Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

missional

Reaching out across cultures in Souderton

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Souderton--Wendy & students
Wendy (far left) has been hosting a small group for Chinese exchange students since 2011.

by Alyssa Kerns, Souderton

When Wendy Wong came to the United States from Hong Kong 22 years ago, she was befriended by a Chinese woman who worked with Wendy’s husband Kim.

Fast forward to March 2011 when Wendy met Peter, a Chinese exchange student staying with Martin and Rebecca Reeser. “I wanted to provide a community for Peter and other Chinese students in the area, just as Kim’s coworker did for me,” Wendy said. She arranged to take Peter to a Chinese church in Bluebell. The Chinese church connected Wendy with other host families in the area and the International Chinese Student Outreach began to take shape.

Working with AnneMarie, who is from the church in Bluebell and speaks different Chinese dialects, Wendy developed a monthly Bible study for the students. Currently, about 16-20 Chinese exchange students from Christopher Dock Mennonite High School and Faith Christian Academy come to Souderton Mennonite Church once a month for an afternoon and evening of games, cooking, worship, Bible study, and discussion.

Wendy and the students have learned from each other in the meetings. “The students asked to have authentic Chinese food at our meetings,” said Wendy. “I grew up in Hong Kong, in the southern part of China and most of the students are from the northern part, which has different food. So I bought the ingredients and they offered to help cook and teach me.”

“Christianity is not taught in China and is a very different concept to the students,” Wendy explained. So she uses the Bible Study time to reinforce what the students are learning about Christianity at school and from their host families and to discuss what they are learning within the context of their cultural background.

In the fall of 2012, Wendy was looking for another adult fluent in Mandarin who could help with small group discussions. She met Jimmy and Lisa Kuo, a brother and sister studying at Biblical Seminary in Hatfield. “We heard from a seminary classmate that Wendy needed help from people who could communicate with the students in Mandarin. Since we are fluent in Mandarin and passionate about sharing the Good News with people, there was no reason why we would not get involved in helping the Chinese students experience the love of God in Jesus Christ through genuine relationships,” said Jimmy and Lisa.

Souderton--Chinese students cookingThe monthly meetings give Jimmy and Lisa an opportunity to connect with the students in several different ways. “We do things from cooking and Bible studies to just casual conversations with the students,” Jimmy and Lisa explained. “We make sure that everything we do is relational, incarnational, relevant, and intentional. The purpose of the outreach for us is to create an environment for the students to encounter God in every little thing we do as a community.”

“We enjoy building relationships with the students, and we appreciate that they continue to challenge us and move us outside our comfort zone,” Lisa and Jimmy added. “Although we were born in Taiwan, we were raised in New Zealand. Therefore, we have had to learn much from the Chinese students about their culture and worldview. Only when we value people by taking the time to listen to their stories do we know where God is already working in their lives and where God wants us to partner with Him to bring in the story of Christ to make their stories complete.”

Wendy is already looking ahead to fall 2013. “Jimmy and Lisa graduate in July and AnnaMarie won’t be able to help in the fall, so I am praying for God’s guidance in how to continue this ministry,” said Wendy.

The students also are encouraging Wendy in this ministry. “There are three seniors at Faith Academy who have accepted Jesus since the beginning of this outreach. Their faith is strong and they experience God in person. It is God’s grace that gives me the opportunity to witness His marvelous love through these students. They have even encouraged me to keep hosting this program so other Chinese students will come to Christ.”

Carrying the cross on Good Friday

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Ripple Good Friday cross
Members of Ripple Allentown carry the cross as part of an ecumenical procession in Allentown on Good Friday. Photo by April Bartholomew / The Morning Call.

by Carolyn Albright, Ripple Allentown

This year on Good Friday, Ripple participated in the West End Ecumenical Worship, which involved a procession of the cross, ending at the host church, where 5 congregations joined for a 3 hour worship service. Each church was responsible for leading worship for a 1/2 hour slot.

