Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Javier Márquez

Congregational Profile – Resplandece Mennonite

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by Javier Márquez

Editor’s note: Resplandece was approved by Mosaic’s board as a member congregation and will be welcomed at Mosaic’s Assembly on November 2, 2024.  

The congregation gathered in the Restored to Restore weekly event.

In the warm city of Barranquilla, Colombia, a spark of spiritual light has ignited a new chapter in the global ecclesial sphere. Resplandece Mennonite, led passionately by Brother Manuel García and his wife Viviana Ávila, has become a beacon of hope and community in an increasingly interconnected yet sometimes distant world. 

Since its inception in November 2023, this hybrid church has broken physical and cultural barriers by offering Sunday services via Zoom. Thanks to this innovative format, Resplandece Mennonite has managed to gather people from diverse corners of the world, from Venezuela and Florida to Pennsylvania and, of course, its home in Barranquilla. Every Sunday, families and friends come together in a virtual space where worship and reflection merge into a deeply connected and enriching experience. 

Brother Manuel García, a psychologist by profession and pastor, has dedicated his life to supporting communities through faith and knowledge. His work in Hispanic ministries, specifically with the “Therapists of the Faith Community” course, has been a vital resource for many. Alongside Viviana, his wife, who also brings her talent and leadership, the García family is committed to making faith and spiritual support accessible to all, regardless of geographical or personal barriers. 

Pastors Manuel García y Viviana Ávila and their family.

In Resplandece Mennonite’s worship services, the involvement of the entire García family is a distinctive feature. Their children, gifted in singing and prayer, not only enrich the services but also exemplify the unity and familial love that is at the heart of the church. 

The impact of this virtual community extends beyond borders. A member from Miami, who works every Sunday, finds in these services a way to stay connected with his faith, while a Venezuelan family, facing the repression of the Maduro regime, can participate in worship and receive support in a safe and supportive environment. 

Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you,” reflects the spirit of Resplandece Mennonite. The church seeks to illuminate the path of its members and serve as a refuge of restoration and hope. 

On Fridays, the church organizes the “Restored to Restore Seminar,” an online evangelical event that reinforces its mission to build and strengthen the faith community. Additionally, as part of Mosaic Conference, Resplandece Mennonite has the support and collaboration of faithful leaders who believe in its mission and vision. 

Resplandece Mennonite Church is a living testament that faith can flourish and expand in any circumstance, bringing light and hope to every corner of the world. In times of distance and challenges, this digital community reminds us that true spiritual connection transcends physical limits, illuminating the path with the love and glory of the Lord. 

Read more about Resplandece Mennonite.  

Javier Márquez

Javier Márquez is Writer & Communication Coordinator for Mosaico Colombia. He is an Anabaptist Colombian pacifist and poet.

Anabaptist Community of Medellín becomes Mosaic Partner in Ministry

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by Javier Márquez

The full version of this article, in Spanish, first appeared in MenoTicias.

Bringing the Good News of peace and nonviolence to the community of Medellín. Photo courtesy of Carlos Sánchez.

Last month, members of the Mosaic staff met online with leaders of Comunidad Anabautista de Medellín (Anabaptist Community of Medellín). During this meeting, the Community’s status as a Partner in Ministry with Mosaic was made official. A support team was appointed for the partnership, with a duration of two years.  

Who is the Anabaptist Community of Medellín? 

Carlos Sánchez and Nidia Montoya began planting this beautiful project approximately three years ago in Medellín, Colombia. They drafted no specified strategy, but their ministry was not without method. 

Accompanying Indigenous communities in Puerto Nariño, in service to the Church. Photo courtesy of Carlos Sánchez.

By visiting families house-to-house, accompanying elderly persons and their loved ones in their final days, supporting young people (Montoya is a psychologist by profession), and offering bread, hot chocolate, and biblical reflection to their visits, a small community emerged. Soon, they began to gather virtually and in-person, with the simple purpose of taking care of each other. 

Comunidad Anabautista de Medellín was not a strategic project. Its current form has blossomed out of an organic mission based on service and Sánchez and Montoya’s determination to continue to visit these people. 

Another face of the community is a prophetic voice of peace in Colombia. Sánchez (who is a theologian and Master in Peace Studies) and Montoya have participated on behalf of the Mennonite Church in reconciliation processes between actors in the violence which has occurred in the country.  

This pastoral couple practices what they preach and remembers that the ecclesial work of Comunidad Anabautista de Medellín takes place both in the houses where they break bread and share the word, and in society, always remembering the call for Christ’s peace, non-violence, and reconciliation. 

