Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

youth formation

Peace Nights Connect Mosaic Youth

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by Rachel Mateti

 

The fall 2024 Peace Nights were funded in part by a Mosaic Conference Missional Operations Grant (MOG) requested by Salford (PA) Mennonite. The grant helped to cover expenses for food, supplies, and transportation for the Mosaic youth groups who participated. 

 

This fall, youth from around the southeastern PA congregations of Mosaic Conference have the unique opportunity to come together to learn about the peaceable way of Jesus through fellowship, formation, worship, and games.  

The original idea for the Fall 2024 series of four Peace Nights was a collaboration between Ambler (PA), Salford (PA), Zion (Souderton, PA), Whitehall (Allentown, PA) and Plains (Hatfield, PA), with the support of Mosaic’s youth formation team.  

A slide from the teaching portion of the “Peace with God” session on Sept. 14. Photo by Rose Bender Cook.  

 

The first Peace Night of the series took place in September at Zion, on the theme of Peace with God. Around 70 persons were in attendance, including youth and leaders from the above-named congregations and Souderton (PA), Ebenezer (Souderton, PA), Indonesian Light Church (Philadelphia, PA), and Deep Run East (Perkasie, PA). The second meeting took place on October 6 at Plains with the theme “Peace with Self.” 

“The idea for Peace Nights started as a way for churches in southeastern PA in Mosaic Conference to share resources and provide programming for youth faith formation,” shares Andrew Zetts, Associate Pastor of Youth and Outreach at Salford.  

Youth and leaders from Whitehall (PA) Mennonite. Photo provided by Rose Bender Cook. 

 

“As I ran the idea by other Conference youth leaders, a few goals emerged. In addition to sharing resources and gathering a critical mass of youth in one place, we wanted to live into Mosaic’s intercultural priority and bring youth from various geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds together to develop meaningful relationships; and to teach peace theology as a foundational part of living out the ways of Jesus.”

At Plains, the youth group is small but growing, with grades 6-12 together. It can be hard to provide spiritually invigorating activities for a large age range. Peace Nights are one of the few places they can interact with other Mennonite peers in a church setting. 

Youth from eight congregations work together during the games portion of the first Peace Night. Photo by Rose Bender Cook.  

 

Instead of one shared culture, multiple cultures are represented at Peace Nights. Instead of most kids knowing each other, the majority are meeting for the first time. Awkwardness abounds, but a willingness to participate has prevailed. Through games like 9 squares (provided by Bloomin Glen [PA] Mennonite), and “Get -to-Know-You” Bingo (crafted by Andrew Zetts) youth have opportunities to make connections while having fun. Good food energizes everyone to talk and fellowship around tables deepens relationships. 

Loud voices singing together in worship has been a blessing. Youth seeing other youth singing boldly invigorates the whole group and creates a spirit of readiness for our teaching time. Teaching is followed by discussion groups that give youth a chance to come together and internalize the message they have heard. It is beautiful to observe. 

Participants from Deep Run East led worship. Photo by Hendy Matahelemual.  

 As Andrew Zetts shared, Peace Nights have a many purposes (sharing of resources, teaching peace theology, making connections outside our own congregations) but I also see Peace Nights as a place for youth to belong. Even those who might have held back in the beginning of our gathering seem to find their place throughout the night.  

Being Mennonite in our modern world can sometimes make a person stick out or feel different. Being a Christian youth can also feel alienating at times. Finding a place of belonging is, therefore, vital in keeping our youth engaged, connected, and inspired to follow Jesus. 

Peace Night worship. Photo by Mike Ford. 

The third Peace Night took place at Zion on Saturday, Nov. 9, 5-7:30pm; the theme was Peace with Creation. Our last gathering will be on Sunday, December 8 at Plains where we will look at Peace with Others; all Mosaic youth in 6th-12th grade and their youth leaders are invited to join us.

Plans for future gatherings in 2025 are underway and will be shared with congregations soon. As a leader, I am encouraged to see this vision come to fruition and to hear other leaders express their sense of energy and hope for the future of these gatherings. 

Participants gather outside for games. Photo by Hendy Matahelemual. 

