Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Conference News

Fire Marshal Visits Bethany Birches Camp

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by Brandon Bergey, Executive Director at Bethany Birches Camp

This post is about a sad story.  It’s the story of the BBC Cabin the day the fire marshal came to visit.

Quick Tangent – if you didn’t know, the cabin is our only year-round use building. It’s where we host winter camps. It’s where skiers stay while they ski surrounding mountains and that provides us some extra revenue. Possibly most importantly, it’s where our non-counseling staff and volunteers stay during summer camp!  And, summer is rapidly approaching.

Back to the story – Bruce and Jay were friendly and clear.  They have concerns about how quickly people could get out of the building in case of fire.  They gave us a conditional permit, which ends April 1, 2012!  After that, no one can sleep in the building until it’s amended to meet Vermont Life Safety Code.

How big of a deal can 8 violations really be?  Apparently a big enough deal to cost $20-$30K (incomplete estimate) – YIKES!  And, at our board meeting we recently decided to add $10K to that number (probably out of our own savings) to accomplish a Master Plan item that will not only make the building much better by including proper bathrooms but will also take care of the two exits we need to add to the loft sleeping areas.

For more info on the report and the list of violations, see this blog post. Our need is great. If you are able to help, we would be so thankful, and so will the kids of Central VT (did I mention one of our campers recently made a $10 donation online – don’t worry, he’s 17 with a job).

HERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO HELP:

  • Give money!  Just the materials are going to cost over $10K.  Send a check or give online and give to general operations or where needed most.
  • Give time: we’ll need volunteers to do most of the work.  Consider getting a small crew of experienced people together and come up for a weekend.  A few experienced laborers can make a big dent in just two days.  Call the office or email me.  Signing up for blog posts or liking our Facebook page will keep you in the know on this project also.
  • Give material: perhaps you own or have influence in a supply chain that could get us sheet rock, lighting, paint, etc.  If it’s in the above list, we need it.

And so the story of an old camp, that’s doing the best it can, continues.  We have always been provided for by those that care about Bethany Birches’ Mission.  God continues to use people in special ways to do this work of helping young people develop their relationship with him as we provide them with a Christ-centered camping experience.

Praise God for the two hour emotional cycle I experienced after the fire marshal’s visit.  At first I was frustrated and annoyed.  Then, humility kicked in.  So often, when I receive correction, direction, instruction, if I am able to release my frustration, I begin to sense God at work.

Join me in praying… God, join us in this endeavor and in all of our endeavors.  I pray that you will bring the resources and people needed to accomplish this change and that it will not distract from the bigger things ahead.

This post is about a sad story.  It’s the story of the BBC Cabin the day the fire marshal came to visit.

Quick Tangent – if you didn’t know, the cabin is our only year-round use building. It’s where we host winter camps. It’s where skiers stay while they ski surrounding mountains and that provides us some extra revenue

Does Mennonite Matter? A night for youth and parents

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Dale SchragHow or why does identifying as Mennonite matter for today’s youth?  That’s the question speaker Dale Schrag will explore at an April 11 seminar for youth and parents at Salford Mennonite Church starting at 7 p.m.  The event, sponsored by Eastern District and Franconia Conferences, related Mennonite schools, and a number of area churches, is part of a twice a year series designed to stimulate and encourage Sr. High youth and their parents in their faith walk.  The event is free of charge and high school aged Mennonite youth and their parents are encouraged to attend.

Dale Schrag is the campus pastor and the director of church relations at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, and is a regular speaker on Anabaptist related topics.  At this seminar, Dale will describe Anabaptist theology and its importance as a window through which we can see and understand Jesus, with a focus on its relevance to youth.  Says Dale, “One of the questions I hear young  people asking is how do I claim my Mennonite identity without being exclusive and inhospitable to those of other denominations and faiths?  In addition, folks outside the Mennonite church are always asking who we are.  The question needs to be unpacked.  It frequently has cultural and ethnic overtones, rather than theological ones.”  These issues will be discussed, and a question and answer time will end the evening, along with light refreshments.

