Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Ripple

How a Small, Low-Income Church Bought its Building 

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 (L-R) Pastor Maritza (of Christ Lutheran) and Ripple pastors: Charlene Smalls, Angela Moyer Walter, Danilo Sanchez, and Dan Blount celebrate after the ribbon cutting.

Ripple began as a small group of people who were interested in being more like Jesus but were frustrated with traditional forms of church. When the leaders felt a call to move into downtown Allentown, PA from the suburbs, they were welcomed by many. Ripple became a community of people connected with those living on the margins, many of whom live on the street, and joined Franconia (now Mosaic) Conference in 2012.  

We typically have 40-50 people in gathered worship on Sunday and connect with many others during the week. We teach that Jesus is the center of our faith, community is the center of our life, and reconciliation is the center of our work.  

As a community, however, we did not have a permanent location. Every 1-2 years, we moved due to growth or because our lease was not renewable. We lost friends who could no longer walk to the new location, and we had to find ways of connecting with our new neighbors. We moved five times in eight years.  

Ripple Pastor Charlene and Ripple congregant, Joe, at the ribbon cutting of the newly owned church building.

In 2021, Christ Lutheran Evangelical Church asked if we would like to buy our current meeting place for $200,000; it felt like a huge opportunity. Could Ripple really own a building? How could we afford it? How would it change us? Is this what God wanted? What was best for the community?  

Dave Dettra, Board Chair, said, “When I first heard about the opportunity … I didn’t think we could ever pull it off.” But as we weighed the pros and cons and listened, it felt like an invitation from God. Ripple members who are accustomed to very precarious and difficult housing situations were excited to have a place of stability in the community. We all loved the idea of being able to put down roots.  

We were hesitant in pursuing this, knowing that we weren’t a wealthy congregation. And then we prayed. We thanked God for the opportunity and were excited about the possibilities, but $200,000 was a lot. 

In the fall of 2021, we began raising money. We distributed folders for Ripple members to collect quarters so that every person would have a way to participate. No matter the donation, we knew it mattered to God. Each month we celebrated when people handed in a full quarter folder ($10).  

We reserved space at downtown concerts to collect donations while handing out popcorn. We held a silent auction and a bake sale. In the first year, we raised $100,000. We applied and received a large grant through MC USA’s Mennonite Men, getting us to the point where it seemed like this really could happen.  

Two children participate in the ribbon cutting for Ripple’s newly owned building. 
(L-R) Dave, Pastor Danilo, Phyllis, and Pastor Charlene read a litany of dedication at the dedication service

In January 2023, we were pre-approved for a mortgage through Eastern Mennonite Missions. However, with a mortgage, building expenses, and regular church expenses, finances would be tight. The leadership team prayerfully decided we should try and raise some more money before moving forward with the purchase.  

And God was faithful. Within weeks, we were contacted by an organization interested in renting our space and a foundation that wanted to partner with us in neighborhood engagement. Then, a supporter offered us an interest-free loan, rather than taking out a mortgage with interest. Suddenly, the building purchase, with its ongoing expenses, was possible. It was truly an act of God.  

(L-R) Pastor Danilo, Pastor Charlene, Jeremy B (Ripple Treasurer), Dave D (Ripple Board Chair), Pastor Angela, and Pastor Dan at the closing on June 15.

We finalized the legal details for the sale. We also made plans for a new system to pay bills and manage the needs of the building. On June 15, 2023, we closed on our new building. We held a dedication service with the congregation on June 25th with lots of celebration.  

Buying our building was a lot of work, but “God made it happen,” said Dettra. “What I’m looking forward to most is for the church to be even more active in the community and to see how God uses the church to support the community.” 

A group photo of those who gathered for Ripple’s Service of Dedication on June 25. 

Curious about Ripple Church and what all is happening in our new building? Come and join us for worship and a meal any Sunday at 4pm; we’d love to share our stories with you! 

Energized by Love and Peace

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HONORING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

by Eileen Kinch

If you visit Ripple Church on a Wednesday morning, you will likely find Pastor Charlene Smalls cooking. She makes hot, fresh meals for the unsheltered and takes the food to the Allentown Transit Center, where she gives the food to the hungry and homeless. Spend the rest of the day with her, and you will probably pick up food donations for the next hot meal. “I love to cook,” she says. “It’s me pouring myself into ministry.”   

