Reconciliation

The Work of Reconciliation in Quakertown

March 10, 2020 by Conference Office

by Sue Conrad Howes, West Swamp congregation

Over time, the Holy Spirit works, making the things that divide us seem so much less important than the things that unite us.

In 1847, a church split occurred over the style of coat worn by the pastor, keeping minutes at church meetings, and whether Sunday School was acceptable. We may laugh and even scoff at the topics that caused the split some 173 years ago, but the lines drawn during that split have been felt until just recently; in November 2019, Franconia Conference and Eastern District Conference voted to become one new conference, a reconciliation that went into effect in February 2020.

In the history books, the conference split was rooted in the history of two congregations: West Swamp Mennonite Church (which helped begin Eastern District) and Swamp Mennonite Church (which broke away from West Swamp and stayed with Franconia Conference). In the 19th century, West Swamp’s pastor John Oberholtzer was a leader in the 1847 division. The two congregations are now located just over a mile apart in Quakertown, PA.

Pastor Nathan Good (left) of Swamp Mennonite and Pastor Michael Howes (right) of West Swamp Mennonite serve communion to members of both congregations on March 1, 2020. Photo by Sue Conrad Howes

As a celebration of the reconciled conference, West Swamp and Swamp congregations worshiped together for two Sundays in March 2020. On March 1, both congregations gathered at West Swamp, enjoyed breakfast together, and worshiped with Pastor Nathan Good of Swamp preaching. The next Sunday, the two congregations worshiped together at Swamp, with Pastor Michael Howes preaching, and a fellowship meal following the service. Members of both churches participated in Scripture reading, worship leading, and music at each service. Perhaps most importantly, communion was celebrated both Sundays, together.

The theme for the two services was reconciliation. On March 1, Pastor Nathan invited the congregations to evaluate our conflicts, acknowledging that we all have them. He encouraged each person to engage our conflicts, for God’s sake, and to commit to genuine love. “God is bigger than our disagreements and God’s love frees us to love people despite our disagreements,” Pastor Nathan said.

Members of Swamp and West Swamp congregations gather around tables and take communion. Photo by Lynne Rush

“God is impartial,” he said. “In a divisive time, we need to be reminded that God is the God of all people. God is not ours; instead, we are God’s.”

The next Sunday, Pastor Michael invited the congregants to reach out to those in our lives with whom we need reconciliation. Referring to the Old Testament story of Jacob and Esau, Pastor Michael shared that it is not enough to hang back and let the other person make the first step. “Today the Holy Spirit is prompting you to initiate that reconciliation,” he encouraged. Pastor Michael focused on the ministry of reconciliation that all of God’s people are called to: “God says to us, ‘I want to make you an agent of reconciliation.’”

He acknowledged that the ministry of reconciliation is hard work. “Sometimes we need to say, ‘I forgive you,’ and other times we need to say, ‘I’m sorry, please forgive me.’”

Children from West Swamp and Swamp gather for children’s time on the topic of forgiveness and reconciliation during a joint worship service at Swamp Mennonite on March 8, 2020. Photo by Sue Conrad Howes

From the joyful hugs and delightful connections made in the foyers to the active conversations that happened across tables at the meals, you would not have known that these two congregations ever battled with each other to the point of locking each other out of their church building.

Sometimes it takes a long time to partake in the ministry of reconciliation. While these two congregations will return to their regular places of worship next Sunday, both groups welcomed the opportunity to celebrate the work of reconciliation and to commit to being agents of God’s reconciliation into the future.

Together Once More

November 13, 2019 by Conference Office

by Sue Conrad Howes, Eastern District Conference (West Swamp congregation), with Emily Ralph Servant, Franconia Conference (Director of Communication)

It was a potentially historic day for two Mennonite conferences that split over 170 years ago.

On November 2, 2019, delegates from Franconia Mennonite Conference and Eastern District Conference met together at Souderton (PA) Mennonite Church to determine if reconciliation, which seemed unattainable in 1847, would now be possible.

