Conference News

Reaching out across cultures in Souderton

April 11, 2013 by Emily Ralph Servant

Souderton--Wendy & students — Wendy (far left) has been hosting a small group for Chinese exchange students since 2011.

by Alyssa Kerns, Souderton

When Wendy Wong came to the United States from Hong Kong 22 years ago, she was befriended by a Chinese woman who worked with Wendy’s husband Kim.

Fast forward to March 2011 when Wendy met Peter, a Chinese exchange student staying with Martin and Rebecca Reeser. “I wanted to provide a community for Peter and other Chinese students in the area, just as Kim’s coworker did for me,” Wendy said. She arranged to take Peter to a Chinese church in Bluebell. The Chinese church connected Wendy with other host families in the area and the International Chinese Student Outreach began to take shape.

Working with AnneMarie, who is from the church in Bluebell and speaks different Chinese dialects, Wendy developed a monthly Bible study for the students. Currently, about 16-20 Chinese exchange students from Christopher Dock Mennonite High School and Faith Christian Academy come to Souderton Mennonite Church once a month for an afternoon and evening of games, cooking, worship, Bible study, and discussion.

Wendy and the students have learned from each other in the meetings. “The students asked to have authentic Chinese food at our meetings,” said Wendy. “I grew up in Hong Kong, in the southern part of China and most of the students are from the northern part, which has different food. So I bought the ingredients and they offered to help cook and teach me.”

“Christianity is not taught in China and is a very different concept to the students,” Wendy explained. So she uses the Bible Study time to reinforce what the students are learning about Christianity at school and from their host families and to discuss what they are learning within the context of their cultural background.

In the fall of 2012, Wendy was looking for another adult fluent in Mandarin who could help with small group discussions. She met Jimmy and Lisa Kuo, a brother and sister studying at Biblical Seminary in Hatfield. “We heard from a seminary classmate that Wendy needed help from people who could communicate with the students in Mandarin. Since we are fluent in Mandarin and passionate about sharing the Good News with people, there was no reason why we would not get involved in helping the Chinese students experience the love of God in Jesus Christ through genuine relationships,” said Jimmy and Lisa.

The monthly meetings give Jimmy and Lisa an opportunity to connect with the students in several different ways. “We do things from cooking and Bible studies to just casual conversations with the students,” Jimmy and Lisa explained. “We make sure that everything we do is relational, incarnational, relevant, and intentional. The purpose of the outreach for us is to create an environment for the students to encounter God in every little thing we do as a community.”

“We enjoy building relationships with the students, and we appreciate that they continue to challenge us and move us outside our comfort zone,” Lisa and Jimmy added. “Although we were born in Taiwan, we were raised in New Zealand. Therefore, we have had to learn much from the Chinese students about their culture and worldview. Only when we value people by taking the time to listen to their stories do we know where God is already working in their lives and where God wants us to partner with Him to bring in the story of Christ to make their stories complete.”

Wendy is already looking ahead to fall 2013. “Jimmy and Lisa graduate in July and AnnaMarie won’t be able to help in the fall, so I am praying for God’s guidance in how to continue this ministry,” said Wendy.

The students also are encouraging Wendy in this ministry. “There are three seniors at Faith Academy who have accepted Jesus since the beginning of this outreach. Their faith is strong and they experience God in person. It is God’s grace that gives me the opportunity to witness His marvelous love through these students. They have even encouraged me to keep hosting this program so other Chinese students will come to Christ.”

God is already near: an adventure with the Fire Marshal

April 10, 2013 by Emily Ralph Servant

Bethany Birches--Dave and stairwell — Before ….

by Brandon Bergey, Bethany Birches Camp

This is a story about a recent requirement on Bethany Birches Camp by the office of the Vermont State Fire Marshal.

I remember it well… standing in the basement and looking out one of the windows; feeling both angst and joy. The angst was related to discovering a problem for which the solution was unknown to me. The joy was related to sensing that God was near and that an adventure lies ahead.

Bethany Birches--Dave and sheet rock — … and after!