In 2020, Smalls became the first African American woman to be credentialed in Mosaic Conference, as well as in the former Franconia and Eastern District Conferences. At the time, she did not think of the historical significance, but today she is honored and wants to live up to this distinction. “I was called to serve in this space at this time,” she says. “I have been called to be a light in my community and in the Mennonite faith.” 

Photo provided by Charlene Smalls.

Smalls, a New Jersey native who has lived in Allentown, PA for 35 years, is one of four co-pastors at Ripple Church (Allentown, PA). Before her time with Ripple, she was a servant leader at Union Baptist Church with Helping Hands International. Helping Hands focuses on immediate, practical needs. Smalls helped to run a clothing bank and organized back-to-school events that provided backpacks and school supplies for students. She also organized Thanksgiving dinners for needy families. 

Photo provided by Charlene Smalls.

But Ripple Church offered something else Pastor Charlene was looking for: an opportunity to meet needs, but also to connect deeply to the community, even to its suffering. She has a passion for people who are broken. At Ripple, she ministers to the forgotten: the unhoused, the mentally unstable, and the addicted. Ripple Church also invites and welcomes these folks to worship. 

During a summer internship with Ripple Inc., a separate nonprofit organization, Pastor Charlene learned that, like the Baptists with whom she worshiped before, Mennonites value salvation. But Mennonites also value peace.  

“Salvation without peace is incomplete,” she points out. Peace with God comes from Jesus’ presence in our lives, but it also comes in other ways, such as accepting God’s comfort when we are distressed. God’s peace must be modeled in our lives, churches, and families.  

Pastor Charlene is especially grateful for the peace she experiences through prayer, Scripture, and music. This is important because some days the work of ministry is difficult. Accepting God’s call to ministry means saying yes to pastoral phone calls at 3:00 am. It also means seeing suffering but recognizing human limitations to address it. The peace and joy that Christ offers amid chaos and heaviness is not as the world gives. 

Pastor Charlene looks forward to God directing her path in future peacebuilding work. She wants to invite those who hold power to “experience people of color in a deeper way.” She hopes that by sharing power and sharing space, people will be open to the transformative work of peace and justice. 

Pastor Charlene is grateful for her co-pastors at Ripple Church. The co-pastors divide the tasks of worship and fellowship. Pastor Charlene often preaches and leads worship on the first and second Sundays of the month. During the week, she is involved in cooking meals and visitation. This involves visits to the hospital or to the sick and shut in.  

Photo provided by Charlene Smalls.

On the days when ministry is hard and even ugly, Pastor Charlene never experiences any lack of strength. God is faithful and always sends help.  “Each day brings new challenges, trauma, and blessing,” she says. “But I still say, ‘Yes, Lord.’” 

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.

Chesed Amidst Uncertainty, Fatigue, and Anxiety

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By Angela Moyer Walter

I am a bi-vocational pastor living and ministering in the city of Allentown, PA.  I work as a healthcare provider in pediatric home care. It is hard to articulate what the past two and a half years of a global pandemic have been like for me, but I will try. 

Uncertainty is my word to describe 2020. It was challenging to figure out how to provide occupational therapy services to families via telehealth and make wise choices with my co-pastors regarding worship, ministry, and safety.   

I describe 2021 with the word fatigue. The constant and unending changes and desperation drained me. My usual places of calm and refreshment were no longer sufficient. Many things required double the energy and unexpected complications became the norm.   

When 2022 came, I experienced anxiety in a way that I never had before. It is one thing to walk alongside folks experiencing overwhelming anxiety, but it is another trying to manage your own.  

Despite the uncertainty, fatigue, and anxiety, I can testify through it all, God’s Chesed (loving kindness) has sustained me.  

At our church, Ripple, the children enjoy singing, “Jesus is the rock, the rock that lasts, Jesus is the rock that lasts. My soul has found a resting place.” When we are tossed repeatedly by the ever-changing crashing waves, Jesus is our rock. God never leaves us. God is present with us in the storm.   

I have used these images in scripture often to encourage and support others. But with the pandemic and our country’s social-political polarization over the past two years, these images have become ingrained more deeply into my own being and understanding of God.  

During this season of uncertainty, fatigue, and anxiety, many have experienced God in new and profound ways. I have found myself singing a favorite chorus recently, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Despite our challenges and discomfort in life, God’s continual presence changes and transforms all of us through reconciling love. 

I welcome the opportunity to gather at fall Assembly with you and celebrate chesed, God’s loving kindness that has sustained humanity though all the hardships of all time. God is good, abundant, and so gracious with us. When the world around us is in chaos, we can take deep breaths and know that God’s Spirit, ruah, is near to us, pulsing through us. This is good news! 

