Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Youth

Are you a tourist or a pilgrim?

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Youth Leadership Retreatby John Stoltzfus, Conference Youth Minister

For many youth leaders and youth, this is the time that preparations begin in earnest for summer trips. Many are planning for the Mennonite Convention in Phoenix while other groups are planning service trips local and beyond. Are we preparing our youth to go as pilgrims or tourists?

At a recent conference gathering, Elizabeth Soto Albrecht, moderator elect for Mennonite Church USA (MC USA), spoke of her plans for a pilgrimage this summer. In solidarity with those who may be unable to attend convention because of immigration restrictions, she will take the opportunity to visit various places and churches along the way during the time of convention. What if all of us would consider our upcoming youth trips as pilgrimages?

A pilgrimage speaks of an expectation to meet God and to be changed along the way. A pilgrim resolves that the one who returns will not be the same person that left. A tourist may go with a more consumerist approach primarily looking to accumulate for personal gain. For a tourist, much more attention is given to the outer details of the trip: what is packed, where to visit, what entertainment to see, and what souvenirs to buy with little reflection on the inner journey of the soul. Pilgrims go on pilgrimage not necessarily to see something, but to receive something: renewed spirit, greater devotion to God, a new sense of community, and a wider world view of God’s kingdom.

Youth Visioning EventI wonder if it would be beneficial to remind our youth that we travel not as tourists but as pilgrims. This mind set is established prior to departure. When we are making our packing lists, pilgrims should be reminded that the most important thing we take with us on the pilgrimage is receptivity to God’s presence all along the journey.

The preparation and the follow-up can be as important as the trip itself. What makes the difference between being a tourist and a pilgrim is a sense of openness and expectancy. Too often we decide beforehand what a trip should be like and we judge it by our own needs and desires. It may prove to be disappointing or satisfactory but it will rarely be the occasion of some new revelation or growth in our life of faith. As leaders we need to cultivate within ourselves and our youth the openness to follow a different way.

For those planning to go to convention this summer here are some ideas of ways to do things differently:

  • Along with raising money to attend the convention, invest in the DREAMer Fund set up by MC USA. The goal of the fund is to help undocumented young people pay the fee required to apply for a deferment.
  • Partner with another congregation who may not have the resources in order to make the pilgrimage together.
  • Seek to visit and form a relationship with an immigrant congregation in your area in order share stories and increase understanding.
  • Invest the congregation in praying for the youth before, during and after the pilgrimage.
  • Encourage all the participants to keep a journal during the trip. Provide for regular opportunities along the way for group reflection and sharing.
  • In the months after the convention, take time for reflection on what was learned. Be prepared to make changes and respond to new commitments.

Mennonite community … and community that Mennonites

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To Mennonite Blog #8Alex Bouwman

by Alex Bouwman, West Philadelphia Mennonite Church

It is not easy separating the noun “Mennonite” and the verb “to Mennonite.”  I think it is because the terms are not mutually exclusive.  Those of us who identify as Mennonite, ethnically or culturally, and practice a Mennonite faith are likely already Mennoniting.  Here are a few examples that come to mind that demonstrate the close relationship between our beliefs (as Mennonites, the noun) and our practices (as we Mennonite, the verb):

  • We have taken to heart Jesus’ call from the Sermon on the Mount to be peacemakers.  Much of our identity involves nonviolence, yet peacemaking is a verb.
  • We believe in maintaining a close relationship with God, praying, and striving to do God’s will.  But what does the Lord require of us?  I read about the verbs acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
  • We believe in living in right relationships, not as individuals on our own, but remaining connected to one another.  We follow the practical Ten Commandments as well as Jesus’ explanation of the greatest commandments.  Here we are told to love God wholly and our neighbors as ourselves.  Love is a verb.

I am proud (wait, can I say that?) of the ways we lovingly Mennonite all over this world for peace and justice.  Any of the verbs mentioned above are worth their own blog entries.  I would like to share just two simple examples from our church of Mennoniting, or doing community, together.

