Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

Yvonne Platts

Platts Recognized for Restorative Justice Circle Leadership 

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Editor’s Note: Yvonne “Maati” Platts is a member of Mosaic’s Board and a member of Nueva Vida Norristown (PA) New Life. A version of this article was printed in the Norristown Patch.  

Yvonne “Maati” Platts, a member of Nueva Vida Norristown (PA) New Life, was recently nominated by one of her students to be featured in the Norristown Patch, a local newspaper, as a community hero.  Congratulations, Maati!  

Below is an excerpt of the nomination: 

What does this community leader do? 

For decades, Maati has been a staunch supporter, leader, and mentor of restorative justice circles and practices throughout Norristown. 

Why do you believe the community leader should be recognized? 

Two years ago, Maati gathered members of the community to create Restorative Norristown. This organization: 

  • Promotes the use of restorative practices in schools, community and institutions 
  • Offers training in restorative practices for youth and adults 
  • Provides mediation services for anyone who has experienced violence and injustice 

What’s one thing you want everyone to know about this community hero? 

She is tireless and completely dedicated to the use of restorative circles. Restorative Circles can: 

  • address incidents of conflict and harm that occur between individuals or groups 
  • build empathy, promote collaboration, and nurture respect 
  • build healthier communities and partnerships 
  • restore relationships 
  • support those experiencing trauma 
  • reduce the negative impact from unjust systems 

Celebrating our African-American Culture

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Charlene Smalls, minister at Ripple (Allentown, PA), is passionate about educating our African American community of its rich history and rich roots. Her passion is heightened now, in this time of grief and trauma due to COVID-19, our inability to gather with family and friends in community, and racial unrest and injustice. She invites all of us to awaken to the needs of the Black community and work together to address those needs.

“Awaken my brothers and sisters to the rich roots and culture of the Black men and women that you sit with, mostly in silence. Embrace us as a people, a culture, and a community,” Smalls said. “Sit with your heart rather than just speaking from your education and your book learning and look at the picture. You can not speak to an issue that you haven’t lived.”  

From December 26 to January 1, Smalls shared about Kwanzaa, a weeklong celebration of African and African American culture, with her congregation. “I heard about diversity, diversity, diversity when I came into the conference. I learned about the Mennonite faith, accepted it, and celebrated it as my faith,” said Smalls. “Kwanzaa celebrates and affirms black people. I invite you to learn and celebrate our culture, accomplishments, and principles with us in the same spirit that I celebrate with you.”  

Yvonne Platts, of Nueva Vida Norristown (PA) New Life, has been celebrating Kwanzaa for many years. Because of COVID-19, she went online to share the principles. She hopes that people can see and embrace the beauty, strength, and gifts of Black people.  

Minister Charlene Smalls and Yvonne Platts posted videos of their Kwanzaa celebrations on Facebook. Learn more about Kwanzaa through these videos that our sisters recorded with commitment, love, and passion.  

“Kwanzaa offers a new dialogue on Black culture, about our positive contributions to the world, and not just the negative stigma of race,” says Dr. Adam Clark, associate professor of theology, Xavier University. “The beauty of Kwanzaa is it doesn’t start Black history from slavery,” explains Clark. “It actually starts us as inventors of civilizations.”

Kwanzaa, comes from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza,” or “first fruits of harvest.”  It is celebrated annually, December 26 through January 1. 

The seven principles (nguzo saba) of Kwanzaa include: 

  • Unity (umoja)  – To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. Unity in Christ – Ephesians 4:1-6;11-13
  • Self-determination (kujichagulia): To define, name, create, and speak for ourselves.  Take Hold of the Prize – Philippians 3:12-17
  • Collective work and responsibility (ujima): To build and maintain community; to make our brothers and sisters’ problems our problems, and to solve them together.  Working Together – I Thessalonians 5:12-18
  • Cooperative economics (ujamaa):  To build and maintain our own businesses and profit together from them.  Community Harvest – 2 Corinthians 9:10-15
  • Purpose (nia): Our collective vocation is one that builds and develops our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.  Caring for One Another – Hebrews 13:1-7
  • Creativity (kuumba): To always do as much as we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.  Sharing Our Gifts – 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
  • Faith (imani):  To believe fully in our parents, teachers, leaders, people, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. Faith, Love and Understanding – Ephesians 1:15-25

The primary symbols of Kwanzaa are the seven candles, candle holder, unity cup, placemat, crops, corn, and gifts. A key custom during Kwanzaa is the daily lighting of the Kinara, the candle holder. The black candle symbolizes the people themselves, the red candles are for the struggle or blood shed in the past, and the green candles represent the Earth or the abundance of future possibilities.

