Franconia Mennonite Conference Partner in Mission, Grace Assembly Network, felt the personal impact of Hurricane Dean last week. Pastor Lesly Bertrand, church planter and president of Grace Assembly, wrote this week about the hurricane and the opportunity to partner with him in emerging ministry opportunities:Last Sunday evening Hurricane Dean crossed between Haiti and Jamaica, hitting the southern end of our island. According to the Haitian Government report, roughly 10 people died, 450 houses were destroyed, and 3,000 people are homeless. Among those victims are some members of our churches. One of our pastor’s reports that houses around him were destroyed and he lost his entire garden. Some families are currently living in the church building because they lost their houses. It is very possible that famine will result in the coming weeks.Grace Assembly Network consists of 24 congregations, three church plants, seven schools, and 30 pastors. Evangelism and equipping leaders are two central values for this growing and vibrant network of churches. Ministry is challenging in a country hampered by extreme poverty and political instability. Franconia Conference has partnered with Grace Assembly Network over the last several years in leadership development as the congregations have faced threats and addressed possibilities for ministry and hope. Grace Assembly also partners with the Hopewell Network of Churches and is connecting with Mennonite World Conference.
National News
Young Adult Ministry Interns Wrestle with Visions for the Church
by Lora Steiner
Harrisonburg, Va. – “I love the church, and I hate the church.” This sentiment was expressed in a variety of ways by Mennonite college students at a gathering held at Eastern Mennonite University the end of March.
Students who have already participated in the Ministry Inquiry Program (MIP) or will do so this summer, as well as denominational and conference leaders, attended the meeting. MIP is a collaboration between Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite-affiliated colleges that allows students to spend 11 weeks serving in a congregation and exploring their call to pastoral ministry.
During the conference, the 40 participants, many who are from or will be serving in Franconia Conference congregations this summer, were invited to listen to and share visions of the church.
Many simply asked: What does it mean to be in the world but not of it? How do we live faithfully as members of the kingdom of God while also living in a society that often doesn’t share the same values?
“Is church what happens Sunday morning,” asked one participant, “Or is church what we do together?”
Steve Kriss, director of communication and leadership cultivation for Franconia Mennonite Conference, highlighted some challenges the Mennonite Church is facing as it becomes more diverse, including language and cultural barriers.
“I am convinced,” said Kriss, “that it is going to be a struggle for those of us who are Euro-American to figure out how to live in a future that doesn’t look like us anymore. We are going to deal with privilege and responsibility and with issues of cultural understanding.”
During a session led by Mike and Risha Metzler, who attend The Table, an emerging Mennonite congregation in Harrisonburg, participants were asked to share words or phrases describing their ideal vision of the church. “Authentic,” said one. “Welcoming,” added another. In a few moments the list had been extended to include adaptable, Christ-centered, radical, life-giving and honest.
Risha Metzler said she thinks The Table is just “one way of doing church.
“We’re not saying, ‘This is the way church should be,’ but it’s exciting and energizing to me to begin to address the issue that church isn’t working for a lot of people. So what do we do with that as believers? How do we make this work for more people?”
During sharing times, many expressed a desire for a safe space to ask questions and express their doubts and frustrations. Others expressed the need for the church to collectively deal with conflict.
“We all have disagreements on all kinds of issues, but we pretend that doesn’t happen on Sunday morning or say we can’t talk about these in church,” said one person.
Throughout the conference, students struggled with how to foster community, intimacy and accountability in their churches and engage the broader culture at the same time.
“The church is pulled in two directions,” said Goshen College student Paul Boers. “One is the desire to grow deeply and intimately in relationship with each other. And the other is to welcome anyone and everyone. For good relationships to be fostered, they take time. And they take intentionality.”
“If we want the church to change,” said Boers, “we have to change ourselves.”
“One of the biggest things we can do is let our congregations know that we care,” said one student. “We need to tell them that we want to be the church now and that we want to be the future. And that we want to work with them to create something meaningful.”
Aldo Siahaan, a leader of Philadelphia (PA) Praise Center, summarized a general feeling of the conference: “Miracles come from movement. We need to keep moving towards God’s grace and toward his vision.”
Students and church leaders alike agreed that movement toward God’s vision for the church will result in the miracle of transformation in congregations.
Lora Steiner is a Harrisonburg resident.