It was hard to imagine that these two groups had been divided at all, as animated conversations and joyful reunions happened throughout the crowded fellowship hall as the delegates arrived. There was even an audible groan when it was announced that the Eastern District Conference delegates needed to move to another gathering room for their morning delegate session. And so, for the morning, the two groups met separately, with the possibility of reconciliation on the afternoon horizon.

During Eastern District’s morning delegate session, leaders facilitated a discussion over the future and publicly recognized that the vote toward reconciliation was just the beginning of a new journey. They thanked everyone who had helped to bring them to this point and then led in a time of sharing stories about where delegates were seeing God working in their congregations and ministries.

Franconia’s morning delegate session included affirming Rose Bender Cook (Whitehall congregation) for a third term and KrisAnne Swartley (Doylestown congregation) for a second term on the Credentials Committee. Chris Nickels (Spring Mount congregation) was affirmed for a third term and Janet Panning (Plains congregation) for a first term on the Ministerial Committee. Swartley and Panning will serve as committee chairs. John Goshow (Blooming Glen congregation) and Beny Krisbianto (Nations Worship Center) were thanked for their nine years of service on the Conference Board.

Franconia also welcomed four new Conference Related Ministries: Peace Proclamation Ministries International (out of Plains congregation), Healthy Niños Honduras (birthed out of MAMA Project), Ripple Community Inc (out of Ripple congregation), and Taproot Gap Year (out of Philadelphia Praise Center). The delegates welcomed a new congregation, Iglesia Menonita Ebenezer (Souderton, PA) and released West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship to transfer to Allegheny Conference.

After a meaningful joint worship in the morning, when credentialed leaders of both conferences who had passed away during the past year were remembered and newly credentialed leaders were introduced, anointed, and then commissioned to anoint others, the two conferences joined together for the afternoon session. Joy Sutter, moderator of Mennonite Church USA (Salford congregation), expressed gratitude to the delegates for demonstrating the path of reconciliation. “You are modeling a new and inspiring path for the future. As you move forward…, may you be blessed,” said Sutter.

The three-year process toward reconciliation, led almost exclusively by conference volunteers, was introduced by the Structure and Identity Task Force. Sherri Brokopp Binder (Ripple congregation) & Rina Rampogu (Plains congregation) explained the process, the changes proposed, and the next steps, if the delegates voted affirmatively for reconciliation.

The task force had done its work, as few delegates posed questions or expressed any sense of hesitation with the proposal. The two conferences divided, for the last time, to discern and vote.

With the delegates reunited after the vote, John Goshow, Franconia Conference moderator, and Jim Musselman, Eastern District moderator (Zion congregation), shared the results of the historic vote: together, the conferences had voted unanimously for reconciliation.

Spontaneous applause and cheers of affirmation from the delegates erupted while leaders from both conferences shared hugs and broad smiles. Together, the enthusiastic group sang, “Hosanna, Let Jesus be Lifted Up” and “Praise God from Whom” with gusto and gratitude.

Scott Roth (L) and Steve Kriss (R) lead the Conferences into a time of communion. Photo by Cindy Angela

Following the singing, Steve Kriss, Franconia Conference executive minister, and Scott Roth, Eastern District conference minister, spoke. “I am rarely speechless,” Kriss admitted. “But we are about to do something that could not happen 150 years ago. We are about to sit together and take communion. For some of you, this split divided families, for some of you this split divided congregations. Today we celebrate the ministry of reconciliation that has been and will continue to be our life’s work.”

Roth reminisced about being charged with the ministry of reconciliation as a youth by adult leaders who knew that the reality of such a merger would be through the work of future generations. Roth shared his joy that the dream he had heard about as a youth was now being realized. “Remember,” Roth said; “although the paperwork is not completed, we are one in the Spirit and we are one in Jesus’ blood.”

