Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Dock Mennonite Academy

Strengthening Meaningful Connections with Conference-Related Ministries

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by J. Eric Bishop, Souderton Mennonite Church 

To live more fully into the congregation’s mission statement, “Strengthening Meaningful Connections with Christ, Church, and Community,” Souderton (PA) Mennonite invited a Mosaic Conference-Related Ministry (CRM) to present each week during their Summer 2024 Sunday School elective series, Gifted to Serve.    

Sarah Bergren and Maggie Herrity from the Care and Share MCC Thrift Shoppes.  

The CRM representatives presented a brief history of their organization and its purposes and goals. In an interview style format, they shared how their ministry nurtures discipleship, helps people grow in their gifts, and encourages service.  Many stories were included to illustrate an organization’s effectiveness. A congregation member connected to the organization served as host and interviewer. Some CRM representatives used media presentations and display tables. Each session began with a short teaching on spiritual gifts, led by a congregation member, which was the unifying theme among the nine Sundays.   

This elective series was designed by the Spiritual Formation Team, and the stated goals were that attendees would: learn about the work of Mosaic CRMs; think about how they are using their own time, energy, resources, and spiritual gifts, and if they are called to use them in different ways; and identify and celebrate the variety of gifts and ways people serve in order to glorify God.     

Tim Weaver Interviewing Marlene Derstine from the MCC Material Resources Center.  

The primary challenge, the Spiritual Formation Team discovered, was drawing people to hear about organizations about which they believed they were already sufficiently familiar. Congregants involved with the CRM being represented (e.g., those who serve at the MCC Thrift Shoppe Care and Share), eagerly attended those sessions. But the turnout for the session about Quakertown Christian School was low, as no Souderton families have students attending there, and the adults who did attend no longer have children in the K-12 age range.    

However, the elective averaged 45 people each Sunday, and those who attended learned much and appreciated the candid leadership of those who shared. One Souderton Mennonite participant said, “I really enjoyed the summer elective. It was enlightening to hear about the good Kingdom-work being done through our CRMs. I didn’t realize there were so many, and it was encouraging to see how the message of Jesus is being proclaimed and lived out through Mosaic Conference by these ministries.”     

Representatives from the following CRMs participated in the elective series:  

  • Dock Mennonite Academy  
  • Mennonite Economic Development Association   
  • Peaceful Living  
  • Quakertown Christian School  
  • Living Branches  
  • Care and Share  
  • Spruce Lake Retreat  
  • Mennonite Central Committee Material Resource Center  
Pastor Ken Burkholder interviewing Ed Brubaker from Living Branches. 

J. Eric Bishop

J. Eric Bishop, PhD, taught both English and German at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School (now Dock Mennonite Academy) for 37 years. He currently serves two days a week as Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Quakertown Christian School. He also produces legacy books about local businesses. Eric is married to Linda Hostetler. Eric and Linda are active members of Souderton Mennonite Church.

Giving Back What I Experienced

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by Bev Miller

EDITOR’S NOTE:  As we celebrate Black History Month, we are grateful to Bev Miller and Carrie Noble Duckett for their permission to reprint this 2014 article written by Miller, celebrating Noble Duckett’s life and experiences, including being the first Black person to graduate from Dock Mennonite Academy (formerly Christopher Dock Mennonite High School). We honor this history as we continue to deepen our intercultural capacities and practice of antiracist relationships that validate people’s racial experiences. 

“When we were around Mennonites, we didn’t see black and white,” says Carrie Noble Duckett, the spirited 76-year-old that was the first black person to graduate from Christopher Dock Mennonite High School. 

“John Ruth planted the church in Conshohocken, and he went around the community looking for people to come up to church. We lived two blocks away, down the hill by the railroad tracks and he came down and asked if we wanted to come to the Mennonite church. Oh yeah, I wanted to go and some of the other kids wanted to go, too.” Couples from the church would invite the Conshohocken neighborhood children to their houses for Sunday noon and then take them back to Conshohocken in time for the evening service. “‘Go on…and take your sister!’ my mother would say. “She trusted John.” 