In short, the adventure was to quickly update a building as required for safety regulations. And, to do this with minimal resources in a short season that is not usually focused on infrastructure but rather on preparation for summer camp. The greatest challenges were:

Lack of available money
Lack of available time
To synthesize my own desire to upgrade the building, meet the fire marshal’s requirements and accomplish the board’s mandate to spend as little as possible.

While we spent a hare more than “as little as possible” (choosing real wood for wall finish instead of wood paneling or sheet rock, for example) we kept it very close to bare minimum. On top of that, we were finally able to insulate the roof of the building and upgrade its R value from 1.75 to 40! Talk about savings in the long run!

Bethany Birches--ceiling insulation — Before …

As to the other challenges, money became available. In just a few months we received $75,000 for the work. We spent almost all of it on the project. The money made some additional time available which helped a lot. This confirmed my sense that God was not only near, but working through the authorities (Romans 13).

However, in order to upgrade the building in this process, I spent more time than maybe I ought. While the rest of my work did not suffer, per se, I look back and realize it cost me personally. Our dog died while I wasn’t paying attention and a new challenge related to falling asleep started during this season of elevated stress. How much is an upgraded building worth? Paying through suffering and loss for the sake of Christ is cheap. Suffering and loss feel expensive, though, if not in the service of the King. It is evident that numerous guests to camp have already appreciated the upgrades. I hope that the price I paid personally are useful to God.

Bethany Birches--cabin lofts finished — … and after!

Here’s an interesting point – when God breaks into our lives, “work” and “personal space” are not allowed to remain separate. When having a child, one loses sleep. That sleep deprivation affects productivity at work. Or, when something stressful happens at work, relationships or chores at home are allowed to suffer. What this shows me is that our lives are not as segregated as we sometimes long for them to be. We are one person carrying with us whatever we are currently carrying, wherever we go. If the pain of a broken relationship is currently something we carry, we carry that pain to work and to home and to a dinner party and when walking the dog. While this appears to be an unpleasant fact of life, one that we try to deny often, I give thanks to God that we are made in a way that allows us to be whole.

As I prayed in this blog post, “God, join us… in all our endeavors,” I’ve since realized that if God is already near, my prayer ought to be more like “God, soften my heart and open my mind so I may see you and your guidance. And give me the willingness to bear any cost for your sake. I trust what Jesus has said: that if I release and entrust my life to you, I may finally possess it.”

Rockhill Comm. merges with Community Home Services

April 9, 2013 by Emily Ralph Servant

Rockhill Mennonite Community merges with Community Home Services and announces new CEO

Sellersville, PA – The Boards of Directors of Rockhill Mennonite Community and Community Home Services are delighted to announce a new strategic partnership. Rockhill Mennonite Community is a continuing care retirement community with a long history of providing residential care in Sellersville. Community Home Services of Souderton, established in 1995, is a licensed Home Care provider. Both organizations are Conference Related Ministries of Franconia Conference and are non-profit and faith based, with a like minded vision to provide seniors in this area with quality and compassionate care in a variety of settings.

Therefore, effective July 1, 2013, Community Home Services will become a subsidiary of Rockhill Mennonite Community. The new entity, a registered 501(c)(3) corporation, will be known as RM Home Services but will continue doing business as Community Home Services.

“We are excited about this venture,” affirms Mary Tidey, Executive Director of Community Home Services. “In aligning ourselves with the talent, leadership and resources of Rockhill Mennonite Community, we will continue to build on our reputation for providing the best in home care. This announcement is the culmination of many months of work on the parts of the leaders of both organizations. It represents a new milestone for us as we position ourselves to grow within the changing landscape of healthcare.”

Glenn Bauman, Vice Chairman of the Board of Rockhill Mennonite Community and board member of Community Home Services notes that “it has been exciting to be involved in developing this partnership. It has been a lengthy but rewarding process for us all in getting to this place where we can now publicly announce the merger. We are looking forward to the many ways that we can not only serve in-home care to the elderly here on our campus but also in the surrounding community.”

While leadership of both organizations go about the work of integration in the coming months, operations of the CHS office in Souderton will continue as it has for the foreseeable future.

The Board of Directors of Rockhill Mennonite Community is also delighted to announce the appointment of Ms. Karen Lehman as RMC’s new Chief Executive Officer. Formerly the Executive Director at Pennswood Village, a retirement community in Newtown, Pa, Ms. Lehman will begin on June 17, 2013.