We had announced this for many weeks in advance so many Ripple folks showed up on our front porch, which was along the processional route, where we joyfully and willingly joined the procession, which had started at the Episcopal church just a few blocks away. Isaiah, 6, and his sister, Marinette, 8, regular “Ripple Kids,” were the first to speak up to help carry the cross.

As we solemnly walked along, one woman stopped her car, jumped out, and took photos of us with her cell phone. Others slowed down as they drove past, and once, while crossing a street as the light changed, the drivers respectfully let us pass, as they would have a funeral procession (ironic). As Isaiah tired of carrying the heavy cross, he readily asked for help and for someone else to take a turn. For me, this was a symbol of the community building that goes on at Ripple; we all carry one another’s burdens at different times, and he so innocently enacted this truth.

Getting closer to the church, Isaiah also innocently asked (after observing the newspaper photographer snapping hundreds of photos), “Are we in a parade?”

“Sort of,” I responded, explaining that we were remembering the day Jesus died on the cross, showing us his love for us.

“THIS cross?” Isaiah asked.

“Not exactly, but one just like it,” I answered.

Inside the church, with its stained glass windows, formal pews and high altar, the children became respectfully quiet. During Ripple’s part of the worship, Isaiah helped with the prayer, repeating a regular phrase he has learned at Ripple. I said, “God loves the world,” and he joyfully responded, “And Jesus loves me!”

And that’s the simple message Ripple spreads, as we carry the cross–and one another’s burdens–in this urban setting.

 

Giving God our best: The Resurrection

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Beny Krisbiantoby Beny Krisbianto, Nations Worship (with Emily Ralph)

God sent His only SON, HIS BEST to come to this earth to save us. He never intended to send the second or third best from heaven to redeem us. He didn’t send angels or prophets to die for us—he sent his son! God ALWAYS gives us THE BEST.

What about us? How do we respond to God’s gift?  Are we committed to follow Christ in life?  We are not left to live this way alone—just as Christ was raised from the dead, we, too, have the power of the resurrected Christ in us.

These are just some of the ways that Franconia Conference congregations have given God their best, witnessing to the power of the resurrection in the last year:

“So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.  So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.” (Galatians 6:9-10, NRSV)

On this great Easter weekend, as we celebrate the triumph of Christ’s resurrection, I want to encourage every single one of us to always give our best to God in everything that we do.  Christ is Risen!

Resurrected space brings new life in East Greenville

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Project Haven
Scott Roth works on the East Greenville building with Tyler, Cory, and Darian, students from Upper Perk high school. Photo by Tyler Logan.

by Emily Ralph, eralphservant@mosaicmennonites.org

The moment that Scott Roth unlocked Peace Mennonite’s old building for the first time in September of 2012, he began to tear up.  One of the high school students with him asked why he was so emotional.  “I can’t believe this is actually happening,” he responded.

The journey to open what is now Project Haven, a community center in East Greenville (Pa.), had been long and circuitous.  Roth, youth pastor of Eastern District Conference’s New Eden Fellowship, had been a part of UPPEN (Upper Perk Prayer & Evangelism Network) and the regional ministerium for years.  In 2011, these groups faced a community crisis when a high school student committed suicide.  Leaders from the groups met with reprentatives from Upper Perkiomen School District to find out how they could help.

The school district wanted an organization that could be connected with all the major players in the community: school, police, faith communities.  And they needed this organization to provide an afterschool program, some sort of a community center that would not just entertain the students, but help to develop character and provide a calm in the storm of their lives.

Project Haven
Peace Mennonite’s old building in East Greenville, Pa., has been repurposed into a community center.

Meanwhile, Franconia Conference’s Peace congregation decided to close.  The members of the congregation, who had been active in their community, wanted the building to be used to continue God’s work in East Greenville.  Even as they grieved the end of their congregation, they believed that new life would result.  They chose to celebrate their last service together on Easter 2011, dreaming about what God would resurrect in their space.