Jessica Miller (Perkasie congregation). Photo by Cindy Angela

In the front of the fellowship hall, a pile of rocks had sat all morning, without mention. This column was reminiscent of the Old Testament practice of raising an Ebenezer, commemorating God’s help or celebrating memorable events. This rock structure was not to remain, however. Instead, each church was instructed to take a rock home, paint it, and return with it to next year’s first assembly as a new conference. The rocks will then be formed into a fountain, representing the new conference, flowing with life.

Conference moderators, John Goshow (Franconia) and Jim Musselman (Eastern District) prepare to celebrate the reconciliation! Photo by Cindy Angela

The day’s events closed with a traditional action, which has been spoken by Franconia delegates to conclude their assemblies for more than a hundred years. On this day, however, delegates of both Franconia and Eastern District made the commitment together, as one gathered body:

“We affirm our desire to continue in and witness to the nonresistant and simple faith in Christ, looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

“Kami menegaskani keinginan untuk terus ikut dan menjadi saksi kesederhanaan iman dalam Kristus dan menjadi pembawa damai, terus mencari kepada berkat pengharapan serta memperlihatkan kemuliaan dari kebesaran Tuhan dan juru selamat kami, Yesus Kristus.”

“Afirmamos nuestro deseo de seguir testificando con la fe de no resistencia y sencilla en Cristo, mirando a la esperanza bendita y la venida gloriosa de nuestro gran Dios y nuestro Salvador Jesucristo.”

“Chúng tôi xin xác nhận nguyện-vọng của chúng tôi là tiếp tục và làm chứng cho giải pháp ôn-hòa và đức-tin chân thật trong Ðấng Christ, tiềm kiếm sự hy-vọng hạnh phước, và sự vinh quang của Ðức Chúa Trời đại quyền hiện ra và Ðấng Cứu Chuộc của chúng tôi là Ðức Chúa Giê-xu Christ.”

”我們重申我們的意願是繼續以和平及純正信仰去見證基督的生命，懷著美好的盼望，等候我們偉大的神及救主耶穌基督的榮耀顯現。”

Names Matter

July 9, 2019 by Josh Meyer

by Josh Meyer, Conference Naming Committee

My wife and I have two daughters.

Our oldest is named Selah Ann. The word selah is found as a notation in many of the Psalms. It means something like “pause and consider.” It was a cue for ancient worship leaders to slow down and invite the worshiping community to reflect on what they’d just heard before moving on to the rest of the psalm. We love the idea that every time we say our daughter’s first name, we’re “pausing and considering” the goodness of God.

Our youngest daughter is named Evie Joy. Eve literally means “living” and joy comes from the same root word as grace. Some scholars define joy as “grace acknowledged.” Therefore, her name – Eve Joy – means “living acknowledgment of God’s grace.” She’s been that for us, and her name reflects as much.

The point? Names matter. Names have significance. Names reveal identity and purpose and values.

As Franconia Conference and Eastern District Conference move toward reconciliation and becoming a united conference once again, a question on many people’s minds is what the name of this new conference will be. It’s not an insignificant question. In one sense, what we do and who we are and how we live together is what matters most. A name is simply what we call ourselves; God’s work among and through us is the highest priority. Whatever we’re called, it’s our commitment to following Jesus, bearing witness to God’s peace, and experiencing transformation together that’s of primary importance.

And yet, names matter. Names have significance. Names reveal identity and purpose and values.

Josh Meyer gives an update from the Reconciliation Team at Spring Assembly 2019.

Therefore, the Structure and Identity Task Force has appointed a separate Naming Committee whose sole responsibility is to give attention to this important question. The team is comprised of individuals from both conferences, and, for the past few months, we’ve been meeting and brainstorming and praying and listening and hoping. It’s energizing, daunting, important work.

The process is full of creativity and possibility. We’re considering not only a name but potentially a logo as well. We’ve discussed whether a descriptive tagline would be helpful. We’ve considered input from other organizations that have changed names after a merger. We’re talking with professional consultants. We’ve discussed the possibility of using focus groups over the next few months. And – here’s where we’d love for you to jump in – we’re actively seeking input and suggestions.