Last fall our youth group hosted another Mennonite youth group from Lancaster County for a day.  They rode the train into Philadelphia and transferred to the trolley, which dropped them off right at our church’s doors.  We cleaned up trash at one of our parks, enjoyed lunch together, and did a long two or three mile scavenger hunt walking tour of our neighborhood.  This fall we plan to make a trip to their church to enjoy the neat aspects of their rural community, something we city-folk don’t often experience.  I sense the Holy Spirit moving as we intentionally get together with those we otherwise might not, finding points of commonality, and learning about the benefits of both city and rural living.

A few years back our church had a meeting to discuss various possibilities for new small groups.  Out of that meeting came the desire for more frequent potlucks.  We enjoy our monthly church fellowship meals, but this would be a casual weekly meal.  There were other small groups that involved bible studies, book clubs, or discussion topics. That involves preparation and a necessary commitment.  We wanted something a little different.

Thus our Togethering small group was formed.  We meet every Tuesday evening for a potluck meal and fellowship in one of our homes.  In the beginning a core of us (probably 8 or so) met weekly with various families joining for a week to check us out.  At one point we had over 20 coming!  We now consistently have about 10-12 each week.  It’s a great way for someone who is visiting for the first time to get connected with a smaller group of people without the pressure of long-term commitment.  It is a wonderful gift to share with each other about what is going on with our lives and in the world.

I don’t believe I’m going out on a limb when I say every Mennonite church has ways of doing community, loving God and neighbors as themselves, and working for peace and justice.  The way I see it, whether we do them as part of our identity as Mennonites or the way we put our faith into action—or some engrained combination of the two—what matters is that we are living our faith in the real world with love, justice, mercy, and humility.

Next week, Ervin Stutzman, executive director of Mennonite Church USA, will share his experience of Mennoniting through community discernment.  How do you “Mennonite”?  Join the conversation on Facebook & Twitter (#fmclife) or by email.

Who am I?  (To Mennonite Blog #1)
Serving Christ with our heads and hands (To Mennonite Blog #2)
Quiet rebellion against the status quo (To Mennonite Blog #3)
Mennoniting my way (To Mennonite Blog #4)
Generations Mennoniting together (To Mennonite Blog #5)
Body, mind, heart … and feet (To Mennonite Blog #6)
We have much more to offer (To Mennonite Blog #7)

Franconia youth collect “Pedals for Progress”

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Bikes provide low-income men and women with reliable transportation for commuting to work, transporting produce to market, or accessing health care and other services. Photo provided.

Franconia Mennonite Church senior high youth will be collecting used bikes this Saturday, May 19, from 9am to noon at the church on Harleysville Pike in Telford, Pa.  These bikes will be repaired and distributed through Pedals for Progress, an organization that collects over 5000 bicycles a year to redistribute in countries in the global south and Eastern Europe.

The bike drive seemed like a perfect project for the active youth group at Franconia, according to drive organizer Bekah Ford.  “Our youth group is interested in sports and being active,” said Ford, a sophomore at Souderton High School.  “We realize that we’re blessed with the tools to do this, including bicycles. The fact that our outgrown and unused bikes could be put to use in countries of need is exciting!”

sewing machines
In addition to bikes, the Franconia youth are collecting sewing machines. Photo provided.

In addition to collecting bikes, the youth group hopes that this event will raise awareness of living conditions around the world.  In comparison, many people in our church community have been blessed with a magnitude of resources, said Ford.  “We believe these [resources] have been given to us so that we may be equipped to bless others in the name of Jesus Christ.”

The Franconia youth group has a big dream: to collect over 181 bikes so that they break Pedals for Progress’ one day collection record this year.  They also are looking for donations of working portable sewing machines, bike wrenches, and funds to cover the cost of processing, shipping, rebuilding, and distributing each bike.  All cash and material donations are fully tax deductible and a receipt will be available at the church.

