Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

National News

Hurricane Sandy update from Mennonite Disaster Service

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Update from Rick Kratz at Mennonite Disaster Service–call him with questions, 267-372-4637.

Locally

We have been in touch with Montgomery County and have some people to follow up with about basement clean outs and such.

New York and New Jersey

I don’t have anything for New Jersey at this time but as things unfold we will pass that on.

Mennonite Disaster Service is investigating New York City with the Mennonite Churches of New York City to see how best we can be of service.  As we get more information and request for assistance I will pass that on to you.  At this time we are keeping a list of names of those who contact us about going up to help. Please provide me with any names and contact information of people interested in helping locally or up in New York City.  As we receive requests from New York we will put groups together and respond as requested.

Many people or organizations are asking about donations.  If people or organizations would like to donate to MDS we ask that they do so financially.

Donations can be sent to our local unit:

MDS of Eastern PA/NJ
P.O. Box 64794
Souderton, PA 18964

MDS photos from Staten Island

AMP conference focuses on multiculturalism and identity

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by Andrew Mashas, Anabaptist Missional Project (reposted by permission)

Anabaptist Missional Project
Leonard Dow, Oxford Circle, challenges the group to move toward the vision of the multicultural multitude in Revelation 7.

On the weekend of June 29 – July 1, 45 people from around the country gathered at Oxford Circle Mennonite Church in Philadelphia for the Anabaptist Missional Project (AMP) conference. Attendees experienced a time of worship, discussion, and fellowship centered on the growing and expanding diversity among Anabaptists in America, specifically within MCUSA. Throughout the weekend, attendees discussed the difficulty of embracing other cultures while maintaining an Anabaptist identity.

The conference, titled “The Spirit’s Work in Mission: Prophesying about Many Peoples,” focused on a vision of the Kingdom of God in the book of Revelation, which explains that every nation, tribe, and tongue will come together to worship the one true Lord and King, Jesus Christ.

Speakers David and Madeline Maldonado shared about the hundreds of Guatemalan immigrant workers attending their Florida congregation. As the number of immigrant attendees increased, so did the ethnic tensions between the Guatemalan workers and Puerto Rican congregants. The Maldonados explained the reconciliation that took place within the church and its example to the community.

Both Habecker and Oxford Circle Mennonite churches of Pennsylvania were able to share their stories of struggle with identity in the midst of declining church attendance and about revitalization within the church.

Leonard Dow of Oxford Circle, a Franconia Conference Partner in Mission, gave a passionate testimony on how the congregation provided a nonviolent protective community around residents who were threatened with violence, allowing for a new approach to community outreach.

In the case of Habecker, Pastor Karen Sensenig described the congregation’s willingness to become vulnerable to God’s transforming spirit. She explained how the church embraced Burmese refugees who stumbled upon their small rural congregation in Lancaster County. And now, with the church seeing a resurgence of life because of this newly found diversity among the community, they’re able to tell their story to the broader Anabaptist community.

“’New Life’ expresses my response to the conference,” said Pastor Sensenig in reflection on the dynamics of the conference. “The vitality that young people bring to the church is so full of hope. They ask questions that push us into new considerations of the movement of God among us. They are willing to be vulnerable and to take risks. The sincere engagement of the group put us all on a quest to discover just what is needed to open a way for the Spirit to blow into our midst in unexpected ways.”

Anabaptist Missional Project
Worship was led by a team from Oxford Circle Mennonite Church.

Meal times were spent in dynamic discussion around a variety of topics including the history of racism, ethnic divisions, and sensitivities in the West and among churches in America.  This discussion provided a platform for people to share their faith journeys with new people across the Anabaptist landscape.

Many of the conference organizers, including Carmen Horst, Ben Wideman and Aaron Kauffman agreed that this year’s conference lacked ethnic diversity and representation from multicultural congregations within the Philadelphia area.

“I was hoping for a diverse group of individuals who were interested in networking and entering into dialogue with each other on the subject of mission and had hopes that there would be a large contingent from the local area, but in the end only a few could make it.” said Ben Wideman, associate pastor at Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville, Pa.

As for the future of the AMP conference, organizer Carmen Horst, associate pastor at James Street Mennonite Church, said, “I hope that those who have been leading our church for a longer time will pay attention to AMP and see a group of people who can be committed to serving Jesus together without agreeing on some of the issues facing the church. What draws me to AMP is the love for and commitment to the Church.”

Some would also like to see AMP grow to have regionally specific and more frequent gatherings. Aaron Kauffman, Global Ministries Director at Virginia Mennonite Missions said, “I would love to see this kind of thing continue to multiply in other parts of the country where local AMP networks would gather to worship, share insights, and spur one another onto greater faithfulness as witnesses to the reign of God in Christ.”

