Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

International Worship Church

Ambassadors We’re Learning from This Summer (Part 3)

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by Brendan Sagastume

Editor’s Note: This summer, nine young adult Ambassadors served in congregations and ministries across Mosaic Conference. This article highlights three of these Ambassadors. See the prior articles here and here. 

Ivonne Hartono, 20, is a member of Jemaat Kristen Indonesian Anugerah (Grace International Christian Fellowship) in Sierra Madre, California. This summer she has been reorganizing and filing a lot of the congregation’s music, leading and organizing youth events, and assisting in other areas needed.  

One takeaway from this summer is that organizing events with youth is both challenging and rewarding. She shared about the difficulties with various processes and decision-making which helped her to realize that there is often no perfect solution. Hartono says, “we have to be willing to take a risk in each decision made.”

Throughout her time in the Ambassador program, she has been happy to create a space for the youth at her church. She also appreciated time with other Ambassadors to learn and share thoughts and ideas. After the conclusion of the program, Hartono will continue to help at JKI Anugerah with the creation of a new website. 

Heydi Casas Perez, 17, is a member of Iglesia Menonita Shalom (Tampa, FL). Throughout the summer, she has prepared lessons to be presented in front of the congregation and assisted with organizing Sunday worship along with other teenagers in her church.  

One of her takeaways from this summer is that God doesn’t give obstacles that can’t be faced. She sometimes experienced challenges in her work but knew she could put everything in the Lord’s hands. Casas Perez says that it is always important to “have faith in what God has for you because he does everything with a purpose.” 

She has been grateful for the opportunity to learn more about being a leader. As she continues to get more young adults more involved in her congregation, she knows she can put everything that she has learned this summer into practice. 

Aaron Walojo, 21, is a member of International Worship Church (San Gabriel, CA) This summer he assisted with coordinating English services for teens in the community, as well as outings for the youth.  
 

One of his takeaways from this summer is that it is okay to make mistakes; they allow learning and growth. Another thing he learned is that communication is key to becoming a good leader. 

After Walojo felt a call to serve the church and help others grow in their faith, he was happy to join the Ambassadors program to work towards his goals. One goal was to “have better connections with the younger church members, provide guidance, and help create an environment where they can encounter God meaningfully.”  

He is grateful for the chance to achieve these goals and will continue to work with his congregation while returning to college.  

Brendan Sagastume

Brendan is a member of Perkiomenville (PA) Mennonite. Through the Ambassador Program this summer, he is working with both Mosaic Conference and Perkiomenville.

Responding to the Need in Indonesia, Regardless of Religion

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The church knows no geographical boundaries. When there is a call for help from across the globe, as a church, we are called to act. When the second wave of the pandemic hit Indonesia where vaccines are still limited, Mosaic congregations rose to action.  

Photo provided by Britannia Worotikan.

Four Mosaic churches, Salford (Harleysville, PA) Mennonite Church, Philadelphia (PA) Praise Center, Jemaat Kristen Indonesian Anugerah (JKIA) (Sierra Madre, CA), and International Worship Church (IWC) (San Gabriel, CA), raised funds to assist with needs related to the pandemic in Indonesia. Together the churches raised over $17,000. Through a Missional Operations Grant, Mosaic Conference gave an additional $15,000. Altogether $32,937.32 was sent to Indonesia through JKI Anugerah, to support vaccination programs and humanitarian aid.

A fundraising effort collected funds for Semarang City and Makassar, Indonesia to be distributed by JKI, a Mennonite organization in Indonesia. JKI began a free vaccination program in June 2021. The vaccines were provided for free from the Indonesian government, but the funds raised contributed to the facility costs, workers’ wages, and meals. To read more, click here. 

Boarding school students are vaccinated in Indonesia through the free vaccine initiative, supported in part through Mosaic churches and Conference. Photo provided by JKI Injil Kerajaan.

“The free vaccine initiative and aid toward the marginalized community that was impacted by the Covid 19 Pandemic is very strategic ministry for the church; this way the church can be salt and light to the community”, said Pastor Virgo Handojo of JKIA.

Hanah Sinjaya, the head of YABBM foundation, almost gave up on helping those in need in Indonesia, because she couldn’t afford the costs needed to run the free vaccine clinic and offer humanitarian aid. Thanks to the moral and financial support through this initiative, the free vaccinations program and humanitarian assistance continue to run today, reaching to the narrow alleys where many people live in the city of Makassar.

