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MEDA

Strengthening Meaningful Connections with Conference-Related Ministries

October 3, 2024 by Cindy Angela

by J. Eric Bishop, Souderton Mennonite Church 

To live more fully into the congregation’s mission statement, “Strengthening Meaningful Connections with Christ, Church, and Community,” Souderton (PA) Mennonite invited a Mosaic Conference-Related Ministry (CRM) to present each week during their Summer 2024 Sunday School elective series, Gifted to Serve.    

Sarah Bergren and Maggie Herrity from the Care and Share MCC Thrift Shoppes.  

The CRM representatives presented a brief history of their organization and its purposes and goals. In an interview style format, they shared how their ministry nurtures discipleship, helps people grow in their gifts, and encourages service.  Many stories were included to illustrate an organization’s effectiveness. A congregation member connected to the organization served as host and interviewer. Some CRM representatives used media presentations and display tables. Each session began with a short teaching on spiritual gifts, led by a congregation member, which was the unifying theme among the nine Sundays.   

This elective series was designed by the Spiritual Formation Team, and the stated goals were that attendees would: learn about the work of Mosaic CRMs; think about how they are using their own time, energy, resources, and spiritual gifts, and if they are called to use them in different ways; and identify and celebrate the variety of gifts and ways people serve in order to glorify God.     

Tim Weaver Interviewing Marlene Derstine from the MCC Material Resources Center.  

The primary challenge, the Spiritual Formation Team discovered, was drawing people to hear about organizations about which they believed they were already sufficiently familiar. Congregants involved with the CRM being represented (e.g., those who serve at the MCC Thrift Shoppe Care and Share), eagerly attended those sessions. But the turnout for the session about Quakertown Christian School was low, as no Souderton families have students attending there, and the adults who did attend no longer have children in the K-12 age range.    

However, the elective averaged 45 people each Sunday, and those who attended learned much and appreciated the candid leadership of those who shared. One Souderton Mennonite participant said, “I really enjoyed the summer elective. It was enlightening to hear about the good Kingdom-work being done through our CRMs. I didn’t realize there were so many, and it was encouraging to see how the message of Jesus is being proclaimed and lived out through Mosaic Conference by these ministries.”     

Representatives from the following CRMs participated in the elective series:  

  • Dock Mennonite Academy  
  • Mennonite Economic Development Association   
  • Peaceful Living  
  • Quakertown Christian School  
  • Living Branches  
  • Care and Share  
  • Spruce Lake Retreat  
  • Mennonite Central Committee Material Resource Center  
Pastor Ken Burkholder interviewing Ed Brubaker from Living Branches. 

J. Eric Bishop

J. Eric Bishop, PhD, taught both English and German at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School (now Dock Mennonite Academy) for 37 years. He currently serves two days a week as Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Quakertown Christian School. He also produces legacy books about local businesses. Eric is married to Linda Hostetler. Eric and Linda are active members of Souderton Mennonite Church.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Care and Share Thrift Shoppes, Dock Mennonite Academy, Living Branches, MCC Material Resource Center, MEDA, Peaceful Living, Quakertown Christian School, Souderton, Spruce Lake Retreat

Conference Related Ministries (CRM) Profile: Delaware Valley MEDA

August 18, 2020 by Conference Office

by Lucy Brubaker, DelVal MEDA chair

The mission of Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) is to provide business solutions to poverty. This international organization began 65 years ago. Today MEDA has projects in 69 countries throughout the world.

MEDA aspires to eradicate poverty by 2030. By providing loans and expertise and by involving local partners in the projects, MEDA clients are able to experience success and independence. To learn more about this work, go to www.meda.org/about/about-meda.

There are local chapters (hubs) in the US and Canada that work to connect and engage local people with MEDA’s mission. The local chapters strive to inspire members within their community to incorporate their faith values into their daily work. The Delaware Valley MEDA hub (formally the Clayton Kratz Fellowship) has a board of ten members and meets 4-5 times a year.