The sky seems to be the limit for a group like AMP. Creating a space for dynamic and in-depth conversation around the church and its mission while facilitating intentional fellowship among many cultures and ethnicities will serve as an example to the broader Mennonite Church. As Carmen Horst described it, “The leaders and participants of AMP recognize the many failings and brokenness of our Church, and yet desire to remain in it. Out of our love for this messy thing called church, we try to create spaces for speaking truth and growing in truth together.”

AMBS introduces new name and new program

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AMBS--Donella
Donella Clemens, acting chairperson of the AMBS board, asked for God's blessing on the renewed and expanded Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount. Photo provided.

by Donella M. Clemens, Perkasie congregation & vice-chair of AMBS Board

A verse from Isaiah 43 was the focus for the hum of activity at AMBS, a seminary of Mennonite Church USA (Elkhart, IN), the weekend of May 4 and 5—“I am about to do a new thing”!   The weekend recognized a new name and programs and the dedication of new facilities.

Had you walked on the AMBS campus on Friday evening, May 4, you would have been treated to a music extravaganza celebrating the renovated Sermon on the Mount chapel.  A great variety of gospel, classical, folk, brass, piano, and organ musicians played and sang, and yes, the legendary Mary Oyer led the congregation in several rousing hymns of worship.  It was a celebration of “The New” at AMBS!

What is new?

Beginning with the new school year in August, 2012, AMBS will have a new name!  The name “Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary” has had historical meaning since Goshen Biblical Seminary and Mennonite Biblical Seminary merged.

Now as the seminary takes a new look at the present and projects into the future, it is appropriate for a new name, “Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary,” that brings focus to the ownership of the seminary by Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada and signals awareness of a renewed interest in Anabaptist theology by Christians in many denominations around the globe.

In addition to the new name, there are new faculty members.  With the retirement of faculty who have faithfully served AMBS for many years, new, younger faculty members are being hired:

  • Rachel Miller Jacobs, assistant professor of congregational formation
  • Andrew Brubacher Kaethler, assistant professor of faith formation and culture
  • Jamie Pitts, assistant professor of Anabaptist studies

Hearing the voice of pastors and leaders across the church calling for new methods of seminary education, AMBS is unveiling redesigned programs that will include both a community-focused residential program and a program accessible to students at a distance.  These programs will allow pastors and students from our Franconia and Eastern District Conferences to pursue degrees at AMBS without moving from their home communities.

A series of six online, non-credit Anabaptist study courses will be offered for people who have completed seminary education or for those who want to continue seminary education but do not desire credit.

Check out the website (www.ambs.edu) for more information on the exciting new future at AMBS!

Franconia Conference contributes, leads, speaks at Pittsburgh 2011

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by Emily Ralph, eralphservant@mosaicmennonites.org, and Steve Kriss, skriss@mosaicmennonites.org

Members of Franconia Conference descended on Pittsburgh last week for Mennonite Church USA’s Convention, “Bridges to the Cross.”  In addition to participating as delegates and youth groups, Franconia Conference members contributed to important conversations about the life of our church.  A few highlights:

Yvonne Platts, a leader from Nueva Vida Norristown New Life, spoke up at a delegate session on holistic witness. “Usually in Mennonite circles we hear of peace as keeping kids out of the military,” she said. “What I don’t hear is how we keep our kids on the streets from killing one another, from fighting one another.”

The first gathering of the North American Indonesian Mennonite Leaders group from all over the United States met at Franconia Conference member congregation Greensburg (Pa) Worship Center about 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh to fellowship and dream for the future.  When he introduced Franconia Conference (which helped to sponsor the event), LEADership Minister Steve Kriss challenged the California Indonesian churches, “We look forward to the networking and vining of Indonesian Anabaptist congregations that will link from both coasts across the country.   Like the transcontinental railroad, we’re bulding inward from both sides and to our brothers and sisters in California, we hope that we will meet somewhere in the middle.” Conversations included discussion of the possible new congregations in Denver and Birmingham, AL.

Pastor Aldo Siahaan addresses North American Indonesian Mennonite Leaders during Convention. Photo by Emily Ralph.

Jim Ostlund, youth pastor at Blooming Glen, taught a workshop on technology and communication, encouraging teens that the greatest technology ever created is our human body.  “We can use new media to connect,” he said, “but it will not replace face to face in real time.”   The Blooming Glen youth group was the largest at convention this year.

