Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Franconia Mennonite Church

Franconia Congregation Leaves Mosaic Conference

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Franconia congregation (Telford, PA) has voted to disaffiliate with Mosaic Conference. The Mosaic Conference Board was recently informed, via a letter, of the results of Franconia’s congregational vote.  In the letter, David Mellinger, Franconia’s Board Chair, acknowledged years of discernment around how the congregation would respond to the theological and organizational changes in Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) and Mosaic Conference.  

On November 8, 2022, the Franconia Board put forth the following recommendation for a congregational vote: “After a period of discernment, the Franconia Mennonite Church Board recommends that the congregation disaffiliate with Mosaic Mennonite Conference effective immediately, and seek affiliation with other Mennonite congregations and/or conferences.”  

The congregation voted on November 20 and, on November 27, the results of the vote were shared with the congregation. Of their 409 church members, 83% participated in the vote: 94% affirmed the recommendation to disaffiliate with Mosaic Conference, effective immediately.  
 
“This decision was not a knee-jerk reaction to one specific event or decision that either the denomination or Conference has made. Rather, the Franconia Church Board has been in a discernment process for several years regarding their affiliation with MC USA and more recently with Mosaic,” said Mike Clemmer, who serves as Mosaic’s Leadership Minister for the Franconia congregation. “We have appreciated their clear communication and dialogue throughout this journey and we pray that their continued commitment to extending God’s kingdom and to pointing people towards Jesus would be blessed.” 

For many years, Franconia congregation was the largest congregation in what used to be Franconia Conference (now Mosaic); from 1769 until the late 20th century Franconia hosted conference assemblies in its building. “Our hearts will hold a special bond to the conference which we hosted in our meetinghouse for the better part of the past three hundred years,” wrote Mellinger in the letter.  The congregation is discerning next steps and intends to seek affiliation with other Mennonite congregations and/or conferences, rather than becoming unaffiliated or an “independent church.” 

“We know we have a lot of work ahead of us,” said Mellinger.   “We covet your prayers during this time. We acknowledge the sadness, but we are confident in the Hope that we have, King Jesus.”

A Pilgrimage to Biblical Greece

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In March, I co-led a group from my church, Franconia (PA) Mennonite Church, on a learning tour to Greece.  It was an incredibly meaningful experience, traveling with sisters and brothers in Christ on a spiritual pilgrimage to one of the world’s richest regions of biblical history.   

Why did we go? 

From the outset, the goals for this trip were to (1) increase learning, (2) deepen discipleship, and (3) strengthen relationships.  We were privileged to travel with Dr. Derek Cooper as our guide.  Dr. Cooper is an expert in biblical history and the lands of the Bible.  He provided remarkable insight and helped our group “put the text in context” in truly profound ways.   

The group from Franconia (PA) Mennonite in Thessaloniki, Greece. Photo provided by Josh Meyer.

However, more than simply learning new and interesting information, we were also committed to this being a formational experience as well.  It wasn’t just about information; it was about encounter – encountering God deeply.  Through times of corporate worship, individual and group devotions, and regular opportunities for reflection, we were blessed with a deep spiritual experience.   

The 25 group members bonded relationally in ways that were life-giving and just plain fun.  There is a connection that’s established between those who travel together, particularly cross-culturally.  I’m grateful for the strengthened relationships that this trip produced. 

What did we do? 

We spent the first part of our journey in and around Athens: visiting the Acropolis, the ancient Agora, the Parthenon, the Herodian Theater, Mars Hill, Aristotle’s Lyceum, and Corinth, among other sites.  We then made our way north for the second half of the trip, visiting Delphi, the incredible cliff-side monasteries of Meteora, Berea, Thessaloniki, and Philippi.   

In addition to this formal itinerary, we also created space for unplanned activities: rooftop worship sessions, taking a speedboat to Aegina Island, renting four-wheelers, swimming in the Aegean Sea, running in the Olympic stadium, hiking Mount Parnassus, eating amazing Greek food, and enjoying gelato most every night. 

You can find a summary (with photos & brief commentary) of each day of the trip through the links at the bottom of this post. 

Josh Meyer in Corinth, Greece, on the exact spot where the Apostle Paul stood (Acts 18). Photo provided by Josh Meyer.

How did it impact me? 

There’s an ancient story about a rabbi with a young son who loved spending time in nature.  The boy spent hours upon hours playing in the woods and being in creation.  Finally, the rabbi asked his son why he insisted on spending so much time outside.  The boy said, “That’s where I connect with God.  I connect with God most deeply when I’m out there.”   

