Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Conference News

Three Possible Pathways for Our Future as Mosaic 

by

by Stephen Kriss

In November 2022, our Mosaic delegate body met for the first time in person. And we had our first shared crisis of identity. Mennonite Church USA’s (MC USA) Kansas City summer 2022 special delegate session, which included repealing the denomination’s membership guidelines and passing a Repentance and Transformation resolution, created ripples of emotion for many persons across Mosaic.  

In response, at our first annual face-to-face, Mosaic delegates affirmed the Pathway Forward which includes strategic planning (needed at this point in our story together), an option for congregations to remove themselves from MC USA, and a promised discernment about our relationship with MC USA as a Conference community. This was a lot for the first annual face-to-face session.  

This is a lot for a new community to bear in its beginning. However, we are both deeply rooted and freshly new. By the grace and lovingkindness (chesed) of God, we have continued to flourish with surprising growth and provision in this two-year period. Our board has led with steadiness and our member congregations have engaged in mutuality and the agreed-upon work of our core missional, formational and intercultural priorities as we seek to embody the reconciling love of Jesus in our broken and beautiful world. 

In these two years, the Pathway Steering Team, which represents the diversity of gifts and perspectives of our Conference, has diligently worked on strategic planning and is moving closer to discernment on a recommended path for our Mosaic affiliations.  

In the meantime, Mosaic staff and board have made sure the work of the Conference continues. For me, as Executive Minister, this has meant understanding our relationship and responsibilities with MC USA and the implications of remaining within the denomination or finding alternative paths. 

Last month, I shared with the Pathway Steering Team three possible pathways I can identify for our future as Mosaic:  

A Pathway of Autonomy

As someone of Slavic descent, I recognize that autonomy can present new possibilities and challenges. Franconia Conference has been an autonomous conference in the past. Our community has capacity, in human and financial resources, to operate autonomously. We would still be Mennonites. We would find new ways to relate to other Anabaptists. We would seek membership in Mennonite World Conference. I have explored possible affiliations outside of MCUSA, and from my perspective, none would fit who we are or give us the support and space we need to live into our vision and mission.   

A Pathway of Continued Commitment

When Mosaic formed, we assumed continued membership in MC USA. We have deep connections broadly across the church and our continued engagement would offer our strength, diversity, and perspective to the largest Mennonite group in the U.S. Our membership in MC USA gives access to resources that are important in our credentialing process and in supporting some of our most vulnerable and newest communities with grants for ministry, educational opportunities, and financial backing for the purchase of new meetinghouses. Continued membership would maintain those programmatic connections and relationships across the country. The challenge for some of us is that this affiliation has become a liability rather than a strength that enables us to live more fully into our vision and mission. 

A Pathway of Collaboration or Partnership

At the last MC USA gathering, Mennonite Health Services and Everence altered their relationships with MC USA. We have had some initial conversations with leaders in MCUSA on what a different relationship might look like, in which we could collaborate on some areas of shared interest while holding our own polity and membership guidelines as Mosaic. This would require something new for MC USA (timely, given that we just discussed reinventing the church at our annual Constituency Leadership Council [CLC] gathering). This would also require something of us in Mosaic. Is it possible that Mosaic is a better MC USA partner rather than full member? Would this allow us to live into our vision and mission more fully? 

I have committed to a sense of holy indifference as the Executive Minister of Mosaic. I can see strengths and vulnerabilities in each of these paths. And it’s possible that the Pathway Steering Team will offer an alternative recommendation.  

What I do expect is that a year from now, Mosaic will be a different community in some way. This may be difficult, and it may also be invigorating. So far, the Spirit has continued to show up. I am committed to us living into our vision and mission of embodying the reconciling love of Christ even in difficult circumstances together. We won’t get it right all the time, but I want to keep us focused on living into who we have felt God has called us to be, both broken and beautiful. 