From October to May, our local hub hosts a monthly Third Thursday breakfast at the Franconia Café in Souderton, PA, from 6:30-7:30am. Each meeting features a guest speaker who shares a “Faith in the Marketplace” story. All are welcome to attend.

Ruth Leaman, MEDA Development Officer, speaks at a Third Thursday breakfast.

Our group also offers MEDA scholarships to young people attending college with a declared major under the umbrella of traditional business/management disciplines and who fulfill the criteria.

Each year, we plan one or two fundraising events to raise money for MEDA projects. Our special event, “An Evening to Remember Clayton Kratz and Benefit Ukraine,” originally scheduled for October 19, 2020, is rescheduled for the spring of 2021. This event will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the disappearance of Clayton Kratz in 1920 while on a relief mission with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) to Russia.

In November, the bi-national MEDA convention will be held virtually this year. We encourage attendance at the convention to learn more about MEDA’s work and to be inspired by engaging speakers and seminar leaders. To learn more about the MEDA convention, go to www.meda.org/meda-convention.

This week, the local Delaware Valley MEDA hub is participating in a MEDA Move-a-thon to raise money for MEDA projects. There was a virtual kickoff on August 14 and the closing is on August 22.  An anonymous donor will match up to $5,000 in donations.

We invite you to join us in prayer for:

  • our clients who are experiencing setbacks in their businesses because of COVID-19, natural disasters, and government resistance to their work.
  • MEDA president, Dorothy Nyambi, and her staff, as they make important decisions regarding MEDA’s work.
  • our local Delaware Valley MEDA hub as we strive to increase awareness of MEDA’s mission and vision (That all people may unleash their God-given potential to earn a livelihood, provide for families and enrich communities).
 

Filed Under: Articles, Blog Tagged With: Conference Related Ministries, CRM, Delaware Valley MEDA, MEDA

Bike to GROW: Former MEDA interns cycle for a cause

April 29, 2015 by Conference Office

by MEDA staff 

Sarah French and Mary Fehr aren’t your typical 20-somethings and their upcoming adventure is no different. Both were recently part of the intern program at Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA): Sarah worked on an agriculture project in Nicaragua, Mary on a health project in Tanzania.

Sarah French and Mary Fehr kicked off the speaking part of their tour with an event in Leamington, Ontario on April 13.
Sarah French and Mary Fehr kicked off the speaking part of their tour with an event in Leamington, Ontario on April 13.

After seeing the impact of MEDA’s work helping women to get out of poverty and live healthier lives, they wanted to get more involved. In May, the pair will embark on a four-month bike ride across Canada to raise $150,000 for MEDA’s GROW (Greater Rural Opportunities for Women) project in Ghana.

“The GROW project is assisting 20,000 women farmers and their families to sustainably emerge from poverty. Mary and I wanted to support a project that focused on women because we saw the gender inequalities while on our own internships,” said French. “It couldn’t be more symbolic: Two women cycling across Canada representing independent, self-sufficient women.”

Bike to GROW will begin May 18 in Victoria, British Columbia, and conclude September 5 in Leamington, Ontario. On the way, Sarah and Mary will stop at MEDA chapters, churches and community centers to speak with locals about MEDA, the GROW project, and their experiences.

“I love to take on a challenge and prove to myself that absolutely anything is possible with willpower and determination,” Fehr said. “Sarah and I cannot fail, especially with the amazing support we’ve received. We’re no longer just biking for ourselves but for all of MEDA, MEDA’s supporters and of course, the women and families in Ghana.”

“It’s really inspiring to see Sarah and Mary’s passion for how MEDA works and their determination to succeed for women in Ghana,” said Ethan Eshbach, coordinator of engagement initiatives. “Bike to GROW has encouraged many people to join us in our mission to create business solutions to poverty. Anyone can help by offering financial support, a place to sleep or by organizing a local event.”

GROW is helping women soybean farmers in Northern Ghana increase agricultural production, strengthen their links to markets, diversify the food they produce and understand more about nutrition. Funded by Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), this six-year project will improve the incomes and food security of 20,000 women and their families.