As members of the new conference, you have a stake in this. We want to hear from you. If you have ideas for the Naming Committee, please send them in. Whether it’s a specific name, a general concept (“maybe something around the theme of _____”), or a word of counsel, we are open to and intentionally asking for your thoughts. You may send any ideas to Edie Landis and me (we’re both members of the Structure and Identity Task Force as well as helping to give leadership to the Naming Committee), and we’ll pass them on to the rest of the group.

We’re excited about this process of discernment and discovery. And we’re trusting with joyful expectancy that something will emerge that reflects our shared identity, purpose, and values. Please join us in praying to that end.

Oh, and my daughters Selah and Eve? They’re eagerly anticipating the addition of Baby #3 joining the Meyer family later this year. They’re already letting us know their ideas for what the new baby should be called. Evidentially, names matter—for conferences and to big sisters!

Naming Committee: Sara Kolb, Jaynie McCloskey, Aldo Siahaan, Merlin Hartman, Steve Kriss, Jim Musselman, Edie Landis (rodandedie1@verizon.net), & Josh Meyer (jmeyer@franconiamennonite.org).

What Binds Us Together?

May 28, 2019 by Conference Office

by Mark Reiff, Doylestown congregation

When I was in seminary, I had a professor start a class by sharing with us the background of the word “religion” (or in the Latin, religaire): “to bind.” He then asked us, What does it mean for our religion to bind us together?

The Structure & Identity Task Force (L to R): Scott Roth (Eastern District Conference), Mike Clemmer (Towamencin), Mark Reiff (Doylestown), Rina Rampogu (Plains), Ron White (Church of the Good Samaritans), Sherri Brokopp Binder (Ripple) and Josh Meyer (Franconia) – missing from photo, Edie Landis (Zion).

I can’t remember where the conversation went after that question, but as I have participated in the Structure and Identity Task Force for the new, reconciled Conference, this has been the driving question in my mind:

“What binds us together as a conference?”

For many generations, this question has been answered by some geographic grouping, both at the conference level and at the congregational level. I have often been reminded by older members at Doylestown congregation about how many of the families who are still connected to our congregation have or have had farms near the church’s building. In the same way, conferences in our denomination generally grouped congregations based on geographic proximity.

Another significant piece of Mennonite church history was the work of bishops or overseers, who were responsible for ensuring that the congregations and households within their sphere conformed to a shared understanding of Christlike living. I have been told stories by older members of my congregation about their families hiding TVs or other “worldly” things when the bishop visited. These bishops played a significant role in binding up a shared identity through setting boundaries and disciplining congregations and families.

As technology has made our world smaller and allowed information to travel faster and as our lives have become more visible through social media, our attention has shifted towards binding our shared identity around other factors. As we continue to discern a way forward in our life together as a new Conference, a few reflections stick out in my mind:

How we figure out a shared belief system will require more reflection, nuance, and grace given our polarized context. To some extent, when we declare that Jesus is Lord and the center of our faith, we are anchored together in that belief. Yet theological and ecclesial fault lines exist between and within our congregations; our cultural tendency is to take the convenient road of blasting someone with whom we disagree instead of doing the hard work of self-reflection on why their contrary belief bothers us so much. I imagine the work of Franconia’s Faith and Life Commission could offer us some further wisdom in this area.
Even a completely successful reconciliation process could result in feelings of loss and/or grief. Many of the congregations forming this new conference have already experienced seasons of loss and grief because of broken relationships and shifting affiliations. As we come together to chart a new shared journey, it is likely that many congregations will encounter new losses, which could range from missing some past traditions to saying good-bye to familiar and beloved congregations who feel God’s call to connect elsewhere within the Church.
God is good and can be trusted with our shared life. This work of creating a new conference is hard because of the energy it requires and scary because we might not always know what the end result will be. Since we have entered into this process through mutual discernment and prayer, however, we can have confidence that God will provide for us as a conference and as congregational families.