Bike Shop
The collected bikes are transported overseas where they are reconditioned and distributed. Photo provided.

To date, Pedals for Progress has shipped more than 133,500 bikes to developing countries in Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Europe.  In these countries the bikes are reconditioned by partner agencies and distributed at low cost to low-income working adults.  These bikes provide them with reliable transportation for commuting to work, transporting produce to market, or accessing health care and other services.  Steady employment for these adults is vital to the development and success of these countries’ economies.

It’s a simple premise with far-reaching effects, said Ford.  “We hope to inspire generosity and meet new people in the community through this event.”

For more information on the Franconia bike drive, call (215) 815-1672 or email Mike.  For detailed information about overseas projects and a current schedule of bicycle collections, visit www.p4p.org.

Does Mennonite Matter?

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By John Stoltzfus, Franconia Conference Youth Minister

Dale Schrag at Salford. Photo by Ben Wideman.

Does it matter being Mennonite? According to Dale Schrag, “It depends.”

Dale, who is campus pastor and director of church relations at Bethel College, spoke to this question at a seminar for youth and adults at Salford Mennonite Church on April 11.  He elaborated by saying that it depends on what we mean by being Mennonite.

Schrag quoted Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches who said, “Mennonite is a beautiful adjective but an idolatrous noun.” We need to understand being Mennonite as an adjective description of Christian. In addition, in the Mennonite tradition it is essential to understand the Anabaptist theological distinctiveness of our tradition.

He named four central markers of Anabaptist theology from Harold S Bender’s Anabaptist Vision of 1944:

  • A distinctive reading of the Bible that is centered in Christ
  • A distinctive approach to discipleship, following the teachings of Jesus
  • A distinctive understanding of community
  • A distinctive commitment to nonresistance in the reconciling love of God

Dale concluded by emphasizing that being Mennonite matters because of what we have to offer to a world that needs Jesus.  Our particular understanding of the gospel of shalom (peace) and of how Jesus calls us to live is a gift to offer to our broken world.

Some questions to consider as we continue to unpack the question identified in this seminar.

  • How can we engage our children and youth in talking about what it means and why it matters to be a Mennonite Christian in today’s world?
  • How does this distinctiveness make a difference in how we practice our faith?
  • What difference does it make in how we read the Bible, live as community, relate to our neighbors, and engage in mission in our world?
  • How does being Mennonite help us to be faithful in following in the way of Christ?
  • What testimony do we have to share?
  • How can we hold these convictions with an open hand in a way that is inviting and winsome and good news to our neighbors and to a hurting and broken world?

Watch the full presentation:

Does Mennonite Matter? A night for youth and parents

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Dale SchragHow or why does identifying as Mennonite matter for today’s youth?  That’s the question speaker Dale Schrag will explore at an April 11 seminar for youth and parents at Salford Mennonite Church starting at 7 p.m.  The event, sponsored by Eastern District and Franconia Conferences, related Mennonite schools, and a number of area churches, is part of a twice a year series designed to stimulate and encourage Sr. High youth and their parents in their faith walk.  The event is free of charge and high school aged Mennonite youth and their parents are encouraged to attend.

Dale Schrag is the campus pastor and the director of church relations at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, and is a regular speaker on Anabaptist related topics.  At this seminar, Dale will describe Anabaptist theology and its importance as a window through which we can see and understand Jesus, with a focus on its relevance to youth.  Says Dale, “One of the questions I hear young  people asking is how do I claim my Mennonite identity without being exclusive and inhospitable to those of other denominations and faiths?  In addition, folks outside the Mennonite church are always asking who we are.  The question needs to be unpacked.  It frequently has cultural and ethnic overtones, rather than theological ones.”  These issues will be discussed, and a question and answer time will end the evening, along with light refreshments.

