The Mennonite Central Committee Project for May 2009 is health kits, which are often presented to children living in refugee camps who do not have access to hygiene supplies. Some kits are given to women in rural education centers to encourage health care. People in Bosnia, Haiti, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine have received health kits in the past few years. Health kits are distributed in useful double drawstring cloth bags (11 inches by 16 inches) which you can sew yourself or you can donate contents that will be placed in a bag by volunteers. Kits can be dropped off at the MCC Material Resource Center in Harleysville. Call the Resource Center at 215-513-9561 for more information.
Contents for Health Kits (NEW items only)
1 toothbrush (adult size; leave in wrapper)
1 squeeze-tube toothpaste (minimum 6 oz; leave in box. Expiration date must be at least 18 months from now.)
1 bar soap (4 – 5 oz, in wrapper)
1 fingernail clipper
1 hand towel (larger than fingertip, dark color)
Methacton Mennonite Church is hosting a Free Movie Night on Friday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m. All are invited to ride the pedal trains and enjoy a Dr. Seuss double feature—The Lorax and Pontoffel Pock & His Magic Piano. Enjoy free popcorn and drinks.
On Saturday, April 18, 7:30 pm, Ken Kolodner, a fiddle and hammered dulcimer virtuoso, and opening act Boys of County Bucks, playing traditional Celtic music, will perform at the Perkasie Patchwork Coffeehouse in the Perkasie Mennonite Church hall. Adults $9, Adults over 65 $7, Students 13 and up $4, 12 & under free. Tasty refreshments will be for sale. Check out www.perkmenno.org for directions and more information, or call 215-723-2010.
You are invited to participate in a retreat designed to nurture, encourage and strengthen the peacemakers among us. The Nurturing Peacemakers Retreat will be held May 8 - 10 at Camp Friedenswald in Cassopolis, Michigan. Sponsored by the Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA with the support of Mennonite Central Committee Great Lakes, the retreat is not training or a workshop, but a time of inner reflection and sharing within a circle of like-minded partners in faith. For more information and to register, visit www.centraldistrict.mennonite.net.
On Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. an event called Meet the Peacebuilders will be held at Souderton Mennonite Church. Eastern Mennonite University graduate students in the Conflict Transformation program will share their stories over coffee and desserts.
Bally Community Preschool at Bally Mennonite Church, Route 100 in Bally, will be having an Open House on Sunday, May 17 from 2 – 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend! For more information call 610-845-1600 or visit www.ballycommunitypreschool.org.
The Fellowship at Souderton Mennonite Homes invites musicians and song leaders to take part in their Sunday morning services. Fellowship services are held Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in the Summit View Auditorium. SMH offers a wonderful grand piano, great acoustics, and a state-of-the-art sound system. For more information on opportunities to take part in services at SMH Fellowship, contact Pastor Mark Derstine at 215-723-2182 ext. 236.
On April 18, Ken Kolodner, a fiddle and hammered dulcimer virtuoso, and opening act The Boys of County Bucks, playing traditional Celtic music, will perform at the Perkasie Patchwork Coffeehouse in the Perkasie Mennonite Church hall at 4th & Chestnut Streets in Perkasie, PA. Doors open at 7 pm with performances at 7:30. Adults $9, Adults over 65 $7, Students 13 and up $4, 12 & under free. Tasty refreshments for sale. Check out our website www.perkmenno.org for directions or more information, or call 215-723-2010.
Without any formal music background, Ken Kolonder began learning to play the fiddle at age 23 by listening to recordings of bluegrass and American Old-time or Appalachian music. A few years after picking up the fiddle, Ken discovered the hammered dulcimer while in graduate school. Ken’s interest in the two instruments developed into an ever-expanding musical appetite beginning with Celtic music and eventually into music spanning many cultures ranging from South American music to Chinese music.
As a member of the trio Helicon (with Chris Norman and Robin Bullock) and Greenfire (with fiddler Laura Risk) and in solo appearances, Ken has toured extensively throughout North America and Europe and has been featured in nationally broadcast concerts on NPR, German National Radio, The Thistle and Shamrock, the CBC, Performance Today, All Things Considered, and on the Voice of America, as well as countless television and radio broadcasts around the U.S. Ken has been featured at numerous major festivals and performing arts centers in the U.S., was the first American to be featured at the International Hackbrett Festival in Germany and has performed with major symphony orchestras. His appearance as the featured soloist with a combined chorus (The Baltimore Choral Arts) and a chamber orchestra of members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra was broadcast in an Emmy-nominated CBS-TV Christmas special.
