Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

MOG

Peace Nights Connect Mosaic Youth

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by Rachel Mateti

 

The fall 2024 Peace Nights were funded in part by a Mosaic Conference Missional Operations Grant (MOG) requested by Salford (PA) Mennonite. The grant helped to cover expenses for food, supplies, and transportation for the Mosaic youth groups who participated. 

 

This fall, youth from around the southeastern PA congregations of Mosaic Conference have the unique opportunity to come together to learn about the peaceable way of Jesus through fellowship, formation, worship, and games.  

The original idea for the Fall 2024 series of four Peace Nights was a collaboration between Ambler (PA), Salford (PA), Zion (Souderton, PA), Whitehall (Allentown, PA) and Plains (Hatfield, PA), with the support of Mosaic’s youth formation team.  

A slide from the teaching portion of the “Peace with God” session on Sept. 14. Photo by Rose Bender Cook.  

 

The first Peace Night of the series took place in September at Zion, on the theme of Peace with God. Around 70 persons were in attendance, including youth and leaders from the above-named congregations and Souderton (PA), Ebenezer (Souderton, PA), Indonesian Light Church (Philadelphia, PA), and Deep Run East (Perkasie, PA). The second meeting took place on October 6 at Plains with the theme “Peace with Self.” 

“The idea for Peace Nights started as a way for churches in southeastern PA in Mosaic Conference to share resources and provide programming for youth faith formation,” shares Andrew Zetts, Associate Pastor of Youth and Outreach at Salford.  

Youth and leaders from Whitehall (PA) Mennonite. Photo provided by Rose Bender Cook. 

 

“As I ran the idea by other Conference youth leaders, a few goals emerged. In addition to sharing resources and gathering a critical mass of youth in one place, we wanted to live into Mosaic’s intercultural priority and bring youth from various geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds together to develop meaningful relationships; and to teach peace theology as a foundational part of living out the ways of Jesus.”

At Plains, the youth group is small but growing, with grades 6-12 together. It can be hard to provide spiritually invigorating activities for a large age range. Peace Nights are one of the few places they can interact with other Mennonite peers in a church setting. 

Youth from eight congregations work together during the games portion of the first Peace Night. Photo by Rose Bender Cook.  

 

Instead of one shared culture, multiple cultures are represented at Peace Nights. Instead of most kids knowing each other, the majority are meeting for the first time. Awkwardness abounds, but a willingness to participate has prevailed. Through games like 9 squares (provided by Bloomin Glen [PA] Mennonite), and “Get -to-Know-You” Bingo (crafted by Andrew Zetts) youth have opportunities to make connections while having fun. Good food energizes everyone to talk and fellowship around tables deepens relationships. 

Loud voices singing together in worship has been a blessing. Youth seeing other youth singing boldly invigorates the whole group and creates a spirit of readiness for our teaching time. Teaching is followed by discussion groups that give youth a chance to come together and internalize the message they have heard. It is beautiful to observe. 

Participants from Deep Run East led worship. Photo by Hendy Matahelemual.  

 As Andrew Zetts shared, Peace Nights have a many purposes (sharing of resources, teaching peace theology, making connections outside our own congregations) but I also see Peace Nights as a place for youth to belong. Even those who might have held back in the beginning of our gathering seem to find their place throughout the night.  

Being Mennonite in our modern world can sometimes make a person stick out or feel different. Being a Christian youth can also feel alienating at times. Finding a place of belonging is, therefore, vital in keeping our youth engaged, connected, and inspired to follow Jesus. 

Peace Night worship. Photo by Mike Ford. 

The third Peace Night took place at Zion on Saturday, Nov. 9, 5-7:30pm; the theme was Peace with Creation. Our last gathering will be on Sunday, December 8 at Plains where we will look at Peace with Others; all Mosaic youth in 6th-12th grade and their youth leaders are invited to join us.

Plans for future gatherings in 2025 are underway and will be shared with congregations soon. As a leader, I am encouraged to see this vision come to fruition and to hear other leaders express their sense of energy and hope for the future of these gatherings. 