As we continue to discern our way forward as a new Conference, I invite you to reflect on your sense of belonging, both on congregational and conference levels. What binds you to your faith community and why? What binds your faith community to other faith communities and why?

As we reflect honestly on this and hear from one another, God’s path forward for us will become more clear and we will be better equipped to connect with others on the journey.

Reflections from Impact: Holy Land conference

January 15, 2014 by Emily Ralph Servant

by Josh Meyer, Franconia congregation

I tend to be fairly cautious about most Christian conferences. At the risk of sounding overly-skeptical, I’m not thoroughly convinced of the long-term benefit of such events, and wonder if they don’t play into a kind of consumerism within the Christian sub-culture of the West: lots of marketing, lots of money, lots of “celebrity Christians,” lots of glossy pamphlets and slick websites. They’re not all bad, of course, but I generally feel uncomfortable with many aspects of “the big conference machine.”

However, I must admit when I received an invitation to attend the Impact: Holy Land conference, I was intrigued. If you’re going to have a conference, I thought, there aren’t many issues other than the situation in the Middle East that are worthy of special time and attention. And so, with a bit of hesitation, I registered for and attended the event. I’m so glad I did.

It was a richly challenging and deeply hopeful three days of relationship-building and peace-building, of learning and growing. The speakers and participants were comprised of a diverse group of individuals, with varied theological and political backgrounds and beliefs, but who were united by a love for Jesus. We listened to stories, wrestled with difficult topics, asked pointed questions, studied the Bible, tried to disagree agreeably, and worshiped together throughout the entire event.

There’s not room in one short blog post to capture all of the wisdom and grace and hope that was shared during our time together, but here’s a brief sampling of some of the thoughts that struck me and continue to shape my thinking about the Way of Jesus in general and the Holy Land in particular:

“The greatest tool to fight injustice is actively seeking peace and reconciliation with those who are persecuting us.”
“The most deadly weapon in conflict is dehumanization. When we dehumanize the other and buy into an ‘us vs. them’ mentality, it’s a breakdown of the image of God in other people.”
“If your theology is not a blessing to and good news for your enemy, then it’s not a Christian theology.”
“Part of loving your enemy means listening to their story, learning their history, and getting to know their narrative.”
“You cannot have justice without reconciliation.”
“Whenever people ask if I’m for a one-state solution or a two-state solution, I always reply that I’m for an 11 million-individual solution. Every single person living in the Holy Land needs to be transformed and needs to be part of the solution.”
“As Mother Theresa teaches us, if we have no peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”
“We Christians do not have exclusive control over the Holy Spirit. Sometimes God works through those who believe differently than we do.”
“Dr. West reminds us that justice is what love looks like in public.”
“Love cannot be legislated, but as our hearts are transformed by the love of God we will necessarily change our policies.”
“Politics is about policies that impact people. If there are policies in place that are hurting people, then challenging those policies is the right and loving thing to do. So yes, there are times when love is political.”
“We must expose injustice to the point that it becomes so uncomfortable that people have no choice but to do something about it.”
“We need to exchange weapons for worship, conquest for community, and the pursuit of power for the pursuit of peace.”

I attended this conference with a desire to learn about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. And while I did learn more about the situation, I also learned about much more than simply the religious and socio-political struggle in the Holy Land.

I learned about God’s deep love for all people. I learned about conflict and reconciliation and justice. I learned about the power of story, the power of forgiveness, and the power of God using ordinary people to do small things with great love. I learned about my own distorted ways of dealing with conflict and relating to those who disagree with me. I learned about social justice and the fierce urgency of now. I learned about the imperative call to express our faith not merely in belief but through concrete, tangible, loving action. And most importantly, I learned once again that the good news of Jesus is for all people: saints and sinners, skeptics and dreamers, Arabs and Americans, Israelis and Palestinians.