Ron Hertzler, RMC Board Chair, is pleased with the decision. “The Board of Directors is excited to announce that Karen Lehman will be our new Chief Executive Officer. She brings a wealth of experience to this role having served in leadership roles in other CCRC’s. We anticipate her leadership will bring many wonderful possibilities for Rockhill Mennonite Community in the future.”

Ms. Lehman offers over 24 years experience in the health care and retirement industries. She has successfully led several communities – in Indiana, Maryland and Pennsylvania – in new development and construction projects, operational efficiencies, technological advancements and fiscal management. She is a leader in the senior care field, and promises excellent strategic visioning and planning for RMC. Most notably, Lehman was Chief Operating Officer at Greencroft Retirement Community in Goshen, the largest non-profit CCRC in northern Indiana.

“I am happy to join RMC and serve in the CEO position,” states Lehman. “I look forward to helping set a strategy for the future that takes into consideration how RMC has been positioned for today, but also considers the needs and values of those we will be serving tomorrow.” Lehman’s initial focus will be to work closely with the Board of Directors on governance and operations, “not only to strengthen current programming and structures but also to look at opportunities for RMC to further develop leadership that takes into consideration the needs of all those served.”

Ms. Lehman has led communities both large and small to realize their full potential. She has been responsible for communities with as few as 425 residents to as many as 1,200. Operationally, she has directed staff ranging from 100 to 500 employees.

From an Amish and Mennonite family, Ms. Lehman resides in Furlong, Pa with her husband, Kent Beck. She currently serves as the Treasurer for Mennonite Women USA Board of Directors. She is also serving on the Leading Age (formerly American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging) Commission on Ethics. Most recently, she has been appointed to the Board of Resource Partners, a risk-management organization serving nonprofit mission and service agencies within the faith communities of Mennonite, Brethren and Quaker denominations.

In anticipation of joining RMC’s staff and residents, Ms. Lehman states, “Rockhill Mennonite Community is well known for its quality of care and caring, invested employees. I’m excited to be a part of the team that will help guide RMC’s residents and staff into the next chapter of a long and respected story.”

Orville Yoder will continue as Interim CEO until Ms. Lehman assumes her post on June 17th.

*******************

Founded in 1995 by five area retirement communities, Community Home Services of Souderton is a nonprofit ministry serving the Berks, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh and Montgomery Counties of Pennsylvania. Care and Support Services are uniquely designed to meet the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of each client and family. For more information, please call (215) 723-1906 or visit us on the web.

Also located in Pennsylvania, situated on 44 acres in Bucks County, Rockhill Mennonite Community has been providing services for over 75 years. A full continuum of care includes 217 Independent Living residences, 53 Personal Care residences, a 90-bed Healthcare Center and Adult Day Services. All of these services are provided under one roof, which permits changing needs to be met by professional, caring staff. For more information, please call (215) 257-2751.

Carrying the cross on Good Friday

April 4, 2013 by Emily Ralph Servant

Ripple Good Friday cross — Members of Ripple Allentown carry the cross as part of an ecumenical procession in Allentown on Good Friday. Photo by April Bartholomew / The Morning Call.

by Carolyn Albright, Ripple Allentown

This year on Good Friday, Ripple participated in the West End Ecumenical Worship, which involved a procession of the cross, ending at the host church, where 5 congregations joined for a 3 hour worship service. Each church was responsible for leading worship for a 1/2 hour slot.

We had announced this for many weeks in advance so many Ripple folks showed up on our front porch, which was along the processional route, where we joyfully and willingly joined the procession, which had started at the Episcopal church just a few blocks away. Isaiah, 6, and his sister, Marinette, 8, regular “Ripple Kids,” were the first to speak up to help carry the cross.

As we solemnly walked along, one woman stopped her car, jumped out, and took photos of us with her cell phone. Others slowed down as they drove past, and once, while crossing a street as the light changed, the drivers respectfully let us pass, as they would have a funeral procession (ironic). As Isaiah tired of carrying the heavy cross, he readily asked for help and for someone else to take a turn. For me, this was a symbol of the community building that goes on at Ripple; we all carry one another’s burdens at different times, and he so innocently enacted this truth.