The Pathway Steering Team will likely have the strategic plan ready for board review at the May meeting at Bethany Birches Camp in Vermont. We hope there will be a recommendation for the board regarding affiliation at the August meeting. Conference delegates will have an opportunity to discuss this in our Assembly preparation gatherings, as we prepare for further discernment at the November 2, 2024, annual Assembly at Souderton (PA) Mennonite Church. 

As the pathway emerges, may we have the courage to do what is right and good, may we extend God’s great chesed to all, and may we walk humbly as individuals and as a Mosaic community. 

Stephen Kriss

Stephen Kriss is the Executive Minister of Mosaic Conference.

Neffsville Affiliates with Mosaic Conference

by

by Jennifer Svetlik

On January 7, 2024, Neffsville Mennonite (Lancaster, PA) marked its transition from being a member of Atlantic Coast Conference to affiliating with Mosaic Conference. 

Joanne Dietzel, Executive Minister of Atlantic Coast Conference, and Steve Kriss, Executive Minister of Mosaic, were both present for worship at Neffsville to mark and pray for this transition.  

Neffsville has asked Mosaic to hold the credentials of Neffsville’s pastors, Lead Pastor Hunter Hess and Associate Pastor of Youth Ministries Eszter Bjorkman, in this relationship of affiliation. Neffsville will join other Partners in Mission of Mosaic, which includes Mosaic funded-church plants, congregations, and networks both domestically and globally. Partners in Ministry are organizations or congregations that are not members of Mosaic Conference but share our values and a vision for Anabaptist witness in their communities. 

Kriss encouraged the Neffsville congregation, “I want to invite you to build relationships strongly, to step into these spaces and ask good questions.” He described Mosaic as, “A relational conference, and we also have strategy.”  

“We look forward to this relationship together, and to deepening relationships,” Kriss continued. In fact, there are several prior relationships that already exist among the Neffsville pastors and Mosaic congregations, as well as Mosaic leaders and staff with the Neffsville congregation.  

Pastor Hunter Hess welcomes the opportunity to build these relationships further. “We see Mosaic as recognizing the movement of the Holy Spirit in the global church and the Conference’s desire to learn from and lean into that movement. Evidence of that leaning is the focus on multicultural churches,” Hess said. “Neffsville may not be there yet, but we also desire to find the wind of the Spirit and hitch a ride.” 

Neffsville has approximately 400 members, with a thriving group of members over the age of 90. Neffsville is the first congregation from Lancaster to partner with Mosaic.  

“The alignment of Neffsville Mennonite into a relationship with Mosaic is an expression of hope that congregations within Mennonite Church USA can participate in strong and vigorous partnerships in fulfilling God’s mission,” shares Jeff Wright, Leadership Minister for Neffsville. “It is also an opportunity for Mosaic Conference to learn from our sisters and brothers in Lancaster County. I look forward to walking with Pastor Hunter, the staff, and the elders of Neffsville as we find fresh ways to engage in fruitful mission.” 

Reflecting on the decision, Kriss added, “The leadership team of Neffsville has been diligent, careful, and open-handed in their discernment of affiliation with Mosaic. They have shown openness to receiving the gifts of what it means to be Mosaic, to engaging with Mosaic’s priorities, and asking good questions.”  

Jennifer Svetlik

Jennifer is Communication Associate/Editor for Mosaic. She was born near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in an 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. 

New Year Brings Numerous Staff Transitions

by

by Jenn Svetlik

The recent months have unveiled a variety of staff transitions for Mosaic Conference. These changes seek to respond to needs that the Conference has identified as we continue to live more fully into our missional, intercultural, and formational priorities.  

Departures:

Randy Heacock ended his role as Leadership Minister in October 2023, a position he had served in since 2017. As the staff gathered for a Christmas party in December, Heacock was affirmed by the staff and prayed over by fellow staff member Noel Santiago.  

Sue Conrad Howes will end her role as Communication Team Lead and editor of Mosaic News at the end of January, a role she has filled since 2020.  She will continue in her role as a chaplain at St. Luke’s Penn Foundation.  