For more information, contact Ben Wideman at Salford Mennonite Church, 215-256-0778, or see the related Facebook link.

What does Franconia Conference do together?

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by Steve Kriss, Philadelphia Praise Center, skriss@mosaicmennonites.org

Lani Prunes worked through Oxford Circle Mennonite Church's summer arts and education initiative that was supported through a Missional Operational Grant.

Franconia Conference: Together. Bersama, Juntos. Cúng Nhau.

This sense of togetherness, of Conference, is a relationship that is sometimes tense and sometimes harmonious, counter to the individualistic and isolationist impulses of our time. We are striving to be held together as congregations, under a common willingness to follow after Jesus, to live in this historic and contemporary Anabaptist stream, to give and receive counsel, to share our gifts and resources, all for the glory of God.

Together. Bersama, Juntos. Cúng Nhau.

Posters with these words were distributed at Conference Assembly 2011. But the question sometimes lingers—what does Conference do?

Equipping congregations

Franconia Conference, in the form of our new LEADership minister, Jenifer Eriksen-Morales, has been helping our ministry enormously these past 11 months. She began with a major review of my pastoral leadership and of the whole congregation that was so helpful in identifying strengths and issues for clarification.

—Dawn Ruth Nelson, Pastor, Methacton congregation

Franconia Conference equips healthy and growing leaders.

Primarily through the credentialing and accountability process for pastors, chaplains and ministers, Conference provides structures for leadership. The conference’s oversight platform—LEAD—is designed to equip and train congregations. Right now, there are over 120 credentialed leaders from the conference community serving in six states and three countries—probably an all-time high as congregations are calling for more pastors and the field of ministry continues to expand beyond traditional settings.

Empowering new congregations

This February, by God’s grace, Georgia Praise Center celebrated our one year anniversary. Throughout this year, Franconia Conference has graciously supported us in so many ways. We are very grateful for the encouragement, guidance, and financial support that have been given to us. We feel strengthened and honored to be a part of one big family of Franconia Conference. We pray that with God’s blessing, our family will grow even more in the years to come. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of our brothers and sisters in the Conference.

—Yunus Perkasa Tjeng, Pastor, Georgia Praise Center

Pastor Yunus of Georgia Praise Center, Atlanta, prays for congregation members PiPih and Ninis during an outdoor service. Georgia Praise Center received a Missional Operational Grant for their relaunch in February of 2011.

Franconia Conference works diligently to cultivate healthy and growing congregations.

Healthy and growing leaders will likely bring forth healthy and growing communities. While equipping leaders is the conference’s primary task, healthy and growing communities are tended by our relationships together. Conference staff members support congregations through transitions, reviews, and conflict—situations that up to 20% of congregations are facing at any one time! While ensuring ongoing health, Conference relationships provoke congregations toward missional experimentation and calling next generation leadership. This process becomes critical as congregations embody the Good News in our diverse settings from Vermont to Georgia.

Cross Cultural Exchange with Academia Menonita
Students from Philadelphia Mennonite High School went on college exploration, cross-cultural, and intercessory prayer trips, thanks in part to a Missional Operational Grant from Franconia Conference. PMHS Students Rashod (far left) Langston, Aaron, and Darnell (right) are pictured here with students from Academia Menonita.

Franconia Conference invites people into healthy and growing relationships with Jesus Christ.

Conference priorities include ongoing spiritual growth from cradle to grave—priorities evidenced in our congregations but also in our Conference Related Ministries, organizations that serve a cross section of people from both within and beyond our congregations. From schools to ex-offender ministries to senior living communities to service providers for people with disabilities to camps and retreat facilities, Conference Related Ministries extend the Good News alongside congregational discipleship. The formation work of Conference is also especially incarnated through conference staffing intended specifically for youth and young adults.