Rachel Mateti

Rachel Mateti is the Children and Youth Minister at Plains Mennonite (Hatfield, PA). She is married with three kids and lives in Telford, PA. She enjoys reading when she finds the time and recently picked up running as a hobby.

Joint Youth Group Service Project Honors God and Creation

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By Abby Nyce, Souderton (PA) congregation

For years as part of its community service and creation care, Zion Mennonite (Souderton, PA) has annually cleaned litter out of West Street Park in Souderton. Since the park is a block from Souderton Mennonite, and Zion wanted to cooperate with other churches in some of its initiatives, for the last two years, Zion and Souderton have worked together to pick up litter in the park on a Saturday morning in May. 

Participants from Zion and Souderton who participated in the Chestnut Park Street cleanup, with the trash that they gathered. Photo by Ned Leight. 

As someone who enjoys community service, I found that picking up trash with the youth group of another Mosaic congregation, Zion, benefited both the park and the participants. Serving the community, even in something as small as picking up trash, allows for God to influence that community by motivating us, His children, to act rightly. We are called to serve through Him and care for others as He has cared for us, reflecting that care to the public.  

I committed to more than 30 hours of community service during my junior year of high school, and I have gone on multiple mission trips with the Souderton youth group. Community service is a way for me to serve the Lord in ways that have great impact over time, and to represent the Lord in the community.  

Removing trash from a park is an act that seems small, but it preserves the creation that our good God created for His people. By doing so, we worship Him and respect the planet we call our home.  

Photo by Jess McQuade
Photo by Jess McQuade
Photo by Jess McQuade

Abby Nyce

Abby Nyce is entering her senior year at Souderton Area High School. She’s involved in the high school’s Interact Club and National Honor Society, both involving community service. 

Advent Resource for Families

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Mosaic Conference is again offering this FREE Advent resource for families. If you desire Advent and simplicity, here is a family practice that is centered on Jesus’ birth story.

“My family has participated in this practice for the past two years, and it has become a Christ-centering tradition for us in our home,” shared Brooke Martin, Mosaic Youth and Community Formation Pastor, shared. “We light a candle, marking the days until Christmas, and read the verse cards which build each day, pointing to and celebrating Jesus’ birth narrative. It is simple.”

Please feel free to share the link with your congregation or community.

Dinnertime family devotions include burning the daily Advent candle and reading part of the Christmas Story. Photo by Brooke Martin. 

Zoom Church: A Youth Perspective

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By Kate Hockman, Deep Run East (Perkasie, PA) congregation

I am a teenager, but technology has never been my strong suit. Sure, I’m able to use simple programs like Google, YouTube, and Word. But when the quarantine began and almost everything moved into an online setting, I was not overly confident in my abilities. 

That’s why I was skeptical when our church announced that we would transition to Sunday morning worship online. Soon after, our youth group began meeting virtually as well. Initially, I worried about silly things like my internet connection, delays, and glitches in the system. However, as time went on, I realized that meeting with my church and youth group online was one thing keeping me sane during my time of isolation. 

Deep Run East youth group meets online for the very first time (Photo credit: Brent Camilleri)

No one was expecting how drastically COVID-19 would change our lives a few months ago, and I doubt that many were prepared to adapt to the changes it presented. I have to commend our pastors and church for making online services run so smoothly during this troubling time. 

My church (Deep Run East) used Facebook Live to meet as a congregation to worship on Sundays, so our church still met at 9:00am. While I missed meeting in person on Sundays, waking up a bit later and watching church in my pajamas with my family had its perks as well. I chose to look on the bright side and make the best of the situation we were in. 

Participating in church on the TV was certainly different, but many things still stayed the same. We still sang all the same songs, we heard the same pastors preach, and we were still together through the live comments section. It was fun to watch what others would say during each church service, and I definitely enjoyed using and watching the comment section each week. It was nice to be able to interact with others during a church service. 

Although I enjoyed virtual church on Sunday mornings, I still found myself counting down the days until Wednesday came and we could meet for Youth Group on Zoom. I can’t thank my youth pastor enough for setting up these zoom meetings, since being able to video chat with my friends and youth sponsors was the highlight of my week. 