“We”re so blessed and honored that women like Sarah and Mary want to support our efforts to empower women as entrepreneurs here in Ghana,” Catherine Sobrevega, GROW country project manager. “These women work hard and persevere every day to provide for their families. You can see their smiles when they learn new things, produce a good harvest and have income because of our support. It’s exciting to know their life-changing stories are going to be shared across Canada. Our team will include both of them in our prayers. May they remain strong and safe throughout this memorable journey for GROW.”

“It only feels right to use this ride as a chance to give back to the wonderful work MEDA does every day,” say Sarah and Mary.

 

Filed Under: Articles, Blog, News Tagged With: biking, Conference News, global, MEDA, missional

Perkiomen Trail Ride to Support MEDA Project

April 9, 2015 by Conference Office

Want to help women in Ghana learn to grow soybeans? Bring your bicycle to Salford Mennonite Church on Saturday, May 2 to join a ride on the Perkiomen Trail, organized by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA). The ride will start at Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville, Pennsylvania, at 2:00 p.m.

Mary Fehr and Sarah French were interns in Nicaragua and Tanzania, and their bike trip will support a MEDA project.
Mary Fehr and Sarah French were interns in Nicaragua and Tanzania, and their bike trip will support a MEDA project.

The ride will be led by Sarah French and Mary Fehr, two Canadians who were interns with MEDA in 2013. After this ride, they will travel by bike across Canada, starting in Victoria, British Columbia, and riding 5,412 miles to St. John’s, New Brunswick. Their trip will take four months to allow for stops along the way to raise awareness about MEDA’s Greater Rural Opportunities for Women (GROW) project. The GROW project started in 2012 and has impacted 20,000 women and their families.

“Teaching women to farm creates economic empowerment, which strengthens women, creating equality,” says Sarah French, “So improving their skills can help bring a community out of poverty and spur economic growth.”

Mary and Sarah’s goal is to raise $150,000 by biking across Canada.

Sarah French and her father take a break during a training ride.
Sarah French and her father take a break during a training ride.

“I want to be a part of this because by teaching [the women] to grow soybeans, they are creating a sustainable livelihood that will allow them to make choices based on the future rather than rash decisions due to necessities,” says Mary.

Mary and Sarah will be sharing about their internship experiences and their upcoming Canadian bike ride at a dinner at Dock Woods Community on April 30. To RSVP to this event email delvalmeda@yahoo.com. This event is sponsored by the Delaware Valley MEDA chapter.

The Perkiomen Trail ride is sponsored by the MEDA chapters of Lancaster and Delaware Valley. Following the ride, there will be an international dinner and program at Salford Mennonite Church. Registration for the ride is $20; RSVP for the ride and dinner by April 16 at Chapters@meda.org or by calling 717-560-6546.

Additionally, Sarah and Mary will be speaking at Blooming Glen Mennonite and Mellinger’s Mennonnite Church the day after the ride.

 

Filed Under: Articles, Blog, News Tagged With: Conference News, MEDA, missional, Salford

To everything there is a season: Long-term director retires and microenterprise program ends

March 17, 2010 by

Lora Steiner

ASSETS Montco, based in Norristown, Pa., began in the fall of 1996 as a project of Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) after a recognition that MEDA’s global work in developing small businesses could have a domestic impact. A pilot project began in Lancaster, Pa. in 1993. Currently, there are 19 ASSETS organizations in North America.

ASSETS is a “13-week business training for anyone who wants to start or expand their own business,” explains Jim Williams, founding executive director. The course meets two nights per week and covers everything from legal aspects and accounting to marketing and hiring employees.

Volunteer instructors help students ask questions about logistics—“Should I rent space or buy?” for example—and look at the core skills they need. Fees are based on a sliding scale, allowing everyone from home child care providers to doctors opening a practice to be a part. Persons with low to moderate income receive scholarships.