View photos from this event
Mennonite Mission Network Collaborates with Franconia Conference in first Youth Venture Experience in Israel
Franconia Mennonite Conference (FMC) and Mennonite Mission Network (MMN) plan to collaborate in first Youth Venture experience to Nazareth Village, Israel.
Since 1985, more than 700 persons have participated in Youth Venture, a program that provides opportunities for youth and young adults to join together for service and learning experiences, seeking to capture the imagination and passion of youth and young adults to invest their lives in bring healing and hope to the world. Youth Venture offers the offers the opportunity to join with other young Anabaptists for one to four weeks of service in July or August in various North American and international mission projects.
In July and August of 2007, Franconia Mennonite Conference will partner with Mennonite Mission Network to offer a collaborative experience for youth and young adults at the Nazareth Village in Israel. This is the first time for such a collaboration, and both parties hope that by working together, a more effective and networked program can be developed for participants. David Landis, Associate for Communication and Leadership Cultivation for Franconia Mennonite Conference, will serve as team leader.
Five years ago Mennonite Mission Network began a vision of collaborating with Mennonite Church USA conferences and other affinity groups, seeking out ways to live into what networking really means. Del Hershberger, MMN Director of Christian Service, states “We believe that networking with other folks who have a passion for ministry creates new, exciting possibilities that we never could have thought of or done by ourselves. I see this as a first step in FMC and MMN each bringing our ideas, passions and resources together to enhance the faith formation and leadership development of young adults.”
Participants in the Youth Venture trip to Nazareth Village will discover the land where Jesus walked while serving at a recreated village of first century Nazareth, working on maintenance projects, at a hospital or a children’s camp. Living with local Arab Christian families will provide opportunities to understand God’s continuing work in the Middle East. Many assumptions about the way the world functions are challenged as participants discover and exercise their gifts. The experience aims to explore real ways for participants to see God’s love and concern for the connected world far beyond anything they’ve imagined.
Stephen Kriss, FMC Director of Communication and Leadership cultivation says, “I’d hope this represents a new way to embody the network paradigm that both Franconia Conference and MMN are living into in these days of rapid change and global connectivity. In working together, we’ll share our resources to create opportunities to engage the world and to find new possibilities to incarnate the Good News that speaks to a new generation, our congregations and the world.
For more information on Youth Venture, go to http://www.mennonitemission.net/Work/Service/YV/. The Nazareth Village experience will be held from July 23 to August 10, 2007, flying in and out of Philadelphia.
Bluffton University Men's Baseball Team Involved in Accident in Atlanta
The Bluffton University men’s baseball team was involved in a bus accident in Atlanta, Ga., early March 2. The bus was on its way to Florida for the team’s spring break game with Eastern Mennonite University. “This is a sad tragedy for the students, families, friends and Bluffton University campus community. We are asking for prayers of support during this time,” said Bluffton University President James M. Harder.
Read the story at:
bluffton.edu | cnn.com | mennoweekly.org | emu.edu
Worship leaders announced for San Jose 2007
NEWTON, Ks—¬Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership announces Maribeth Troyer of Phoenix, Az, and Rod Stafford of Portland, Or, as adult worship leaders for San José 2007. Youth worship leaders will be Ben Bolanos of San Francisco and Rachel Gerber of Denver.
Music leaders for the adult worship services will be Tom Harder of Wichita, Ks; Helen Hudgens of Evanston, Il; and Brother George Makinto of Palos Verdes, Ca. Jeremy Kempf of Goshen, In, will lead music for youth worship services.
Worship and music leaders met with the Youth and Adult worship planning committees for San José 2007 at the groups’ last meeting Oct. 26 through 28 in San José, Ca. San José 2007 will be July 2 through 7 in San José, Ca. The host area conference will be Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference.
Troyer is a member of Trinity Mennonite Church in Glendale, Az, where she is currently serving as the pastoral intern. She also has chaplaincy certification. Stafford, a native Californian, is lead pastor at Portland Mennonite Church. He attended seminary in Pasadena, Ca. Director of Convention Planning Jorge Vallejos is confident Troyer and Stafford will facilitate meaningful worship for San José 2007 participants.
“In selecting worship leaders we wanted to make sure they possessed a strong Anabaptist frame of reference coupled with a stage presence that is welcoming and sincere,†Vallejos said. “I think both Maribeth and Rod possess these qualities plus a strong commitment to Christ’s church. Moreover, Maribeth is from Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference, and Rod from Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference, which will give our worship sessions the additional and unique West-coast touch.â€
Bolanos is an active member of First Mennonite Church of San Francisco and has served on the Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference Board of Directors. By trade, he is a high school history teacher in Palo Alto, Ca. Gerber is associate pastor of faith formation at First Mennonite Church in Denver and serves Mountain States Mennonite Conference as its Conference Resource Advocate.
