Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Peña de Horeb

Anabaptism at 500: What Anabaptism Means to Me – December 2025

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As Mosaic Mennonite Conference commemorates the 500th Anniversary of Anabaptism in 2025, here is the final installation of a variety of Mosaic voices reflecting on the question, “What does Anabaptism mean to me?” 


Submission from

Pastor Ertell Whigham, Mosaic Conference Leadership Minister

As a Christian who was a Marine combat veteran, focusing on what it means to be Anabaptist demands serious reflection on both the call (designation) and conviction.  

I am moved to think deeply about both peace and nonresistance. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have a responsibility to examine my views on Just War theology. 

Aside from the most obvious values of Anabaptism such as community, discipleship, service, and my personal challenge for deeper, transformative intercultural connection, being Anabaptist convicts me to surrender to the teachings of Jesus.  

Despite what I’ve lived and experienced in various battlegrounds of bias and cultural exclusion within the Anabaptist community, the tenets of Anabaptism continue to influence and encourage me to reflect on the life of Jesus and what he calls and enables me to be. 
 
In the simplest terms, Anabaptism calls and convicts me for peace and nonresistance no matter the battleground. It invites the Holy Spirit to help me be authentic in my expression that Jesus is indeed the Way, the Truth and the Life. 


Submission from

Pastora Dania Hernández, Peña de Horeb (Philadelphia, PA) 

En mis propias palabras, el anbautismo significa amor rotundo. Rebautizados era como se llamaba aquellos cristianos que durante la Reforma rechazaron el bautizo de niños. Demostraron valentía y amor hacia el Evangelio porque sabían que tendrían que pagar con sus propias vidas y familias. También creemos en un solo Dios, Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo. Creemos que la salvación es por gracia y que podemos aprender de los demás si somos amables y tratamos de seguir a Jesús. Para mí, el anabaptismo es el amor que practicamos. Amo esta comunidad de fe, como Jesús es el centro de nuestra vida. Esta comunidad me abrió los ojos hacia otras culturas, razas e idiomas. Hoy, como anabaptista, me siento comprometida a seguir honrando a Dios y a todos nuestros mártires. 

English translation: In my own words Anabaptism means absolute love. Rebaptized was what the Christians were called who during the Reformation rejected baptizing children. It showed courage and a love of the Gospel because they knew they would have to pay with their own lives and family. We also believe in one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that salvation is by grace, and that we can learn from others as we are kind try to follow Jesus. For me Anabaptism is love that we practice. I love this community of faith with Jesus is the center of our life. This community opened my eyes to other cultures, races, and languages. Today as an Anabaptist I feel committed to continue honoring God and all our martyrs.  


Submission from

Steve Lindsey, CEO of Garden Spot Communities, affiliated with Conference-Related Ministry Frederick Living (Zieglerville, PA). 

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to the author(s), contact us at communication@mosaicmennonites.org.   

A Church For All Who Thirst: Introducing Peña de Horeb

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“Peña de Horeb Church has the vision to make disciples of people who are on the streets,” says Pastor Dania Marisa Hernández of Peña de Horeb. “And God is transforming their lives and their families.”

Peña de Horeb is a small congregation in south Philadelphia, PA that began in 2018. Their vision is to make disciples and become a family where all the members establish a deep relationship with Jesus. They desire to equip members to carry out the Great Commission in a church where Jesus is the head and we are His body.

Though the pandemic has impacted the church in a variety of ways, currently about 30 people are regularly participating. “Despite the current situation of the pandemic, God has kept us together,” reports Pastor Dania.” We trust that God sustains us and keeps us and God is providing the spiritual and economic growth of the church.”

The congregation will be welcomed into Mosaic Conference during the Assembly on November 6, 2021.

Pastor Dania, at the podium, with members of the church during a worship service. Photo provided by Peña de Horeb.

“We feel blessed to be received by Mosaic Conference. It is a gift from God,” Pastor Dania shares. “We are a church that desires this kind of support so that we can bless and benefit others, and share the Gospel.” She is thankful for early and continuing support from Pastor Aldo Siahaan and Pastor Beny Krisbianto.

Pastor Dania and the church hope to receive support, opportunities for networking, and spiritual enrichment from Mosaic Conference. Through relationships with Lead Minister, Marta Castillo, Marco Güete, Aldo Siahaan, Beny Krisbianto, Noel Santiago, and hosting the Mosaic staff meeting in June, they are making connections and learning about the Conference. They are eager to develop leaders and bring new people into the Conference to be connected to Mosaic’s work.

God gave Pastor Dania the desire to serve from a young age. Born in Nicaragua into a family that offered support and hospitality to missionaries, she traveled across her country, focused on addressing poverty and the needs of the people she encountered.

After moving to Philadelphia, Pastor Dania became a part of the Centro de Alabanza congregation. There she learned the Mennonite vision of reaching out to others and of community service. She studied through IBA (Instituto Biblico Anabautista). Pastor Dania has a transportation business and takes advantage of any opportunity to share the Gospel.

With the blessing and support of the leadership of Centro de Alabanza, she started a small group Bible study in her garage and eventually moved into a worship space.

A church trip and picnic in July 2021. Photo provided by Peña de Horeb.

In the early days of the Bible study, someone invited a group of ex-convicts to come and participate in the service of her home. Though she was frightened, Dania trusted God, and those 15 ex-convicts became a part of what would become a new congregation.

Peña de Horeb now has a building at 11th and Washington Avenues in Philadelphia and continues to be deeply connected to people on the streets and outcasts in society.

The name, Peña de Horeb (“Rock of Horeb”), comes from Exodus 17:6. It is the rock that God commanded Moses to strike in order for the Israelites to have water to drink. That name came to Pastor Dania in the midst of prayer, as she was seeking direction about the new ministry God was calling her to start. She felt God directly sharing with her this name, recognizing that the church can be a place for those in need to drink the living, liberating water that Jesus offers.

She felt God directly sharing with her this name, recognizing that the church can be a place for those in need to drink the living, liberating water that Jesus offers.

Video produced by Jonnathan Campoverde