Peace’s LEADership Minister, Jenifer Eriksen Morales, called a meeting of leaders from local congregations—some Mennonite and some from other denominations—to have a time of visioning together.  The leaders met, prayed together, looked at the building, and dreamed about what God might want to do in that place.  Seeds were planted and some of the pastors began to think about how their existing ministries might find a home in the old church building.

Even as the pastors were meeting and dreaming, Roth and team of leaders from New Eden were starting an afterschool program called Refuge at the Upper Perk high school.  The space was not entirely conducive to the type of activities Roth wanted to do with the students and he continued to look around for a new space.  After months of searching and uncertainty, Roth’s dream and the East Greenville building collided.

Project Haven
Photo by Tyler Logan.

As soon as plans were finalized, Roth began working with a team of student volunteers from the high school to renovate the building.  He formed an advisory team with leaders from his own church and Franconia Conference’s Finland and Perkiomenville congregations.  Soon other dreamers began to show up with ideas: the local senior center asked to move into the building and use it weekday mornings when the students were still in school; members of the former congregation joined Roth with ideas of ways to rejuvenate their existing clothing ministry; a member of Family Worship Center organized a bar alternative to utilize the space on Friday and Saturday nights.
“It’s like in Ephesians where it talks about the different parts of the body working together,” Roth said.  “If the body [of Christ] works together, we will achieve great things!”

In March—just in time for Easter—Project Haven will move into its new location: three blocks away from the local junior high school and five minutes from the senior high school.  While the project still needs supplies like tables and chairs, volunteers for continuing renovation, and financial donations for their ongoing work, Roth is amazed at how God has brought together people and resources so that this dream could come to life.

The dream has come a long way since pastors were praying together about possibilities, Eriksen Morales observed.  “I’m excited that the space is being repurposed,” she said with a big smile.  “From the beginning, God has been continually ‘bringing into being’—it’s exciting to see what God is bringing into being in East Greenville!”

Finland invites community to drive-thru

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by Rose Longacre, Finland

coffee drive thruIt was a cold morning this week when four members of our church, Finland Mennonite, gathered to set up a table making a free “drive-thru” coffee stand.  As usual, we looked forward to seeing our “regulars” and we prayed for new cars to stop by.  Our normal conversations about sugar or creamer were replaced this particular Wednesday by something much deeper as a woman from the community pulled in, not for coffee or donuts, but asking if we could pray with her.  She had been to our drive-thru in months past but today she was in search of something more.  We prayed for her and cried with her and marveled at how Jesus is able to work through us to bring comfort to others, even through donuts and coffee.

About 3 years ago, when the economy was tough, some of our members at Finland began pondering how our church could reach out to the community and let them know we cared.  On Fachtsnachts Day, while I was on the phone with a friend, she drove by a church where they were handing out doughnuts at the red light. That event sparked a new idea: we could give out free cups of coffee!!!

In April 2010 we began our once-a-month drive thru coffee ministry.  On the Sunday before, we put out a sign saying that there will be a free coffee drive thru from 6:30-8:00 am on the following Wednesday.  Each month since that April, year round, on the third Wednesday of every month, we are outside with free coffee and donuts for all who drive thru during that time.

We have a list of our “regulars” who we know by name and how they take their coffee.  One regular stops by just for a donut, while some bring their own cups to be filled. We have a team of four regular helpers to fill cups, add the cream/sugar, load up the bags and add the donut. Juice boxes are given to families with children.

Helpers are busy behind the scenes as well. The Boys & Girls Club have begun to decorate the bags, which often say, “Have a good day!” or “Smile, God loves you!” Some months we allow our guests to choose from homemade baked items made by congregational members.

In addition, businesses from the community have joined us in our outreach effort. A neighbor who made donuts for Yum Yum’s in Colmar for 40 years began donating two dozen donuts each month—he would come off of his night shift and deliver them to us for our event.  After he became ill and passed away, Yum Yums honored his commitment to serving by continuing to donate 2 dozen donuts each month. One Village Coffee found out about our ministry and has also given us free coffee from time to time.