“By adding Ben and Rachel to the mix, we are widening the spectrum of people who are impacted by convention worship. We, as a committee, are blessed to have them on board,†said Rachel Swartzendruber, associate director of Convention Planning for Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership. “They bring fresh ideas and have a sense of calling to this role. They are excited about helping youth Live the Call!â€
Worship planning for San José 2007 has been underway for several months and is almost complete, and the worship planning committees for the youth and adult conventions finished their meetings in San José, Ca, last October. Each group was charged with planning the multiple worship services to be conducted throughout the week of July 2 through 7, including joint worship sessions where youth and adults will come together. Music leaders also participated in planning for San José 2007 worship times.
Harder serves as co-pastor with his wife Lois of Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church in Wichita and is an active and versatile musician with a doctorate in classical guitar performance from Arizona State University.
Hudgens is the worship minister at Reba Place Church in Evanston, Il, where she helped start the Reba Gospel Choir in 1995 and the vocal ensemble Reba Praise in 1997. Hudgens also is on the faculty of the School of Music at North Park University.
Brother Makinto is a multi-talented musician, singer, composer and international recording artist. He has traveled through more than 60 countries studying different music styles including classical, jazz and African traditional music.
Kempf currently works as recruitment coordinator for Mennonite Mission Network. He graduated from Hesston College and Greenville College with a degree in Contemporary Christian Music and has spent several years as lead guitarist in the Christian rock/worship band thirstborne.
Joel Shenk of Pasadena, Ca, has served on the Adult Worship Planning Committee and says he is looking forward to seeing how the creative and thoughtful work of the different people planning worship for San José 2007 will come together under the Live the Call! theme.
“God was definitely at work in bringing together a team with a wide range of gifts and skills, all of which are needed to plan and coordinate large-scale worship services,†Shenk said.
“I’m continually amazed by the passion our planning committee members bring to each San José 2007 meeting. We have committee members who have dedicated their lives to youth ministry and others who are youth themselves. This provides us with a very wide spectrum of people represented and that is what makes our meetings so beneficial,†Swartzendruber said.
For more information on San Jose 2007 call toll-free 1-866-866-2872 and ask for Convention Planning. Online and paper registrations are now being accepted.
Ben Balonos grew up in Franconia Mennonite Conference’s Allentown congregation.
From left, Members of the Youth Worship Planning Committee for San Jose 2007 Ben Balonos, Jeremy Kempf and Kendra King work to plan worship for convention. The group last met October 26 through 28 in San Jose Ca. Photo by Marathana Prothro
Conference natives part of first Goshen College SST to Cambodia
GOSHEN, Ind. – Three Franconia Conference natives are participating
in the first Goshen (Ind.) College Study-Service Term (SST) unit to
Cambodia this spring. The group includes 24 students.
Krista Ehst, daughter of Tim and Sheryl Ehst of Bally, is majoring in
Bible and religion. She is a 2004 graduate of Christopher Dock
Mennonite High School and attends Perkasie Mennonite Church.
Sheldon Good, son of Don and Diane Good of Telford, is majoring in
communication and business. He is a 2005 graduate of Christopher Dock
Mennonite High School and attends Salford Mennonite Church.
Greg Yoder, son of Jerold and Beth Yoder of Perkasie, is majoring in
music. He is a 2005 graduate of Christopher Dock Mennonite High
School and attends Perkasie Mennonite Church.
The students left for Cambodia on Jan. 10 and will return to the
United States on April 10. They will spend the first six weeks in the
capital, Phnom Penh, studying the national language of Khmer and the
country’s culture at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Students
will then be placed in service assignments around the country. The
capital is a mix of developed and developing areas, and though the
country has a dollar economy, it is one of the poorest countries in
the region, according to Tom Meyers, director of international
education at Goshen College. Students will live with host families
during the first and second half of the semester, many of whom will
be Buddhist, since 95 percent of the population follows that
religion. Groups from Goshen College will go to Cambodia every three
years.
Keith and Ann Graber Miller, with their children, Niles, Mia and
Simon, are leading the unit to Cambodia. Keith is professor of Bible,
religion and philosophy at Goshen College. They have previously led
SST units in the Dominican Republic, China, Cuba and Costa Rica.