Opening for Ken will be The Boys of County Bucks. They play traditional Celtic music — from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Canada and the US — on fiddle, guitar, banjo, whistles, bodhrán, as well as songs of the auld sod in tight vocal harmonies.
A portion of the proceeds from this concert will go to Pennridge FISH (Fellowship in Serving Humanity), a local a non-profit food pantry created to serve the needs of the low income families in the Pennridge School District. Patchwork Coffeehouse is a collection point for FISH, at any concert you can drop off non-perishable foods for the food pantry.
Upcoming Perkasie Patchwork Coffeehouse shows:
May 16 - Kim & Reggie Harris + Chip Mergott & Annie Bauerlein,
October 17 - Gordon Bok,
November 21 - Charlie Zahm & Tad Marks + Unsafe At Any Speed
The Board of Trustees of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School announced that Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber has been named the school’s next Principal. Swartzentruber will succeed Principal Elaine A. Moyer, who will join the Mennonite Education Agency as Associate Director at the end of the 2009 school year.
For the past 12 years, Swartzentruber has served as Administrator of Shalom Christian Academy, an Anabaptist pre-K through 12 school serving 540 students in Chambersburg, Pa. Previously, he also taught middle school and served with Mennonite Central Committee for several years in Indonesia and Bangladesh.
“Under the care of Elaine and her team, Dock’s mission, programs and learning centers have grown exponentially over the past years,” said J. Philip Bergstresser, Chairperson of the Dock Board of Trustees. “In Conrad, I am confident that we have found a leader who will work with the Dock team to build on this great tradition of developing the programs and infrastructure needed to cultivate ‘the God-given abilities of our students, in preparation for responsible stewardship of life as members of God’s people in a global society,’ as our mission states.”
Swartzentruber earned a Doctor of Education degree from Duquesne University, and also holds a Master of Science degree from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor of Science degree from Morehead State University. He is an active member of Marion Mennonite Church in Chambersburg, where he recently served as elder chair. Swartzentruber holds a Superintendent Certificate through the Association of Christian Schools International, and was the recipient of the 2007 Henderson Prize for Educational Leaders from Duquesne University.
“I recently had the opportunity to see the mission of Dock in action as part of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation team,” said Swartzentruber. “Anabaptist values define my worldview, and that’s exactly what I saw at Dock. Students, faculty, staff, and administration were truly living out the mission of the school. When I learned of Elaine’s plans to serve the wider church through Mennonite Education Agency, I was excited to inquire about the opportunity to continue the excellent work she and her team have been doing at Dock.”
Franconia Mennonite Conference Prayer Focus - Week of March 29 – April 4, 2009
Pray Ephesians 4:12-13 for the church in this region: “That the body of Christ would be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Thank you for your prayer support of Mennonite education. The Mennonite Education Agency has posted new Prayers for Faith and Learning for the month of April at www.MennoniteEducation.org/PRAYERS.
Karen’s Place, the coffee shop ministry of Doylestown Mennonite Church, will be open on Saturday, April 4 from 7:00 – 10:30 p.m. featuring singer songwriter Tom Post. Admission is free. Donations collected will go to Mennonite Disaster Service to benefit hurricane victims in the Gulf area. Join this great time of Christian fellowship and music in a laid-back coffee-shop setting. For more information, please call the church office at 215-345-6377 or visit www.karensplace.org.
Come to the Quiet . . . at the next monthly Evening Song and Prayer service at Perkasie Mennonite Church on Sunday, April 5 from 7 to 8 p.m. Using music from the Taizé community in France, as well as hymns of the church, come to gather in a candle-lit atmosphere for scripture, song, silence, and prayers for our world, communities and loved ones. For directions check the church website at www.perkmenno.org or call 215-257-3117.
Pastors, lay ministers and chaplains are invited to the Pastoral Care to Seniors Seminar at Dock Woods Community on Wednesday, April 22 from 8:00 – 11:45 a.m. in the Fisher Auditorium. Drs. Carol and G. Peter Schreck will speak on “Aging Well: Recognizing Losses and Opportunities On the Last Stage of Life’s Journey.” The Schrecks are both practicing therapists and teach at Palmer Theological Seminary. They bring a family systems perspective to the topic of senior ministry. The seminar is FREE to those who pre-register by April 17. For more information or to RSVP contact Chaplain Merlin Hedrick at Dock Woods Community at mhedrick@dockwoods.com or 215-368-4438. Directions are available at www.dockwoods.com.
