Building relationships with neighbors continues and helps us notice where God is at work.
Spring Mount
Ministry to Veterans
As more and more young men and women return home from war, the Mennonite church is faced with more of those people entering their congregations. As a peace church should […]
Franconia Conference announces upcoming staff change
by Stephen Kriss, director of communication With a stable team of LEADership Ministers in place, Franconia Conference will be adjusting administrative and communication staffing into the first half of 2015. […]
Franconia Conference gathers to celebrate, pray, confer, listen
Franconia Conference delegates and leaders gathered November 2 at Penn View Christian School in Souderton, Pa. to celebrate God still at work. With a packed auditorium for a third united assembly with Eastern District Conference, representatives gathered to listen and pray, to celebrate newly credentialed and ordained pastoral leaders, and to work alongside one another after an over 150-year rift created two separate Mennonite entities. The theme “God still @ work” was an extension of the 2012 theme, “God @ work.”
Introducing Spring Mount Mennonite Church
Spring Mount Mennonite Church is located in Spring Mount, Pa., in the Perkiomen Valley. At its very beginning (1934) this faith community was a mission Sunday School and summer Bible School, organized by the Franconia Mennonite Mission Board and facilitated by members of Salford Mennonite Church. In the early 20th century communities like Spring Mount were summer resort towns. Visitors from Philadelphia would travel here on the Perkiomen branch of the Reading Railroad that went through each town.
Celebrating a Shamrock Seder
What happens when you cross St. Patrick’s Day and a Jewish Passover Seder? Everyone who attended Arise in Harleysville on Sunday, March 17, found out as Robin Burstein, Executive Director of the Encore Experience of Harleysville, led the group through a “Shamrock Seder.”
Worshiping around the table
Worship is an expression, and the style of a congregation’s corporate worship can reflect the gifts and talents of the group. Among other things, we asked ourselves, “What are some of the gifts present within the Spring Mount congregation that God might want to use at this time?” And fairly quickly an experiment in doing church began to take shape.
Broken bread for a broken system
It’s a misty evening as I sit cuddled under a blanket with my laptop and a snoring dog, watching the presidential debate. Even as I type, President Obama and Governor Romney are debating the economy.
I feel my temperature rising, and it has nothing to do with the blanket. I grew up in a family in which “debate” sounds more like calm discussion and a slightly raised voice feels like yelling. Just watching the debate is feeding my anxiety.
And, if anyone else experiences conflict like I do, the election this coming November could be incredibly divisive for the church. And how much moreso, when you mix people like me with those who are very comfortable with debate, raised voices, and hearty conversation? How do we keep our eyes focused on our shared allegiance—to Jesus Christ—in the midst of such diversity and disagreement?