Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Ertell Whigham

From the moderator: In search of grace that transforms toward hope

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At Franconia Conference Assembly 2011 delegates were invited to complete the sentence, my hope and dream for Franconia Conference is . . . 55 people responded to the invitation with the following hopes and dreams, “to better communicate with each congregation” . . . “to welcome and include all people regardless’ . . . ‘Unity, joy and effectively spreading the love and joy of God to the outside world” . . . “that it would be a community of those who find their home in God and live in hope with one another” . . . “to build a strong unified foundation from which to

“We are committed to move forward in a way that invites all the members of our congregations to join together.” build God’s Kingdom” . . . “not afraid to embrace new things” . . . “reconnect the people of Franconia Conference” . . . “to become a model community of grace and love, providing a safe place to explore God’s purpose” . . .”that in trusting relationships with each other and with God we can move with God’s guidance into our future, welcoming all, honoring differences, but unified in our core beliefs” . . . “For grace looking back, and hope looking forward with and among the delegates/congregations and the Conference board” . . . “that trust and confidence will continue to grow better conference leadership and congregation direction”.

This sampling of quotes from the delegates is cause for celebration and hope for our community of congregations and ministries. We share a desire for unity, a wish to be open to all persons, a commitment to be welcoming, a determination to find joy in our differences and in our similarities and a strong urge to engage in meaningful, direct and transparent communication.

Ervin Stutzman, MCUSA Executive Director, speaking at last year’s Assembly said, “Trouble plus grace equals hope”. This quote has particular relevance for our conference as together we have sought grace to transform our struggle into hope for today and the future. The Conference board is finding hope as it connects in a new way with all of our member congregations. The board has committed to meeting with the leaders of all Conference congregations within the next three to six months. These meetings are beginning to occur and the dialogue between congregational leadership and conference leadership has been valuable. We’re asking:

  • How can conference support the missional efforts of the congregation?
  • What conference activities has your congregation found helpful?
  • What additional services would be appreciated?

We are finding energy in the eagerness with which congregational leaders engage in the discussion.
We are finding hope in the recent restructuring of Conference staff and the appointment of Ertell Whigham to the role of Executive Minister. Ertell brings energy, passion, leadership skills and commitment to achieving the following priorities articulated by the Conference board and is appreciated and supported by other Conference staff.

  • Engage with the Franconia Conference Board in the work of the strategic transformation of Franconia Conference toward a missional, formational and intercultural Conference.
  • Build an energetic and unified staff team to support the work of Conference.
  • Build confidence within the constituency.

    • I am optimistic that Franconia Conference will move steadily toward achieving these priorities. We are committed to move forward in a way that invites all the members in our congregations to join together in the effort. This will require careful planning, clear communication and prioritizing a path of working respectfully with a shared commitment to become a community and Conference that reflects God’s dream for us together. We appreciate the ongoing prayer of the community as we move, trusting the transformative power of the Spirit on the Way.

Whigham named Executive Minister

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Harleysville, Pa., February 4 2011—John Goshow, Moderator of Franconia Mennonite Conference, today announced that Ertell M. Whigham Jr. has accepted the position of Executive Minister of the Conference for an initial two year period effective February 3, 2011. Ertell succeeds Noel Santiago who has served in various ministries with the Franconia Mennonite Conference the past fourteen years and more recently as Executive Minister.

The Conference Board and its Executive Committee have met frequently over the past several months to discern the leadership needed to help Franconia Conference achieve its mission, which is to equip leaders to empower others to embrace God’s mission. The review process included consultation with current leadership, Mennonite Church USA and resources outside the church.

“Ertell brings a strong background in church leadership, vision cultivation and collaborative management to Franconia Conference,” said Goshow. “Ertell did not ask for this role, but through prayerful discernment, much discussion and listening by the Conference Board, we came to the decision that his gifts and skills meet the needs of Franconia Conference at this time. We are thankful that God’s marvelous Spirit worked in advance to prepare Ertell for this invitation.”

Ertell noted, “I appreciate the confidence the Conference Board has shown by appointing me to this position. My work in Franconia Conference for more than 10 years has been very satisfying and I look forward to the increased responsibility this position will offer. I am very grateful for the service provided by Noel Santiago for the past fourteen years and will be in communication with him about a continuing role on the Franconia Conference staff”.

Ertell has been a valued member of Conference staff since 2000 and has recently provided significant staff leadership and management. He was born and raised in north Philadelphia, and attended the Center for Urban Theological Studies where he majored in Human Resource Management. Ertell served on the pastoral teams of Diamond Street Church of Philadelphia and Bethel Mennonite Church of Norristown, Pa. In 1990 he helped to establish Nueva Vida Norristown New Life, where he is currently an associate pastor. In addition to his ministry experience, Ertell also brings substantial business experience to his new role, having worked for Ehrlich Pest Control for 27 years as a District Manager. He and his wife, Patricia, have three children and five grandchildren.

