Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Jaye Lindo

Encouraging Others with Joy and Authenticity

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JAYE LINDO’S STAFF PROFILE

by Jennifer Svetlik

Jaye Lindo

“Mosaic always loved me first and is a place that allows me to be me without judgement,” shares Jaye Lindo, who serves as Hospitality Coordinator for Mosaic Mennonite Conference.

“I love all the people, the work, and the events I get to be included in with Mosaic. I love being able to touch one person at a time, encourage them, and show them the caring posture of Jesus,” she adds. Her attentive listening, joyful humor, and passion shine through as she does so. 

Lindo began this role in August 2024. She supports the Vibrant Mosaic program, Mosaic Institute, and Assembly planning by coordinating logistics for events and classes, including travel and lodging. She loves that she gets to support the formational, intercultural, and missional priorities of the Conference.  

“I love all of what God is doing with Mosaic and that we are leaning in to listen and respond,” she adds.  

This isn’t Lindo’s first time on the Mosaic staff. She was first part of the team in 2021 for a six-month internship as Leadership Development Associate. “I’m a boomerang staff member,” she says.  

Sharing about the many things that drew her back to the staff, she adds, “I love intercultural work. How we thrive together amongst differences and change is so important. It builds character like nothing else.”  

Lindo grew up in an Army family and moved around a lot as a child. She was born in California, though her heart is in Florida. Currently, she lives in Maryland.  

For the past five years, Lindo has served as pastor of 7 Ways Home Fellowship, a Mosaic partner-in-ministry that meets for worship on Zoom on Friday nights. “We are a small community of diverse, authentic leaders,” Lindo describes the group.  

“We bring all our gifts together to uplift each and encourage each other to do greater things for God outside of our own church community.” 

In addition to her work and pastoring, Lindo enjoys laughing, relaxing, reading, listening to music, and being on a ship or on the ocean. “If there is water, I want to be there. On the beach, fishing, sunning, and at baptisms,” she says.  

Photo by Jaye Lindo

Jennifer Svetlik

Jennifer is the Editor & Development Associate for Mosaic. She grew up near Houston, TX and spent a decade living in intentional community in Washington DC, before moving to Lansdale, PA with her spouse, Sheldon Good. She is a graduate of the University of Texas and Washington Theological Seminary. She serves as Children’s Faith Formation Director at Salford Mennonite (Harleysville, PA). Jenn has two elementary-school-aged children and loves biking, camping, gardening, and vermicomposting with her family. 

Abide: A Meditation 

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By Jaye Lindo

Do you ever hear a word that touches you so deeply, but you can’t really grasp its fullness? Only if you sit with it can you get a little glimpse of what the writer really means. Only when you have stillness in your spirit can you minimally sense the essence. We can use Google to understand the origin, lineage, and root of a word.   

 Abide: to remain; continue; stay (from Old English)

John 15:5 says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing” (NRSV). 

Abide. Just sit with it. Abide.   

Pause.     

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing“

John 15:5

The verse says, “Those who abide in me.” God uses abide to remind us to stay connected to God. Abide in Me, and I abide in you.  

Yes, Jesus, I desire for us to abide together.   

I thank you, Lord, for our abiding in each other. Without you abiding in me  

I can do nothing.    

Abide. It sounds so comforting, so peaceful.  

How do we abide in God and allow God to abide in us? Abide through your situation. Abide when life turns your world upside down. Abide when your heart is broken. Abide when you are afraid; abide when you are unsure of what to do.   

Abide. 

Just sit in it. Breathe through it.   

Abide. Allow the peace to overwhelm your heart and your situation. 

I am the vine; you are the branches. As branches, we reach outward and upward to connect to other living branches in the vine. We connect living people to the place where they can abide.   

How many of us, as branches, really sit and listen as we abide?  

Do we listen in Bible study, abide as we share our testimonies, abide in community of church fellowship, abide while being a neighbor, abide while growing in our faith?   

John 15:5-8 says, “I am the Vine, you are the branches.  When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant.  Separated, you can’t produce a thing.  Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on a bonfire.  But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.  This is how my Father shows who he is–when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples” (The Message). 

If we are branches that neglect the opportunities to abide, are we nothing but sticks?  Sticks are disconnected from the vine and the other branches.   