Making peace in the neighborhood

November 21, 2012 by Emily Ralph Servant

by Samantha E. Lioi, Minister of Peace and Justice

When congregational leaders of Nations Worship Center (NWC) chose to purchase a large old commercial building on Ritner St. in South Philadelphia, they couldn’t have guessed the disruption this would be in their lives—and the lives of the folks in that neighborhood. The building was once home to the Knights of Columbus and a catering business. Residents remember attending Sweet Sixteen parties and wedding receptions held there years ago. But for the last 10 years, it’s been vacant. When the neighbors and neighborhood association heard of NWC’s plans, Pastor Beny Krisbianto and others began hearing rumors of discontent and surprising misunderstandings. Some worried that the congregation would allow homeless folks to stay there. They feared this possible change in the human landscape of the place. Many were concerned about the parking spaces worshipers would occupy. Some saw the appearance of Nations Worship congregants mostly from Southeast Asia and assumed the building would become a Buddhist temple.

It’s an established neighborhood, a predominantly Italian neighborhood. When I heard this, I was angry and embarrassed. I’m half Italian, and I feel a strong identification with much of Italianness as I know it. And, sometimes my people get carried away. There’s of course the stereotype of fist-shaking bluster, a bark that is much worse than our bite. In my personal and familial experience, that stereotype has been pretty true. I remember my dad getting angry and yelling about some small thing, and the next minute he’d be whistling a happy tune around the house. I’m not exaggerating. Used to drive my mother crazy.

But then there’s the bite. I admit, in some ways I’m confused by the strong reaction in the neighborhood against Nations Worship. The Italians in my life are warm, generous, passionate about most of life. On the other hand, I have noticed a cultural tendency to take care of our own and be wary of outsiders. Let’s be honest: most tightly-knit communities with a history in a certain place are this way. I’ve heard stories of Northerners moving South and never feeling accepted, after many years. As human beings, we often give hospitality that is only skin-deep.

Then there’s this weird dynamic that many minorities experience of becoming like people who were once their enemies. It shouldn’t be this way, but it happens over and over again. It wasn’t so long ago that immigrants from Italy who spoke English with a strong accent were a significant percentage of Northeastern urban populations in the U.S. My great-grandfather was one of them. Donato Lioi (known in the States as Dan) left his home country and moved to Newark, NJ as a teenager. Like many immigrants, he worked as a common laborer in construction. On Sunday mornings he would tell his young grandson (my dad), “David…meta le’Meeta d’Pressa…Walter Frankize…”—his own pronunciation of famed journalist Walter Cronkite. My dad grew up understanding his grandfather’s Engliano as if it were an official language of the UN. It was normal, everyday family life for him.

Now, I lean in to listen and understand English spoken with an Indonesian accent as I meet with my brothers and sisters from Nations Worship Center. I respect their hard work learning English, and their desire to be a positive presence in whatever neighborhood they find themselves. As they face resistance, they are not so unlike Italians who faced labels like WOP and prejudice from those who’d been here longer. And because they are in a vulnerable position as new and recent immigrants, they do not respond to this resistance with clenched fists and a stubborn refusal to cooperate. In some respects, they have no choice but to cooperate.

It’s understandable that folks would ask about parking; they’ve been used to parking in the unused spots for years. It’s quite possible that many of the neighbors had never met an Indonesian Christian before. But when Beny and other leaders—accompanied by several Anglo brothers and sisters—attended a public neighborhood meeting, they were saddened and somewhat frightened by the yelling and the accusations that faced them. They wanted to be a blessing to their neighbors; how could they explain themselves in a way that would be heard? Since that night, leaders of NWC have met several other neighborhood residents who have welcomed them and said they’re glad to have them around. How to relate in loving ways with those who are still unsatisfied with their presence is an ongoing question, one they are living one conversation at a time.