Through Conference’s endowed funds, Missional Operational Grants are provided to congregations for initiatives to further extend the Good News in their communities. All congregations are eligible for these funds, which are most often used for new missional initiatives that allow the life of the congregation to extend the reign of God both nearby and sometimes globally. In recent years, 10-20 initiatives have received grants annually; $68,000 has been earmarked for 2012 grants. Congregations may apply for funds through conversations with their LEADership ministers.

Equipping leaders: One significant role that Franconia Conference has played in the life of our church has been walking with us during our recent pastoral search process. Noah Kolb, as a Conference representative, was instrumental in providing a list of available candidates. As our team assessed and interviewed candidates, he was available for guidance and wise counsel along each step of the way. [And now] Franconia Conference provides further training and credentialing for this pastor. It is reassuring to us to know they are also part of evaluating and confirming this individual for service.

—Karen Moyer, pastoral search committee chair,Rocky Ridge congregation

Franconia Conference builds healthy and growing connections between congregations and the world.

Missional Operational Grants

February 2011-January 2012
$62,259.91

Boyertown Mennonite Church
Deep Run East Mennonite Church
Doylestown Mennonite Church
Frederick Mennonite Church
Georgia Praise Center
Good Shepherd Community Church
Greensburg Worship Center
Line Lexington Mennonite Church
Nations Worship Center
New Hope Fellowship
Nueva Vida Norristown New Life
Oxford Circle Mennonite Church
Perkiomenville Mennonite Church
Philadelphia Mennonite High School
Providence Mennonite Church
Ripple Allentown
Rock Community Church
Rockhill Mennonite Church
Souderton Mennonite Church
Whitehall Mennonite Church

Historically, Conference has been both a governance body and a mission agency. Franconia Mennonite Mission Board was incorporated into conference structures around the turn of the millennium. This has not always been easy. In recent years, Conference has sought to build relationships with other Anabaptist groups across the world, especially in the UK and Haiti. At times, Conference has picked up relationships and conversation that spans the globe on behalf of congregations in places like Indonesia, Mexico, and Chile. Conference has maintained historic connections to places where mission workers were sent in the 20th Century, specifically Cuba and Mexico.

When Mennonite Church USA was formed over a decade ago, Franconia Conference joined the new national body. Conference is the primary point of connection with the denomination, participating on behalf of its congregations along with 20 other conferences across the country. This means conference staff and board members regularly attend meetings and attend to relationships that are both near and far.

Empowering ministries

Christopher Dock Mennonite High School deeply appreciates the collaborative relationship with Franconia Conference. This year we have worked together to hire and share a campus pastor/conference youth minister. Ertell Whigham and John Goshow have been a wonderful face of Conference attending Dock events such as pastors’ day, and providing counsel throughout the year. Our journey together is energizing and life-giving as we surround our youth with the support needed to prepare them to impact our churches and world.

—Conrad Swartzentruber, Principal, Christopher Dock Mennonite High School

Franconia Conference: Together. Bersama, Juntos. Cúng Nhau.

Franconia Conference is a complex organism with partnerships and ministries that span the globe, with a history of over 350 years, older than the United States itself. It’s not easily explained, multi-faceted, and in many ways blessed by years of faithfulness evidenced in risk and caution, generosity and savvy stewardship. Our story is one of togetherness, of trying to stay rightly related in the midst of dramatic changes. Our history, the story of God’s movement through the generations, is ongoing. By the power of the Spirit, may we have the courage to not only preserve but to dream, to not only remain but to go, to not only endure but to flourish.

May our stories abound

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Emily Ralph, Salford, eralphservant@mosaicmennonites.org

"Unexpected hard places will always be with us—may the reaching out stories abound." —Jeff Knightly

Unexpected hard places seem to be more common these days. No matter where we turn, we’re surrounded by hard stories—budget cuts, layoffs, natural disasters, school shootings, illness, and broken dreams. It’s unavoidable.