Michael King, member at Salford Mennonite Church and dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary, presented on the need for Biblical literacy: “We tend to operate within a Bible that fits our lens. On God’s level, the Bible is big enough for us all.”

Franconia Conference Youth Minister Marlene Frankenfield delighted youth sponsors with goodies and giveaways as part of a workshop she co-led with Merv Stoltzfus on creative ways of using resources to enhance youth ministry.

Michael Bishop, part of the pastoral team at Blooming Glen, helped lead hymns and international music during adult worship and hymn sing.  He led alongside a worship team from the largest Mennonite Church USA congregation– Calvary Community Church of Hampton, Va.

Beny Krisbianto, pastor at Nations Worship Center in Philadelphia, led a workshop on being a relevant church.  “The mission of evangelism is about persuading people to stop, look, and listen,” he said.   Maria Byler and Aldo Siahaan of Philadelphia Praise Center helped to lead a workshop on building healthy intercultural relationships and communication along with Virgo Handoyo, pastor of Jemaat Kristen Indonesia Anugerah (Sierra Madre, CA), a member congregation of Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference.

Franconia Conference Executive Minister Ertell Whigham served on the convention listening committee, providing feedback to the convention’s organizers. “It has been said that with every experience in life we continue to learn.  This is especially true when it comes to the gathering of God’s people.  We learn something about ourselves, other people, and especially about God.”

What other Franconia Conference voices did you hear at Convention?

Lessons from the little ones: Building bridges in Pittsburgh

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by Emily Ralph, eralphservant@mosaicmennonites.org

He was sitting in a chair with his back to a room full of Mennonite preschoolers.  He wouldn’t make eye contact with me as I sat down on the floor next to him, using everything I had in my bag of tricks.  I had offered my afternoon to help with the preschool class at Mennonite USA Convention and something drew me to this little loner.  Every question I asked was greeted with a shake of his head and a mournful whimper.

Little by little, we made progress.  Within a couple of moments, he was forcing his mouth into an “I’m not going to let you see me smile” frown that told me we were almost there.  Soon, he erupted into a laugh as he delighted in bouncing the ball past me so that I had to run after it.  And once the dam broke, his joy and energy filled the room as he engaged me in play.

About an hour later, I noticed a little girl tucked in a play tent, staring sadly at the ground.  My new little friend followed me over to her.  The instant I climbed in and plopped myself down next to her, the frown turned into a whimper and a trembling lip.  “I want my moooommy.”

“Do you want me to read you a story?” I asked.

“Nooo.”  The end of the word came out like a moan.

“Do you want to color a picture?”

“Noooo.”

I looked up and realized that my little friend had disappeared.  A moment later he returned with a coloring page and some crayons.  Instantly, the girl perked up.  Just as instantly, the trembling lip resurfaced.

“I only want to color with pink and purple,” she sighed, fingering the orange crayon.  Her benefactor disappeared again.

After a few seconds, he returned with a handful of purple crayons, dumping them onto my open palms.  In awe, I watched this little champion, this loner who had become the comforter.

“I’m going to go get another activity,” he stated strongly in accented English, laughing when I had to ask him several times to repeat himself.  “An ac-tiv-i-ty!” he said again, leaning in close to yell into my ear so that I would get it that time.

He was back sooner than expected, his eyes twinkling.  “Do you want to play with bubbles?” he asked, peering at her through the tent opening.  That’s all she needed to hear.  They were off, a little girl and a five-year-old Jesus, building bridges with bubbles and crayons.

Mennnonite Disaster Service responds to Missouri storms

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The storms hit Joplin, MO, Sunday afternoon; on Monday groups of local MDS volunteers were there helping chicken and turkey farmers by clearing access roads to damaged barns and moving live birds to other locations.

April was one of the most deadly months for tornados in years; May could turn out to be nearly as bad. Early reports after storms on Sunday put the death toll at over 80 in Joplin, with Search and Rescue teams still working.

MDS Disaster Response Coordinator, Jerry Klassen, arrived in Joplin on Monday, amid another storm pounding the already damaged area. He joined the MDS Missouri Unit leaders as they investigated how MDS may respond to the devastation.

The Missouri Unit has several trained Early Response Teams (ERT) that will arrive on Tuesday and begin tree removal, clean up and roof repairs in an area at the perimeter of the damage.

A group of volunteers from the Oklahoma MDS Unit will arrive on Friday to assist in the clean up. Joplin is not far from the Oklahoma border.

The MDS Arkansas Unit trained Search and Rescue Team (SART) was invited to the Joplin area to assist in search and rescue efforts there. Klassen reports “Some of the flattened area has been searched, you can tell by the markings. But some areas have not had Search and Rescue teams yet.” The SART will be given an area to search when they arrive.