Franconia Mennonite Conference, one of 21 conferences that comprise Mennonite Church USA, is a network of congregations, ministries, partnerships and initiatives continuing to emerge out of over 300 years of Anabaptist witness and faith in the Western Hemisphere that began in Philadelphia. The Conference is made up of 43 member congregations along with 22 conference-related ministries situated from Atlanta to Vermont. The Franconia Mennonite Conference Board is comprised of the following members: John Goshow, Chair; Miriam Book, Vice Chair; Marta Castillo; Joe Hackman; Jim King; Beny Krisbianto; Jim Laverty; James Longacre Jr.; Randy Nyce; Rina Rampogu; and Nelson Shenk.

Norristown congregation celebrates twenty years

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Norristown, PA—Nueva Vida Norristown New Life (NVNNL) Mennonite Church celebrates its 20th anniversary on Saturday and Sunday, July 17-18.

“Taste the Flavors of NVNNL” on Saturday, July 17, 4 – 7 p.m. features a gospel concert with James Crumbley of Tampa, Florida. Crumbly teaches Jazz Ensemble, Adult Voice Ensemble and Songwriting at the Patel Conservatory, which is a part of The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Tampa, Florida. He also serves as Music Director for the Youth Theater Company ensemble, and chairs the music department at Middleton High School where he teaches chorus and orchestra.

An intercultural meal, featuring cultural delicacies from the 15 cultures and countries of origin represented in the congregation, will also be served. Donations for the meal and concert will be received.

An outdoor celebration worship service will be held on Sunday, July 18, 10:45 a.m. James Crumbley and the bilingual NVNNL worship team and pastoral team will lead worship. A special offering for the congregation’s multi-faceted capital campaign, Enlarging Our Place in God’s World, will be received.

In July 1990, Nueva Vida Norristown New Life was formed by the joining together of three “legacy” Mennonite congregations in town—Fuente de Salvación, Bethel and First. First Mennonite Church was started in 1917 by Franconia Mennonite Conference as its first mission. First Mennonite began Bethel across town as a sister congregation in 1959. After several years of sharing First Mennonite’s building, Fuente joined the Franconia Conference in 1985.

“We’d been meeting together once a year for worship and fellowship meals. On one of those occasions in 1988, God showed us, “This is my church–why are you worshiping in three different locations?” said Pastor Ertell Whigham, former pastor of Bethel. “We realized that if we wanted to be a witness in Norristown, we needed to be one multi-lingual and intercultural congregation.”

NVNNL purchased the building of the Bethany United Methodist congregation at Swede and East Marshall Street. The ministry teams, Church Council, Elders and Pastoral Team represent the ethnic diversity present in the congregation and community. Pastor Whigham, Pastor Marta Beidler Castillo and Pastor Angel Tamayo comprise the current Pastoral Team; all are associate pastors in a shared leadership arrangement.

The congregation’s presence in the Norristown community is realized through five summer outdoor worship services, Precious Life Learning Center, The Benefit Bank, ASSETS Montco micro-enterprise training, Center 4 Youth, and through the congregation’s involvement with the Hospitality Center, Crossroads Gift and Thrift Store, and the Norristown Ministerium.

The church is located at 3 and 25 East Marshall Street, Norristown. For information regarding the anniversary events or the congregation, contact the church office at 484-322-0442, nnl3@juno.com or www.norristownnewlife.com.

Franconia Conference Review Steering Committee receives feedback, revises timeline for reconstituting the Conference Board

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Stephen Kriss

The Franconia Conference Review Steering Committee expresses appreciation for the feedback on the Conference Review composed by LaVern Yutzy of Mennonite Health Services Alliance. As the timeframe for responses ends this weekend, the committee is moving ahead with the reconstitution of the Conference’s board of directors, naming at least five persons to open roles including moderator, assistant moderator, finance committee chairperson and at large members. The committee will receive nominations until June 9, 2010. Nominations for board positions can be sent by email to the Franconia Conference Nominating Committee (Donella Clemens, Mike Derstine, Beny Krisbianto, and Joy Sutter) at nominations@mosaicmennonites.org. The committee is abbreviating the nominating period to move toward fulfillment of the review’s recommendations while working with the board’s timeline for upcoming meetings.

The Review Steering Committee intends to submit a suggested slate of names for affirmation by conference delegates to the current board at the scheduled June 21, 2010, meeting. Following the approval of the slate, the committee plans to initiate public meetings sometime in mid-July that will offer time for delegate feedback and response as well as presenting a financial update of the Conference’s situation. In the meantime, the immediate recommendations from the report approved by the board in early May move toward fulfillment. Noel Santiago and Ertell Whigham continue to negotiate their interim staff leadership roles while other staff work toward the implementation of the LEAD platform among conference congregations.

The Steering Committee continues to appreciate the hearty engagement with the review process, including affirmations and nominations as well as challenges and concerns. While numerous nominations for the open board positions have already been received, the committee anticipates further suggestions and invites prayerful consideration as the discernment process continues over the next weeks. Over the next days, the committee intends to solicit nominations from conference pastors and looks forward to the contributions of current and future board members toward a hopeful future.