The rabbi replied, “Well son, you don’t need to go out there to connect with God.  God is the same out there as God is at home and in school and in the synagogue.  You don’t need to go somewhere else to experience God; you can experience God anywhere, everywhere.  God’s not different out there.” 

“Yes,” the boy replied, “…but I am.  I’m different when I’m out there.  Something changes within me that opens me up and allows me to experience God in different and deeper ways when I’m in that physical space.” 

For me, that captures why an experience like traveling to Biblical Greece was so meaningful and led to such deep discipleship.  Being “out there” – in the actual physical spaces where the Apostle Paul lived, worked, served, and proclaimed the Good News of Jesus – helped open me up to connecting with God in different and deeper ways.  For that, I am humbled and grateful.

Is there a better backdrop for a theological discussion? (Aegina Saronic Island, Greece) Photo provided by Josh Meyer.

Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ του Θεού, ελέησόν με τον αμαρτωλό.

A summary of each day of our trip with photos: 
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10

Rooftop worship one evening in Greece. Photo provided by Josh Meyer.

Being Together by Staying Apart

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by Mackenzie Miller

(The following profile is part of a larger project, working to highlight diverse voices within the conference during this unprecedented time of COVID-19.)

Ashley Moyer, dressed in PPE due to COVID-19, is a nurse in Philadelphia. Ashley attends Franconia Mennonite Church

As a nurse at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Ashley Moyer (Franconia congregation) is witnessing COVID-19 firsthand.

“It’s taking a toll on all of us,” Moyer said. “Our world has been flipped upside down.”

When the pandemic arrived in early spring, Moyer had recently graduated with her nursing practitioner license and was looking to transition away from her job at the cancer center, but the virus changed the health of her community as well as the job market.

Moyer now finds herself heading into work three to four days a week, splitting her time between the cancer center and the nearby Jeanes Hospital, where she crosses the connecting bridge and enters a COVID-19 positive environment, treating patients in need of care.

“We don’t know if what we’re doing is actually helping,” Moyer said, in regard to medical treatment.

But Moyer’s role as a nurse has expanded during this time, as family members of patients are limited in their visiting hours. Some choose not to take the risk of coming into the hospital at all.

“Taking care of these patients is emotional because you are the only person they see in a day,” Moyer said. “We are that person’s only support.”

Sixteen years as a nurse and Moyer has never witnessed anything like this, both inside and outside of the hospital. When she isn’t at work, she spends time with her three-year-old daughter at her parent’s home, where they have chosen to quarantine together.

“We are not the population that’s been hit hardest,” Moyer said. “But I really feel strongly that we need to be apart right now.”

Though Moyer has remained an active member of Franconia Mennonite Church, she continues to encourage those around her to stay at home. 

“From a medical standpoint we’re no better off than we were 12 weeks ago,” she said.

“I really just try and protect as many people as I can,” she said. “Especially for Mennonites, it [community] is family and closeness and making meals for others. But that’s not the answer right now.”

Moyer continues to try and find balance in her life during this time by spending time outdoors and with her daughter. She anticipates an end that will bring a return to normalcy.

When asked what message she continues to share with those around her, influenced by her close interaction with COVID-19, Moyer said, “being together by staying apart.”

How Shall We Gather?

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by Sue Conrad Howes, West Swamp congregation

Lynne Rush (center), music director at West Swamp Mennonite (Quakertown, PA), leads music during the June 14 drive-in service in the church’s parking lot. Pastor Michael Howes (left) and sound tech Tim Scheetz (right) stand with masks on, at least six feet away. 

In March 2020, many churches were struggling with the need to close their doors for Sunday worship due to COVID-19. Now, three months later, some churches are struggling again: When and how do we begin to gather for corporate worship while still caring for the physical health of our congregation?  Churches throughout the conference are trying a variety of approaches. 

Some, typically smaller, congregations have begun worshiping in their church buildings while taking precautions. Wellspring Church of Skippack (PA) is gathering in person, but with written instructions to participants encouraging physical distancing and other guidelines. Offering is collected in plates at the exits, bulletin announcements are sent via email so there are no handouts, and hand sanitizer and masks are available to all. Persons who use the restrooms are asked to wipe down the surfaces after each use.  