Klassen noted that as they investigate and talk to survivors “There is a huge amount of shock and disbelief. We talked to one man who was distraught. His wife passed in December, he is disabled and now his house lies in shambles.”

The tornado did not hit only one area, “It hit the downtown area, industrial areas, businesses, big and small, and in rural, farming areas. And it hit a huge, huge amount of homes.”

The Missouri tornado follows a month of deadly tornados all over the US. MDS volunteers have been in Alabama since the April 27 tornados. The tornado takes only minutes to destroy; the clean up and rebuilding will take months or years. Currently MDS has two separate project locations in Alabama.

MDS Storm Aid is staffing a project in Phil Campbell, AL. The work there is clean up and they may begin the rebuilding phase soon.

The MDS project in Birmingham is running at full capacity with 40 volunteers every week. Clean up of trees and debris will be the major focus for some weeks, then repair and rebuilding. The project is expected to be open all summer and into the fall.

Whigham named Executive Minister

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Harleysville, Pa., February 4 2011—John Goshow, Moderator of Franconia Mennonite Conference, today announced that Ertell M. Whigham Jr. has accepted the position of Executive Minister of the Conference for an initial two year period effective February 3, 2011. Ertell succeeds Noel Santiago who has served in various ministries with the Franconia Mennonite Conference the past fourteen years and more recently as Executive Minister.

The Conference Board and its Executive Committee have met frequently over the past several months to discern the leadership needed to help Franconia Conference achieve its mission, which is to equip leaders to empower others to embrace God’s mission. The review process included consultation with current leadership, Mennonite Church USA and resources outside the church.

“Ertell brings a strong background in church leadership, vision cultivation and collaborative management to Franconia Conference,” said Goshow. “Ertell did not ask for this role, but through prayerful discernment, much discussion and listening by the Conference Board, we came to the decision that his gifts and skills meet the needs of Franconia Conference at this time. We are thankful that God’s marvelous Spirit worked in advance to prepare Ertell for this invitation.”

Ertell noted, “I appreciate the confidence the Conference Board has shown by appointing me to this position. My work in Franconia Conference for more than 10 years has been very satisfying and I look forward to the increased responsibility this position will offer. I am very grateful for the service provided by Noel Santiago for the past fourteen years and will be in communication with him about a continuing role on the Franconia Conference staff”.

Ertell has been a valued member of Conference staff since 2000 and has recently provided significant staff leadership and management. He was born and raised in north Philadelphia, and attended the Center for Urban Theological Studies where he majored in Human Resource Management. Ertell served on the pastoral teams of Diamond Street Church of Philadelphia and Bethel Mennonite Church of Norristown, Pa. In 1990 he helped to establish Nueva Vida Norristown New Life, where he is currently an associate pastor. In addition to his ministry experience, Ertell also brings substantial business experience to his new role, having worked for Ehrlich Pest Control for 27 years as a District Manager. He and his wife, Patricia, have three children and five grandchildren.

Franconia Mennonite Conference, one of 21 conferences that comprise Mennonite Church USA, is a network of congregations, ministries, partnerships and initiatives continuing to emerge out of over 300 years of Anabaptist witness and faith in the Western Hemisphere that began in Philadelphia. The Conference is made up of 43 member congregations along with 22 conference-related ministries situated from Atlanta to Vermont. The Franconia Mennonite Conference Board is comprised of the following members: John Goshow, Chair; Miriam Book, Vice Chair; Marta Castillo; Joe Hackman; Jim King; Beny Krisbianto; Jim Laverty; James Longacre Jr.; Randy Nyce; Rina Rampogu; and Nelson Shenk.

Haitian leader marks date of earthquake and requests ongoing prayer

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–a note from Lesly Bertrand, lead pastor, Grace Assembly Network, Haiti

January 12, 2011 makes one year since Haiti has been hit by a 7.5 earthquake at 4:53pm lasting for 35 seconds. About 30% of the country has been destroyed, nearly 300,000 people have been killed, 1.5 million are homeless and 800,000 have been disabled. Fifty hospitals and 1500 school buildings have been destroyed. During this tragedy, the whole world did not leave us alone. People from every nation came to help us in the way that they were able. Through my voice and on behalf of the Haitian people, I want to thank everyone who has given hands to us. Two things, I would like to ask you—first would it be possible to take two minutes to pray for the Haitian nation as we mark this day and ask God to watch us with an eye of mercy but not with an eye of judgment. Second, would you continue to give hands to us to rebuild what has been destroyed? Thank you and may God bless the nation of Haiti.