The branches abide and thrive and extend love, the love of our Savior and the love our lives.  We can only fulfill the promises of the Father if we abide. Sometimes we abide alone, but abiding is best when we abide together!      

Let’s abide, family.   
Abide.  

Jaye Lindo

Jaye Lindo is the Leadership Development Associate for Mosaic Conference. She also serves as Pastor of 7 Ways Home Fellowship in Bowie, MD.

Trust That the Turtles Are There 

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I have always wanted to help people and to care for them.  As a middle school student, I tutored elementary students in our community. Every summer I was a candy striper at the local hospital.  Since high school, my career has been in customer service.

Although my family of origin was traditionally Baptist and Pentecostal, my family began to attend a Mennonite church because my daughter’s friends attended the Mennonite church. My extended family thought this was weird: Black & Mennonite didn’t compute.

Soon, our church introduced a new Associate Pastor.  I began to sense that I was supposed to work with him.  I had a full-time career, but I kept having this tug.  I kept saying, “No thanks God, I am fine.”

Then one night I had a dream: I was attempting to walk across a lake and as I took a step, a turtle would pop up for me to step on. As far as I looked, I saw no turtles, but when I placed my foot out, a turtle would appear to guide me across the lake.

I felt like God was saying he would provide. Through more prayer, God encouraged me to talk to the Associate Pastor. I believed God and trusted that the Associate Pastor would have the rest. Who was I that God would speak to me about serving in a church?

Jaye Lindo (right) and her husband, Robert Lindo. Photo provided by Jaye Lindo.

The Associate Pastor responded, “Praise God, you are an answer to a prayer.” However, the church had never paid for office assistance before. I thought, “Ok, thanks, I tried. Have a nice day.” Problem solved.

Yet, the church called me to an interview. I was curious as to why God didn’t lead me to talk to the Lead Pastor, so during the interview process I apologized to the Lead Pastor that I didn’t come to him, but I felt that I was specifically supposed to work with the Associate Pastor.  The Lead Pastor then informed me, confidentially, that he was retiring. I am still amazed by the love of God to gently woo me into service.

The family, board, and church affirmed me to serve as Director of Operations. The Lead pastor retired and the Associate Pastor became Lead Pastor and soon hired an Assistant Pastor and Youth Pastor.

While serving with these pastors, they often highlighted my gifts and encouraged a call to ministry. They allowed me to lead and participate in many pastoral functions. Eventually, after some pastoral transitions, the church and my family anointed me to serve as Youth Pastor.

In 2017, I completed the S.T.E.P. (Study and Training for Effective Pastoral Ministry) program through EMU. I was the Youth Pastor and co-led our Youth Mentoring Program. In 2018 I completed Stephen Ministry Leadership Training and trained 18 Stephen Ministers as I led our Pastoral Care program. In May 2022, I will complete my EMU Certification as a Spiritual Companion.

Leadership Minister Emily Ralph Servant leads the licensing service for Pastor Jaye Lindo. Photo provided by Jaye Lindo.

In each position I have been able to serve more, love more, give more, and grow more.  This is my call.

My call journey has been a progression. I didn’t wake up one day and know that I was going to be Pastor of 7 Ways Home Fellowship and Leadership Development Associate with Mosaic Conference. God has always told me to put one foot in front of the other, and I will be supported by God each step.

I am grateful that I am part of this beautiful Mosaic Community.  Trust that your turtles are there; just keep moving forward!

We Don’t Talk About Bruno

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Can you tell I have a toddler in our house that controls the TV?   Yes, I’m late to the “Encanto”- themed party.

The movie, “Encanto,” is an animated Disney film about a Colombian teenage girl who faces the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers. It is a great story about acceptance on many levels.  Although Disney can be controversial, they have done very well at capturing the feelings and emotions of a person who is left out or isolated for one reason or another.   

The story is about a set of triplets, Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno. Bruno’s gift of precognition causes multiple conflicts that lead to the family vilifying him, while Mirabel, Julieta’s youngest daughter, is treated differently for having no gift at all.   

However, we don’t talk about Bruno in this story. We don’t talk about Bruno out of fear. But honestly, we don’t talk about Mirabel either. We don’t talk about Mirabel because of shame.  Spoiler alert: Mirabel had no gift, or so she was told.  