Often, we would discuss a lesson or devotional then afterwards play some sort of game, like Jackbox TV. These zoom sessions helped me forget about the world around me and my online school work for a while. 

So while technology is not my strong suit and can be very frustrating, I was truly blessed to have it during my time of quarantining. Who knew we would thank God for Zoom a few months ago? Meeting online as a church and youth group was bizarre, but I still enjoyed every service. I felt just as close to God while isolating as I did in person.

Giving Back/Devolviendo

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(Desplazarse por Español)

“We are creating something new,” shares Danilo Sanchez, Youth Formation Pastor with Eastern District and Franconia Conference. “We have been given permission to try new ideas, and see failures as learning experiences. It is freeing to have that space to be creative.” 

Danilo and family

Danilo has served in this role since February 2019 as the new youth formation team was being formed. The idea for this team emerged from a recent review of the conference’s youth ministry work, in which a geographic model would be used for staffing youth ministry which is currently focused on the Lehigh Valley, Lansdale, and Philadelphia. 

This unique model is something that Danilo really appreciates. “It is especially important to have conference ministers who can speak the language of the churches they accompany, and have a sense of cultural understanding,” Danilo shares. He sees the team’s work as strengthening the overall mission of the conference. 

A geographic, rather than centered, model has meant that regional gatherings for youth leaders can be more accessible. Many churches do not have a full-time youth pastor, so having regional gatherings with meetings that aren’t always during the workday can allow part-time and volunteer youth leaders to participate more easily. 

The churches that Danilo works with are mostly in the Lehigh Valley but also some Spanish-speaking and multicultural churches throughout the region. As a Youth Formation Pastor, Danilo provides resources to youth leaders and informs them of different events. On a quarterly basis he visits the congregations for worship and to meet with members of the church

The other members of the Youth Formation Team currently are Brooke Martin and Hendy Stevan Matahelemual. Together they plan events to engage youth and leaders in leadership development. This past September they organized a student leadership retreat, and they continue to stay in contact with those youth and plan for an expanded gathering next year. 

“As I look at my faith and leadership journey, I think back to the leaders in the church who developed me, challenged me and comforted me,” reflects Danilo. “I really appreciated that.” He is grateful that in his role as a pastor at Whitehall and Ripple he is able to give back to the youth in those congregations. When he was given the opportunity to also do that at the conference level, with a wider impact, he was glad to do so.

Danilo grew up near Reading, PA and was part of Boyertown Mennonite. It was a place that he felt included, welcomed, and encouraged to be a leader. He taught Bible study, helped to lead worship, and preached at least once in high school. These experiences encouraged him to think of himself as a leader in the church. It was in college that he began to sense a call to youth ministry. Nelson Shank, who is still pastor at Boyertown, connected him with Steve Kriss who at the time was Director of Leadership Cultivation for Franconia Conference. Danilo worked with Steve during his summers in college at Eastern University, and through that work got to know congregations throughout the conference. 

“I was excited to help call other young leaders and participate in their development” Danilo remembers. “I am also happy to help strengthen the work of the conference.” 

When asked about his free time, Danilo responded, “I don’t have too much free time, but I make sure to keep sabbath.” During his first year as a pastor, he found it a challenging discipline to practice, but was encouraged by other pastors, especially Rose Bender at Whitehall, to prioritize it. As he has added different roles to his work and feels pulled in various directions, Danilo has embraced self-care and sabbath, and encourages others to do so as well. 

During his sabbath time, Danilo likes to get out of the city for the day. Danilo also enjoys playing worship songs on his guitar, simple woodworking, and spending time with his two young daughters. They enjoy playing legos or going on walks.

“El aspecto más gratificante de este rol es que estamos creando algo nuevo. En la conferencia estamos en una nueva era de formación.. Se nos ha dado permiso para probar nuevas ideas y ver los fracasos como experiencias de aprendizaje. Es liberador tener ese espacio para ser creativo ”, comparte Danilo Sánchez, Pastor de Formación Juvenil de la Conferencia de Franconia.

Danilo ha desempeñado este cargo desde febrero de 2019 mientras estaba formando el nuevo equipo de formación juvenil. La idea para este equipo surgió de una revisión reciente del trabajo del ministerio juvenil de la conferencia, en el cual se empezaría a utilizar un modelo geográfico para el personal del ministerio juvenil que actualmente se localiza en Lehigh Valley, Lansdale y Filadelfia. .