Ultimately, the goal is that each student will leave with a viable business plan.

Through 42 class cycles offered in English and Spanish, ASSETS Montco has helped start or expand more than 200 businesses, many of which are home-based. Most of the businesses —ranging from furniture restoration to lawn care to a resume writing service—are located in Norristown and across Montgomery County.

Williams sees a marked growth and transformation in students as they go through the course. ASSETS’ mission is economic development—giving skills and assistance to small business owners—but at the same time, ASSETS is very involved in community and personal development.

Tom Bishop, who served for several years on the board, says it was the ministry aspect that drew him to ASSETS. He saw it strengthening not only the entrepreneurs who participated but also the local community. Bishop also noticed that sometimes the program helped in a different way: some of those who’d planned to start a business would learn enough to realize they didn’t want to start a business, after all, and it stopped them before they started.

Bishop says the course was empowering, especially for those who hadn’t finished high school or accomplished major achievements in their lives.

“One thing I seemed to observe in everybody who went through that class,” he says, “was a really profound impact on their self-esteem.”

“Rather than just being another charity that gave away stuff, it was trying to build a skill in people so they could be more self-sufficient, not dependent, says Bishop. “ Jim [Williams] always referred to it as ‘a hand-up, not a hand-out.’”

Former board member Chad Lacher of the Souderton congregation says that in addition to being a big help to the students, “on a personal level it has helped crystallize the confidence that they can be successful.”

Peter Giesbrecht, a graduate of ASSETS, began his own remodeling business after the class and now has two employees. He says though he knew several business owners in his home congregation, Blooming Glen Mennonite Church, one of the most valuable parts of the program was the opportunity to network and build connections.

“You think about starting a business but you really don’t understand what all goes into it. It’s not easy. You need people who help you along the way.”

Williams says that seeing how individuals grow and transform has been one of the most rewarding parts of his work.

“You see people grow personally and you see them strengthen the local communities by the contributions that they’re able to make, providing needed goods and services in underserved communities.”

One ASSETS graduate, for example, started a mini-market within walking distance of many homes in an area of Norristown where convenience or grocery stores do not exist.

Another graduate, who had already been in business for many years, says he wished the program had been around before he ever opened his doors.

Lacher joined the board because of his own experience in the business world, and the desire to invite others on that journey. He says that many people don’t always understand what nonprofit organizations like ASSETS do and how they relate to the community. ASSETS, he says, is about sustainability, and generating long-term jobs that don’t rely on outside money.

Lacher affirmed the time and energy that Williams and his wife, Sharon, have given to ASSETS, as well as the ministry and Christian witness they’ve brought to ASSETS and the broader community.

“[Jim] was willing to step out and begin the organization on a shoestring financially but also without knowing exactly where the resources were coming from,” said Lacher. “He and Sharon, his wife, were willing to take that step of faith. And he’s had to continue to live in faith with this organization over its life.”

Lacher says that as the state funding that helped run the program has dwindled, many people have worked diligently on and off the board to keep ASSETS alive, and he hopes that the work will someday continue in one form or another.

“There’s still a sense that the mission and ministry of ASSETS are not done . . . It’s not at the moment, it doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future.”

“The irony is not lost on us. While solutions to the economic downturn have focused on job creation and business loans, microenterprise/small business training is not valued as an essential part of the solution. Who will create new jobs, if not new businesses?” said Williams. “Microenterprises and small businesses provide self-employment and jobs; they are the backbone of the local economy. Why is it that when times are hard, programs that empower the poor are hit the hardest?”

Williams, who will retire after the last class graduates on June 17, says he’ll find plenty to keep him busy after he leaves ASSETS Montco, with “ten thousand things to do, and not nearly enough time to do everything.”

Financial support is needed to support ASSETS’ last class, which starts March 25. Registration is also open. For more information, contact the ASSETS office at 610-275-3520; assetsmontco@bee.net.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ASSETS, intercultural, Intersections, Jim WIlliams, MEDA, missional, School for Leadership Formation

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