Yet in the midst of difficulty and trouble, the reaching out stories abound. The overwhelming mutual support of conference congregations who have been blessed by the ministry of Nueva Vida Norristown (Pa) New Life. Missional experiments in gardening and block parties and dance teams and computer labs. Schools and camps that are discipling children to be radical followers of Jesus. New and emerging leaders who have a passion for the way of Jesus, even as they enter ministry in challenging times.

As I read through the stories in this issue of Intersections, I am struck by our need for one another. Would people like John and Sheryl be leaders today if their families and church friends had not identified and encouraged their leadership gifts? From the individuals, congregations, and businesses that stepped up to join Nueva Vida Norristown’s capital campaign, I heard a motivation to join the Kingdom work that is happening in that setting, as described by Rose Bender, pastor of Whitehall (Pa) congregation.

And why would a church near Allentown want to participate in the work of a congregation that’s over an hour away?

Because we don’t find our identity in our geography, our ethnicities, or our place in the world’s economy—we are God’s people, “a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, [we] can show others the goodness of God, for he called [us] out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” (2 Peter 2:9-10, NLT)

God has formed us into a community. And we need each other.

Earlier this year, Conference board and staff met together to discuss the purpose of Franconia Conference structures and staffing. A growing consensus was that “Conference” is more of a network than an institution, here to connect and train congregations and leaders for God’s mission in the world.

And as a network, it is so important that we share our stories with one another. We cheer when others celebrate, we mourn when others grieve, we give when others are in need. And in our time, we also receive.

In the coming months, you may notice some changes in the communication coming from the conference office:

  • A weekly email newsletter to pastors (also available on our website: mosaicmennonites.org/intersectings) that contains the latest news, blogs, and social media updates from around our conference.
  • A new 4-page format to Intersections that will be published in English, Indonesian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
  • Connections: a new podcast celebrating our connections in Christ through stories and interviews.
  • Continued experimentation with technologies that allow us to connect with one another despite time, distance, and language barriers, using video, podcasting, and social media.

Unexpected hard places will always be with us. But that isn’t the end of the story. There are also unexpected places of joy, understanding, and growth. May our reaching out stories abound!

Does your congregation have a story to share? E-mail stories, photos, videos, or blogs to eralphservant@mosaicmennonites.org. And don’t forget to share meaningful moments from congregational life using #fmclife on Twitter!

Unexpected mutual aid helps save church building

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Why did we do this?

Plains has a history of assisting members in time of need and this was an opportunity to extend assistance at a conference level. This action helps us to realize we are part of a larger body, and when one member of the larger body hurts, we also feel the pain.

—Merlin Grieser, Council Chair, Plains

Not only do we have a responsibility as brothers and sisters in Christ, but PPC and Norristown are also similar: both have mostly people of color in the congregation; both are serving in urban settings; both face similar challenges.

—Aldo Siahaan, Pastor, Philadelphia Praise Center

Whitehall made the decision to give a certain amount from our benevolence fund and then presented the story to the congregation in case individuals wanted to give. In three weeks, the congregation’s giving matched what we gave from our budget. Why did we do this? We wanted to be a part of God’s Kingdom work continuing in Norristown.

—Rose Bender, Pastor, Whitehall

New Life is a treasured part of our Conference family and they are meeting many needs in their community. We want to learn from them how to more effectively reach out to our community, sharing the love of Christ.

—Steve Landis, Pastor, Franconia

We wanted to partner with other congregations so that Norristown could continue its significant ministry in the Norristown community. An application was submitted to a congregational fund for “above-budget” requests, which provides support for ministries that are an extension of Deep Run East. The members “caught the vision” and supported this funding opportunity.

—Ken Burkholder, Pastor, Deep Run East

I can’t help but see the many faces of the local Mennonite Church and wonder what stories may be told of congregations finding themselves in unexpected hard places, stories of congregations finding safe places to process their struggle, and stories of congregations reaching out across our differences to share in these struggles. Unexpected hard places will always be with us—may the reaching out stories abound.