Getting closer to the church, Isaiah also innocently asked (after observing the newspaper photographer snapping hundreds of photos), “Are we in a parade?”

“Sort of,” I responded, explaining that we were remembering the day Jesus died on the cross, showing us his love for us.

“THIS cross?” Isaiah asked.

“Not exactly, but one just like it,” I answered.

Inside the church, with its stained glass windows, formal pews and high altar, the children became respectfully quiet. During Ripple’s part of the worship, Isaiah helped with the prayer, repeating a regular phrase he has learned at Ripple. I said, “God loves the world,” and he joyfully responded, “And Jesus loves me!”

And that’s the simple message Ripple spreads, as we carry the cross–and one another’s burdens–in this urban setting.

My journey isn’t over: talking about teen cancer

April 3, 2013 by Emily Ralph Servant

by Lindsey Laverty, Souderton congregation

In February, I was privileged to have my vision for a Teen Cancer Awareness Night come true. The event was held on February 23 at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, where I am a junior, in honor of my 19 year old sister Emilee, who passed away on November 1 of dedifferentiated chordoma.

At first, my only hope for the night was that it would inspire people to talk about teen cancer, a topic people generally avoid. As I researched teen cancer further, however, I was shocked to find that teens and young adults with cancer have been ignored. Research shows that when it comes to cancer, the medical field is not quite sure what to do with this age group.

My purpose for the night blossomed into the idea that not only did people need to begin to talk about teen cancer, they needed to learn more about it. Originally, my plan was to have someone from the medical field come talk, but I realized that hearing the facts would not be as helpful as hearing the stories and experiences of teens themselves.

Thus began the process of assembling a student panel, which would act as a voice for all teens with cancer. As I got into contact with students it became clear to me that God had already hand picked them. Each of them had a different perspective, a unique story, and an inspiring message. In the end, the student panel was made up of Chad Burger, a 2012 graduate of Souderton High School who is still undergoing treatment for Ewing’s Sarcoma, Kayla McClanahan, a freshman at Upper Bucks Christian School who lost her sister to brain cancer, Leah Moore, a 2010 graduate of Christopher Dock who was diagnosed with nodular melanoma and is currently cancer free, and myself.

After the event, I had many come up to me and tell me the student panel is what impressed them most. The topics ranged from planned interview questions to audience questions. In fact, the audience was so involved that their questions took more than an hour. Each student contributed stories, advice, and reflections that I will never forget.

Kayla confronted the belief that because it’s been a year since her sister passed away, she should get over it. “Just because my sister died doesn’t mean that it’s over,” she said. “My journey isn’t over, it’s still every day.”

Chad encouraged people to be honest with teens that have cancer, saying, “Don’t shy away from things, talking-wise and question-wise.”

Leah expressed how many times when she tried to talk to her friends about how she was doing or what she was feeling, they often seemed uninterested and consumed in their own lives. “They seemed to just want to talk about their lives,” she shared. “To me that was like, excuse me?” All of us agreed that feeling a sense of normalcy was what we all strived for most.

Teen Cancer Awareness Night was attended by more than 250 people and raised $5000 for cancer research. It went beyond my wildest dreams and I can confidently say it is because of God: He brought together the student panel, the creation and donation of the student artwork, and all the desserts for the coffee house. God blessed the night and, through my work on organizing it, showed me what happens when my passion meets the world’s need.

Find out more about teen cancer at teenslivingwithcancer.org.

Celebrating a Shamrock Seder

April 2, 2013 by Emily Ralph Servant

by Lynne McMullan Allebach, Arise Community Outreach

What happens when you cross St. Patrick’s Day and a Jewish Passover Seder? Everyone who attended Arise in Harleysville on Sunday, March 17, found out as Robin Burstein, Executive Director of the Encore Experience of Harleysville, led the group through a “Shamrock Seder.”

Originally planned as a “Nacho Typical” Seder featuring a Southwestern flavor, the Seder evolved into a Shamrock Seder after Robin learned that St. Patrick, like the Israelites in Egypt, had been taken captive and lived as a slave for a number of years as a young man before escaping and returning to his family. Patrick’s story was a good lead into the beginning of the Seder.