Web updates and photos from the group are available from Goshen
College’s SST Web site at: www.goshen.edu/sst/cambodia07. Letters can
be directed to: Mennonite Central Committee, PO Box 481, #20 Street
475, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Since the first SST units went to Costa Rica, Jamaica and Guadeloupe
in 1968 and began one of the country’s pioneer international
education programs, more than 6,500 students and 230 faculty leaders
have traveled to 20 countries; the college currently organizes SST
units to study and serve in China, Dominican Republic, Germany,
Cambodia, Ethiopia, Senegal, Perú and Jamaica. The program’s uncommon
combination of cultural education and service-learning remains a core
part of the general education program, and has earned citations for
excellence from U.S.News & World Report, Peterson’s Study Abroad and
Smart Parents Guide to College, the John Templeton Foundation and
American Council on Education.
New youth ministry resource from Mennonite Mission Network
In January 2007 Mennonite Mission Network launched Relate: A Christian Service Newsletter, an Anabaptist youth ministry resource for pastors, sponsors and lay leaders working with youth and young adults from middle school through college.
You can receive this free HTML newsletter every other month.
See a preview and sign up online at www.mennonitemission.net.
Deep Run East Commits to Louisiana Shelter Project
PERKASIE, PA Deep Run Mennonite Church East of Bucks County has committed to the service project of building a house for hurricane victims. The Church is working in conjunction with the relief agency of Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Disaster Services (MDS) and Shelter for Life, which is an interdenominational Christian organization that assists with rebuilding after natural disaster and war around the world.
The shelter will be built for elderly and disabled Native American members of the Chinamache tribe in Point Aux Chenes, Louisiana whose homes have been destroyed by hurricane disaster. Deep Run East is dedicated to supplying all the materials, building wall panels and transporting everything to Louisiana. Church members with building trade skills will be helping to construct the house on site as well.
Deep Run East is reaching out to the community for help. The anticipated cost of materials for this shelter mission is approximately $50,000. Any building material suppliers who are able to provide materials at or under cost, or anyone wishing to provide financial contributions of any amount are encouraged to contact Deep Run East’s main office at 215-766-8380.
Contributions can be sent to Deep Run Mennonite Church East, 350 Kellers Church Road, Perkasie, PA 18944. Please designate Shelter for Life Project and include a return address if you would like a receipt. All contributions are tax deductible.
Deep Run Mennonite Church East (www.deepruneast.org) is located in Bedminster Township, PA and is recognized as a warm and inviting congregation consisting of people of all ages, occupations and life experiences. Deep Run East seeks to carry out its mission of “Bringing People in Contact with God” by glorifying God in worship, opening its lives to the community, and sharing its gifts and resources in faithfulness to Jesus Christ.
Follow-up articles in the Morning Call of Allentown, PA:
- Not everybody is motivated by morose views, Paul Carpenter
In October, when a representative of the outside world stormed into an Amish school with murderous motivations, it was depressing to think that the best thing we outsiders could do for the gentle people would be to leave them alone. The Amish are an… [Read More] - Church aids couple hit by Katrina, Patrick Lester
When members of a Bucks County church tried unsuccessfully to welcome Hurricane Katrina victims into their homes following the 2005 disaster, they turned to Plan B. The congregation decided to bring a house to a hurricane-ravaged community. Beginning in…[Read More]
Everyone is invited to a weekend with Pastor Steve Cheramie Risingsun, January 20 and 21, at Deep Run Mennonite Church East. Deep Run East has committed to building a house for an elderly Native American family with disabilities from the Chinamache tribe in Louisiana, working in conjunction with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) and Shelter for Life, which is an interdenominational Christian organization assisting in rebuilding after natural disasters and war around the world. A gourmet dinner with a Southern Louisiana Flair will be held at the church on Saturday, January 20, at 5 p.m.
Reservations for the dinner are due by January 15. At 7 p.m., Steve Cheramie Risingsun, a Native American pastor, will share stories about the Chinamache tribe in Point Aux Chenes, LA. A free will offering will be taken to benefit the Shelter for Life project. On Sunday morning, January 21, Pastor Steve Cheramie Risingsun will preach during the morning worship service beginning at 9 a.m. An informal question and answer time will follow at 10:15 a.m. To make reservations for the dinner or for more information, you may call the church office at 215-766-8380 or visit the website at www.deepruneast.org.