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.

On Becoming Mosaic After 100 Days of Quarantine

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by Stephen Kriss, Executive Minister

We recently passed the 100th day of quarantine restrictions where I live.  By tomorrow, almost all of Pennsylvania will be in the “green phase” of reopening, lifting many of our restrictions.   It is the new normal for the foreseeable future.  For those of us in southeastern Pennsylvania, this 100 day-plus quarantine has been a refining experience.

On Pentecost, about three-quarters of the way through the quarantine, our conference took on a new name: Mosaic.  Simultaneously, unrest emerged in urban areas across our country in response to the death of George Floyd. We were under curfew in Philadelphia where I live for a week.  We have taken on a new name in an interesting time.

In the midst of this, many of our congregations have been meeting primarily online in various formats.  Pastors and congregations have learned much about editing, producing, and proclaiming thorough Facebook, Zoom, and YouTube.  Our conference raised over $135,000 through a mutual aid fund that continues to support diverse actions of response. 

We’ve been creative.  We’ve been generous.  We’ve stayed still.  We’ve missed handshakes and hugs.  We’ve missed singing together.

Pastor Beny Krisbianto (Nations Worship Center), right, assisted by John Hyer (center) and Chris Bencsik (left), prepared 21 boxes of zucchini for distribution in Philadelphia through the conference Shalom Fund initiatives. Photo credit: Chris Bencsik

We’ve also been disturbed.  

The social fabric of our country has frayed further during this quarantine time.  Our political divisions have become more evident, even as we’ve remained physically distanced.  Our racial divides have surfaced with ferocity.  Social media, which has served to connect us during this time, also divides us further.  Technology helps to record incidents of violence that some of us have found hard to process.

We are re-emerging into a new time.  I hope that we will not rush back too readily to what was before.  We have the opportunity to continue to change and live into our new name which emphasizes the value of each piece, each person, each community, created in the image of God. We are living into our new name.  We are still becoming Mosaic.  We are still becoming.

Congregations and leaders continue to respond to disruptions in the economy.  Some of us are emerging with energy to get back into doing things: haircuts, going to the gym, shopping, dining out.  Others of us are entering more hesitantly.  We will each take these steps differently.  And there is grace enough for each of us.

Board member Yvonne Platts (NVNNL congregation) joined Steve Kriss on Facebook Live to discuss possibilities and responses in a time of frustration, protest, and unrest. (Click to see the video)

We are in a context where our consciousness has been raised about the value of human connection.  Embraces and greetings raise our awareness.  Our smiles sometimes are hidden behind face coverings.  There are going to be continuing challenges in front of us.  We are going to have opportunities to continue to become whom we have heard the Spirit name us to be as Mosaic communities.

We will continue in these days ahead to find ways to speak grace and truth, to extend generosity, to listen, learn, and change as we hear the experiences of Black and Brown people in our conference and communities.  God’s work is still unfolding.  

A new thing is becoming in front of and within us.  I pray we will continue to be aware of it, empowered by the Spirit to be part of God’s making us and all things new.

Transformative Experiences at MC USA Convention 2019

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by Justin Burkholder, South Philly summer intern

Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) held their biennial convention July 2-6 in Kansas City, Missouri. Three thousand energetic youth, children, and adults assembled for a week of learning, worship, serving, fellowship, and fun. The convention aims to build the vision and mission of MC USA as the church together embarks on God’s mission in the world.

Adult delegates met to discern the vision of the church together and for times of equipping.  Youth groups shared worship time with the adults and attended seminars during delegate sessions. Servant projects were also available each day for those who chose to join the efforts in the local community. The worship band was led by Seth Crissman (Walking Roots Band) and included various instruments, which created magnificent harmonies.

Youth worship in front of the stage at #MennoCon19. Photo courtesy of Mennonite Church USA.