All are invited to hear the Franconia-Lancaster Choral Singers and Orchestra, led by conductor Ralph Alderfer, on Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Zion Mennonite Church. The choir will present Requiem by Mozart and Messiah, part III by Handel. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Tickets are available from choir members or by sending a check payable to “Franconia Foundation” to P.O. Box 165, Salford, PA 18957.
Job and Volunteer Opportunities
Peaceful Living has an opening for a part-time Licensed Practical Nurse - Residential (MED1). This person is responsible for the coordination of health care services to ensure compliance with policy and procedures and to meet the medical needs of the individuals in the residential programs served by Peaceful Living. Required skills include a current PA Practical Nursing License, valid driver’s license, a clear 3-year motor vehicle report and 2 years experience in an acute care facility or working with developmentally disabled adults. Interested persons can contact Heather Hilferty at 610-287-1200 or hhilferty@peacefulliving.org.
MCC Philadelphia and “Kingdom Builders” Anabaptist churches in Philadelphia have a new CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM up and running! With core funding from the KB churches, Dan Umstead is serving as Construction Coordinator for “Kingdom Builders Construction.” Initially the program will focus on rehab and repair for church buildings but will expand to home repairs in the future. Can you spend a day or a week working and hanging out in Philly? The partner church will talk with you to arrange food and lodging, and Dan will put you to work! This is a bare bones operation, so it is appreciated for volunteers to contribute a suggested $10 per day per volunteer to help defray program expenses. For more information, please contact Dan at 610-574-2959 or dumstead@mcc.org.
Franconia Conference Leadership Assemblies this Spring
Tuesday, April 21, 7 – 9 p.m. at Perkasie Mennonite Church
Monday, April 27, 7 – 9 p.m. at Nueva Vida Norristown New Life
Thursday, April 30, 7 – 9 p.m. at Spring Mount Mennonite Church
Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m. – noon at Steel City Mennonite Church
Date and location in Vermont to be announced
The upcoming spring gatherings will roll out details for LEAD (Leading, Equipping and Discipling), a new direction and platform for missional oversight. The gatherings are intended for pastors, congregational leadership chairs, leadership teams and stewardship facilitators or treasurers in all congregations. LEAD follows the Equipping posture for congregational leadership and aims to cultivate healthy and growing Anabaptist congregations. Plan to attend one of the gatherings with the appropriate lay leaders from your congregation. Come to learn, ask questions and explore the possibilities as we together share God’s healing and hope for all of the world.
A Call to Prayer
Congregations, Partners in Mission, and Conference Related Ministries: We are part of a body and want to support each other in prayer. What would be your prayer request of one or two sentences for the upcoming year of 2009 to share with your brothers and sisters throughout the conference? Each week the prayer requests of one or two congregations, PIMs or CRMs will be shared with congregations through bulletin announcements and on www.franconiaconference.org. Please forward your requests to Sandy Landes, Franconia Conference prayer ministry coordinator, at slandes@franconiaconference.org or 215-723-5513, ext. 121. We look forward to how God will use our prayers to empower us to embrace God’s mission.
On March 6, about 100 people celebrated the move of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) East Coast regional office to Philadelphia from Akron, Pa.
The new office is in the Oxford Circle area of northeast Philadelphia in a building purchased by Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association. The building already has several tenants and will eventually house other offices as well as an expanded worship space for Oxford Circle Mennonite Church.
Leonard Dow, Oxford Circle pastor and vice chairperson of the MCC U.S. Board said, “The move of MCC East Coast regional office to Philadelphia is a significant movement from seeing the urban communities as mission destinations or receivers, to seeing urban congregations as assets to the broader church, or mission senders.”
Dow emphasized that placing the office in the midst of urban churches increases their ability to not only minister to their own communities but also to share their gifts of people and resources with the broader church. It also allows urban congregations who have not been a part of the traditional church-wide networks to share in their mission and service opportunities.
East Coast Executive Board Member Darryl Wallace, pastor of Second Mennonite Church in Philadelphia, echoed Dow’s belief that this move will build the capacity of MCC East Coast as urban churches are part of its decision-making process. He said decisions will be influenced by the early Anabaptist values of justice and peace because these issues are immediate and real in the city. He described urban areas as “energy centers.”