Fear and shame shut down doors. Fear and shame dim people’s light. Often the thing that holds us back is not real – it’s a distorted truth. It’s not the whole story, just the part where we stop.   

We stop at the part of the story where the character that enters the scene is a scene-stealer.  She/he enters the scene of our lives to shut us down. We don’t talk about Bruno! 

But why not???? 

Bruno is misunderstood. Bruno is only shared as a rumor. Nobody waits and listens to the whole truth about Jesus … I mean, Bruno.  

In the business world, I encounter many people whose lives have been stopped because we don’t talk about Jesus.  

We don’t talk about Jesus in a world that needs that him.  Jesus is the necessary healing part of all our stories.  Jesus is the balm that soothes our wounds.  

We need to talk about Jesus more. Many people are hurting because they heard a rumor about God or were told something like, “I’m an authority on God and his word says that he doesn’t like this or that.”  Or they heard, “Until you fix this, you just can’t be one of us.” Fear, shame, and half-truths keep people away.

I’m not an authority on Jesus or the Bible, but God uses me every day. God chose to use me: with flaws, a work in progress and all. Just as I am.  

Sometimes I am used to offer a hug, or a kind word, or a prayer.  Often times it’s just to offer a question: “Do you believe in God?” or, “Do you believe God talks to you?” or, “Do you know Jesus?” I try to listen to the Holy Spirit for the way to approach the question, because everyone is different. We need to listen more than direct the conversations. When we do, the word of God will do the work.  When this happens and relationships are built, then the focus is on Jesus. 

There are many souls out here that are broken, hurting, messy, and flawed. We had better be talking to everyone about Jesus, and discipling people to develop their own relationships with God through open Bible studies – not just guided ones – and not just by inviting them to a service.   

Let’s keep working on discipleship by all means necessary in love, because our whole world needs Jesus.

Can You Bear the Thought?

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Recently I heard a woman say that she was glad that she was fearfully and wonderfully made.  What does it mean to be fearfully and wonderfully made and what does that mean to you?   

I wasn’t sure, so I looked up “fearfully.”  It means full of fear, in an anxious manner, apprehensively, dreadfully, and extremely.  How does that relate to being fearfully made?  How does one behave knowing that they are fearfully made?   

We were not just made full of fear; we were made so amazingly that we come to revere the one who made us.  It is not that we are fearful at all, because God says that he did not give us the spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).   

But it says that we are made so well that we have a reverent fear of our creator.  Our Father does not want us to have a timid or cowardly fear of Him or anyone else.  God wants us to know that we were made so well that it is difficult to comprehend.   

When I ponder this word, it stirs up a feeling of being in awe … you know how when something is so beautiful it is hard to keep looking at it?  Or when something tastes so good that your senses feel like they are exploding? That is the fearfully made part.  That is the, “Oh my, look what God did in me, for me, for His Glory” part. That is the, “Oh, thank you Jesus for what you did for them and for you and for us.”   

We are all fearfully made.  So now, can we bear to look at wonderfully?  Can you imagine just thinking about yourself and your issues, your drama, and your thoughts being wonderfully made too?  Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8) and that our Lord made us very good (Genesis 1:31).   

“Wonderfully” means full of wonder, in a way that inspires delight or admiration, extremely well. I can barely stand it!  I am so humbled by the thought that God chose to give that to us, you, even me.  I think of the word wonderfully and think “amazement”!   

We are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Putting those two words together and thinking about this human form on earth gives me hope. When we live in the fear of the Lord and the wonderment of how God created us, it gives us faith.  We become unstoppable with God!  

What joy if we really believed that and lived it and believed it about everyone else! What kind of world changers could we be? What if we believed that the entire human race is fearfully and wonderfully made, even if they don’t look like you or me, even if they/we limp or stutter, even if our bank accounts are not the same, even if we don’t speak the same language?  

What if we believed that ALL of us are fearfully and wonderfully made, even those of us who don’t even know it yet? How might that change the world? 

Reflections on the Great Commission

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Faith & Life Gathering Report

As leaders, we are part of many groups with various ideas that could be used to divide rather than unify.   We hear stories of people choosing to segregate because of race, privilege, sexuality, and politics.  