On Monday, August 30, 2021, Mosaic funds helped vaccinate 423 people from two Islamic Boarding school in Indonesia. Each person was also provided a free lunch, mask, gloves, vitamins and groceries to take to their home. In a country where 87% of the population is Muslim, the initiative offered a show of support and solidarity with all persons. 

Photo provided by JKI Injil Kerajaan.

“Today, God has a unique way of gathering us all. A Pastor and a Kyai (an expert in Islam) stand together, side by side, so we can all be healthy. In the midst of the danger of Islamic Radicalism that wants to use the Taliban victory as a weapon of influence, today we show something different to spread goodness and unity”, said Gus Nuril Arifin, Head of Soko Tunggal, Islamic boarding school. 

“…today we show something different to spread goodness and unity.”

– Gus Nuril Arifin

Photo provided by JKI Injil Kerajaan.

Young Adults Take Lead in Times of Trouble

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by Cindy Angela, Digital Communication Associate

Over the summer months, four young adults worked as summer service workers in four Mosaic Conference congregations.  Graciella Odelia (Nations Worship Center, Philadelphia PA), Christopher Jong (Philadelphia Praise Center, Philadelphia PA), Ser Luther (Whitehall congregation, Allentown, PA), and Alex Padilla (International Worship Church, San Gabriel, CA) participated in a ten-week program through Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) that helps young adults of color in the U.S. cultivate their leadership skills within their community.

Graciella Odelia distributed groceries in South Philadelphia with the help of Mosaic Shalom Fund.
Photo provided by Graciella Odelia

As the needs in the community shifted due to the pandemic, the summer workers and their supervisor had to quickly adapt their plans to better serve their community.  “My job for this summer was supposed to be coordinating a vacation Bible school for the children in my church. But because of COVID-19, that didn’t work out,” Graciella Odelia explained.

Instead, Odelia produced videos for Nations Worship Center virtual church service, organized Zoom meetings, and helped pack groceries and deliver them to families in need.  “God called me to serve the church and to help my community during this difficult time,” Odelia reflected.

Christopher Jong distributed free clothes in South Philadelphia this summer.
Photo provided by Christopher Jong

Christopher Jong echoed the same sentiment. Jong was born in Philadelphia but was raised in Indonesia. He moved back to the US when he was 17 years old. Being a summer worker helped him reconnect to his South Philadelphia roots. “PPC [Philadelphia Praise Center] was the first church I was introduced to when I reached the US and I felt connected to the people ever since,” Jong recounted.

Initially, Jong was to organize a summer camp that got cancelled. So Jong and his supervisor, Pastor Aldo Siahaan of Philadelphia Praise, had to adapt and make new projects for Jong to work on. “We created projects such as grocery shopping service, free care package distribution, translation services and many more,” Jong explained.

Screen capture of a video interview with Ser Luther

Summer worker, Ser Luther, worked with the Whitehall congregation in Allentown, PA. During the week, Luther helped out at Ripple Community Inc’s (RCI) Community Building Center. On the weekends, he helped the Whitehall congregation with various tasks for their Sunday service. He prepared PowerPoint presentations, managed Zoom meetings, and even led worship services.

Luther’s supervisor, Danilo Sanchez (of RCI) observed, “Halfway through the summer I noticed a change in him. He became much more comfortable talking with new people at the center and public speaking.”

Alex Padilla led children’s Zoom Sunday School for International Worship Church in California.
Photo provided by Alex Padilla

Meanwhile in California, Alex Padilla balanced online classes at the University of Colorado while also being a summer worker for International Worship Church (San Gabriel, CA). Padilla has been attending International Worship Church for a few years, where Pastor Buddy Hananto saw his potential and asked him to be a summer worker.

One of Padilla’s favorite tasks this summer was creating a virtual Sunday school class. “It was an incredibly valuable experience to be a teacher of faith to the next generation,” he shared.

This summer, these young adults may have taken on different roles and responsibilities, but all of them learned to lead, to adapt, and to keep trusting God in times of trouble.

Congregational Profile: International Worship Church

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International Worship Church started in 1997 as a small home prayer meeting of 13 people.  Rev. Harjono Margono, Rev. Samuel Murti & Rev. Buddy Hannanto started IWC in Santa Monica, California. In December 1999, Rev. Buddy Hannanto was license by Rev. Jeff Wright as Director of Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference.  In the past year we have grown so much in attendance.