Mennonite Bible Fellowship (Morris, PA), has been meeting together since May 17. Congregants sit in every other pew, wear masks, and don’t shake hands. Pastor John Brodnicki commented that the “most inconvenient part of this arrangement is singing. It’s difficult to sing with a mask on.” They continue to monitor the number of COVID-19 cases in the area (their county has had relatively few). “If COVID cases were to spike, we may reconsider meeting together until the spike subsides,” Brodnicki added. 

Since June 7, Franconia (Telford, PA) congregation has been gathering in its parking lot for worship. Using an outdoor sound system,  FM transmitter, and a large LED screen to display the worship leader, musicians, and preacher (who are inside the church sanctuary), congregants sit in socially-distanced lawn chairs or in their cars.  “The outdoor service,” according to Pastor Mark Wenger, “has been a great experience.  This is the first step of gathering in person.” 

Franconia has also utilized the rental of the LED screen to show family-friendly movies on the weekend, including many movie attendees who were not from the congregation. As a result, the church plans to continue offering movies periodically in the future as an opportunity for outreach. 

Congregants attend drive-in church at West Swamp (Quakertown, PA) via their vehicles. The worship service was available on car stereos via an FM transmitter. 

Pastor Beny Krisbianto shared how his congregation, Nations Worship (Philadelphia, PA), held worship in the park on June 14. When 40 people showed up for worship, church leaders decided to divide the group into two, as area restrictions limited gatherings to 25 people. Congregants wore masks and practiced social distancing while older members were encouraged to stay at home and participate virtually. 

Some congregations are holding two services to limit the numbers in attendance. Perkiomenville (PA) congregation set up chairs in the worship space for appropriate distancing. They implemented a limit of 80 people per service and masks are expected for all who attend. 

Meanwhile, Methacton congregation (Norristown, PA) has decided to wait until their county goes “green” before even considering meeting in person in any form. According to Pastor Sandy Drescher-Lehman, “We don’t have a plan yet for how to re-open since so much changes all the time.” Meanwhile, Methacton’s worship services are emailed to the congregation on Saturday afternoons, inviting people to worship on their own time. For Methacton, the question now is, “How much do we need to gather?” says Drescher-Lehman. “We’re still the church,” she reflects. “Sunday mornings are a great celebration that everyone will be happy to have again when the time is right, but I don’t think anyone is drying up spiritually.”

Congregational Profile: Franconia Mennonite Church

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by Mark Wenger, Franconia congregation

The Brown Family

Timothy and Toni Lynn Brown both grew up in devout and close-knit Roman Catholic families. About three years ago they developed a strong desire to renew their commitment to the Christian faith, for themselves and their teenage children, Rebecca and Tim. 

The children enrolled at Dock Academy; the family began coming to Franconia.  “It was a truly beautiful experience for all of us.  Our children enjoyed church again for the first time in years,” comments Timothy.  “I refer to it as my ‘charismatic renewal.’”

Toni echoes this: “The pastors give their sermons and speak to the congregation like we are equals, not below them.  To be able to take away something from the worship service and incorporate it into my daily life is something I never had before, and I truly enjoy it.”

Timothy and Toni were baptized into the Franconia congregation on November 26, 2017.   They are literally Anabaptists – “rebaptized” – in the original definition of the word.  Newcomers, they are sharing their gifts in a congregation that’s been meeting at the same location for almost 300 years.

Franconia congregation is currently led by a team of four pastors, Larry Diener, Josh Meyer, Kyle Rodgers, and Mark Wenger.  Attendance for Sunday morning worship in 2019 has averaged 350.  The Sunday School program is vibrant with about 265 children, youth and adults participating each week.

Worship Drama – Photo by Doris Diener

Franconia is blessed with strong multi-generational family networks. This feature lends itself to a sense of identity and a culture that is purposely Anabaptist-Mennonite.   About 85% of Franconia adults grew up in Mennonite homes.  Tradition and faithfulness are important.  The roots are deep. 

A vision the pastors believe that God has brought into focus for Franconia, however, speaks of going deep and wide: “A rooted Anabaptist congregation willing to do whatever it takes to connect with our neighbors so they feel at home and grow in Jesus.”  Timothy and Toni Brown and their family are a good example.

Franconia has a strong commitment to mission: Curtis and Eva Kratz visiting inmates; the Women’s Sewing Circle knotting and quilting covers for refugees; partnering with congregations in Liberia for education and development work; supporting mission workers at Christian camps.  