Chuck Tirtasaputra was a youth attendee from Philadelphia Praise Center and found the worship especially meaningful. “There is something about a group of people singing together to worship God that moves me,” he reflected.  Youth crowded in front of the stage each worship session to gain the full experience of worshiping side by side with believers from all over the country. Mike Spinelli, pastor of Perkiomenville (PA) congregation, appreciated the passion of his church’s youth group: “The worship was a breath of fresh air as the youth enthusiastically moved to the front of the stage and full-on sang and jumped to the rhythms of grace.”

Beny Krisbianto (Nations Worship Center, Philadelphia, PA) in table discussions during #MennoCon19 delegate sessions. Photo by MC USA.

Worship also included a speaker each session who captivated the audience with an appealing story or message of God’s moving in their life. Speakers Dustin Galyon, Hesston College basketball coach, and Meghan Good, teaching pastor at Trinity Mennonite Church (Glendale, Arizona), were inspiring to Kyle Rodgers, youth pastor of Franconia (PA) congregation. Galyon emphasized that fear hates community, while Good highlighted that the breath of God is required to sustain our lives, in contrast to our own breath or the breath of others.

Delegate sessions were introduced on Wednesday morning with the formation of table groups. Tom Yoder Neufeld, professor emeritus at Conrad Grebel University, led three sessions from Ephesians titled Gathered as One on the unity of the Spirit. There was time for table discussions and eventually question and answer following each teaching session.

Justin Burkholder and Graciella Odelia become Franconia Conference’s first voting youth delegates. They were attending #MennoCon19 through the Step Up program. Photo by Emily Ralph Servant.

In the afternoon delegate sessions, table discussions centered around the Journey Forward, a conversation continued from convention in 2017. One discussion prompt read, “Identify one part of our shared peace witness we should work on together for the next biennium.” A variety of perspectives were discussed, including shared belief that our church must care for the migrants at the Mexico-United States border who are experiencing inhumane treatment. This focus was reflected in the passage of a resolution that condemned “the treatment of immigrants families and children at the border, as well as around the nation, [as] a horrific violation of the Image of God and God-given human rights.”

Another resolution that passed was the opportunity for congregations, churchwide agencies, and conferences to send additional voting youth delegates (age 16-21) to future conventions.

The next convention will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the summer of 2021. As attendees reflect on lessons to share and ways to integrate what we experienced with our congregations and communities, the divisiveness in relationships remains an area for which the church yearns for God’s healing. Franconia Conference board member Yvonne Platts of Nueva Vida Norristown (PA) New Life echoed this thought as a significant take away from convention. She voiced that our churches and relationships are broken due to decisions and splits.  Tom Yoder Neufeld called this “checking the horizons” and still seeing the hope that is there. May we, as one body, look upon the horizons and see Jesus calling us closer to him despite our shortcomings.

Read further reflections on #MennoCon19 from Justin Burkholder and Wendy Wong (Souderton congregation):

New Members Join the Conference Team

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As 1 Corinthians 12:14 states, “For the body is not one member, but many,” and as it is said in Ecclesiastes 4:9, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.” So too, is it with Franconia Conference. Each member of the Franconia Conference team being a vital piece, bringing their gifts and talents to further the work of the Lord. This month Franconia Conference welcomed several new members to the team including two new board members and new staff.

At the March 19 Conference Board Meeting, Yvonne Platts of Nueva Vida Norristown New Life and Cory Longacre of Souderton Mennonite Church were welcomed as new board members. Yvonne was affirmed by board vote. Cory was affirmed by the board to replace the assembly-appointed board member Smita Singh who resigned this past fall. He will therefore be on the ballot at the fall 2018 Assembly for delegate affirmation. Both Yvonne and Cory bring long-standing Anabaptist roots within Franconia Conference and deep connections to their local communities.

Yvonne Platts was baptized at an early age in the Mennonite church and has grown up at Nueva Vida Norristown New Life. Yvonne serves within her congregation on the Enlarging Our Place in Gods World Leadership Team. Her primary work is with Family Services of Montgomery County as a Community Outreach Worker with the Norristown Violence Prevention Initiative, from whom she received the Outstanding Service Award in November 2017.  She is also a member of Roots of Justice Inc. which addresses issues of racism and other oppressions, creating awareness, understanding and knowledge toward building a just society for people groups in churches, organizations, and community. Currently, she is actively working within the Norristown School District to train Circle Keepers for Restorative Justice Peace Circles. Training and equipping community members to become Circle Keepers is a deep passion of Yvonne’s, as she hopes for the establishment of community based alternatives to juvenile detention.

