant tensions. “Our current membership excludes too many and cuts us off from relationships that are emerging and flourishing,” she said. “When we addressed these issues with MC USA, we were met with dismissiveness, minimization, and rigidity rather than creative collaboration.”  

“MC USA counseled reconciliation, and that requires all parties involved to be willing to be honest, listen to understand, and make the necessary changes for healing to take place. MC USA has remained rigid in their responses to us, telling us what to do rather than finding solutions together, and writing letters rather than speaking to us face to face.”  

Assistant Moderator Roy Williams added, “This has been a sad year because MC USA is no longer what I helped put together in the late 90s. From the start, it needed tending and updates because there were so many concessions that were made for it to get off the ground. But they never happened. Now they are in desperate need to update their structures, but rather than working with us to find solutions, they chose to stick with those structures….We cannot allow their rigidity and unwillingness to navigate the changing demographics in the church and world to negatively influence the health and life we find in Mosaic.”  

Delegates engaged in table conversation around the board’s recommendation around affiliation, and table leaders were invited to report back what was shared within their groups.  

“It is decision time,” shared Jeannine Adams of Garden Chapel (Victory Gardens, NJ), “Going forward, we need to listen, whatever happens, and the leadership at all levels needs to listen and be supportive.”  

In the afternoon, delegates were asked to vote on the board’s recommendation, using a green-yellow-red system. Of the 165 delegates from congregations and Conference-Related Ministries (CRMs), 64% of delegates voted “green” (affirm the recommendation); 10% voted “yellow” (yield to the recommendation); 23% voted “red” (do not affirm); and 3% abstained (according to Mosaic Conference bylaws, abstentions are counted as “no” votes).  

With 74% overall support, the vote passed—exceeding the two-thirds majority required for bylaw changes. 

Before announcing results, Leadership Minister for Missional Transformation Noel Santiago invited reflection, “Our story together is larger than any one decision. Whatever we may feel—joy, grief, anger, uncertainty—God welcomes that and holds us in mercy and grace. When the results are announced, we invite everyone to hold this time gently, letting our response be quiet and prayerful, so we can stay attentive to God and to one another.”  

Moving Foward

Following the vote, Williams, who begins his term as Moderator in January 2026, affirmed his commitment: “I am trained to serve where I am called, and I will do that with Mosaic.”  

Executive Minister Stephen Kriss thanked delegates for their discernment and acknowledged the gravity of the moment. “We have done serious and historic and painful work today,” he said. “I am committed to us living into our vision and mission, and to creating space where you all can flourish as communities and individuals.”  

Kriss emphasized that congregations who wish to maintain a connection to MC USA should inform their leadership minister. “We will work alongside congregations who wish to maintain that connection, and I am committed to helping those congregations who wish to maintain dual memberships to have that option even though it does not currently exist in our bylaws.”  

He highlighted the spirit in which Mosaic hopes to move forward: “We will continue to be people of Christ’s peace. We will continue to have to work at difficult things. This gives us space and challenge to continue to navigate who God is calling us to be.” 

Calling the outcome a “both/and vote,” Kriss noted that the decision was not only to end membership but also to build new, healthy partnerships. “The work for us now is to stay at the table and extend those relationships further.” 

Mosaic Mennonite Conference’s formal discontinuation of membership with MC USA took effect on November 3, 2025.