—Jeff Knightly, Deacon, West Philadelphia

Sheldon C. Good, Salford
Excerpted from Mennonite Weekly Review (read full article)

When Nueva Vida Norristown (Pa.) New Life (NVNNL) acquired a 9,000-square-foot office building adjacent its meetinghouse in 2007, a local realtor projected it would only take six months to fill it with tenants. Then the Great Recession hit.

By last summer the congregation was on the brink of foreclosure of its 104-year-old meetinghouse, listed as collateral for the new building’s mortgage.

From the beginning, the building purchase has been part of a larger congregational vision. In 2007, NVNNL launched “Enlarging Our Place in God’s World,” a $2 million capital campaign. The campaign seeks finances for the office building and meetinghouse renovations to create a base for intercultural ministries of racial justice and reconciliation, economic access and opportunity for disadvantaged people, and income generation to support the ministries.

“People will go into an office building, but they might never go into a church,”  said church member Jim Williams. “If you can expose people to the gospel, there’s a chance they will begin to connect with the congregation.”

Several pastors and leaders in Franconia Conference learned of the plight. Conference moderator John Goshow met with leaders from seven sister congregations to propose a mutual aid effort.

In September, they initiated a conference-wide appeal for $95,000 to satisfy the mortgage’s needs for a year. To date, more than 20 churches, businesses, and individuals have committed over $100,000.

Williams said he never expected the conference to initiate a mutual aid appeal.

“We still believe we’re doing God’s will in this,” he said. “We can fill a huge void in the Norristown area. We are prayerful and hopeful that we’ll be able to meet our obligations and move God’s vision forward.”

Nueva Vida Norristown New Life
Worship in the parking lot of the Nueva Vida Plaza to celebrate the congregation’s 20th anniversary. Photo by Tim Moyer.

Conference Finance Update (February 2012)

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the garden
Will, Kristin, and Maisley participate in an inter-generational activity at a Garden gathering, drawing a response to the question: Where do you find hope? The Garden received a Missional Operational Grant through Doylestown Mennonite Church. Photo by KrisAnne Swartley

The 2011-12 fiscal year is over and a new year has begun. 2011 was a difficult year for congregations, as evidenced by the decrease in giving to the conference—$80,000 below expectations. This is also reflected in the $75,000 decrease in forecasted giving from congregations for the new year. So, the conference budget continues to tighten its belt for the next year.

A sampling of the various activities of the conference during the months of December and January:

  •  $10,500 in Missional Operational Grants (MOG) was disbursed during this period to Providence, Rockhill, Doylestown, and New Hope Fellowship congregations. $513 in assistance was also granted to Nueva Vida Norristown New Life for the production of a video about the congregation and the financial need they are facing.
  • LEADership Minister Steve Kriss along with LEAD Advisor Donella Clemens led a congregational review of Whitehall in January, as part of the process for strengthening our congregations.
  • Conference Prayer Coordinator Sandy Landes met with prayer leaders and teams from three congregations and continues to lead a weekly prayer gathering at the conference center.
  • In December, the conference jointly hosted the annual pastor appreciation breakfast at West Swamp Mennonite Church along with Eastern District Conference.

Another tidbits:

The conference is in the middle of processing the sale of the development rights to Indian Creek Farm, the proceeds of which will be used to reduce the debt on the Souderton Shopping Center, which in turn will free up some additional funds for subsidizing conference ministries.

Operating Budget, Feb. 2011-Jan. 2012 (unaudited)
Actual Budget Last Year 2012-13
Revenue $791,116 $851,318 $894,712 $817,091
Expenses $841,272 $815,368 $902,030 $788,835
Line of Credit Payment $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000
Net ($75,156) $10,950 ($32,318) $3,256

Spruce Lake expands into Stroud Mall

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by Jackie Swartley, Gift Shop Manager, Spruce Lake Retreat

During November and December, 2012, Spruce Lake operated a kiosk in Stroud Mall, our first time for such an outreach. The effort was successful, depending how one defines success!