We average right around 20 individuals each month and almost always have a new one who has seen the sign but never stopped before. We look forward to seeing our regulars each month and catching up on their lives, their grandchildren, their vacations.

It has been a fun way to see who drives by our church and an opportunity to share the love of Christ with our community, invite people to events at our church, and help our neighbors to begin their day with a smile and a warm cup of free coffee.

The pope is still Catholic

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The pope is still Catholic: And why that might be a good thing for all of us

by Stephen Francis Kriss, skriss@mosaicmennonites.org

Steve Kriss

Listening to CNN commentators the day after Pope Francis was named brought focused attention to a deepening misunderstanding of the church.  The CNN reporter pressed her two guests, suggesting, “Don’t you think it’s time for the Catholic Church to reform?   Will this new Argentine pope bring in a new era reconsidering the role of the priesthood, the idea of same sex unions, a relaxation on the position on contraception?”

The respondent said, “This Pope is still Roman Catholic.”

Again, I listened to another reporter on Saturday morning, this time on NPR, pressing a guest to define the changes that should occur in the Catholic Church under a new papal regime.  The respondent again asserted, “All of those changes that you are alluding to are the positions of mainstream Protestantism in the United States.  And those groups overall are in rapid decline. You’re asking us to create a church that just simply asks people to be nice.  And soon enough people will find out that if all we’re asking is for people to be nice to one another, they might as well just stay at home or find other things to do on Sundays.”

I’m astounded by the attention given to the papal transition this week.   There aren’t too many times when a global leader is appointed with such grandiose ritual and over such a large body.  To put it in perspective, there are more Roman Catholics in the Pittsburgh Diocese (nearly 2 million) than the global population of Mennonite World Conference churches combined (mostly recently almost 1.8 million).  There are roughly as many global adherents to Roman Catholicism as the whole population of India (about 20% of the world’s people).

Western media has been captivated by Pope Francis’ story: the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, the first pope from the Americas.   We watched him pay his hotel bill in Rome and we watched him take a deep silencing breath of prayer before sending the exhilarated but tired crowd at St. Peter’s Square home to rest after the conclave.  So far, I like Pope Francis.

As a Mennonite, I’m not expecting a Pope who will bend to my own theological leanings and understanding.  But for the sake of us all, I’m hoping for a leader willing to justly, fairly, kindly, evenhandedly contend with the scandals and challenges that mark the Catholic Church and weigh heavily on all of us representing the teachings of Christ in an increasingly cynical time in the West.  I wonder if a leader like Francis, who has taken the Jesuit vows of poverty, availability, and service, might be able to open a time of honest and transparent conversation in Catholicism that could cascade to all parts of the global church, provoking authenticity and accessibility even for those of us who lead in Mennonite settings.

So while yes, the Pope is still Catholic, in an age of religious pluralities I don’t expect a pope who is anything less.  But in a time when Christian leadership of all types is rightly open for public conversation and criticism, Francis has this moment to lead in the global Christian movement by incarnating what is good and right about it.  Through his Jesuit convictions, he brings a perspective of willingness to question; through his context in Argentina, he’s learned how to lead in the midst of economic, social, and political turmoil; through his own commitment and character, he’s kicked off a position of piety with acts of genuine approachability.

If he’s able to lead rooted in Catholic identity—to become, in the best of Franciscan tradition, “an instrument of peace”—the words “habemus papum” spoken in a surprising transition at the Vatican this March might just be words of good news for us all.

Congregational leaders discuss Mennonite Education Plan

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by Susan Gingerich, Christopher Dock Mennonite High School

Penn View Schoolwide Service Project 002
Students from Penn View Christian School collect baby kits for MAMA Project. Penn View is a participating school in congregational Mennonite Education Plans.

Franconia and Eastern District conference leadership recently joined leaders from 10 congregations to discuss Mennonite education. This annual forum focuses on the Mennonite education support plan (MEP) that congregations provide for students of Quakertown Christian School, Penn View Christian School, Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, and Philadelphia Mennonite High School.