In 2000 we moved to the new location in Alhambra City. and three  years ago, God brought us to a huge church building in San Gabriel City. Through our leaders and congregation, IWC continues to be a channel of God’s grace.  God has remained faithful. Our prayer continues to be that God will continue to use our church to grow His Kingdom.

VISION:
We see a growing local church with a global influence.       

MISSION:
Lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to be like Jesus Christ.

VALUES:

  1. We will love people till they ask why. – Luke 5:30-32
  2. We will get real with one another. – Act 2:42-47
  3. We will be contributors, not consumers. – Act 20:35
  4. We will live what we learn. – Matthew 7:24-27
  5. We will reach up and reach down. – Romans 12:4-6
  6. We will make it better. – Matthew 25:23

WORSHIP:

  • Sunday 10:30 AM – English Service, 12:30 PM – Indonesian Service, 12:.30 PM Sunday School
  • Wednesday 9:00 PM – Prayer Night
  • Friday 9:00 PM – Home Prayer Meeting

MINISTRIES:

  • Children: We love children at IWC. They are not just the future of the church, they ARE the church. They play a significant role in our church today, and they are part of the Body of Christ. We have a deep desire to instill the love of Christ through Scripture-centered teaching while having fun! We believe in intergenerational worship where all ages are connected within church ministries.
  • Youth: Our youth grow in relationship with God and each other, and go out and serve the local community!
  • Adults: IWC believes that it is important for adults to be in community together, focusing on strengthening our relationship with God through Bible reading, prayer and service within our community.

IWC is a contemporary Christian Church under Franconia Mennonite Conference.  Please support us in prayer for our ministries.

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.

From a California Dream to a Bi-coastal Reality

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by Steve Kriss, Executive Minister

Mary Nitzsche and I made our first trip to visit the California congregations since the three were welcomed into our Conference in November.  International Worship Church (IWC) in San Gabriel, Jemaat Kristen Indonesia Anugerah (Grace Indonesian Christian Fellowship) in Sierra Madre and Indonesian Community Christian Fellowship (ICCF) in Colton are located within an hour of each other, all to the east of Los Angeles along the 210 and 10 freeway corridors.   They are located in a stretch of large suburbs that flow into what is known as the Inland Empire.  Each suburb is distinct, but these communities – sometimes more like cities themselves – merge together to create the US’s second largest metropolitan area.

We spent time with each congregation.  If you hustled, you could likely attend each congregations’ worship gathering, all on the same Sunday.  Mary and I split the responsibilities, though, so we would have time to visit with each group.  Mary brought greetings to the English worshipping community at International Worship Church at 11:00 am and preached at JKIA at 2:30 pm.  I preached at the Indonesian language service at IWC at 12:30 and at ICCF at 5:30.

There was food afterward the worship services.  After over a decade of walking alongside Indonesian congregations, I recognize the gracious island hospitality and celebration that remains intact here in the States as well.  At IWC, I had a bowl of spaghetti brought from the kitchen, when the servers realized that I didn’t eat seafood, which was the main dish provided for lunch.  At ICCF, there was an anniversary celebration which included traditional Indonesian satay, rice and soup, along with karaoke that was a mix of pop, praise songs and traditional hymns.

There is new opportunity and challenge by being bi-coastal.  We’re navigating the legal requirements necessary for credentialed leaders in California, which are different from Pennsylvania.   We’re having to learn new geography, time zones and context.  We are moving toward adding a staff person based in Southern California, as well.   Aldo Siahaan, Conference LEADership minister and pastor at Philadelphia Praise Center is also initiating an online Zoom call for Indonesian speaking pastors across our Conference.    These things will help to ensure our flourishing together.

There is still a sense of surprise for me that we are here in this time and place.  This trip meant beginning to think and care for California in a way that I haven’t before – as a pastor.  What is the Spirit provoking through this holy experiment?  In what ways can we live and move into this time and space, where God’s capacity is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or imagine through the power at work within us (Ephesians 3.20)?

As we begin to move into this space, beyond dreams and into new realities, I invite your prayers for us together.  I’m still grateful for the overwhelming sense of the Spirit’s direction at assembly to welcome the California congregations to become part of us.  And in that welcome, I believe there will continue to be transformation.

Life Together Gets More Interesting

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Since 2011, Franconia and Eastern District Conferences have come together for an annual fall Assembly holding separate business sessions, yet enjoying joint times of worship on Friday evening and Saturday morning, sharing in the recognition of newly credentialed leaders, and lunch. This year on November 3 and 4, 2017 they gathered at Dock Mennonite Academy in Souderton, Pennsylvania to do the same. However, new this year, a time of joint meeting was held on Saturday afternoon that focused on reviewing recommendations from the Exploring Reconciliation Reference Team that the two Conferences voted to commission at the 2016 Assembly.