For more information, contact Ben Wideman at Salford Mennonite Church, 215-256-0778, or see the related Facebook link.

Ministry in “thin places” marks Frankenfield’s journey

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by Sheldon C. Good, Salford, with Stephen Kriss, Philadelphia Praise Center
shelds3@gmail.com, skriss@francoiaconference.org

After dropping her young children off for Sunday school, Marlene Frankenfield often sat on the sidewalk outside Salford Mennonite Church. She was “going through a time of disillusionment with the church,” and didn’t want anything to do with institutionalized religion. Instead, she wanted church to be “real.”

While lounging outside Salford, youth frequently walked past Frankenfield on the way to Sunday school. They soon began greeting her and making small talk.

“It wasn’t long before they’d sometimes skip Sunday school to come chat with me, sharing their real lives,” Frankenfield said. “That was the very thing I was longing for. Soon they were stopping by my house on Saturday nights.” That was over 20 years ago. Marlene’s journey moved from congregationally based youth ministry to collaborative work with Franconia Conference and Christopher Dock High School for over a dozen years.

Relationships with Salford youth awakened Frankenfield to the possibility of ministry and brought her back into congregational life. Her initial formal call to serve came shortly after those interactions with teenagers on the church sidewalk when the church invited her to serve alongside of a growing youth ministry. After eight years at Salford, she began in the joint role of conference youth minister and campus pastor. She was licensed for ministry in June 2002 and ordained in May 2007.

Frankenfield found herself ministering in what she calls the “thin spaces” between classes at Dock and working doggedly to bring youth ministry to the center of congregational life and faith formation across the Conference.

“For young people, there is so much going on in their faith and in life, you need to be a person that can listen,” she said. “You need to be a God bearer, listening through God’s ears.” A quotation from Douglas Steere shapes her work. “To listen another’s soul into a condition of disclosure and discovery may be almost the greatest service that any human being ever performs for another.”

As she moves on, Franconia Conference and Eastern District Conference have named a shared youth minister alongside the campus pastor role at Christopher Dock. Frankenfield says this is a sign that church leaders have noticed the need for steady youth leadership. “For so long, I felt like I worked in something separate from the vision of the conference, so to see so many people excited about youth, that other people are catching the vision, as I step away, is the biggest gift I could have,” she said.

Marlene offered this prayer and dream as she completed her work in consideration of the ongoing possibilities for youth ministry in and beyond Franconia Conference, “That adults will listen to our youth—the underrepresented, and pay attention to the diverse places where the Holy Spirit is at work. That Franconia Conference would provide ways for women young and old to be mentored and empowered. That Franconia Conference see to it that all people who work with children and youth be educated in child safety, which will provide a safe healthy environment for all. That God’s spirit would be present in each young person to feel God’s unconditional love and experience God’s grace within a faith community.”

As Marlene considered her decision to end in her dual roles, she said, “I made this decision to transition with much prayer and discernment and I felt like it was the right time to explore something new. I have faith that God will have a plan for me for the future and God also has a plan for the places where I’ve ministered. One of my goals when I started was to lead in a way that invited others to lead—to step out of the way and be a mentor and encourager for others—to create a safe place for students to explore leadership.”

After these years of leadership development at Christopher Dock and Franconia Conference through chapel-planning, retreat planning, walking with youth pastors, and calling forth new youth ministers and leaders, Marlene’s work shaped space for new leaders, even now, collaboratively, across boundaries and in-between spaces, with real hope and committed service even in the midst of questions.

Christopher Dock, Conferences Name Youth Minister

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October 17, 2011, LANSDALE, Pa. —  Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, Franconia Conference, and Eastern District Conference celebrate their ministry partnership by naming John Stoltzfus Conference Youth Minister.

“Youth are a key segment of God’s community. They are ambassadors of Christ here and now, but also the future leaders of our congregations,” said Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber, principal of Christopher Dock. “It’s exciting to see two conferences join our school in this focus on youth ministry. John Stoltzfus has a passion for helping youth become radical followers of Christ. We are pleased to welcome him to our team.”