Think of God in a very big way.  
And if you do, that’s too small! 
You can’t think of anything more wonderful than this God. 
And you can’t figure out anything about God without a special grace. 
God is so marvelously good, there is no word for it. 
So gentle. So considerate. So kind. 
So tender – so everything marvelous. 
That is God. And whatever you say about God is far less than it is. 

– THOMAS KEATING

As we prepare for Assembly, I encourage you to read Psalm 116 in The Message. Verses 1-11 describe my experience well, and I’m not alone in that. Verses 12-14 summarize what I am anticipating at Assembly:  

What can I give back to God 
    for the blessings he’s poured out on me? 
I’ll lift high the cup of salvation—a toast to God! 
    I’ll pray in the name of God; 
I’ll complete what I promised God I’d do, 
    and I’ll do it together with his people. 

Mosaic’s inaugural two years have brought challenges and celebrations, and God has been moving through it all. We have wept and prayed together, shared with one another, and learned from one another, and, Chesed has sustained us. What can we give back to God? We will lift high the cup of God’s salvation! 

Angela Moyer Walter

Angela Moyer Walter is Assistant Moderator of Mosaic Conference, Co-pastor at Ripple Church in Allentown, PA, and an occupational therapist at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation. She enjoys long summer evenings with family and friends and watching the Philadelphia Phillies.

Buying a Church Building, One Quarter at a Time

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By Bill and Emily Jones, Ripple Church

The first time we attended Ripple Church in Allentown, PA was a Sunday in 2013. We arrived at 4:00 pm to find a bustling church scene. We walked past a group gathered for Church of the Sidewalk and went inside to the basement where we joined everyone for the Church at the Tables service, followed by announcements. Among those announcements were plans for the church’s upcoming move away from the current location (12th and Chew Street). I remember being surprised and a little sad; this lively, warm, and packed church would no longer be here. Luckily, it didn’t move far, just downtown into another church building (8th and Walnut Street). We joined the congregation and enjoyed a few more years there until circumstances forced Ripple to move to another location on Turner Street. 

Wednesday night garden at Ripple. Photo by Mary Sanchez.

Have you ever experienced a church move? Searching for a new home, saying goodbye, moving, and rebuilding relationships and structures have been part of Ripple’s nomadic existence since its beginning. Thankfully we have had friends and supporters every time the congregation needed a new place to go, but it still didn’t make the moves easy. As a church with many walking members, each move, even if close by, can have a significant impact on who can attend regularly. We can remember many families and people from different eras at Ripple whom we miss and whose lives have touched many.  

Today our church faces yet another crossroads, but this one is of a different kind. The owners of St. Stephens, our current building, are ready to sell and want us to buy the building. They believe in us, have supported us, and are asking us to take the next step. As a church of little financial means, it’s a daunting task even to consider. However, it’s an opportunity that excites us, and we’ve made it our goal to own our church building. 

At a recent planning service, the pastors asked Ripple, “What excites you about having our own building? How will owning this building help Ripple Church?”  Some answers included having more space for people, and having our own kitchen and bathrooms that we could share with others. Others were excited about the opportunity to be good neighbors, and to be right next door to the community garden and Franklin Park. Another subset of answers focused on limiting worries about the future and building a sense of permanence that resonates with many Ripple members whose experiences have been the opposite. 

Start of church fundraiser in Feb. 2022, (back, L-R) Charlene Smalls, Angela Moyer Walter, (front, L-R) Danilo Sanchez, Dante. Photo provided by Danilo Sanchez.

There are many reasons why we want to purchase our church building. Now, how is a church with little financial means going to do this? We’re going about this effort by asking big and appreciating small. We’re passing out folders to be filled with quarters and writing letters to partners and friends to help support us in our goal. So far, we have raised $68,000 of our $200,000 goal. We will continue working to reach our goal of having a permanent home until we get there. We’ll cheer every quarter and appreciate every bit of generosity we receive.  

One final Ripple memory: In our stint as treasurers for Ripple, there were months when we feared ends would not meet, where even meeting the modest payroll for pastors was uncertain. But every month there was always enough. Through generosity and the abundance of God, there is always enough.  

Covenant Sunday 2022, Pastor Angela and Ripple members. Photo by Danilo Sanchez.

Painting Tiles at a Mosaic Youth Event

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On Saturday, June 5, several youth groups from Mosaic congregations gathered at Philadelphia (PA) Praise Center for a youth gathering involving games, art, and spiritual input.  