Dow said that he hoped the synergy between East Coast and the urban areas will create momentum for risk-taking by the broader church.
MCC East Coast, one of four regional MCC offices in the United States, serves the area from Maine to Florida as well as Puerto Rico. MCC East Coast connects with more than 100,000 constituents in more than 1,000 congregations in the region. In addition to the Philadelphia office, MCC East Coast staff are also present in other parts of Pennsylvania, New York City, Washington, D.C., Florida, Alabama and Puerto Rico.
As Fred Kauffman, MCC East Coast program coordinator at the Philadelphia service unit said, “We can create opportunities for rural, suburban and urban churches to meet together.”
Franconia Mennonite Conference Prayer Focus - Week of March 22 - 28, 2009
Pray for the pastors of the Franconia Conference churches to be filled with the Holy Spirit as they lead and equip the congregations.
Quakertown Christian School’s Special Education Program is sponsoring a Family Fun Night & Bake Sale fundraiser on Monday, March 23. It will be held at the Friendly’s Restaurant in the Quakertown Plaza Shopping Center (Route 309) in Quakertown from 5 – 8 p.m. Come support our Special Education Program and enjoy eating ice cream while doing it! If you have any questions, please call QCS at 215-536-6970.
All are invited to see Joseph: From the Pit to the Palace, a free musical performed by children at Souderton Mennonite Church on Saturday, March 28 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 29 at 3 p.m. All ages will enjoy this upbeat and fun musical that teaches about the godly character the Lord wants to develop in each of us — integrity, faith, courage, endurance, humility, compassion, and forgiveness — all seen in the life of Joseph. For more details, visit www.soudertonmennonite.org or call 215-723-3088.
Penn View Christian School is hosting an All School Visitation for prospective families on Monday, March 30 at 9 a.m. Learn more about Penn View’s program and tour the facility. For more information call Sandra Harrell at 215-723-1196 or visit our website www.pennview.org.
All are invited to an Easter Egg Hunt at Methacton Mennonite Church on Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m. Participants ages preschool through grade 6 will enjoy an egg hunt, pedal train rides and prizes. Rain date is Saturday, April 11.
Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust is hosting a program series entitled “Making Art, Making Peace”. The next program is on Saturday, April 11 from 10:00 a.m. - noon. All who are interested in outdoor photography, Germantown history or peacemaking (or any combination thereof) are invited to this morning of art, history and peace. Participants will learn the stories of people buried in the 18th century cemetery next to the Historic Germantown Mennonite Meetinghouse, including their involvement in the community and significance in the history of Germantown. There will also be a photography lesson from a professional photographer on skills and tips for photography in small outdoor settings, including how to take close-up and wide range photos, how to work with lighting and perspective, and techniques for working with your subject. Please bring your own camera. Cost is $8.
As part of Wellspring Church of Skippack’s work in Restorative Justice at Graterford SCI, PA, Wellspring would like to invite you to Eastern University’s Windows on the World series, which will feature Howard Zehr on Friday, April 17. Howard Zehr, Professor of Restorative Justice at Eastern Mennonite University will speak on “Doing Justice on the Healing Edge.” Dr. Zehr draws from his documentary photography as well as his restorative justice work. He will share stories and portraits of victims and prisoners to explore some connecting threads and describe restorative justice. Windows on the World is intended to stimulate personal involvement in and knowledge of some of the crucial and controversial issues facing Christians today. All presentations are held Fridays at 10 a.m. in the McInnis Auditorium, unless otherwise specified. They are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Eastern University’s (St. David, PA) Provost Office at 610-341-1396.
Lee Lever has begun a new assignment as interim director of denominational ministry for Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership. He will lead a team of denominational ministers providing support and encouragement for conference ministers.
In his new role, Lever will work collaboratively with area conferences and churchwide agencies to equip conference ministers for their work with congregations. Lever and denominational ministry staff also oversee the pastoral call system, pastoral salary guidelines, resource packets for conference ministers, and more.
“Mennonite Church USA is on a journey of responding to God’s call for us to be a people of healing and hope; and we want to help area conferences as they provide connections and build relationships among pastors and congregations,” said Lever.
Nancy Kauffmann will join Lee Lever as a denominational minister for Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership, effective May 1. She joins Linford King, Phil Bergey and Iris de León-Hartshorn as denominational ministers responsible for building strong, churchwide relationships with Mennonite Church USA area conferences and their staff.