Carrie joined the Mennonite church at age 12 or 13 and spent a lot of time after school at the Ruth home, talking to Roma and John and taking care of their newborn baby, Dawn. “It was something to do and I enjoyed it.” When Roma and John needed to go to Johnstown for a weekend, Carrie, at age 15, was the one that took care of Dawn. 

Soon Carrie began attending high school at the newly constructed Christopher Dock.  She attended with her good friend Mary, but after a year, Mary’s family moved, and she began attending elsewhere. Carrie found the white Mennonite children at CD to be very friendly and not pretentious in any way. “I didn’t see color and didn’t feel prejudice even though I was the only black person that attended the school at that time. I was always very outgoing and maybe that helped.” She admits to sometimes getting in trouble at school. She remembers Pearl Schrack telling her to “stand outside for a while.” Carrie would often stay overnight at Eileen Moyer’s house if she needed to be at evening school events. 

Carrie still recalls the three-quarter length sleeves, dresses twelve inches from the floor, and the head covering she wore while she attended at Dock. “It didn’t bother me because in those days we lived in an apartment building where all of us girls learned to sew in seventh grade and made our own clothing.  We had a fabric store right by us, so it was nothing for us to make our clothes.” Her younger sister even seemed to admire Carrie’s clothing. Although her sister, Pearl, did not attend Dock, she liked Carrie’s clothes and would sometimes claim them as her own, taking what she needed from their wardrobe. 

The only racial tension she experienced (but didn’t know about till a few years ago) occurred on the senior trip to Washington DC. The class advisors, Pearl Schrack and Ben Hess had arranged for a hotel for the class, but when they arrived, the owners of the hotel said they couldn’t stay there due to the presence of one black teenage girl.  So, the plans were changed, and the advisors found another hotel, but her classmates never forgot how they were treated. 

During Carrie’s senior year at Dock, she had to go out at Easter time to look for jobs. “I went to Bell Telephone, and I applied and took the test. Then they called me and told me I passed the test and had to go get a physical. They also asked me ‘When do you graduate?’ and I said June 5th. So Bell Telephone called, and I started on June 12, about a week after graduation. That was in 1957 and I retired with a pension in 1988.” 

When Carrie was 21, she married James Duckett and soon they had two boys, Darrell and Brian. Her mother passed away at a young age, so Carrie took in her sister and younger brother in addition to her own family. Her sister watched her boys while she worked and her husband was in the service. After her husband retired from the military, Carrie made sure he got a job with Ma Bell, and he also worked there for about 20 years. “I’ve traveled a lot all over the US. I went to Spain for a while with Bell Telephone and while Jimmy was in Vietnam, I even met him in Hawaii for some R & R.” 

Carrie Noble Duckett, as a teen, with Dawn Ruth Nelson as a child.  

Carrie currently attends Methacton Mennonite Church where the former child she babysat, Dawn Ruth Nelson, was the pastor until recently. She keeps in touch with many people from her 1957 graduating class. “I talked to almost half the persons from my graduating class today. I just had lunch with 2 of them. Out of a class of 27, ten of them showed up at my husband’s funeral a year ago. My schooling helped me to get my job and my job helped me to do all the things in life that I was able to do. But I’ve always been the kind of person to help others in need because I had that type of early influence on my life. [The Mennonites] always gave and didn’t require anything so I try to do the same today.” 

Bev Miller

Beverly Benner Miller is an Associate Pastor at Plains Mennonite Church and taking Clinical Pastoral Education courses from Eastern Mennonite Seminary. She has a Doctorate in Higher Education from Temple University. She wrote this article when she edited a quarterly newsletter, New Horizons from 2003 – 2018. She has 3 children and 2 grandchildren and lives with her husband, Ken, in Harleysville, Pa.

The Seashells in My Hands

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Editor’s Note: On June 12, 2021, Pastor Josh Meyer, Mosaic Leadership Minister, gave the commencement address to the 2021 graduating class of Dock Mennonite Academy (Lansdale, PA). In the address, Meyer shared three stories with the graduates. The stories offered challenges and wisdom on how to pursue a meaningful life. Here is a story from Meyer’s speech.  