Este modelo único es algo que Danilo realmente aprecia. “Es especialmente importante tener ministros de la conferencia que puedan hablar el idioma de las iglesias a las que acompañan y tener un sentido de comprensión cultural”, comparte Danilo. Él ve el trabajo del equipo como el fortalecimiento de la misión general de la conferencia.

Un modelo geográfico, en lugar de centrado, ha significado que las reuniones regionales para líderes juveniles pueden ser más accesibles. Muchas iglesias no tienen un pastor de jóvenes a tiempo completo, por lo que tener reuniones regionales, reuniones que no siempre son durante la jornada laboral, puede permitir que los líderes juveniles de medio tiempo y voluntarios tengan facilidad para participar. Las iglesias con las que trabaja Danilo se encuentran principalmente en el Valle de Lehigh, pero también hacen parte algunas iglesias multiculturales y de habla hispana de toda la región. 

Como pastor de formación juvenil, Danilo proporciona recursos a líderes juveniles y les informa sobre diferentes eventos. Trimestralmente visita las congregaciones para adorar y reunirse con miembros de las iglesias.

Los otros miembros del Equipo de Formación Juvenil actualmente son Brooke Martin y Hendy Stevan Matahelemual, y juntos planean eventos para involucrar a los jóvenes y líderes en el desarrollo del liderazgo. En septiembre organizaron un retiro de liderazgo estudiantil, y continúan manteniéndose en contacto con esos jóvenes y planean una reunión ampliada el próximo año.

 “Al mirar mi viaje de fe y liderazgo, pienso en los líderes de la iglesia que me ayudaron a  desarrollar, me desafiaron y me consolaron, realmente aprecié eso ”, reflexiona Danilo. Está agradecido de que en su papel de pastor en Whitehall y Ripple pueda retribuir a los jóvenes de esas congregaciones. Y cuando tuvo la oportunidad de hacerlo también a nivel de conferencia, con un impacto más amplio, se alegró de hacerlo.

Danilo creció cerca de Reading, Pensilvania y fue parte de la iglesia menonita Boyertown. Era un lugar en el que se sentía incluido, bienvenido y alentado a ser un líder. Enseñó estudio bíblico, ayudó a dirigir la adoración y predicó al menos una vez en la escuela secundaria. Estas experiencias lo alentaron a pensar en sí mismo como un líder en la iglesia, y fue en la universidad cuando comenzó a sentir un llamado al ministerio juvenil. Nelson Shank, quien todavía es pastor en Boyertown, lo conectó con Steve Kriss, quien en ese momento era Director de Cultivo de Liderazgo para la Conferencia de Franconia. Danilo trabajó con Steve durante sus veranos en la universidad de Eastern University, y a través de ese trabajo conoció a las congregaciones durante toda la conferencia.

“Estaba emocionado de ayudar a llamar a otros líderes jóvenes y participar en su desarrollo. También estoy feliz de ayudar a fortalecer el trabajo de la conferencia ”, reflexiona Danilo.

Cuando se le preguntó acerca de su tiempo libre, Danilo respondió: “No tengo mucho tiempo libre, pero me aseguro de guardar el día sabático”. Durante su primer año como pastor, encontró una disciplina difícil de practicar, pero se animó por otros pastores, especialmente Rose Bender en Whitehall, para priorizarlo. A medida que ha agregado diferentes roles a su trabajo y se siente atraído en varias direcciones, Danilo ha abrazado el autocuidado y el sábado, y alienta a otros a hacerlo también.

Durante su tiempo de reposo le gusta salir de la ciudad por un día. A Danilo también le gusta tocar canciones de adoración con su guitarra, trabajar la madera con sencillez y pasar tiempo con sus dos hijas jugando legos.