But when we get right down to it, does it really matter?  Isn’t it God who sorts it all out in the end?  Our one job is to love and show each other Christ’s love.  When we sit next to each other at a sport’s event, or church pew, should it matter whom our seatmate is?  

What matters is that this person woke up and decided to go to the “House of the Lord.” They did not come to disrupt someone’s pew seat, beliefs, or faith. They came because they needed to be here.  They came to hear teaching or guidance about this Lord that has beckoned them.  They wanted to know if Jesus could help them. 

“They wanted to know if Jesus could help them.“

I can’t tell you how many churches I visited before settling on a place that wasn’t rude to me.  I settled on a place that didn’t care about the shade of my skin, or if I wore pants, how I wore my hair, or if my husband was with me or not.  

One time my sister and I went to a church visitation for a friend who had passed on. We entered the vestibule and signed the memorial book. Before proceeding further, an usher advised us that we would not be permitted inside, unless we changed our clothes.  Women were not allowed to wear pants in this church, so we were turned away.  (We actually had on culottes, wide pants that go below your knees that look like a skirt.)  

That experience left a sad memory in my mind. I decided, if Jesus was in a church like this, I didn’t want their Jesus.  I would stay home and seek my own relationship with God.  

Even alone, God did not disappoint.  He is faithful!  I would build up my Jesus muscle on my own, because something was continually tugging and calling me closer.  I eventually found a church to attend regularly, but my sister still does not go to a church building.     

I am not the only one with such a church story. There are probably many in your church, and more who are not willing to come to your church, with such stories. Therefore, I believe the message from God to us is,  “Love everyone, I’ll sort them out later.”

At the May 2021 Faith and Life Gathering, we discussed Paul and Barnabas’ challenges in Acts 15.   What did God say about Jews and Gentiles? How do you interpret what God meant?  

We have to communicate clearly what the great commission means and how we are to go about doing it, because we still have work to do.  

Peter said, “Some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.  God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did us.  He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the neck of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?” (Acts 15:7-10, NIV)

Listening with Purpose

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Jaye’s profile photo.

Jaye Lindo has a passion for people, listening, and Mosaic Conference, so it was no surprise when she volunteered to work as an intern for the Conference as a Leadership Development Associate for a six-month period.

Lindo is participating in this internship, not for any required degree program, but for her own personal journey of growth.  “I love Mosaic Conference. I want to help by any means necessary,” says Lindo. “God is just saying to me, ‘Feel it out; let them feel you out. Let them experience who God is in you, and you experience who God is through them.’”

Lindo’s internship will primarily be the role of listener. Although Lindo brings many other skills and experiences, such as convention coordinator, church administrator, and youth pastor, her primary gift that she wants to share with the Conference is that of listening. “I’m to listen to what people are saying and to what God is saying, and then help people execute their plans in whatever way they can,” describes Lindo. “I’m an intern so I’m not here to lead or guide, but to listen and help get the ball rolling and what needs to happen to do that.”

Jaye Lindo (right) and her husband, Robert. 
Photo provided by Jaye Lindo.

Another gift that Lindo enjoys sharing with others is her interest in intercession and prayer. “The Spirit of God is what I am attracted to,” explains Lindo. “I find the Holy Spirit to be the Helper/ Friend and that is what I like to embody. There are plenty of scholarly pastors,” Lindo continues, “but I want to hear you and I want to listen like God will listen to you.”

Lindo is working with a variety of committees and groups in the Conference. She is serving as one of the guides for the discussion groups on Drew Hart’s book, Who Will Be a Witness. Lindo is also helping the youth formation team create opportunities for youth and youth leaders to talk about racial issues and other “deep things that matter,” says Lindo.

Lindo lights up when she is asked about youth ministry. Lindo’s interest for youth is rooted in her belief that everyone matters. “I love kids, and they love me, but being a youth is hard,” Lindo shares. She hopes to be a compassionate, caring person in their lives so that they can share that with others.

Although Lindo’s internship will have her involved in a variety of aspects of Conference life, she has many other roles. She is the pastor of 7 Ways Home Fellowship, a Mosaic Conference church plant in Bowie, Maryland. She also is currently enrolled in three courses on spiritual direction, church leadership, and biblical interpretation, not for any specific degree, but to keep growing in knowledge.