Participants gather outside for games. Photo by Hendy Matahelemual. 

Rachel Mateti

Rachel Mateti is the Children and Youth Minister at Plains Mennonite (Hatfield, PA). She is married with three kids and lives in Telford, PA. She enjoys reading when she finds the time and recently picked up running as a hobby.

From Pre-Med to Youth Ministry

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In 2022, Pastors, Beny Krisbianto and Angelia Susanto, of Nations Worship Center in Philadelphia, PA were concerned for the youth at their church. The married couple invited Graciella Odelia, a member of Nations Worship Center and college student, to dinner.  Pastor Beny and Pastor Angelia shared their concern for the youth of the church with Odelia and told her that they sensed that God was calling Odelia to take up this work.   

When this dinner occurred, Graciella Odelia was a biochemistry major at Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, VA) and intended to go to medical school. But God had other plans.  

After the dinner with her pastors, Odelia prayed for guidance and felt a clear sense to accept and pursue the call to youth ministry. Odelia thought she was training to become a doctor. God called her to be a youth minister instead. 

Meanwhile, Pastor Beny and his family visited the revival at Asbury University in Kentucky in February 2023. He came away with a strong concern to encourage and equip the younger generation, since these youth will be the future leaders and shapers of the church. As a result, Nations Worship Center (NWC) decided to create a special service for the youth. NWC applied for and received funds from a Mosaic Missions Operational Grant1 to support the youth ministry. 

The special youth service, which is conducted in English, takes place on Saturday afternoons after worship practice. The youth service includes games, worship, a sermon, and fun, informal times of eating and conversation. Odelia and Pastor Beny take turns leading worship and presenting God’s word in a sermon.  

About 20 young people, who range from ages 10 to 20, attend. Some are from Nations Worship Center; others come from other Indonesian congregations, such Philadelphia Praise Center (PA). A few have no church home.  The service is designed to meet the needs of youth who feel they have outgrown Sunday School. The youth have also done service projects, such as helping to pack food for needy families Philadelphia. 

Nations Worship Center youth hang out at an ice cream place after youth service. Photo provided by Graciella Odelia.

As Odelia served NWC’s youth, she enrolled in a certificate program in Christian Studies at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. She found the courses in biblical studies, theology, and spiritual formation helpful.  

“I felt that a single year of seminary education wasn’t sufficient,” Odelia explained. “I lacked the necessary skills to effectively guide the youth in their spiritual journeys.” This fall, she will begin studies in the seminary’s Master of Arts in Christian Leadership program, with an emphasis in youth ministry. 

The youth from Nations Worship Center organized an Easter egg hunt event at the park this past spring. Photo provided by Graciella Odelia.

Odelia has discovered other opportunities and skills in her journey as a youth minister. To advertise for the youth service, she learned how to design flyers. She is also learning more about website design and video editing for NWC. “Exploring unfamiliar territories and learning new things have been an exhilarating journey,” Odelia said. “It was challenging, but I grew.” 

Even though leading youth ministry was not her original plan, Odelia feels closer to God because of it. “This calling pulled me back to God,” she said. She is grateful for a deeper walk with God and is thankful for where she sees God at work in her life and in the lives of the youth. We pray for God’s special blessing on this ministry. 

1Missional Operations Grants (MOGs) are available to all Mosaic congregations for creative partnerships and new possibilities for missional engagement both in the surrounding community and farther away. The ministries and projects that have been funded by Missional Operations Grants are those building on the Mennonite tradition of faith and are trying new and creative initiatives to engage their own communities or people around the globe. To apply for a Mission Operations Grant, talk with your Leadership Minister. 

Creative Missional Engagement Q&A

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What Churches Do & How They Get the Grant Money

by Eileen Kinch

Q. What is a Missional Operations Grant (MOG)?

A.  Mosaic’s MOGs fund creative ways for Mosaic congregations to do missional activities, both in the immediate community and beyond.  