100 Inches of Rain

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by Brent Camilleri, Associate Pastor – Deep Run East Mennonite Church

Youth workers take part in a special resourcing seminar at Conference Assembly, Saturday, November 1. (Photo by Cindy Angela)

I am filled with hope any time I find myself in a room full of those who care deeply about the lives of young people and their voice in the church today. And so, I was feeling especially hopeful on Saturday November 2 as I attended Michele Hershberger’s seminar on youth ministry in a post-Christian era entitled “100 Inches of Rain.” Michele began by telling the story of the Choluteca Bridge in Honduras. Rebuilt in 1996, the bridge was an engineering feat. However, in 1998 Hurricane Mitch brought 100 inches of rain to Honduras in a period of just a few days. When the storm passed the Choluteca Bridge was still standing strong but the river had shifted course and no longer ran beneath the bridge, rendering it useless. In many ways this is how church ministry and, in particular, youth ministry feels today. Something has shifted, and the programs and approaches that felt successful two decades ago are no longer effective.   

Michele Hershberger (Photo by Cindy Angela)

And yet, Michele reminded us that this cultural shift isn’t cause for fear, but a challenge that can and should force us to adapt to the new flow of the river. Youth ministry is still vitally important. In fact the church needs its young people to lead today, not ten years down the road. God is in our youth right now, and the church is more resilient and effective when we minister WITH our youth, and not to them. To facilitate this type of ministry that works alongside our youth today, Michele Hershberger pointed out Four Conversions that the church needs to experience.

The first conversion is that we see youth differently. This means viewing them not as “Christians in training” but as fully integrated and vital parts of our communities. A 13-year-old 8th grader might be able to express truths about faith in a more effective way than I ever could. The second conversion that Hershberger highlighted is the need for us to see church differently. This means coming to terms with the fact that the church is not a building, it is US! As such, any time we gather, whether in a coffee shop or on a street corner, the church is there, making disciples who make more disciples…no building necessary. The third conversion that we need to undergo as we minister to youth in our post-Christian context is to see ourselves differently. Each of us is called to a mission field, no matter our age and no matter our profession. Plugged into Jesus, who is our source, we become the “wires” that carry the current of Christ with us everywhere we go. This is to be our primary calling as we follow Jesus and everything else should take a back seat! Perhaps it is a challenging call, but that is more than OK. Our young people are itching for a challenge, something that shows them just how real and important following Jesus is. And truthfully, we could all use a little more challenge in our faith. Michele brought our time to a close by highlighting the final conversion that we need, which is to see our success differently. She reminded us that this is God’s mission, not something that we own. And God invites ALL of us to make disciples, whether we are 12 or 42 or 92. Adults and young people are on this journey of faith together, and we need each other now more than ever as we work out how to faithfully follow Jesus.

Called as (Youth) Leaders

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by Heidi Swartley, Doylestown congregation, and Kate Hockman, Deep Run East congregation

Over the first weekend of September, we had the wonderful opportunity to attend  Franconia & Eastern District Conference’s youth leadership retreat. During this retreat we learned many lessons and met many people who we probably wouldn’t have met otherwise. It was a fantastic feeling to spend time with other people from separate churches in our conference who had the same willingness to lead. The weekend included a wonderful speaker, awesome team building exercises, and an overall feeling of excitement to learn and lead.

One of the first things we recognized on our retreat is just how hard leadership is. Showing up, being present, putting yourself out there, and trying with all of who you are, is taking a huge risk. Our doubt and fear will convince us that it is not a risk worth taking, and we are not the right people for the job. This doubt is a part of life. Our speaker for the weekend, Pastor Joe Hackman (Salford congregation), assured us that all leaders experience doubt—a reality we don’t often name or recognize. But as leaders, we do not stand alone, relying on our own strength.

Our theme for the weekend, “I Am Called”, grounded us in the confidence that we have been called: He will never leave us nor forsake us, and He will go with us as we work for the glory of His kingdom.

Scripture. As Pastor Joe talked to us about how we stay grounded in our faith in the midst of our doubt, he turned us to Scripture. The Bible tells the stories of many great spiritual leaders, who all grappled with doubt the same way we do today. Our theme verse from the weekend was 1 Timothy 4:12, in which Paul comforts Timothy in the midst of doubt over his young age. Timothy also had struggles with his family and his health, which likely contributed to the doubt. Jeremiah, in the Old Testament, tells the story of God using people, even in their doubt. God calls Jeremiah, and Jeremiah retreats into doubt saying: “I don’t know how…” and “I’m only….” Scripture not only tells us about the doubt of past leaders, but also provides verses of comfort and instruction in what to do with our doubt.