Curt Kratz at HOPE Festival – Photo by Renita Leatherman

But a calling for being sent into our local community and connecting with next-door neighbors is coming into sharper focus.  Like through Celebrate Recovery (a Christ- centered, 12-step recovery program) that meets on Mondays; like serving supper monthly to homeless neighbors in Pottstown; like hosting a live-nativity at Christmas.

The pastors have recently formed a “2020 Vision Team” to join them in giving creative energy for investing in this community-connecting vision for the next year.   Timothy Brown was invited to be a member of the Vision Team and he agreed!

What will it take to hear God’s call and adopt a new mindset that shifts from trying to keep each other happy, toward equipping each other to pray for and connect with our neighbors?

A vision-grounding Scripture text that has emerged prayerfully is 1 Corinthians 9:19-22:

“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible…” 

FMC stands for Franconia Mennonite Church.  What else could FMC stand for in 2020 and beyond? 

  • Finding Meaning in Christ?
  • Friends Meeting Christ?
  • Families Magnifying Christ?

Yes!

Prayer requests:

  • for wisdom on follow-up connections resulting from the recent Necessary Conversations series.
  • for the Search process to call a Director of Music & Worship, and a Director of Children’s Ministries.
  • for God’s anointing upon the 2020 Vision Team and initiative

One Foot on a Pew…

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by Mark R. Wenger, Franconia congregation

I grew up as a “missionary kid” in Ethiopia, attending boarding school through grade five.  I cannot recall a time when spiritual concerns and values were not part of the landscape of my life and the air that I breathed.

I did not experience a dramatic conversion to faith in Jesus Christ.  In fact, I speak of many conversions, repentances and believings.  My baptism into Christ, age 12, is much more important to me now than it was at the time.

My call to Christian ministry gained direction through personal interests in Bible, history, theology, geography and music.  But when I graduated from college, the railroad tracks of education and growing-up ran out. Looking back, I’ve named this season in my 20s as “lost years” with lots of vocational, personal, and relational confusion.

After stumbling through seminary, I looked without success for a teaching job.  Forest Hills Mennonite Church (Leola, PA) contacted me about becoming an assistant pastor.  I was very dubious.  How could I be a pastor and be a real person?  I was willing to give it a try, part-time. 

I am forever grateful to God and to Forest Hills for extending a pastoral call to me.  I discovered and heard my divine call to ministry through my experience pastoring for nine years at Forest Hills.  The outer call from the congregation blossomed through God’s grace into an inner call of deep joy.  Frederick Buechner expresses it well: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

At Forest Hills, I became a fan of what congregations can offer for Christian community and witness.  This love of congregational life fed into my Ph.D. studies in Practical Theology – Preaching & Worship, and extended to Springdale Mennonite Church in Waynesboro, VA where my wife Kathy and I pastored together for 10 years.

I liked congregations, and I liked study & school.  Over time, this matured into a vocation of building bridges between congregations and church-related colleges & seminaries.  I began to see myself standing with one foot on a pew and the other on a school desk.  I also gradually came to embrace gifts of administration that others affirmed in me.  Administration, I came to see, is really about people first, not structures.

In 2005, I shifted my weight from the congregation to the academy, but my calling remained the same: to be a bridge.  Kathy and I moved from Virginia back to Pennsylvania where I served 12 years as Director of Pastoral Studies for Eastern Mennonite University at their extension in Lancaster.  Being a seminary administrator and professor was a privilege and wonderful fit.  I found it deeply satisfying to walk alongside men and women exploring and applying their ministry calling.

But, at age 61, I returned to congregational pastoral ministry at Franconia congregation (Telford, PA).  The Bible often speaks about the “right time.” That is not clock time; it is God’s time, and pregnant with divine possibility – risk and promise.  It was the right time to return to church.

At this stage of life, a big part of my sense of call is focused on cultivating healthy congregational life and witness.  The call also includes leading and mentoring ministry leaders younger and better at connecting with this generation than I am. 

 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).

Called to Worship

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by Larry Diener, Franconia congregation

Larry Diener leading worship at Conference Assembly

My sense of call has always been to the church, to the Body of Christ, and my primary area of ministry has been in music and worship.  When I was a youngster, someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I answered—a “working preacher”.  My dad was a bi-vocational pastor, and I guess I wanted to be like him.  He worked hard at carpentry, and was a pastor/preacher for many, many years.