Robin explained about the four glasses of wine (for us, grape juice) that are poured as part of the Seder to represent the four stages of the Exodus:

The first glass of wine represents freedom. We were instructed to break one of the matzos on the table. As the matzos was broken, we were invited to consider what may be “broken” in our world and what we could do as individuals and as a community to make the broken whole again. When had we felt like we were a slave to something? What had led us to great moments of liberation in our lives? Just as the Jews are called to remember their liberation from slavery in Egypt during the Passover Seder, we can look for those places in our lives where God has led us to freedom.

The second glass of wine represents deliverance. At this point in the Seder we were invited to prepare a sandwich to remember the bitterness of slavery in Egypt with maror (horseradish) mixed with the hope of the Promised Land represented by charoset (apples, nuts, and honey) served on the unleavened bread (matzos). We were led in a recounting of the ten plagues that beset the Egyptians because of Pharaoh’s refusal to let the Israelites go. This was done by dipping a finger in the wine and dripping a drop of wine, much like falling tears, onto our plates. Where can we see bitterness in our lives transformed by God’s deliverance today?

shamrock seder — Matzo bread at Arise’s Shamrock Seder.

At this point in the Seder a meal is served. The Seder is a meal of remembrance and we remembered St. Patrick as we enjoyed a baked potato bar. We were reminded that a potato famine in Ireland led to an exodus of many of its citizens. Hardships have been experienced by many different people groups; as we see the similarities in our own stories, we see that we are not that different from one another.

The meal was followed by the third glass of wine, which represents redemption. Before drinking, we were instructed to each eat a piece of the broken matzos known as the Afikomen. This was followed by a prayer of blessing and another question – how do we get in the habit of freely expressing gratitude?

Finally, the last glass of wine, representing release, was poured. A cup was also poured for the prophet Elijah. It is traditionally believed that he will come at Passover to herald the Messiah, so in anticipation, a door is opened to look for him and someone is sent to the door to invite him in. One of our group went to the door to look for Elijah and we all waited eagerly to see who might come in to join us. Despite the fact that Elijah did not come to our Seder, we still poured some of our own wine into his cup with our wish for the world in the coming year.

In the Seder we remembered the four stages of the Exodus – freedom, deliverance, redemption, and release. All of these promises are ours today through Christ, who celebrated the Seder with his disciples that very first Holy Week. His broken body is our matzo bread and his blood is the wine we drink in remembrance of our deliverance from our own Egypts.

Resurrected space brings new life in East Greenville

March 21, 2013 by Emily Ralph Servant

Project Haven — Scott Roth works on the East Greenville building with Tyler, Cory, and Darian, students from Upper Perk high school. Photo by Tyler Logan.

by Emily Ralph, eralphservant@mosaicmennonites.org

The moment that Scott Roth unlocked Peace Mennonite’s old building for the first time in September of 2012, he began to tear up. One of the high school students with him asked why he was so emotional. “I can’t believe this is actually happening,” he responded.

The journey to open what is now Project Haven, a community center in East Greenville (Pa.), had been long and circuitous. Roth, youth pastor of Eastern District Conference’s New Eden Fellowship, had been a part of UPPEN (Upper Perk Prayer & Evangelism Network) and the regional ministerium for years. In 2011, these groups faced a community crisis when a high school student committed suicide. Leaders from the groups met with reprentatives from Upper Perkiomen School District to find out how they could help.

The school district wanted an organization that could be connected with all the major players in the community: school, police, faith communities. And they needed this organization to provide an afterschool program, some sort of a community center that would not just entertain the students, but help to develop character and provide a calm in the storm of their lives.

Meanwhile, Franconia Conference’s Peace congregation decided to close. The members of the congregation, who had been active in their community, wanted the building to be used to continue God’s work in East Greenville. Even as they grieved the end of their congregation, they believed that new life would result. They chose to celebrate their last service together on Easter 2011, dreaming about what God would resurrect in their space.

