Each person who says yes to the invitation of God and the community strengthens the possibilities of future “yes” responses into the next generation.
Ubaldo Rodriguez
Building Bridges Across Cultures and Continents
It brings me great joy to see people come to Christ and see their transformation as disciples for the Kingdom of God.
Thanking God for new offices, my Mac and Skype
“Franconia Conference keeps changing and moving. It’s not just our desks and cabinets, but it’s how we’re following the Spirit.”
Fall Ministerial Update
The Ministerial Committee met on September 5 and November 7. At our September meeting, we welcomed Ubaldo Rodriguez as a new member of the committee. We took action to approve Kristopher Wint, associate pastor of Finland congregation, for a two-year ministerial license toward ordination and accepted the ordination credentials of John Stoltzfus, conference youth minister and campus pastor at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, from Illinois Conference.
Generations Mennoniting together (To Mennonite Blog #5)
I define myself as a disciple of Jesus who is part of the Mennonite family and uses the Anabaptist theological glasses by which I read the Scriptures in a particular way: using the historical Jesus as the paradigm for personal and social ethics for Christian living; participating with God and my community of faith in the formation and transformation of individuals and societies; discerning in community our mission or reason for existence here and now in our particular context; making disciples in order to keep expanding the kingdom of God.
I believe the communal Christian life is like a boat that continuously moves back and forth from the river to the pond. When the boat is on the river of the Spirit, it brings life, newness, challenges, and hope for the future. In the river, we take the risk of being led by the flow of the Spirit and many times we end up in wonderful places and situations where we never expected to be. On the other hand, when we are on the still waters of the pond of tradition, we are like a lighthouse that guides those who are traveling in this world with no direction and purpose in life.
Ministerial Update (June 2012)
An update from Noah Kolb, Pastor of Ministerial Leadership, on behalf of the Ministerial Committee:
- Derek Cooper, assistant professor of Biblical studies and historical theology at Hatfield (Pa.) Biblical Seminary’ was approved for a two-year license toward ordination. He and his family are members at Deep Run East (Perkasie, Pa.). The seminary, through his congregation, requested a ministerial license for his work in preparing pastors.
God’s call from the Andes Mountains
Ubaldo Rodriguez, New Hope Fellowship Baltimore, ubalrod@hotmail.com I am glad that the Lord called me when I was a teenager. I believe nowadays that listening to God’s call is hard because […]
Church Lives
By Ben Sutter
What is Church? This summer, as a ministry inquiry intern with Franconia Conference, I have seen Church live in so many ways. I’ve interacted and reacted to people, thoughts, and spiritual movements around me. I’ve asked questions. I have seen the incredible similarities and vast differences between what people call ‘Church.’
Can a conference be Church? What about a denomination? Can one person start Church? Can Church be one person? What is Church anyway? Am I a part of Church? How do I even start to define it?