When she isn’t busy with church life or her studies, Lindo loves to spend time with her husband, Robert, and their three adult daughters, two sons-in-law, and two grandchildren. Her favorite place to be is any place with water: the beach, a lake, or fishing on a dock.

Jaye Lindo (center) is surrounded by her family.
Photo provided by Jaye Lindo.

Lindo exudes energy and joy in her interactions. Even though she knows there are moments in life that are serious, she also values humor. “I can find the funny in almost any situation,” admits Lindo. “It’s almost painful sometimes. People want you to be serious all the time, but I can find humor in most anything.”  

Shalom Fund Shatters Initial Goal

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by Sue Conrad Howes, Communication Associate

 In April, Mosaic Conference leaders recognized the financial toll that COVID-19 would take on many people in the conference and beyond. The Shalom Fund was quickly organized as an effort to raise funds to share with our most vulnerable communities. 

The initial goal of the Shalom fund was $100,000. To date, the Shalom Fund has raised $151,080.07, smashing past the original goal.  Of the funds raised, $100,000 has been distributed to a wide variety of people and organizations throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, California, and Florida, as well as Honduras, Mexico, and India. Four Conference Related Ministries and 17 congregations have received funds. Some funds assisted ministry expenses while other funds were distributed to assist congregations in their outreach to persons in need.

Beny Krisbianto, pastor of Nations Worship (Philadelphia, PA), noticed needs early on in South Philly. He rallied his congregation and, by early April, their congregation was distributing grocery bags containing basic supplies to their neighbors. They distributed about 40 bags each week.

Food is collected and distributed by members of Nations Worship (Philadelphia, PA) for their neighbors during COVID-19. Shalom Fund donations enabled the congregation to expand its weekly distribution from 40 households to 100. Photo credit: Beny Krisbianto

Eventually, Mosaic Conference offered to financially supplement the work of Nations Worship. Krisbianto was easily able to find more households in need in their neighborhood and, using Shalom Funds, the grocery bag project expanded. Soon, Nations Worship was distributing 100 grocery bags one or two times per week.  

Many of the recipients were not familiar with the congregation at first, but the church saw their needs and helped.  As a result, “Some of them ended up joining our virtual worship or coming to our church services,” reported Krisbianto. “We are able to connect and build good relationships with new people in a way that we could express the love of Jesus during this time.”

When the Shalom Fund was first introduced in April, donors responded immediately. “When the reality hit of what stay-at-home orders meant, I desperately wanted to help,” shared Dawn Moore, Souderton (PA) congregation. “I have the utmost trust in Mosaic to shepherd resources carefully to areas with the greatest need.”

Jaye Lindo, church planter for Mosaic conference in Bowie, MD, was the first donor to the conference’s Shalom Fund, which has now raised over $150,000 to help those in need due to the pandemic.

Jaye Lindo, a church planter with Mosaic Conference in Bowie, MD, did not hesitate to give when she learned of the Shalom Fund. “As a leader, Mosaic Conference had blessed me with love when I needed it the most,” reported Lindo. “When the opportunity was presented to give, I had to be one of the first.”

The donation to the Shalom Fund from Lindo and her congregation, 7 Ways Home Fellowship, was an opportunity to be a part of the conference work. “It was a heartfelt blessing for us to be able to say to our entire Mosaic Community, who may not know much about our little home fellowship, that we are here, and we care.”

The needs for food, hand sanitizer, gloves, utilities, assistance with rent, and pastoral and member support continue in our communities, so the funds will continue to be used as needed most.

“I’m really grateful for the ways that the Shalom Fund has given opportunities to share across our conference,” said Steve Kriss, Executive Minister. “I’ve been overwhelmed by people’s generosity to each other and to their communities. People have gone above and beyond.”

While the success of the Shalom Fund has surpassed all expectations, Lindo offers a further challenge. “Could we do more and are the needs being met?” Lindo said when she heard that the fund had far surpassed its initial goal. “My heart does not want anyone to lack. So I say, can we make it $250,000? God is still speaking. Are we listening and obeying?”