Peace’s LEADership Minister, Jenifer Eriksen Morales, called a meeting of leaders from local congregations—some Mennonite and some from other denominations—to have a time of visioning together. The leaders met, prayed together, looked at the building, and dreamed about what God might want to do in that place. Seeds were planted and some of the pastors began to think about how their existing ministries might find a home in the old church building.

Even as the pastors were meeting and dreaming, Roth and team of leaders from New Eden were starting an afterschool program called Refuge at the Upper Perk high school. The space was not entirely conducive to the type of activities Roth wanted to do with the students and he continued to look around for a new space. After months of searching and uncertainty, Roth’s dream and the East Greenville building collided.

As soon as plans were finalized, Roth began working with a team of student volunteers from the high school to renovate the building. He formed an advisory team with leaders from his own church and Franconia Conference’s Finland and Perkiomenville congregations. Soon other dreamers began to show up with ideas: the local senior center asked to move into the building and use it weekday mornings when the students were still in school; members of the former congregation joined Roth with ideas of ways to rejuvenate their existing clothing ministry; a member of Family Worship Center organized a bar alternative to utilize the space on Friday and Saturday nights.
“It’s like in Ephesians where it talks about the different parts of the body working together,” Roth said. “If the body [of Christ] works together, we will achieve great things!”

In March—just in time for Easter—Project Haven will move into its new location: three blocks away from the local junior high school and five minutes from the senior high school. While the project still needs supplies like tables and chairs, volunteers for continuing renovation, and financial donations for their ongoing work, Roth is amazed at how God has brought together people and resources so that this dream could come to life.

The dream has come a long way since pastors were praying together about possibilities, Eriksen Morales observed. “I’m excited that the space is being repurposed,” she said with a big smile. “From the beginning, God has been continually ‘bringing into being’—it’s exciting to see what God is bringing into being in East Greenville!”

Finland invites community to drive-thru

March 19, 2013 by Emily Ralph Servant

by Rose Longacre, Finland

It was a cold morning this week when four members of our church, Finland Mennonite, gathered to set up a table making a free “drive-thru” coffee stand. As usual, we looked forward to seeing our “regulars” and we prayed for new cars to stop by. Our normal conversations about sugar or creamer were replaced this particular Wednesday by something much deeper as a woman from the community pulled in, not for coffee or donuts, but asking if we could pray with her. She had been to our drive-thru in months past but today she was in search of something more. We prayed for her and cried with her and marveled at how Jesus is able to work through us to bring comfort to others, even through donuts and coffee.

About 3 years ago, when the economy was tough, some of our members at Finland began pondering how our church could reach out to the community and let them know we cared. On Fachtsnachts Day, while I was on the phone with a friend, she drove by a church where they were handing out doughnuts at the red light. That event sparked a new idea: we could give out free cups of coffee!!!

In April 2010 we began our once-a-month drive thru coffee ministry. On the Sunday before, we put out a sign saying that there will be a free coffee drive thru from 6:30-8:00 am on the following Wednesday. Each month since that April, year round, on the third Wednesday of every month, we are outside with free coffee and donuts for all who drive thru during that time.

We have a list of our “regulars” who we know by name and how they take their coffee. One regular stops by just for a donut, while some bring their own cups to be filled. We have a team of four regular helpers to fill cups, add the cream/sugar, load up the bags and add the donut. Juice boxes are given to families with children.

Helpers are busy behind the scenes as well. The Boys & Girls Club have begun to decorate the bags, which often say, “Have a good day!” or “Smile, God loves you!” Some months we allow our guests to choose from homemade baked items made by congregational members.

In addition, businesses from the community have joined us in our outreach effort. A neighbor who made donuts for Yum Yum’s in Colmar for 40 years began donating two dozen donuts each month—he would come off of his night shift and deliver them to us for our event. After he became ill and passed away, Yum Yums honored his commitment to serving by continuing to donate 2 dozen donuts each month. One Village Coffee found out about our ministry and has also given us free coffee from time to time.

We average right around 20 individuals each month and almost always have a new one who has seen the sign but never stopped before. We look forward to seeing our regulars each month and catching up on their lives, their grandchildren, their vacations.

It has been a fun way to see who drives by our church and an opportunity to share the love of Christ with our community, invite people to events at our church, and help our neighbors to begin their day with a smile and a warm cup of free coffee.

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