Delegates from Mosaic Conference will go to Medellín to get to know the church better through an in-person visit in mid-April. 

This is the first time that Mosaic has shaken hands in this way with a Colombian community. 

“It is significant to be part of Mosaic. We expand dreams, paths, prayers, love, and above all, we support each other. We take the Kingdom to other places,” says Pastor Sánchez. 

“Being part of Mosaic Conference is a great joy. It makes me feel part of a great community where the encounter between diverse believers reinforces faith and walking in the footsteps of Jesus… A great commitment!” shares Montoya. 

As the author, I must also comment on the great joy this partnership inspires in me. The Conference will be blessed with the Comunidad Anabautista de Medellín, and Comunidad with the Conference. Their mutual identification with Anabaptist theology and their parallel efforts to bring a message of peace and reconciliation in their respective realities are the highlights of this new partnership.

Building life projects with girls and boys, with the teachings of Jesus. Photo courtesy of Carlos Sánchez.

Javier Márquez

Javier Márquez is an Anabaptist Colombian pacifist and poet and a writer for the MCUSA publication MenoTicias.

The New Law Against Immigrants in Florida Affects the Church

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by Javier Márquez 

Editor’s note: Mosaic congregations in Florida requested that we share the impact of FL SB 1718 on their churches. Javier Márquez, Mosaic’s Spanish-language correspondent, wrote this article to share their experiences and perspectives on this legislation.    

There is a new, controversial law that takes effect in Florida on July 1, 2023. This new law, SB 1718, increases measures of isolation and persecution of undocumented migrants in Florida. The law will force businesses with more than 25 employees to verify the immigration status of their workers. In addition, the law will prohibit the free mobilization and circulation of undocumented people by prohibiting the use of driving licenses that are not issued by the state of Florida, a measure that is also directly against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in article 13: “Everyone has the right to move freely and to choose their residence in the territory of a State.”  

These are dark moments for the church in Florida. It is not difficult for us to remember, as Christians, so many stories that have nourished our faith: when Christians were persecuted, when being a Christian was a crime and they took you to the Roman Colosseum to be killed by lions, when the disciples had to flee because the empire had captured and sentenced their Master to death.  

The new law is designed at similar levels of injustice. These are dark moments, and that is why we need a church of light that is useful to society with real actions.  The Mosaic congregations in Florida invite you to pray with them and for them.  

Understanding FL 1718

by Eileen Kinch

Florida’s recent legislation, known as FL 1718, goes into effect on July 1, 2023. This legislation requires employers to check on the immigration status of potential employees.  

The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 made it illegal for employers to knowingly hire undocumented workers. Some employers simply chose not to ask for documentation. FL 1718 now stiffly fines employers in Florida for not checking a federal database to determine potential employees’ immigration status. Employers can be fined $1,000 per day for not using the database in a certain time period. 

FL 1718 also requires hospitals to ask about patients’ immigration status. According to the legislation, patients may choose not to answer the question on the form. Patients will not be denied healthcare however they respond. Hospitals send the statistics to the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration, which then estimates the amount of money spent on undocumented workers. 

Florida’s new legislation also invalidates certain types of driver’s licenses issued to undocumented workers from 19 other states.  

A summary of FL 1718 can be found here. For more information on understanding the bill, see American Immigration Lawyers Association. 

Some updates from Mosaic congregations in Florida:

  • “Here in Tampa (FL), there is also a lot of fear in our faith community.  Our faith community is 95% immigrants; half have gone to other states,” shared Pastor Secundino Casas, Iglesia Evangélica Menonita Shalom (Shalom Evangelical Mennonite Church). “So, we try to respond to those who remain. We have invited an immigration lawyer to our church, to have guidance and first-hand information.” 
  • Pastor Marcos Acosta, pastor of Homestead (FL) Mennonite Church near Miami said, “I was meeting with local organizations and other pastors, and there is a lot of fear in general and bad information circulating on social networks. Last Saturday we organized a protest here in Homestead. We are trying to show support and provide information and be attentive to see how the law is applied. I also heard that here in Homestead, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been more active these last few weeks and that adds to the general fear that exists because of the law.”  
  • “Here at the Iglesia Menonita Encuentro de Renovación (Encounter for Renewal Mennonite Church) in Miami (FL), some brothers and sisters are planning to leave the state of Florida,” reported Pastor Andres Mendoza. “Let us ask God together to help them make good decisions and give them peace. One of these families has young daughters, and they are very afraid of being separated from their loved ones. Let us pray together to our God, so that he gives a way out of this situation. Thank you again for your support and your prayers. Peace of God.”  

Javier Márquez