New Staff:  

Andrés Castillo who began working on the communication and intercultural teams in November 2023, began a one-year full-time position as Intercultural Communication Associate in January 2024. 

Stacey Mansfield began work with Mosaic in the summer of 2023, providing logistical and administrative support for the Annual Assembly. In December 2023, she began a role as Administrative and Hospitality Collaborator, supporting the work of credentialing leaders and Assembly planning.  

Jennifer Svetlik became a member of the Communication team in September 2023.  In January 2024, Svetlik is moving into an expanded role as Editor of Mosaic News. 

New Roles for Current Staff: 

Cindy Angela, who has served as Digital Communication Associate since September 2020, began as the Director of Communication in January 2024.  

“My vision for the Communication Team is to continue to provide clear and effective communication of Mosaic’s priorities, making sure to listen intentionally to the different voices and perspectives across the conference,” shares Angela. “We’re such a diverse conference, and I see this as a strength.” 

Emily Ralph Servant, who has served the Conference in a variety of roles since 2011, most recently as a Leadership Minister and the Dean of Mosaic Institute, began as the Leadership Minister for Strategic Priorities in January 2024.  

Rose Bender Cook will, in February 2024, become the Leadership Minister for Formation, a role she has served in an interim way since October 2023. Since 2021 she has helped to lead Mosaic Institute.  

“As a pastor, I am always thinking about formation for the congregation, but in this new role, I will be challenged to think more broadly about creating spaces where we can all be formed by the Word of God and the Spirit’s work in one another,” shares Bender Cook. “I anticipate getting to know congregations and seeing what God is already doing as well as learning what the needs are so we can respond accordingly.” 

Eileen Kinch, an editor and writer on the Communication team, will move to the Administrative team in February 2024. 

“The strength of Mosaic is committed people. In a time of fluidity and change, our staff is committed to accompanying our diverse communities with integrity and responsiveness” Executive Minister Steve Kriss says. “I’m grateful for both those who are finishing up their time as part of our staff and those who have said yes to increased or new responsibilities.”    

The staff of Mosaic Conference is comprised of 22 full-time and part-time persons.  

Conference staff accompany and support congregations, credentialed leaders, Conference Related Ministries and ministry partners, serving nearly 100 affiliated Mosaic communities and ministries in eight states along with partnerships in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Staff members work regularly in English, Spanish, and Indonesian languages.   

Jennifer Svetlik

Jennifer is Communication Associate/Editor for Mosaic. She was born near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in an 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. 

Assembly 2023: Gathering to Worship God’s Faithful Truth

by

by Jennifer Svetlik

Around 250 people gathered for worship during Mosaic’s Assembly on November 4, centered on the theme of emet, God’s faithful truth. Songs and scriptures were proclaimed in the languages of Mosaic congregations, prayers were offered, and newly credentialed leaders were anointed and offered anointing to all present who wished to receive it.  

There was a time of remembering the seven credentialed leaders that had died over the past year, one who had retired, as well as a congregation that had closed, and three congregations who had left Mosaic.  

As representatives from Line Lexington (PA) and Towamencin (Kulpsville, PA) congregations came forward for prayer, Mosaic representatives laid hands on them, and Executive Minister Steve Kriss offered a prayer. 

“We have the privilege today to do something that Mennonites have not often done well… These communities are still our neighbors, our siblings,” said Kriss. “We pray for the three congregations who have left Mosaic to flourish…and may we overextend our greetings of peace, embrace of love, and shared joy.”   

In her sermon, Hyacinth Stevens, Executive Director of Mennonite Central Committee East Coast, offered guidance for the rest of the day, “Let us not prioritize schedules over the practice of presence.”  

Morning and afternoon delegate sessions followed worship. Read more about the delegate sessions here.

