Four members of Franconia Mennonite Conference congregations are serving through Mennonite Mission Network Service programs this year.
Laurelyn Foderaro, of Harleysville, Pa., began a one year term of Mennonite Voluntary Service September 2008 in Washington, DC, as a Protection Counselor with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. A 2008 graduate of Goshen (Ind.) College, Foderaro is the daughter of Janet and Anthony Foderaro and is a member of Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville, Pa.
Heidi Kolb, of Spring City, Pa., began a one year term of Mennonite Voluntary Service September 2008 in Seattle, Wash., as a Clinic Registered Nurse with Puget Sound Neighborhood Health Centers. A 2007 graduate of Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va., Kolb is the daughter of Nancy and Roland Kolb and is a member of Boyertown (Pa.) Mennonite Church.
Rooted in the spirit of Jesus, Mennonite Voluntary Service invites adults, age 20 and older, to join together in Christian ministry for one or two year terms in more than 20 locations in the United States and one international site. Since the program began more than 60 years ago, thousands of volunteers have had the opportunity to live out their faith through this program of Mennonite Mission Network.
Corinne Jager, of Sellersville, Pa., began a one year service term with the Service Adventure program in August 2008. Jager will be living in community with other young adults in a unit house in Albany, Ore. A 2008 graduate of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School in Lansdale, Pa., Jager is the daughter of Molly and Adolph Jager and is a member of Blooming Glen (Pa.) Mennonite Church.
Timothy Landes, of Hilltown, Pa., began a one year service term with the Service Adventure program in August 2008. Landes will be living in community with other young adults in a unit house in Albuquerque, N.M. A 2008 graduate of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School (Lansdale, Pa.), Landes is the son of Sandra and Steve Landes and is a member of Doylestown (Pa.) Mennonite Church.
In Service Adventure, young adults, age 17-20, live in a household community with a leader for 10 months. Since 1989 Service Adventure participants have served in medical clinics, tutored children, worked with senior citizens, repaired old housing and helped meet needs across North America. They’ve visited new cities; experienced different people, foods and cultures; climbed mountains and camped in deserts; attended concerts, lectures and college events.
Mennonite Mission Network is the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA and exists to lead, mobilize and equip the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Mission Network envisions every congregation and all parts of the world being fully engaged in mission. More information about these programs is available at Service.MennoniteMission.net.
LANCASTER, Pa. – Want to learn more about pastoral care, non-violence or congregational revitalization? 
Before the meeting began, Lakeview Pastor Blaine Detwiler gave a tour of Lakeview’s scenic location in the hills near the border of Pennsylvania and New York. Pastor Detwiler also shared the rich history of the Lakeview congregation and its current missional vision.
After lunch, the board re-convened for the Conference Leadership Team ministry updates. Noah Kolb shared how there are many able pastors in Franconia Conference who are ready for ministry. Gay Brunt Miller reported on the partnership with Anabaptist leaders in the United Kingdom and their recent and positive visit with the conference. Since Steve Kriss was leading ViaVerano in Spain, John Tyson (a summer ministry intern from the Souderton congregation) reported on his behalf that the leadership cultivation and communications department is vibrantly moving in the right direction with a large number of Ministry Inquiry Program participants and a communications sector ahead of the local market. Conference financial advisor Conrad Martin shared updates on the financial viability within Franconia Conference. And finally, Noel Santiago shared about emerging partnerships and new congregations working alongside Franconia Conference.
“The pastor mentioned that one of the needs that came to their mind right away was their Vacation Bible School, which turned out to be planned for the same week as ours. We offered to incorporate them into our morning VBS, or let them use our building for their evening plans. They chose the latter, so we will both have VBS the first week of August. They also asked for our prayers which we assured them they would have, and added to our corporate prayers on the next two Sundays, the option of a special offering that people could give for their needs. We are also collecting the supplies they’ll need for their VBS activities,” said Associate Pastor Sandy Drescher-Lehman.