A number of years ago I heard about a pastor who was at the beach with his wife and two kids. They were walking along the water picking up seashells – except they weren’t full shells. They were like those little fragments of shells, the kind of “sea shell shrapnel” that shows up by the water. The kids were running around with these handfuls of broken shells, trying to see who could pick up the most.

Suddenly, the family saw something floating in the water. They stopped to watch and realized that about 30 feet offshore was a giant starfish, just bobbing in the water.

Now if you’re a kid, getting your hands on a starfish is like striking gold, so after watching it for a while, the youngest son got a look in his eye, like, “That starfish is mine,” and he went charging into the water after it.

He only got about halfway, though, before he stopped and came back. The dad, from the shore, reassured him, “It’s alright, buddy – you can go. Go get the starfish!”

The kid went back in after it, and he got even closer this time, but before he made it all the way, he stopped again and came back in. The dad continued to encourage him, “You can do it, you were so close, go back out and grab it.”

The little boy ran out one more time, and this time he got all the way there, right next to the starfish. Literally all he had to do was reach out and pick it up, but instead he turned and ran back to the beach.

Now the whole family was yelling, “Buddy, you were right there! What’s the problem? Just pick it up!”

And finally, the little boy yelled back, “I can’t! My hands are full of shells.”

Sometimes we need to say no to good things in order to say yes to the best things. And if you want to lead a meaningful life, it will require the difficult but necessary skill of learning to distinguish between the starfish and the seashells.

Pastor Josh Meyer gives the Commencement Address to the Dock Mennonite Academy Class of 2021. Photo by Dock Academy.

A Rabbi & Roman Guard: Life Questions for All

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Editor’s Note: On June 12, 2021, Pastor Josh Meyer, Mosaic Leadership Minister, gave the commencement address to the 2021 graduating class of Dock Mennonite Academy (Lansdale, PA). In the address, Meyer shared three stories with the graduates. The stories offered challenges and wisdom to the graduates on how to pursue a meaningful life. The stories are not just for high school graduates, but for us all. Beginning today, and continuing in the coming weeks, we will share one story each week from Meyer’s speech. Take some time to reflect on these short but poignant stories. 

There was an ancient Rabbi who was walking home late one night after attending a banquet in a neighboring village.  As he traveled, he came to a fork in the road.  If he turned right, the road would lead him back to his own village and his own home.  If he turned left, the road would lead him to a Roman military outpost.  It was dark and late and he ended up making the wrong turn.  He went left instead of right.  Before long he arrived at the Roman military outpost.   

As he approached, he heard a loud voice calling down from above.  It was a Roman Century Guard standing on the top of the wall. The guard shouted down, “Who are you?  What are you doing here?” 

The Rabbi stood in confused silence, trying to make sense of the situation.  When he gave no answer, the guard asked his questions again, “Who are you?  What are you doing here?”  

The Rabbi took a moment to gather his thoughts, but still gave no answer.   

For a third time, with greater volume and greater urgency, the guard repeated, “Who are you?  What are you doing here?” 

This time the Rabbi responded, not with an answer but with a question of his own.   

He shouted back into the dark, “How much do you get paid to ask me these questions?”   

Now it was the guard who was confused, unsure why this stranger would respond in such a way.  Nevertheless, he answered, “Five denarii per week.”   

The Rabbi shouted back, with great clarity and conviction, “I’ll pay you twice that amount to stand outside my house every morning and ask me those same two questions!”   

Pastor Josh Meyer gave the commencement address to the 2021 graduating class of Dock Mennonite Academy on June 12, 2021. Photo by Dock Academy.

Beyond Our Comfort Zones

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by Andrés Castillo, communication intern

Finland congregation’s CrossGen conference at Spruce Lake Retreat, with speaker Sean McDowell. The conference focused on intergenerational unity, with panels representing different generations asking questions of each other.