Attendees found this forum helpful as they shared successes, challenges, and opportunities related to mutual aid, accountability, mission, accessibility, and integrity for congregational support plans for students attending the three local Mennonite schools.

Several churches have committees that plan for and oversee the guidelines and financial status of the fund. The Mennonite Education Advocacy Team (MEAT) of Souderton congregation is one such special committee that was formed to advocate for Mennonite education at all levels and for the mission of MEP at Souderton. They have been successful in enhancing respect for informed and intentional choices in both Christian education and public school education. While MEAT looks after the financial piece for the church and families, they also remind the congregation of mutual aid, accountability, and accessibility in order to give the education plan integrity.

Table group discussions affirmed the Mennonite Education Plan as a missional opportunity for congregations to tend the well-being and spiritual development of young children and youth. Church representatives reported that not all congregants see MEP as missional, and a common challenge is meeting the MEP budget in this economic environment.

MEP is an opportunity for churches to invest in young people to raise faithful and radical followers of Christ. Attendees expressed a desire to validate families who choose to support public schools also.

In addition to a time of networking, the principal of each school shared stories of students whose lives are being impacted by MEP support. The schools plan to continue this annual forum to provide encouragement and to assist with programmatic challenges. Churches not involved with MEP that are interested in learning about a support plan may contact any of the participating schools’ principals.

From Lukewarm to Hot Christians, part 2

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Claude Goodby Claude Good, Souderton congregation

The Hidden Agenda Behind the Worm Project

So what is a Lukewarm Christian? Francis Chan wrote a book called Crazy Love. In it he describes the characteristics of a Lukewarm Christian: Lukewarm Christians love others but not as much as they love themselves; their love often comes with strings attached; they give money to charities and the church as long as it doesn’t impinge on their standard of living; they choose what is popular over what is right; they are thankful for their luxuries and comforts but they rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor; they want to do the bare minimum to be “good enough;” they do not live by faith; their lives wouldn’t look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God.

The author comes to the sobering conclusion that there is no such thing as a “Lukewarm Christian.” It is an oxymoron, meaning that the two words cancel each other out. If Jesus says that He will spit them out of his mouth, it means that they are really not His followers.

If you know you are “lukewarm” and you’d like to let God light a fire in you, the Bible most certainly has the answer. It starts with the words, “Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God….” I am told that in the original “to seek” has more of the meaning of “to crave.” Anyone who has an addiction to drugs or alcohol knows what “to crave” means. Some who crave chocolate or sugary foods may even understand – you gotta have it!

An earnest seeking for God is bound to create a love for him and his son Jesus Christ and we naturally want to obey the command, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  We can tell from human experience that if we are in love with someone the easiest thing to do is what we know that person wants. The same is true when we truly love Jesus.

If you are lukewarm, let your imagination run wild. Imagine yourself in a beautiful state, surrounded with deep love and filled with gratitude. God is magnificently creative; just think of what he can do with dust! Three times he tells us that “the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being” (Gen. 2:7). Try standing in front of a mirror and in wonder and astonishment take note of what God can do with dust.  We all have the attractive choice of being made and remade into in His image.

One of my delightful memories from Mexico City is walking with all our children to the grocery store through scenic back streets. Once when we were almost home, I looked around and in dismay said, “Where’s Rob?!” He was our youngest and about five years-old. We dashed back to the store and looked all over for him. As we returned to the street, we saw a kindly lady leading Rob by the hand and saying, “Is this your house?”  Rob would tearfully say, “No.” and then they would go to the next house with the same question and answer. You can imagine our great relief and gratitude to that kind woman when Rob was back with us again.

So again I say to all of us, “I just want us all to be together forever.”  I want us all to know God and to love God and to care for others so that they may also know God and love God and care for others.  Let’s all be together forever, red-hot Christians, becoming more and more like Jesus.

Read From Lukewarm to Hot Christians, part 1