In his new position, Stoltzfus will become campus pastor for Christopher Dock’s 365 students, and will encourage, support and promote youth ministry in the churches represented by the two conferences, which are part of Mennonite Church USA. It is the first time that all three entities have collaborated on a youth ministry position

“I look forward to youth ministry connections growing between our member churches, our two conferences and the school community,” said Warren Tyson, conference minister for Eastern District Conference and a member of the Christopher Dock Board of Trustees

Stoltzfus comes to his new position after 10 years as associate pastor at Lombard Mennonite Church, which is part of the Illinois Mennonite Conference. A graduate of Eastern Mennonite University and Eastern Mennonite Seminary (Harrisonburg, VA), Stoltzfus has also served with a Christian Peacemaker Teams in Colombia, and participated in China Educational Exchange, a program of Eastern Mennonite Missions, Mennonite Mission Network and Mennonite Central Committee that is now known as Mennonite Partners in China.

“I found John’s insight, understanding and commitment to engaging in the work of intercultural transformation and relationships to be both relevant and sincere,” said Ertell Whigham, executive minister for Franconia Conference. “This was particularly evident as he shared experiences and learnings from his ministry in China. I thank God that we are moving ahead and look forward to John’s arrival and our work together.”

The Youth Minister position is full-time, and involves partnering with youth workers in congregations and at Christopher Dock to “actively invite every youth to commit to a personal relationship and everlasting adventure with Jesus Christ, mentoring them towards a supportive church community and empowering them to bring healing and hope to the world.” In addition, Stoltzfus will be charged with providing support, training and resources to those who minister to junior and senior high youth, so that they are better able to carry out the youth ministry mission and vision of Franconia and Eastern District Conferences. He will begin his work in January.

“I am excited about this new venture of journeying together with the youth and community at Christopher Dock and Franconia and Eastern District Conferences,” Stoltzfus said. “I look forward to discovering how God is at work among us and calling our young people to be faithful followers of Christ in our world.”

Junior High Lock-In: Be a follower!

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The annual Jr. High Lock–In was held from 9pm on Friday, March 12, to 7am on Saturday, March 13 at Christopher Dock. This event is sponsored by Franconia Conference, Eastern District and Christopher Dock. Over 63 sponsors and 264 Jr. Highers representing 20 different congregations came out for a night of games, worship, movies and pizza.

This year’s theme was Be a Follower, 1 John 3:1 – See how very much our Father love us, for he calls us his children and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Stretch Dean, pastor to teens and their families at Immanuel Church of the Nazarene in Lansdale, was the speaker this year. Stretch kept their attention with his fun entergic personality, even though it was late. He challenged the kids to be a follower of Jesus compared to the many other choices and invitations to follow that they are faced with each day. Nate Stucky, youth ministry student at Princeton Theological Seminary, led us in meaningful time of worship through song.

Each year there is a game that kids have to work as a team to complete for a prize that will put them into a drawing for the grand prize. This year they had clues that led them on a path they needed to follow to get to the next clue. Youth leaders were stationed around to ask them questions when they arrived, sending them on the journey to the next clue. The grand prizes included copies of the book Jesus Freaks by dc Talk and Voice of the Martyrs and gift certificates to local restaurants!

Participants were asked to bring in school supplies to make school kits for the MAMA Project (www.mamaproject.org). The table overflowed onto the floor with school supplies that will be shipped to Honduras and handed out to the children in the villages.

The night was full of fun activities to choose from…soccer, basketball, dodge ball, human Dutch blitz, wallyball, karaoke, Rock Band, movies, and crafts.

Thanks to everyone that helped to plan and carry out all the activities and a special thanks to all the youth leaders that bring their youth group and commit to be here the entire night.

photos by Jessica Walter