Every year, Franconia Conference gives Missional Operational Grants to congregations to help them think and dream about mission.  Noel Santiago, Franconia’s leadership minister for missional transformation, described his initial vision for the 2018 MOGs as providing “resources to help congregations reach out and get out of their comfort zone.”

Both executive minister Steve Kriss and Santiago have emphasized that the grants are for starting new initiatives, not sustaining them forever. By overcoming the obstacle of money, churches can begin to experiment; leaders and congregations are encouraged to be more creative. The ultimate hope is that, after the grant period ends, the new conversations and ideas started by it will continue to live on and evolve.

Last year’s MOG recipients have done a good job at what Kriss calls “honoring the legacy of Franconia’s mission to spread Christ’s peace throughout the world.” Here’s a look into what some of them did in 2018:

Indonesian Light Church (ILC) in South Philadelphia has hosted a monthly “food bazaar” to reach out to their community. “We learned that every seed planted needs nurturing and time to grow until it can grow strong roots and bear fruit,” ILC’s report reads. “Without time, love, and commitment to sowing and nurturing, there will be no significant result.” ILC plans to continue experimenting with ways to connect with the Indonesian community in south Philadelphia.

Nations Worship Center (Philadelphia) conducted a Vacation Bible School (VBS) with students from Dock Mennonite Academy (9-12) that received positive feedback and results, including new families faithfully attending church after the VBS was over. They also received help from the city of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Praise Center, and ACME. Nations Worship acknowledges that many of the children who attended their VBS come from struggling families and, “If we lose them, we lose our future.”

A Karen member of Whitehall congregation leads in prayer.

Philadelphia Praise Center (PPC) further developed the Taproot Gap Year program, an initiative for college students that involves sending them to live in Philadelphia and Indonesia. PPC maintains an office and staff in Indonesia for this purpose, which PPC pastor Aldo Siahaan says is not easy. “Thank God we have support from the conference,” he says. “Creating a program like this is not new to the conference, but it is for us.”

Whitehall (PA) congregation used their MOG for increasing leadership development among its Karen (Burmese) members. Pastors Rose Bender and Danilo Sanchez have been creatively finding new ways to integrate the various ethnicities within the church. “It isn’t as much about ‘let’s help these poor people’ as it used to be,” Bender says.  As this long process unfolds, the congregation “understands more and more how much everyone needs each other.”

Vietnamese Gospel (Allentown, PA) invited people in its surrounding community to have a large fellowship gathering, with speakers giving testimonies. The event was meant to empower their members and share the word of God with people outside of their church. Vietnamese Gospel hopes to make this an annual event to build relationships with its community.

Pastor Bruce Eglinton-Woods of Salem congregation has been working closely with the Quakertown (PA) Community Center (The Drop), an after-school and weekend program for at-risk children and teens created in response to the opioid crisis. The ministry helps attendees figure out the next steps of their lives in a judgment-free zone. Eglinton-Woods has learned how hard it is hard to gain the trust of teenagers and children and hopes to eventually grow the program to five days a week.

Ripple congregation (Allentown, PA) was able to provide training for two of their pastors, Charlene Smalls and Marilyn Bender, at the International Institute for Restorative Practices. The Ripple pastors have been using restorative practices to better meet their congregation and community’s needs.

Salem congregation has been partnering with Quakertown’s “The Drop” community center for at-risk children and youth.

Other congregations who received MOGs were Plains congregation (Hatfield, PA) for an unconventional July 4th picnic, Souderton (PA) and Doylestown (PA) congregations for the Vocation as Mission Summer Internship Program, International Worship Center (San Gabriel, CA) for technological equipment, Finland congregation (Pennsburg, PA) for their CrossGen conference, and Perkiomenville congregation for its GraceNow conference.

Every congregation has a unique, beautiful story that honors God’s mission to unite the world as one under Him. What is God doing in your congregation and community?  Share your stories by emailing communication@mosaicmennonites.org or check in with your congregation’s leadership minister about ways that your congregation might use an MOG to develop your missional imagination and neighborhood connections.