The genesis of this event was found in some blank ceramic tiles and paint that were donated to the Mosaic Office last fall.  The tiles and paint eventually found their way to Jenna and Emmanuel Villatoro (Youth Pastors of Philadelphia Praise Center). The Villatoros wanted to create a joint youth event with other local youth from Mosaic Conference and anticipated using the tiles and paint as one of the activities. 

Including Philadelphia Praise Center, who hosted, youth from Centro de Alabanza (South Philadelphia, PA), Ripple (Allentown, PA), and Whitehall Mennonite Church (Whitehall, PA) attended the event.  

The gathering started with high energy as participants played a rousing game of “Never have I ever” and other ice-breaking activities. Hendy Matahelemual, of Mosaic Conference, continued the activities with a short reflection about being the salt and light of the world. 

The remainder of the afternoon was spent with a painting lesson, led by Donna Backues, a local artist. Backues encouraged the youth to paint the tiles using themes of fire, flames, and water, to represent Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, and baptism. 

The finished tiles were then baked in hot ovens to set the artwork. The tiles will be transported to the Mosaic Office in Lansdale, PA to be used as coasters.  

Watch the video to learn more about the festivities! 

Conference Related Ministries (CRM) Profile: Ripple Community Inc.

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Ripple Community Inc. (RCI) was established in 2015 and emerged from the on-going work of Ripple Church, a Mosaic Conference congregation, which worships and serves with people living on the margins of society in Allentown, PA. RCI is a source of friendship, support, and community for people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, people who are socially isolated, people living with significant histories of trauma and mental illness, and the working poor. 

A circle discussion on race and racism, facilitated by Yvonne Platts. (photo credit: Danilo Sanchez)

RCI serves over 150 Allentown residents each year through our two main programs: the Community Building Center and the RCI Village housing program.

Our Community Building Center (CBC) is a safe, welcoming, daytime space for our most vulnerable neighbors. The CBC also houses our Service Hub, which is a collaborative space where our partner organizations provide specialized services, including physical and mental health care, addiction and recovery services, and yoga. These partner programs are offered free of charge to all those in need and support the well-being of all our program participants.  

The RCI Village is the first permanent, community-supported affordable housing program in Allentown. Based in 13 apartments located at Linden and 14th Streets in Allentown, this program supports individuals and families to transition out of homelessness and into safe, long-term housing, often for the first time in their lives. The goal for our residents in long-term housing stability, which is one of the basic building blocks of a good life.

Perhaps more important than what we do is how we do what we do. The most common words that our community members use to describe RCI are “safe,” “welcoming,” and “family.” This is, we believe, largely due to our emphasis on building relationships and our use of restorative practices. 

An RCI Village resident moving into her new apartment after three years of homelessness. (photo credit: Sherri Brokopp Binder)

Social support is a biological necessity, and so we take the time to build genuine relationships and trust with our program participants and residents. These relationships change us for the better and allow us to facilitate true and lasting change in the lives of our community members. We are inspired by the life and work of Father Gregory Boyle, who reminds us, “We do not rescue anyone at the margins. But go figure, if we stand at the margins, we are all rescued.” 

Through the use of restorative practices, we are able to build trust and empathy within our community, and to mend relationships with harm is done. So many of our friends are living with a serious mental illness, the on-going impacts of traumatic experiences, and other isolating conditions. RCI has become a place where they can be deeply cared for, honored for their dignity and gifts, and not worry about being judged.  We always appreciate donations. Please visit our website to see what current items we need. We welcome church groups or youth groups to serve with us and who want to learn what it means to work at the margins. Pray that our unsheltered community continues to stay safe during COVID, that more affordable housing will become available in Allentown, and people will experience freedom and healing from trauma and addiction.

A poem written by an RCI community member and Ripple Church member. (photo credit: Danilo Sanchez)

The Wounds of Racism

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by Danilo Sanchez, Conference Youth Formation Pastor

The reality of systemic racism has become evident with recent stories of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. The week after protests and riots demanding justice erupted across the country, we noticed increased anxiety among our community members at Ripple Community Inc (RCI). Some did not understand why African Americans were so upset. Others happily shared about attending protests and what they witnessed. Some began to share stories of family members who were killed by the police or their fears of law enforcement. Ripple Church (Allentown, PA) and RCI began to respond to the collective anxiety bubbling to the surface. Immediately, we offered a safe place for people to process their emotions.  