As I grew older, the “work” part stuck with me, but the “preacher” part didn’t.  Even though I currently serve as a pastor at Franconia Mennonite Church, I have never felt called or gifted to be a preacher.  Serving in music and worship as well as pastoral care are the areas into which I have felt called and equipped. 

For much of my adult life, I was employed as a music teacher.  I taught both vocal and instrumental music in elementary, junior high, and senior high schools.  During that time, I was heavily involved in music and worship in various congregations.  Sometimes it was in the form of a part-time job, but often it was on a voluntary basis.  I have served in Brethren, Methodist, and American Baptist churches as well as several different Mennonite churches in different states.

So how did my sense of call to the church develop?  I have no clear or precise answer to that question.  I would simply say that as I matured in my faith during my teen years and early 20’s, I gradually developed a passion for music and worship in the congregational setting, and volunteered to serve in various capacities in whatever church I happened to be involved with.  While in college, I took a part-time job as minister of music in a local church, and found that I loved the work, loved the people, and felt a deep sense of meaning and fulfillment in leading people in worship. 

After I retired from teaching music, I was employed at Bahia Vista Mennonite Church in Sarasota, FL as the minister of music and worship.  My wife, Doris, and I moved to this area in the fall of 2014, and I am currently serving at Franconia Mennonite Church in music and worship, and pastoral care.  This call to church ministry has been very meaningful, humbling, and fulfilling.

Conference Begins Building Youth Formation Team

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by Emily Ralph Servant, Interim Director of Communication

Franconia Conference has begun building an intercultural youth formation team to resource youth leaders and to connect youth across congregations, geographies, and cultures.

In February, the conference called Danilo Sanchez and Brooke Martin as the initial members of this team, implementing the recommendations of a two-year youth ministry study.  This study emphasized the need for providing more depth of resources to urban congregations (which make up a third of the conference) as well as to continue the good work of resourcing suburban and rural congregations, expanding these possibilities through the creation of a diverse team.

Danilo Sanchez, of Allentown, PA, will serve as a youth formation pastor for both congregations in the greater Lehigh Valley (PA) region (including New Jersey and New York) and congregations that have significant youth from Spanish-speaking households.

“Danilo is uniquely positioned in his experiences, gifts, and language abilities to serve our conference at this time,” reflects Steve Kriss, Franconia’s executive minister.  “Danilo has ministered in urban settings but also grew up in more suburban, rural parts of the conference, and his experience working with young adults as the director of Mennonite Central Committee’s Summer Service Program helped him to build connections with the Anabaptist community across the country.”

Sanchez also serves on the pastoral teams of Ripple and Whitehall congregations and as the Community Life Director for RCI Village.  He has a degree in youth ministry from Eastern University and a Master of Divinity from Eastern Mennonite Seminary.  In addition to resourcing youth pastors, Sanchez will serve as a liaison for youth ministry within Mennonite Church USA.

 “Danilo cares deeply for the church, young leaders, and youth, which is a perfect fit for this new Conference role,” says Pastor Angela Moyer of Ripple congregation, assistant moderator of the conference board.  “On our Ripple pastoral team, he is a thoughtful, passionate, and dedicated presence, which I have appreciated.”

Brooke Martin, of Telford, PA, will serve as Community Formation Coordinator, which includes providing administrative support for youth activities like the Jr High Blast, Mission Impossible, and other upcoming initiatives.  In addition to her work with the youth formation team, Martin will assist with planning and implementing conference events like equipping seminars, delegate trainings, and networking gatherings, with special attention given to Franconia’s annual Conference Assembly.

Martin is a member of Salford congregation and has extensive experience in administration and event planning as well as a degree in youth ministry from Hesston College.  Mary Nitzsche, Franconia’s associate executive minister, anticipates that Martin’s experience and love for planning, organizing, and coordinating events will be a good match for the conference during this time of expansion and community-building.  “Brooke is a person with contagious energy, confidence, and motivation to begin her new role as Community Formation Coordinator,” Nitzsche observes.

Before joining the conference staff, Martin served as the interim youth ministry leader at Franconia congregation, where Pastor Josh Meyer benefited greatly from her servant heart.  “Her commitment to the Church, her passion for Jesus, her effectiveness in ministry, her graciousness in difficult situations, her ability to meaningfully connect with both students and adults, and her humility of spirit coupled with quiet confidence were all incredible blessings to us,” Meyer reflects.  “I’m confident that our conference will benefit from the gifts Brooke brings and look forward to seeing how God continues using her calling for Kingdom good.”