Yvonne is a graduate of The Center for Urban Theological Studies and holds a Master of Science in Restorative Practices and Youth and Family Counseling from The International Institute of Restorative Practices. There is no doubt that Yvonne Platts has a deep drive for peace and justice and will bring her dedication to social justice to her work with Franconia Conference.

Pastor Angela Moyer of Ripple in Allentown and a member of the Conference Board stated that she has volumes of admiration and respect for the work Yvonne does in the community. Executive Minister Steve Kriss says, “Yvonne is well equipped to think and respond in the best interest of the whole of the Conference with her long history at Nueva Vida Norristown New Life.”

Cory Longacre comes to the Conference Board recently finishing his third-and-final three year term on the Souderton Mennonite Church Board where he spent the last three years as chair. Cory grew up at Swamp Mennonite Church,  settling in after college at Souderton with his wife Linda. He first accepted Jesus at Spruce Lake Camp around the age of 13 and was then baptized at age 15 at Swamp. He is a graduate of Dock Mennonite Academy, both the former Penn View Christian School and Christopher Dock Mennonite High School. He also received his Bachelors in Business Management from Eastern Mennonite University where he met his wife Linda, whom he married in 1993. They have 3 children: Olyvia, age 19, Davry, age 15, and Zeke, age 11.

Cory currently co-owns TNC Self Storage and is Fleet Operations Manager at Perkiomen Tours. Previously he spent 20 years with Farm & Home Oil Company where he started in sales, then after 4 years transitioned to management, moving his way to Vice President where he spent several years before ending his time with the company.

“Cory brings a wealth of experience as both a community and business leader. He is both reflective and entrepreneurial — assets for our Conference,” said Steve Kriss.

Cory is grateful for the opportunity to serve.  “I look forward to joining Franconia Conference Board,” he says, “to help guide and discern as our conference continues to grow and evolve while maintaining our Anabaptist values.”

Joining the Franconia Conference in staff roles, are Jeff Wright as a LEADership Minister, Chantelle Todman Moore as Intercultural Leadership Coach, and current LEADership Minister Marta Castillo, who is increasing her time with the Conference and becoming the LEADership Minister of Intercultural Formation.

Jeff Wright will serve as a LEADership Minister, specifically working with Franconia Conference’s three congregations in Southern California: Indonesian Community Christian Fellowship, International Worship Church, and Jemaat Kristen Indonesia Anugerah (JKIA or Grace Indonesian Christian Fellowship). Jeff has served in a dual role as pastor of Madison Street Church, a Brethren-in-Christ congregation in Riverside, California and as president of viaShalom, a small not-for-profit, since 2009. viaShalom is a missional resource agency that currently operates three ministries: commonGood, a local, asset-based community development effort; viaGLobal, which support St. Francis Primary School located in Morsul, Rajshahi in Bangladesh serving approximately 80 Christian families belonging to the Santal minority; and Urban Expression North America, “a consultancy specializing in creating and sustaining urban incarnational experiments, and affiliated with similar ministries across Europe.” Bike and Sol, run by Pastor Scott Roth of Perkiomenville Mennonite Church, is a project of Urban Expression and has worked closely with Jeff. Jeff has also done consultancy work with various congregations both in Franconia and Eastern District Conferences.

Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts from Tabor College, a Master’s of Divinity from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary and earned his Masters of Business Administration with a focus in church management from the Graduate Theological Foundation. In addition, he has a Post-graduate Diploma in Applied Theology from Spurgeon’s College in London. He lives in Riverside, California with his best friend/wife Debbie. They have two adult children who he said also married their best friends. Jeff enjoys time with three grandchildren and the “church mascot/beagle-terrier puppy, Madison”, who lives with them and constantly digs up their backyard!

Steve Kriss says, “Jeff has long term relationship working as a Mennonite Church USA Conference leader. His experience and commitment to California and his capacity at developing new leaders will be a gift to our Conference, as we live into our bi-coastal reality.”

Jeff says, “I’m very excited to be part of a larger and diverse team that works collaboratively toward a common vision of being the church. It is a unique privilege to work with Franconia Conference among the new member Indonesian churches in Southern California.”