It all started while I was reading an article in a retail magazine about a Christian store that expanded into their local mall during the Christmas season in an effort to increase sales and recognition. Our own Spruce Lake Gift Shop (aka Oak Leaf Gift Shop) is typically very quiet in November and December … I felt like we were missing out on a time when many people are looking for gifts with meaning and purpose. Our local community has many churches but no currently operating, specifically Christian book store.

Putting all that together, I thought it would be an interesting adventure to rent a kiosk in our local Stroud Mall during November and December to sell faith-based Christmas items, Bibles, devotionals, and of course, Spruce Lake maple syrup!

My goal was three-fold: (1) To make a profit; (2) to put Spruce Lake’s name in the hands of those living in the Stroudsburg area, and (3) to bring Jesus “to the mall” and maybe reintroducing him to some who had lost the true meaning of Christmas.

Well … achieving two out three goals isn’t bad! It was a financial loss, but a great success in that we talked to so many people about Spruce Lake’s ministries. We also handed out hundreds of informational flyers. It was most fulfilling to hear the overwhelming positive responses we received! Many offered blessings, words of affirmation and gratitude for “bringing Jesus into Christmas … and to the mall” — even a loud “Hallelujah!” shouted by an excited woman when she encountered our products.

I was able to help a mom choose a Bible for her 10-year-old son who was attending a church with a friend. Then, as she opened the door, I encouraged her to go with him. Later, one of my staff had the opportunity to minister to a young girl who was very nervous about taking her SATs the next day. The girl was invited to give her concerns to God, and she left feeling confident and prayed for. I was able to lend comfort to another mother with older children who were far from God, offering her the hope that Jesus is in the business of changing lives, and we need to keep praying and believing that. I was even able to pour out all my protective mom instincts on a small boy who got separated from his mom for a short time!

Yes, the hours were long. The sales were few. The mall music was repetitive, and my holiday season was not the same. BUT THE BLESSINGS I RECEIVED by being there, connecting with people and sharing God’s love, was far better than I’d ever thought!

Peace Mug Awarded to Dr. Priscilla Benner, MAMA Project

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Becky Felton (right) presents Dr. Benner with the Peace Mug

Feb. 11, 2012 – Dr. Priscilla Benner received this year’s Franconia Conference Peace Mug Award during the Winter Peace Retreat at Spruce Lake.  Dr. Benner has been involved since the early 1980’s in the visioning and creation of the organization named MAMA Project. MAMA, which stands for Mujeres Amigas (Women Friends) Miles Apart, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

MAMA grew out of what Ruth Cole, Dr. Benner’s sister, and others witnessed for themselves during mission trips to Honduras in 1983 and 1984. Her pictures and stories were shared in eight Mennonite Churches in the Franconia and Eastern District Conferences, and with women’s mission groups which then reached out to the Mennonite Women’s Organization of the Honduran Mennonite Church, and a partnership was formed.

Dr. Benner grew up in a community where all the influential people in her life were intensely nationalistic.  She was introduced to the Mennonite peace perspective when she married David Benner, but the horrible things she witnessed in Central America – extreme poverty, war and militarization, fueled by her beloved country – shattered her world view and transformed her life.

From the outset MAMA has focused on families with children living at risk for early death from malnutrition, beginning with the “Superbar” and “Super Cookies” projects. Since then, MAMA has grown significantly, being involved in direct aid with food supplements, nutrition and childcare education, literacy, scholarships; and when crises such as floods occur, rescue, relief, and reconstruction projects. At times, MAMA’s work has included loans, home construction, latrine and water projects, but today most construction is focused on cementing floors in poor homes.

MAMA has also had a significant role to play in the sphere of national health policy and has had influence in Honduras and in other countries by partnering with others and sharing its materials, systems, and perspectives. Dr. Benner says, “We take teams to work in and experience Honduras, and hope and pray that the fire of their own passion for service will be fueled by this experience.”

Peace Mugs, provided by the Peace and Justice Support Network (PJSN) of Mennonite Church USA and awarded by our conference Peace & Justice Committee, honor those among us who demonstrate a lifelong commitment to peace and justice.