Q. What does missional mean? (Does this only mean evangelism?)

A. Evangelism is one example of a missional activity. Missional refers to the way congregations participate in the reconciling love of God through Christ. Any activity of the church can be missional.

Q. What is an example of creative missional engagement?

A. Plains Mennonite Church (Hatfield, PA) has a park on its property that is open to the community. Along a path in the park are panels that tell stories about peacemakers and give information about what it means to be a Mennonite. In 2022, Plains Mennonite Church used a MOG to pave its “peace path” so that families with strollers can more easily use it. The paved path also improves mobility for those with physical challenges. 

Plains Mennonite Church used MOG funds to pave their peace park’s path. 
The newly paved path has increased community use. 

Q. What happened after Plains paved the peace path?

A. More people now use the path since it has been paved. Some have expressed gratitude for easier navigation. Families are leaving pedal car toys along the path for other children to use. Families even get together to watch their children race their cars. The paved path allows more people to read about peace, and the path is also building community.

Q. My congregation doesn’t have a peace path. What else can a MOG be used for?

A. Salford Mennonite Church (Harleysville, PA) used the grant to host a “Gardening For Peace” conference in 2022. Over 200 people attended throughout the weekend. John Thomas, a Lenape elder, representatives from Ursinus College, and John Ruth talked about the need for ongoing dialogue with the Lenape community. There were also workshops about various aspects of peace, including one on prison ministry. In the evening, Shane Claiborne and Mike Martin converted a gun into a gardening tool. A video of the event can be found here. 

Q. How did “Gardening For Peace” impact others?

A. In one workshop, ex-inmates shared about their experience of returning to society after serving a prison sentence. These individuals stayed for the evening meal during the conference and later remarked that they really enjoyed the food and fellowship. Ex-inmates do not always experience this.  The Gardening for Peace conference also opened the way for future opportunities for dialogue with the Lenape, as well as for continued commitment to Salford’s peace education and programming. 

Q. My congregation has an idea for a project. How do I find out if the project qualifies for a MOG?

A. Criteria for a grant can be found on Mosaic’s website. Examples of other congregations’ projects can also be found there. 

Q. How does my congregation apply for a MOG?

A. Talk to your leadership minister, who will give you an application. If your application is accepted, your congregation will need to submit a report after the funds are used. This report should inspire other congregations to explore creative ways to live into God’s reconciling love.

Eileen Kinch

Eileen Kinch is part of the Mosaic communication team and works with editing and writing. She holds a Master of Divinity degree, with an emphasis in the Ministry of Writing, from Earlham School of Religion.

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.

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.

The Space In-Between: Work, Hope and Missional Operations Grants

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by Stephen Kriss

Over the last ten years, Franconia Conference has released over $500,000 through the Missional Operations Grant (MOG) fund.  These grants are tools that help instigate and cultivate missional initiatives connected with our Conference and congregations. They’ve been used broadly over the last decade to cultivate ministries in our local congregations and around the world from India to Indonesia to Mexico and the Caribbean, even assisting in the cleanup after Hurricane Katrina.

As staff work with congregations developing ministries to further the mission and vision of the Kingdom of God and Franconia Conference, they are able to help resource these initiatives with MOGs.  Our last staff meeting involved a spirited discussion how to best continue to implement and inform the use of this significant tool justly, fairly, and openly across our congregations.

11894513_866533416748400_313644984214870327_oCongregations are able to apply for MOGs and with the blessing of the LEADership Minister and congregation leadership these applications are passed on to the Ministry Resource Fund Grant Committee. The MOGs approved by the committee focus on ministries within conference congregation or partnerships between congregations and other organizations/ministries. The projects funded are intent on mutuality, rooted in considerations of justice, building on strengths, and calling forth new and next-generation leaders. To see a list of the projects funded in 2015 visit the MOG tab at: http://mosaicmennonites.org/mission/stewardship/.