Values. Everybody has them, but sometimes it’s hard to tell what they are. Joe suggested saying the following statement. “If I took away___ from ___, they would cease to exist.” For example, If I took away empathy from Kate or love from Heidi, they would cease to exist. Identifying and knowing what your core values are is another way to handle our doubt. In order to identify our core values as leaders, we were given small cards with different values on them, values such as freedom, empathy, and helpfulness. After Pastor Joe told us to split our cards into different groups based on their importance, he asked us to pick three to five core values that were important to us. We realized that if we were ever experiencing doubt, we could fall back on the values that we picked. 

Community. Community is one of the most powerful ways to cope with doubt, and as Pastor Joe told us, “fear fears community.” In order to be a successful leader, we need to realize that somebody is always on our side. Our church community is always there to support us in any way they can, especially in times of doubt; they’re right there, cheering us on from the sidelines. Community helps to root us in the truth, in how truly loved, supported, and valued we are. Community is patient with us, in our fear, brokenness, and weakness. Seeing Christ’s love reflected in another’s love for us is a powerful thing. 

Overall, this experience taught us so much, and we are grateful we had the opportunity to go to this retreat. We learned so much about God and what it means to be a leader.

Seeing the New Church

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by Danilo Sanchez, Youth Formation Pastor

The doorbell rang and I knew it was time for baptism class. Four energetic youth stumbled through my door, took off their shoes, and found a place to sit.

“Did everyone bring their Bible and homework?”

One youth held up his English Bible while the others went to the Karen Bible app on their phone. We started the class by going over the homework, which was writing their faith story.

Some shared about Bible quizzes and memorizing Scripture in the refugee camps. Others shared about their Buddhist parents and not knowing anything about Jesus. The one experience they all had in common was camp at Spruce Lake last year. Each of them felt like a spark was lit and they desired to know more about Jesus.

I shared parts of my own faith story with the class and it was a humbling reminder that, despite our different upbringings, we were all called to be Jesus’ disciples.

Many topics in the baptism class, which I taught alongside Pastor Rose and Ah Paung (a Karen leader from Whitehall), were new to the group, and they asked so many questions about the person of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the big story of God. The most foreign topics we discussed were Anabaptist values, which come from our unique perspective on Jesus and Scripture. Through this baptism class, I found myself wondering, “What does Anabaptism mean for youth and young adults today?”

In my upbringing, Anabaptism meant daily discipleship, simple living, non-conformity, and non-violence. What that looked like in the day-to-day was a strong emphasis on holiness in my personal relationship with Jesus, not spending too much money on clothes, and being against war and abortion.

The values of discipleship, simple living, and non-violence are still present in Anabaptism today, but I see our youth and young adults express it in different ways. Simple living doesn’t just mean not being materialistic, but is also about sustainable resources and caring for creation. Non-violence isn’t just about protesting war or abortion, but is also about practicing peace in our schools, better gun laws to stop mass shootings, and preventing sexual abuse in the church. Many of the young Anabaptists emerging today want discipleship to include values like justice and community to fight against racism, sexism, and broadening the circle of people included in the kingdom of God.

While not all our youth understand or believe in those ideas yet, I recognize that the face of Anabaptism is changing and that our values are growing and expanding. I want the youth at Whitehall and the youth in our conference to know that there is space for them in the church and that they belong. The way youth and young adults choose to express their faith may not look like mine or the previous generations, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they aren’t being faithful to Jesus or Anabaptism.

As a pastor and a leader in the church, I need to make space for youth and young adults to express and explore their faith. One thing I know for sure is that I’m not trying to teach “Christian behavior” or even “Mennonite behavior” but, rather, to present the resurrected Jesus and trust that the same Holy Spirit that spoke to me is speaking to them.

At the end of August, we celebrated Than’s baptism. It was a joyous occasion and an honor to welcome a new brother in Christ. I looked upon the smiling faces of the youth and children as they embraced Than and said, “Here is the new church. Isn’t it beautiful?”