Jennifer Svetlik

Jennifer is a member of the communication team, helping with editing, writing, and content creation. She was born near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in an 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.

MC USA Delegate Report

by

Approximately 300 delegates from throughout Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) gathered July 7-8, 2023, at the Kansas City (MO) Convention Center to discern together some aspects of the denomination’s future. Many of the attendees had participated in MennoCon ’23, held prior to the delegate assembly.  

Each session of the delegate assembly began with worship music and a Bible study by Rev. Dr. Sarah Bixler. The Bible studies looked at different scenes from the Upper Room before Jesus’ betrayal and crucifixion and after his resurrection. 

After the first Bible study, the assembly was convened by MC USA Moderator Linda Dibble. An agenda and rules were adopted and minutes from the 2022 Delegate Assembly were summarized and approved. Then Sue Park-Hur, MC USA Director of Ethnic Engagement, led the delegates in a game of Mennonite bingo to get to know one another. After a break, Glen Guyton, MC USA Executive Director, gave a State of the Church message. After this, there was an introduction to the Agency Governance & Operational Alignment Resolutions being put forward by the Executive Board. 

After lunch and a further time of singing and Bible study, delegates heard a report from the Mennonite Education Association and received and voted to affirm a slate of new members for various denominational boards and committees. Delegates then heard a report from Mennonite Mission Network and a testimony from the pastor of Koinonia Indian Mennonite Church (Clinton, OK) about how they are implementing their Peace and Justice Grant. After a break, Everence and Mennonite Health Services Association (MHS) gave reports about their work. 

Banners line the hallways of the convention center in Kansas City for MennoCon 23. Photo by Marta Castillo.

The delegates then voted on whether or not to modify the denomination by-laws to change the occurrence of delegate assemblies from every two years to every three years. To pass, the resolution needed to receive a two-thirds majority vote for adoption. The resolution failed by a very narrow margin. Many of those who spoke against the resolution cited a concern that youth would not be gathering as frequently and a general desire to meet more rather than less frequently.  

Resolution two, to amend the bylaws to clarify the role of program entities, passed by an overwhelming majority. Before adjourning for day one, delegates began to provide feedback and counsel about resolution three, to change Everence and MHS from agencies to program entities. 

Saturday morning began with singing and the final Bible study segment. Michael Danner, MC USA Associate Executive Director, gave an update on the development of new procedures to prevent and deal with incidents of abuse of various kinds in congregations. This was followed by a report from MennoMedia.  

After a break, delegates moved on to floor discussion and voting on resolution three, to change the status of Everence and MHS from agencies to program entities. This resolution passed with an overwhelmingly positive vote.  

After this, Ivanna Johnson from Boulder (CO) Mennonite Church spoke about how her congregation is using a peace and justice grant to partner with a nearby elementary school to provide resources and support for impoverished students. The MC USA Anti-racism team then gave its report and there was a report from the Corinthian Plan. 

The Transforming Wall at MennoCon 23. Photo by Danilo Sanchez.

To close out the delegate assembly, Jon Carlson, pastor of Forest Hills Mennonite Church (Leola, PA) was installed as the new Moderator of MC USA. Carlson spoke about his desire to focus on three Mennonite values in the next biennium: peace, especially living at peace with one another despite deep differences; simplicity, especially in how we organize our work together; and family, emphasizing the ongoing transfer of leadership to younger generations.  

Line Lexington Leaves Mosaic Conference 

by

Line Lexington (PA) congregation has decided to disaffiliate with Mosaic Conference and Mennonite Church USA. The Mosaic Conference Board was recently informed, via a letter, of the results of Line Lexington’s decision.   

In the letter, Line Lexington’s Church Council and Elder Team acknowledged that the decision did not come lightly. “We have always valued the Mennonite principles of peace, justice, and service in Jesus and have found significant meaning in the teachings and traditions. However, as Mosaic has developed, we realize that our beliefs and values are handled differently than those of the Conference.”  