Yvonne Platts (far right) leads a Community Listening Circle on the topic of racism at Ripple Community Center. Photo provided by Danilo Sanchez.

A recent conversation with Trent stood out for me. Trent came into the Community Center proudly wearing a shirt with nine historical Black figures. He was quizzing staff to see who knew the most. I knew seven of the nine. Trent was pleasantly surprised. 

Then I decided to ask Trent a vulnerable question, “Hey man, how are you doing?” 

There was a bit of silence and then a sigh from Trent, “You know what? Not great. I keep thinking to myself, that could have been me.” 

That hit me hard. I knew he was right. I did not have any comforting words for Trent. I just sat there gazing into his eyes. I let the truth of his words seep into my bones. 

I’ve had experiences with racism, but I’ve never been worried that the color of my skin could get me killed while out running or that police would enter my house without a warrant and start shooting. I do not want that to be Trent’s, or anyone’s, story. 

Ripple Church and RCI took more action toward racial justice by hosting two events at RCI’s Community Building Center. The first event was with police officers as a way to build trust and ask them how they were addressing racial bias, police accountability, and excessive use of force. 

The second event was a Listening Circle with Yvonne Platts from Norristown, PA. It allowed the community to listen to one another and for people of color to speak about their experiences with racism. 

I was glad Trent was there for the Listening Circle. It would give him an opportunity to share and use his voice.  As ground rules were explained, Trent fidgeted in his seat. He leaned over to Platts and said, “You know what, this isn’t for me. I can’t do this.” He got up and exited the circle. 

I followed Trent to see what was going on. He confessed this was just too much for him. The pain of racism is real, and he was not ready to share his story. In my desire to empower Black voices, I overlooked Trent’s safety and emotional readiness to share, perhaps doing more harm than good. The rest of the Listening Circle was sacred, honest, and challenging. We plan to host another circle to educate the white members in our community about systemic racism.

I fight against white supremacy and racial injustice because God’s love demands it and they have caused deep wounds that need healing. Those wounds will not heal for the oppressed or the oppressor if we deny the reality of systemic racism in this country. There is much work to be done towards racial justice: repentance, prayer, listening, truth-telling, relinquishing power, learning, teaching. Find your part and join in the Spirit’s work.

Called To Care, Sent To Serve

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by Charlene Smalls, Ripple congregation (Allentown, PA) 

Charlene Smalls, co-pastor of Ripple, preaches during a Sunday worship service.

I was raised by a long line of strong, God-fearing, caring black women who believed that there was power in knowing the name of Jesus. I sense there has always been a call on my life to serve God. As a young girl growing up in the Baptist church, I could strongly sense the presence of God, but had not grown in my understanding of the person of Jesus Christ yet. That understanding actually came with lots of life lessons and a long journey. 

I had two grandmothers that I attended church with: one was Pentecostal, the other was Baptist. I believe I learned to sense the presence of God from my Pentecostal roots, but was drawn to Baptist theology because of its structure. The gift of God, given to me from both these women, helped me get through the loss of a sibling, living with a grieving mother, having a father who returned from the military with a drug addiction, and my own mistakes and failures. The one consistent thing in my life was the presence of God, to which I was always drawn, no matter what. 

In 1989, after a failed marriage, I moved to Pennsylvania and joined the Union Baptist Church where my spiritual growth truly began. I was blessed to remarry, and I have been gracefully married for 30 years to my soulmate. After opening a nail salon that I called Intimate Expressions, my call and ministry unknowingly began. Sitting in that business day after day, as Jesus healed me, He used me to help bring healing to others. 

Life is full of storms, and it was in the midst of a storm that I received my call. I can remember pacing and praying one evening. When God spoke it was not to answer my prayer, but to announce the call on my life. I was thinking, “You have to be kidding! I am broken. How can I minister to others?” 

I have come to realize that I was called to care. I see my call as a sending, God telling me to “Go.” I knew God was sending me, and I knew that wherever He sent me, He would also be with me, as He always has been. 

After being a licensed Baptist minister, receiving my degree in Arts and Religion at Liberty University, and serving as Director of Outreach at Union Baptist Church for 15 years, I now serve as Co-Pastor at Ripple Mennonite Church. This is where Jesus has sent me to care for others. 

My experience with the Pentecostal faith taught me to sit in the presence of God and be open to the voice of the Holy Spirit. That same voice has now led me to this place and an understanding that Jesus is the center of my faith, community is truly the center of my life, and reconciliation is the purpose of those who are called to care.