Chantelle Todman Moore comes to Franconia Conference as Intercultural Leadership Coach, where she will focus her work with our 15 urban congregations, looking at cultivating next generation leaders, focusing on persons age 15-35. She has also been tasked to think about what it takes for persons of color in ministry leadership to flourish and how that can be cultivated within Franconia congregations.

In addition to taking on this role with Franconia Conference, Chantelle is the co-founder of unlock Ngenuity a consulting, coaching and therapy business. She previously served as the Philadelphia Program Coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and as a Program Director at both Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association and Eastern University. Chantelle holds a Bachelors of Arts in International Community Development from Oral Roberts University, a Masters of Business Administration in International Economic Development from Eastern University, and is a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).

She says she is “passionate about embracing diversity and difference as a gift, seeking justice as a mandate and being moved to act by love.” Chantelle lives in Philadelphia with her spouse, Sam, and their three daughters.

Pastor Aldo Siahaan of Philadelphia Praise Center and a member of the Conference LEADership Minister team was on the board of MCC East Coast at the time of Chantelle’s employment there. He says, “Chantelle is a hard worker, full of creativity and always mixes her work with laughter.”

When asked about bringing Chantelle on in this new role for Franconia Conference, Steve Kriss stated, “Our Conference has become increasingly urban and intercultural over the last decade. Chantelle’s experience in working with urban leaders and congregations will strengthen our capacities in cultivating and accompanying current and emerging leaders. Her energy, honesty, commitment to the church, and willingness to ask hard questions are traits I appreciate about her and look forward to her bringing to her work with Franconia.”

Marta Castillo is not new to the Franconia team, but will be increasing her time. After serving almost five years on the Conference Board, Marta joined Franconia Conference as a LEADership Minister in in 2016, while simultaneously serving as co-pastor at Nueva Vida Norristown New Life.  She stepped away from the position at Nueva Vida in December, as she felt the Spirit leading her elsewhere.  At the time she did not know that “elsewhere” would include increased time with Franconia Conference. The Conference is grateful to have Marta move into the role of LEADership Minister of Intercultural Formation. The daughter of Franconia Conference-rooted mission workers, she has been shaped by all four of the linguistic cultures in Franconia Conference, growing up in both Vietnam and Indonesia. While being a primary English speaker, she lives in a bilingual family and community of English/Spanish speakers.

Marta is committed to prayer, along with active engagement of diverse neighborhoods with the message of Christ’s Good News. She is passionate about the intercultural work of unity in cultural diversity, antiracism, and racial reconciliation. She graduated from Eastern Mennonite College with a major in Elementary Education and is currently taking classes at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. Marta lives in Norristown, PA, with her husband, Julio and two teenage children, Andres and Daniel.

“Marta’s flexibility and linguistic capacity, her depth of spiritual practice and her experience working with pastoral teams combine to make her a uniquely gifted leader in our Conference,” said Steve Kriss.  You can read more about Marta here.

The staff and board of Franconia Conference are well-equipped to continue to lead the Conference into whatever God has in store. As Executive Minister, Steve Kriss stated, “these additions complement an already strongly gifted staff and strengthen our capacity to serve our growing Conference.”

The Servant of the Lord: Reflections on Bloody Sunday

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by Yvonne Platts

This year marks the 50th anniversary of three significant events in the civil rights movement in the United States: The Voting Rights Act, which prohibited racial discrimination in voting laws and practices; the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, part of the movement of rights for African-Americans; and “Bloody Sunday,” when marchers crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the Alabama River and were attacked by police with billy clubs and tear gas when they refused to turn back. Every year, marchers gather to commemorate the event and honor those civil rights demonstrators. Here, Yvonne Platts reflects on participating in this year’s march.

Marchers cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Photo courtesy of Yvonne Platts.
Marchers cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Photo courtesy of Yvonne Platts.

As a Servant who has been called a many of times to many of places, and most recently to take part in the civil rights legacy known as “Bloody Sunday,” I am always in awe at seeing God’s handiwork on display. The day of the march was a warm and sunny day, and our 10 buses from 10 different cities arrived well before noon for the rally and march, that would start at 1:00 p.m. Right away, my spirit got swept up with joy as preparations were being completed. Vendors had their tables full of cultural and historical displays, charcoal was burning in the massive grills, and music was pumping through the air.