It’s understandable that, having established ourselves in a place, having developed routines and deep relationships there, we want to protect all that. It’s human. But Christ calls us further than that. In Christ there is no Jew or Greek, no Italian or Indonesian, male or female, citizen or non-citizen. That can be a tough pill to swallow. But Jesus’ teachings usually are.

Can enemies become friends?

September 20, 2012 by Emily Ralph Servant

Jean Claude (Whitehall) — Jean Claude Nkundwa shares his story of living through Burundi’s civil war. Photo by Patti Connolly.

by Rose Bender, Whitehall

I guess I started thinking about this earlier in the summer. I was acting as ‘crowd control’ at a peace camp at Franklin Park in Allentown. The story teller had the kids acting out Acts 10—where Peter and Cornelius move from historic animosity toward friendship and salvation. A Jewish fisherman, a Roman Centurion, and their respective cohorts took on a decidedly urban, Latino flavor. The kids seemed to enjoy the story, but when they were asked to think about why someone like Peter would be friends with someone like Cornelius their answers were painfully honest. When asked to imagine creative ways to respond to bullies—they couldn’t seem to think of anything but fighting back. And I could see why a white woman of privilege, suggesting Jesus would have them do otherwise, didn’t necessarily sit well with them.

The story time ended as it had each night, by the children passing around a ‘blessing cup’ filled with apple juice and saying words that went along with the story. That night they said something like “The Spirit of Jesus can make friends out of enemies’. One by one, children who had eagerly taken from the cup on previous nights refused to drink. And I went home with an uncomfortable knot in my stomach. The story of peace hadn’t seemed like ‘good news’ to them. (Read Samantha Lioi’s reflection)

The memory of that evening stayed with me all summer. It was why I was looking forward to having Phoebe Kilby, from Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, come and share with our congregation in worship on August 5. She was bringing a current student from Burundi, Jean Claude Nkundwa. In planning the worship, we had chosen to read Matthew 5:38-48 and entitle their talk ‘Can enemies be friends?’ I wanted to hear a modern-day, real life story, from someone who had been willing to drink from the blessing cup of reconciliation.

At a Saturday evening gathering and during our worship on Sunday morning, I heard the complicated story of Burundi’s civil war and Jean Claude’s experience during it. He was a teenager when his village exploded in violence from which only three of his family escaped—hiding by day and traveling under cover of night—not knowing who or where the enemy might be. In his words, his “mind was paralyzed” and he questioned the existence of God. He began to believe the only way to peace was through military dictatorship.

Phoebe Kilby (Whitehall) — Phoebe Kilby tells Whitehall congregation about discovering her ancestors had been slave owners. Photo by Patti Connolly

But slowly and mysteriously, through a variety of people and situations, he was able to believe again in the God of Moses—present even in the wilderness. His journey toward healing has included reconciliation with folks in his village. He is a remarkable man—who feels called by God to continue working for truth-telling and justice in his own country, and dreams of starting an Eastern Africa Peace-Building Institute. “Africa will be prosperous when the heart of Africa will be healed.”

After our time together, I wanted to bring Jean Claude to Franklin Park. I wanted the kids to hear God’s story about Peter and Cornelius from his lips. I wanted them to hear about his village and his family’s land that is now being farmed by former enemies.

I would like them to hear Phoebe’s story, too. When she discovered that she was a descendent of slave owners, she reached out to the descendants of the slaves her family owned. Her journey of reconciliation includes working together with her new-found cousins to fund and install a historic marker at the high school their family had worked to desegregate. I think that each of them would have made the story of Peter and Cornelius come alive to the kids in a new way.

Can enemies really become friends? After listening to Jean Claude and Phoebe, I know it is possible, but it requires holy imagination and committed perseverance—joining the work of the Spirit. In reflecting on their stories and my time at Franklin Park, I have been struck by the importance of sharing where my own story intersects with the biblical narrative. Perhaps that is what bearing witness really means. We speak about the Good News we have seen and heard and lived. I wonder if that would have made a difference to my young friends at Franklin Park. I wonder if they would have been more open to imagine another way. I am trusting there will be more opportunities to bear witness and live into the story together—the blessing cup of reconciliation overflowing.