Last year, due to a change in allocation of funds in the account (reduced from 20% to 10% of total available dollars), there are less funds available causing us to be more strategic this year with the reduced dollars.  Already this year 8 MOG grants have been approved mostly to our urban congregations (keep your eye on the MOG webpage at FranconiaConference.org for coming testimonies). With our average grant amount coming in at approximately $4000, we have only enough left in the fund this year to grant possibly two to three additional requests.  We’ve capped the requests this year at $5000 per congregation with only a single disbursement likely. Grants are requested through an application process that should be done in consultation with the congregation’s LEADership Ministers and then approved by the Ministry Resource Fund Grant Committee. More information can be found on the MOG tab at: http://mosaicmennonites.org/mission/stewardship/.

The grants allow the Conference and LEADership Ministers to assist in funding creative spaces for our churches.  The return on investment of these funds is high though the initiatives themselves don’t always seem successful in a traditional sense of understanding.   The grants invite our congregations to take risks for the sake of the dream of God.  We trust the outcomes into God’s hands.

Most MOG funds are sourced from estate bequests and contributions from the revenue from Conference-owned properties.   This year we are expecting to receive an estate gift that will likely allow an increase in available funds for next year.  If you’d like to help boost our ongoing capacity to instigate missional initiatives now and into the future, I’d be glad to talk with you or your congregation. You or your congregation are welcome to donate specifically to the MOG Fund as well. This is important and generative work.   It’s a glimpse of the good that comes when we can share the labor together in times of opportunity and possibility.

We still work and hope.  And we trust in the power of Christ to take our work and multiply it for the sake of the world.

 

Cross Cultural Minister at Perkiomenville Mennonite

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TonyReyesPerkiomenville Mennonite Church has shared a partnership with Pastor Bob Stevenson and the Monte Maria Church in Mexico City for years. The congregation has enjoyed yearly trips where they are able to experience cross cultural missions that are personally enriching and expands the vision of ministry in the Perkiomenville community. In the summer or 2015 for the first time someone from Monte Maria was coming to Perkiomenville. Tony Reyes is a young man from Monte Maria Church is a gifted pianist, songwriter, music producer, and ministry leader. Franconia Conference’s Missional Operations Grant provided for Tony’s expenses as he lived and worked with Perkiomenville Mennonite Church, Project Haven, and Urban Expressions. During his time here, Tony was able to learn leadership skills, improve his English speaking abilities, and equip him for ministry.

Read more about how Tony’s ministry with Perkiomenville here.

Anniversary Celebration

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Norristown4What is now Nueva Vida Norristown New Life (NVNNL) formed from one of the first mission outreaches of Franconia Conference in 1919. The conference would see two initiatives in Bridgeport and in Conshohocken come and go. Then there was the development of First Mennonite, predominately of Anglo ethnicity; Bethel Mennonite under African-American leadership; and Iglesia Menonita Hispana Fuentes de Salvación.  These three congregations with a vision to be intercultural would join together in 1990 to become Nueva Vida Norristown New Life.

The Missional Operations Grant that was received by NVNNL was to show the continued support of the conference to the work of God in Norristown. The grant added in providing for the 25th Anniversary Community Fiesta and Concert in July 2015.

Norristown1With a tent perched in their parking lot, NVNNL hosted a couple hundred of present and former members, greatly enriched by their Norristown neighbors for gospel worship, led by acclaimed pianist James Crumbly, a concert with Crumbly and Friends and a pig roast and fiesta. The celebration was essentially an elaboration of what NVNNL does each month during the summer season, as Jim Williams, a long-time lay leader, “We canvass the neighborhood, hand out flyers inviting everyone to outdoor worship and a congregational meal.” As Marta Castillo, one of three pastors, remarked, “From the beginning it was in our DNA, first reaching out to Jewish, then African-American, then Spanish. And that day Pastor Beny from the Indonesian church in Philadelphia brought about two dozen folks, so it was more of a cultural mix than usual.”

Read more about the celebration here.

Listen here to John Ruth, historian, talking about the history of Nueva Vida Norristown New Life at the 2015 conference assembly.