The Assembly was centered on Psalm 133:1,3b, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” The theme was Life Together, as the focus of the Assembly was that while these two conference may have split 170 years ago, they continue to do life together.  A large part of the Assembly business this year was to look at whether these conferences would take the next step in their relationship, to look even more intentionally at reconciliation and what it would look like if they were to merge into one conference.

The weekend began with Friday night worship led by Tami Good of Swamp Mennonite Church, which included a worship team of folks whose first languages were Indonesian, Spanish and English and who came from congregations in South Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Upper Bucks and Montgomery Counties. The opening prayer was given in Indonesian, Spanish, English and even Pennsylvania Dutch. Videos were shown that highlighted  Souderton Mennonite Church’s Vocation as Mission internship program, “for young adults actively pursuing God’s kingdom in local communities.” Highlighted were the fact that the interns come from congregations across both conferences — most not even realizing there were two conferences — and the relationships built between the interns through Bible study, leadership and social issues trainings, as they worked side by side with local non-profits, businesses and ministries. The other video shown was about the ministries of Deep Run East and Deep Run West — one Franconia Conference church and one Eastern District church that happen to be across the street from one another. Their pastors, Ken Burkholder of Deep Run East and Rodger Schmell of Deep Run West, shared about how their congregations do ministry in such close proximity and how their relationship has changed over the years since their initial split. The worship time was followed by the annual ice cream social provided by Longacres Dairy.

Saturday morning, delegates began their day in separate Eastern District and Franconia Conference business sessions. This was a historic day for Franconia Conference as they became bi-coastal and accepted four new congregations as members, one from Flushing, New York and three from the Los Angeles, California area. Bethany Elshaddai Creative Community in New York is pastored by Hendy Stevans and has been connecting with Franconia Conference for about two years. Hendy is currently a student at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, attending classes at the Lancaster, Pennsylvania campus. The congregations in the Los Angeles area consist of Jemaat Kristen Indonesia Anugerah (JKIA) pastored by Virgo Handoyo, Indonesian Community Christian Fellowship pastored by Makmur Halim, and International Worship Church pastored by Buddy Hannarto. All three have had relationships with Franconia Conference for over a decade. The four congregations’ members are largely from Indonesia and joined with Franconia Conference pastors Aldo Siahaan of Philadelphia Praise Center and Beny Krisbianto of Nations Worship Center to share in a song. To learn more about these congregations check out their congregational profiles here. Following the 98% vote of affirmation to welcome these congregations, the delegates joined in singing songs in both English and Indonesian as a welcome.

The joint Franconia and Eastern District Conference Saturday worship was a time of song, remembering those who have passed on in the last year, and anointing 15 newly credentialed leaders. Following the anointing of the newly credentialed leaders, the leaders were dispersed throughout the auditorium and those in attendance were invited to be prayed over by them. It was truly a time of commissioning and sending forth. There was also a time of recognition of the Centennial of Mennonite Women USA and a video celebrating Eastern District and Franconia Conference’s shared Sistering Committee, a local chapter of Mennonite Women USA.

Following lunch by Landis’ Market, the delegates from Eastern District and Franconia Conferences joined one another around tables to hear from the Exploring Reconciliation Reference Team. The team reviewed their report that had been previously sent to the delegates, which can be accessed here. They also highlighted their recommendations. At their tables, the delegates were then invited to discuss any affirmations, concerns or questions they had regarding the report or the recommendations put forth. These were recorded on sheets of paper and submitted to be compiled and shared with those tasked at carrying out the recommendations, should the delegates vote to move forward with them.

The core recommendation from the team is that Eastern District and Franconia Conference “enter a formal engagement process for the purposes of healing and reconciliation and with the intention of becoming a single, unified conference by November 2019.” In order to do this, the team recommended the forming of two teams: one to work intentionally at addressing the “spiritual and emotional components of reconciliation,” known as the “Healing and Reconciliation Team”, and the other being the “Identity Development and Structural Implementation Team,” tasked with managing “the process of forming a single unified conference, with particular attention to the structure, staffing, financial, and cultural realities of creating a single conference from the two existing conferences.”

Nancy Kauffman, Mennonite Church USA Denominational Minister for the two Conferences, closed the joint time in prayer.