Yet I knew this was more than just a good time; 50 years later we can clearly see a continuing pattern of systemic injustice within our police departments, government laws, and policies affecting voting rights of the poor, elderly, and people of color. Going back to work Monday was not as usual: this experience has had a profound impact that has changed me forever.

I can longer be comfortable with the status quo, nor wait on the sidelines for someone else to step up. Now is the time! Change must come! The time is now! Reclaiming the best from our leaders in Selma who walked, were beaten, and bloodied to secure voting rights will help us to organize, move forward, and bring justice back to our urban communities.

I am on a personal campaign to register all the 18-year-old youth I come across in my community. To work alongside others to bring political awareness through identifying candidates who will truly work with us to create a beloved community, and are worthy of our vote. To use my gifts and talents to lift spirits, encourage souls, and inspire minds to stand against injustice anywhere and everywhere.

Oh God our Father, continue to fill us with thy power to speak out and stand against injustices we see and face within our communities and areas of influence. Let us not miss out on opportunities to share your grace, show your love, and be a blessing to others. May we bold servants for your kingdom, fearlessly speaking the truth in love.

Yvonne Platts attends Nueva Vida Norristown New Life.

 

Toward a pro-Jesus approach: Visiting Israel & Palestine

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by Yvonne Platts, Nueva Vida Norristown New Life

This week, we are sharing several reflections from participants on the October 2014 “Come and See” tour to Israel and Palestine. The tour is part of a broader initiative by Mennonite Church USA which encourages Mennonite pastors and leaders to travel to the region, to “come and see” what daily life is like for those who live there. 

Yvonne Platts. Photo by Sheri Wenger.
Yvonne Platts on the Mount of Olives, overlooking Jerusalem. Photo by Sheri Wenger.

In reflecting on my experience on the Come and See learning tour to Israel-Palestine this October, I find my heart pounding and thoughts racing. They are racing over what feels like an overwhelming sense of duty to help others connect to the struggle and plight that our Palestinian sisters and brothers are enduring.

I went on the tour in response to an invitation to Mennonite Church USA leaders (pastors, denominational leaders, others) to join learning tours to Israel-Palestine in response to the Kairos Palestine document. This document serves as a call to Christians throughout the world to come and see what is happening in Palestine and to stand with Palestinian Christians against injustice and apartheid in their region.

I was excited to have the opportunity to visit holy places such as the birthplace of Jesus, the Sea of Galilee and the Mount of Olives, and I was filled with curiosity about what was really going on in Israel and Palestine. I have come to realize that our U.S. news media does not always provide the most accurate reporting on the issues.

I was very intrigued by our goal of meeting with people “on the ground” to gain a better understanding of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and realities, as well as learning about Palestinian and Israeli organizations that are working for peace and justice—including those with whom Mennonite agencies are partnering.

Another goal/expectation was that we would return home with a commitment to engage in education and advocacy regarding justice issues in Palestine and Israel, with the hope of moving toward a pro-justice, pro-peace and pro-Jesus approach—rather than simply a pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian one.

Prior to this invitation, I never considered visiting the region and was mostly unaware of the degree to which Palestinians are subjected to injustices on a daily basis. Right away, my mind, body and soul identified similar patterns of oppression, abuse, labeling and discrimination that African Americans in the United States experienced during Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. I was reminded of the times of slavery, where families were separated and there was a deliberate movement by slave owners and the dominant culture to destroy people’s language and culture.

I can relate to the cries of people asking for justice to be done. What good are international laws if they cannot hold the government accountable?

What I saw and recognized was that despite an intentional and strategic plan to force people from a land and inflict upon them daily humiliation through checkpoints, to create purposeful hardships through the closing of significant streets, and more, a fearless spirit abounded of resistance and hope that people will be able to overcome these struggles.

Palestinian Christians are counting on people like me and you to support their efforts for peace. If you haven’t yet read the Kairos Palestine document, please do so. I encourage you also to support Mennonite Central Committee and their partner organizations that are doing good work in helping to restore humanity in the region.

Yvonne Platts is the minister of youth and community outreach at Nueva Vida Norristown New Life Mennonite Church in Norristown, Pennsylvania. This piece originally appeared in “On the Way,” a publication of Mennonite Church USA. Reposted with permission.