Jr. High Bash – Practicing His Presence

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by Jen Hunsberger, Children/Jr. High Director, Blooming Glen Mennonite Church

The annual Jr. High Late Night Bash took place at Dock Mennonite Academy on Friday, March 15, and the house was packed with 190 youth/adults from 15 churches, near and far. The evening was full of games, recreation, music, food, and spiritual encouragement. The night started out with each of us checking out what activities we wanted to try and which friends we wanted to pal around with. We were soon gathered on the main gym bleachers to get an introduction to the night and our first big group game. The game leaders from Spruce Lake showed us what we should do and all of us got onto the gym floor whether we were ready or not! Soon balls were flying and kids were scattered in all directions.

After a few big group games, we filled Dock’s theater for the worship time. It started out with brave volunteers, youth and sponsors, that played minute-to-win-it type games directed by Kyle Rodgers from Franconia Mennonite Church, with the crowd cheering for their favorite competitor. Believe it or not, there may or may not have been some cheating from a certain competitive male youth leader named Mike from Bally (but of course cheaters never prosper and Jess McQuade, Souderton Mennonite Church Jr. High Director, came away with the win!) We then warmly welcomed Brent Camilleri from Deep Run East Mennonite Church to the stage with his band and some lively worship music. The music resonated well with the youth and they were lifting their voices and clapping their hands in time, or not so much, to the music. It was life-giving to say the least.

Next to take the stage was speaker Todd Pearage. He offered a humorous, real-life, you can’t make this stuff up, story that captivated the audience and had us gasping and laughing out loud. He then shared some of his life story and how God works through him to be a “good youth leader” to those he leads. He encouraged us to “Practice His Presence” according to Psalms 139. God knows us, He knows our thoughts, He knows our hearts, He know our ways! Do we act and speak like God is standing next to us all the time? We concluded our worship time with more singing and encouragement to get to know someone new during the night, and to keep our eye out for those that look like they may need a friend and invite them to play!

All participants had the next chunk of time to pick a game of our choice. The inflatable Gaga Pit, 9 square-in-the-air, soccer, basketball, walleyball, dodgeball, Spike ball, giant Dutch Blitz, Nerf games and the inflatable bubble soccer balls were all buzzing with excitement and competition. Midway through the night the smell of pizza filled the building and the snack area was the place to be! There were also table games taking place as snacks were being inhaled by these growing middle schoolers. After we were fueled, we were ready for round two of games and more sweat. All in all, it was a night of action, relationship-building, worshiping our Creator and being encouraged to take part in being a free-spirited youth, if only for a few hours!

Stoltzfus Resigns Conference and Dock Mennonite Academy Role

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John Stoltzfus, Conference Youth Pastor and Campus Pastor for Dock Mennonite Academy, announced his resignation from both roles effective July 31.  John has served in this capacity for six and a half years in a joint appointment between the school and both Franconia and Eastern District Conferences.  He and his wife Paula, along with their children, will relocate later this summer to Harrisonburg, Virginia, where Paula will join the pastoral team of Park View Mennonite Church.

John’s steady work in accompaniment with our Conference youth pastors and acumen in working with the changing context of youth ministry has been key in the ongoing work of Anabaptist faith formation across the generations.  John’s depth of commitment to pastoral presence, thoughtful engagement in our congregations and commitment to bridging the life of our Conference and Dock Mennonite Academy have helped to cultivate healthy relationships and honest open-handed collaboration. 

John was the second person to serve in this joint appointment.  Both the Conference and Dock Mennonite Academy anticipate interim appointments for the upcoming school year for campus ministry and conference ministry roles respectively.  A Conference Youth Ministry Task Force report commissioned by the Franconia Conference Board is expected to shape the future trajectory for the role and responsibilities when released later this summer.  

John wrote in his resignation letter, “This announcement is not an easy one to make as I have deeply appreciated the life and work of both the conference and school environment. It has not been without its challenges but I am so grateful for the privilege of working with a wonderful group of colleagues and friends. I have learned much in this role and I will take with me significant insights and skills learned here.   I am confident of the good work that will continue here and of the way God’s Spirit will continue to raise up new leaders and empower you and the broader community for the work God has called us to do.”