After a short break, the conferences gathered in separate rooms where their delegates recorded on flip chart paper their largest affirmations and concerns regarding moving forward with the recommendations. Present were David Brubaker and Roxy Allen Kioko, consultants from Eastern Mennonite University who had been hired in 2016 and were working with the Exploring Reconciliation Reference Team. Following this and some open microphone time for questions and answers, the delegates voted. With a 90% affirmation from Franconia Conference and a 99% affirmation from Eastern District Conference, both agreed to move forward with working at reconciliation and exploring more formally what a merged conference will look like.

This means that over the next few weeks, both Conference Boards will be looking for nominations for the two teams presented in the recommendations. The goal will be to have these teams appointed no later than the end of the calendar year. According to the recommendations, there is a goal for the Healing and Reconciliation Team to hold a Reconciliation service at a Spring 2018 Assembly, and planning will therefore need to begin quickly. The Identity and Structural Development Team will, over the next two years, work to develop a shared mission and vision, a new organization chart and budget to be presented to the delegates in 2019. Therefore, a decision on whether or not these two conferences will merge will not come until 2019. Over the next few weeks, leaders of both conferences will work to address questions raised about the process. Keep your eye out for more information on that.  Nominations are due by Friday, December 1 at midnight.

To close this historic day, the two conferences joined together in song as they continue to look forward to Life Together.

 

 

 

Historic Decisions & the Promise of God’s Good Work

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by Stephen Kriss, Executive Minister

At our annual assembly earlier this month, our delegate community affirmed two historic decisions that have potential to reshape our Conference.   These were not easy and quick decisions, but rather the fruit of relationships and what we believe to be the leading of the Spirit.  The Spirit relentlessly invites us toward transformation.  We have discerned this time to say yes to the invitation.

These two movements will challenge the best of who we claim to be as followers of Jesus.  The reconciliation process with Eastern District Conference sets out to reunite our communities into one body after over a century of separation.  This kind of reconciliation work has been a hallmark of our identity as Anabaptist/ Mennonites.  However, it’s a path we’ve rarely had the courage or humility to walk to restore relationships after theological/ecclesialogical differences in a way that offers a witness of the power of Christ’s peace.  This affirmation intends to frame the work needed to restore the right fellowship that was torn asunder by disagreements and to work to acknowledge historic wounds.   Admittedly, though, the details of this path ahead are yet to be determined.

This affirmation to move toward a unified conference, likely with a new name, means embracing a new identity that honors our shared past, our divergent paths and the truth of the reconciling power of Christ that we believe can transform us and the world.  This is work that is local in the very spaces where some of our fore-parents resettled on this continent seeking a place of peace and flourishing.  This will be hard work, but also a work of grace, the work of the Spirit among us.

At the same time, our Conference affirmed four new member congregations.  All four congregations are comprised mostly of immigrants from Indonesia.   These communities are an outgrowth of our global connectivity, our commitments that began over 100 years ago to seek to share Christ’s peace cross culturally with those who are also seeking a place of peace and flourishing in this hemisphere.  These four communities extend our Conference in ways we may not have imagined before, stretching us now from southern Vermont to Southern California.

This move to welcome into membership the new congregations was shaped around our commitments to family and hospitality.  These are core values and metaphors for our understanding of ourselves as a community.  We are family — sisters and brothers.  We extend gracious hospitality because we have received the gracious hospitality of Christ.  We know that Christ again shows up when we extend that hospitality to others. Our overwhelming affirmation together of these four new communities is holy — the work that God has called us to for this time.  The Spirit continues the gift of Pentecost among us, drawing us together across ethnicity, language, tribe and geography.

At a recent lecture at Swarthmore College, I heard Eboo Patel assert that people who climb mountains should not complain that climbing a mountain is difficult.   We have discerned a path forward that is not easy and is unfamiliar.  Jesus proclaimed that it’s not the easy path but that the burden itself is light.  It is in such spaces that we rely on God, where we trust the Spirit who gives life to continue to guide us.

At the same time, we use all of our capacities.  We use our strengths.  We learn from those who have gone before us.  We prepare for the journey ahead.   We approach humbly but boldly.   We continue to work and hope.

I am not naïve, nor should any of us be.  This is a time when the church is more often being torn asunder rather than united together across differences.  We have discerned together to attempt something that is countercultural: to seek reconciliation and to continue to be reshaped as the people of God across cultural boundaries.  May God strengthen us as we continue to live the good work that Christ has begun and promised to sustain in us until the fullness of salvation.