Established in 1752, Line Lexington is one of the oldest Mennonite congregations affiliated with Mosaic Conference prior to this decision. 

“It is sad to see Line Lexington leave Mosaic,” said Randy Heacock, Leadership Minister. “I have deeply appreciated working with the church’s leadership over the past few years.  I appreciated the thoughtful discernment they practiced in reaching their decision.”   

The letter from Line Lexington Mennonite Church closed with well wishes for Mosaic Conference “in its continued work toward peace, justice, and service in Jesus, and we hope that the community will thrive and grow in years to come.”  

Sabbatical Leave for Executive Minister

by

The Mosaic Board has approved a sabbatical leave for Steve Kriss, Executive Minister. Steve will begin a 3-month sabbatical on Monday, May 22, 2023.  For the first ten weeks, Steve will be a full-time student in Clinical Pastoral Education through Trinity Health Mid Atlantic. He will spend the remaining time resting, reading, traveling, and enjoying time with family and friends.  

During his sabbatical, Steve’s role will be filled by other Mosaic staff members, most notably, Associate Executive Minister, Marta Castillo.  If you have leadership questions or concerns during this time, please contact Marta.  Steve will return to the Mosaic office on August 30, 2023.   

Please pray for Steve during this time of learning and rejuvenation and for the Mosaic staff as they cover his duties during his time away.  

Powerful Kindness, Faithful Truth

by

Assembly 2023 theme

Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise the Lord, all you people of the earth. 
For God’s kindness for us is powerful; the Lord’s truth endures forever. 

Psalm 117

How can all the peoples of the earth praise God together? If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that even families are being torn apart by disagreement and conflict. How can we expect churches, conferences, and denominations, much less the nations of the world, to gather and praise God with one voice? 

Last year’s assembly theme revolved around the Hebrew word chesed: God’s overflowing, constant, steadfast, and faithful love for us. Chesed doesn’t have a simple translation into English: we need many different words to describe what it means. It includes an outpouring of undeserved favor and kindness that comes from the generosity of the giver and not the deeds of the receiver. 

In the Hebrew Bible (what we call our Old Testament), the word chesed is often paired with the Hebrew word emet. Similarly, emet doesn’t have a one-for-one translation but is multifaceted. We see it translated most frequently as truth or faithfulness. 

These two attributes of God—kindness and truth—are fundamental in Hebrew theology and often accompany one another, especially in the Psalms. God’s kindness is powerful and God’s truth is constant and reliable. This is who God is and the very nature of how God acts toward us. 

At the 2022 Assembly, we explored how God’s powerful kindness is the thread that sews us together. As we discern a pathway forward for Mosaic Conference, the 2023 Conference Assembly will explore how God’s faithful truth is woven into the fabric of our relationships. 

In Genesis 47, Jacob begs his son Joseph to bury him in the land of his ancestors. Their family has a long history of jealousy and betrayal, as well as love and forgiveness. Jacob asks Joseph to hold those two realities in tension: “Swear that you will treat me with chesed and emet in honoring this request” (vs 29). Powerful kindness and faithful truth: not denying their past, but allowing it to be named, acknowledged, and resolved in an act of commitment and love. 

What would it look like for us as a conference to do the same? How can our truth-telling be interwoven with gracious kindness so that chesed and emet are embodied in us? Can we acknowledge our fraught past while allowing undeserved favor to move us into new possibilities together? 

While this may seem unrealistic or even impossible to achieve on our own, we remember and rely on Jesus, who comes full of both grace and truth. “He was full of grace and truth…No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God…has revealed God to us” (John 1:14, 18). 

Jesus, the image of God, is the only one capable of fully living both chesed and emet. The rest of us hold those two realities in jars of clay, with humility. Even as we acknowledge that our love for one another is sometimes incomplete, may we choose to extend powerful kindness and faithful truth to each other as we walk together in our broken and beautiful world. 

Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. 
For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.
Praise the Lord!

PSALM 117