Conferences discuss history, consider future in forums

April 5, 2012 by Emily Ralph Servant

by Emily Ralph, eralphservant@mosaicmennonites.org

Jim Musselman and John Ruth — Jim Musselman, left, and John Ruth, unofficial historians for Eastern District and Franconia Conferences share the history of the 1847 split. Photo by Emily Ralph..

Members of Eastern District and Franconia Conferences of Mennonite Church USA met on March 29 at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School in Lansdale, PA, to continue conversations about a shared future. This gathering, the first of two forums planned for Spring 2012, focused on developing a deeper understanding of the 1847 split in Franconia Conference that led to the formation of Eastern District Conference.

Although some people think that the merger between the two conferences is a done deal, that couldn’t be further from the truth, according to Ron White, moderator of Eastern District Conference and member of Church of the Good Samaritan. Conference leadership has been following the delegates’ directive from the 2011 Assembly to move forward in exploring and listening, he said in his welcome.

When White asked how many people from each conference had attended an event or service in a congregation from the other conference, nearly every hand in the room raised. “See, we’ve already been working together,” said White, “we just haven’t called it that.”

Jim Musselman, Zion congregation, and John Ruth, Salford congregation, unofficial historians for the two conferences, shared presentations on the history of the 1847 split, the tensions leading up to it, and the fallout in the years following it. The progressives (a group which broke off to later become Eastern District Conference) were looking for modern administration, freedom in dress and conduct, education for pastors, and the creation of publications, said Musselman, Eastern District historian. The years following the split were tumultuous for the new conference, he said, with further division as differing theological strains emerged.

“Almost every positive thing that the Eastern District leaders wanted eventually came to Franconia Conference,” said Ruth, Franconia Conference historian. “It just took 100 years longer. . . . It would have come sooner to Franconia Conference if they all would have stayed together.” In the end, said Ruth, both sides lost: “There was not much creativity in finding ways of love and respect for each other.”

After the presentations, participants talked around their tables to ask questions and reflect on the history. Photo by Emily Ralph

To this day, remnants of the 19^th-century division remain in attitudes toward one another. Eastern District Conference congregations often accepted into membership people who had been disciplined by Franconia Conference congregations, gaining them a reputation as a conference who will “take anybody,” said Musselman; Franconia congregations worried that this acceptance watered down the purity of the church body.

Following the presentations, the gathering broke into table groups to talk about what they had heard, formulate questions, and discuss together the implications of a shared future. In reporting the highlights of their table conversations with the room, members of both conferences expressed concern about navigating theological differences within conferences and congregations, overcoming generations of “us/them” mentalities, and working through organizational and structural differences.

The group also wondered how there could be healing of the personal wounds that people still carried from the tension between the conferences. “How can we gain empathy for each other’s narratives in moving forward?” asked Marta Castillo, assistant moderator for Franconia Conference and a pastor at Nueva Vida Norristown New Life.

These next steps will be discussed at a second forum, planned for May 24, 7pm, at Christopher Dock. Forum 2 will look at present-day similarities and differences in vision and mission as well as strengths and weaknesses of the two conferences and begin a conversation on future possibilities. A possible third forum may be scheduled if needed.

Sam Claudio, co-pastor of Christ Fellowship, came to the forum to gain further understanding of the histories of the community that he has joined in Mennonite Church USA. “It’s good to see that I’ve become part of something that is in the midst of coming together, not in the midst of tearing apart,” he told the group. “As we leave this place, let us remember that we are ministers—all of us, each of us—of reconciliation. That is our mandate, to be reconciled one to another…. Let us work toward that goal as we leave this place.”

Listen to Forum 1:

[podcast]http://www.mosaicmennonites.org/media-uploads/mp3/Forum 1 (March 2012).mp3[/podcast]

View the photo album

Reconciliation

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