Lever began as a denominational minister with Executive Leadership in August 2007. He previously served for three years as associate conference minister with Western District Conference. He has served as pastor of Eden Mennonite Church in Moundridge, Kan., and Menno Mennonite Church in Ritzville, Wash. In 2005 and 2006, he also served as a consultant training congregational teams for Gospel in our Culture Network and Church Innovations.
Lever holds a master’s of divinity degree from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Ind., and a doctor of ministry in congregational development from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, Evanston, Ill. Lee and his wife, Terri, are members of Faith Mennonite Church in Newton, Kan., and live in Moundridge. They have three adult children.
“I sense the Holy Spirit working within Mennonite Church USA in new ways, drawing us toward a renewed understanding of who we are and what we are to be about in the midst of changing times,” said Lever.
Kauffmann has served as a conference regional minister for Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference since 2000. Previously she served on the pastoral team of College Mennonite Church in Goshen, Ind., for 19 years. She also served for three years on the student services staff for the former Mennonite Board of Missions and taught youth ministries courses at Goshen (Ind.) College for four years.
Kauffmann is part of a pastors group that has been reflecting on the nature of missional leadership. She is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the denominational ministry team and explore what it means to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. “God is calling us to keep this question central in our lives no matter where we are serving,” she said.
Kauffmann holds a master’s of divinity degree from AMBS and a doctor of ministry degree from Claremont (Calif.) School of Theology. She and her husband, Joel, live in Goshen, Ind., and have two adult children. Kauffmann is a member of the College Mennonite Church in Goshen.
Tuesday, April 21, 7 – 9 p.m. at Perkasie Mennonite Church
Monday, April 27, 7 – 9 p.m. at Nueva Vida Norristown New Life
Thursday, April 30, 7 – 9 p.m. at Spring Mount Mennonite Church
Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m. – noon (location in Lehigh Valley to be announced)
Date and location in Vermont to be announced
The upcoming spring gatherings will roll out details for LEAD (Leading, Equipping and Discipling), a new direction and platform for missional oversight. The gatherings are intended for pastors, congregational leadership chairs, leadership teams and stewardship facilitators or treasurers in all congregations. LEAD follows the Equipping posture for congregational leadership and aims to cultivate healthy and growing Anabaptist congregations. Come to learn, ask questions and explore the possibilities as we together share God’s healing and hope for all of the world.
March Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfast
Stuart Murray Williams, chair of Franconia Conference Partner in Mission The Anabaptist Network, will be presenting at the March Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfast on Thursday, March 19, from 8 – 10 a.m. at the Mennonite Conference Center in Souderton. Stuart has a PhD in Anabaptist hermeneutics and has written several books on church planting, urban mission, emerging church, the challenge of post-Christendom and the contribution of the Anabaptist tradition to contemporary missiology. Please register by Monday, March 16 for this event to Jessica Walter at jwalter@franconiaconference.org or call 215-723-5513, Ext. 114. A $5 donation will be requested to cover the cost of the meal.
Franconia Mennonite Conference Prayer Focus - Week of March 15 - 21, 2009
Pray for God’s wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit as a search committee seeks God’s leading for the next Mennonite Church USA Executive Director. Pray for the committee, potential candidates and current staff who continue their work while anticipating transition.
Peace & Justice Film Series will show the film Body of War on Tuesday, March 17 at 7 p.m. at Blooming Glen Mennonite Church. This 2008 film narrates a story of courage, conviction and resistance. Paralyzed from the neck down after serving in Iraq for just a week, 25 year-old Tomas Young is forced to deal with the realities of war. For Tomas, learning to cope with his disability means finding his voice to speak out against the war in Iraq. For more information check out www.bodyofwar.com. Contact Sarah Witter if you have further questions at 215-510-2979.
Karen’s Place, the coffee shop ministry of Doylestown Mennonite Church, continues the 9th Annual Blue-Rock Madness Month with Breaking the Bondage Blues Band on Saturday, March 21 from 7:00 – 10:30 p.m. Admission is free. Donations collected will go to Mennonite Disaster Service to benefit hurricane victims in the Gulf area. Join this great time of Christian fellowship and music in a laid-back coffee-shop setting. For more information, please call the church office at 215-345-6377 or visit www.karensplace.org.
The March prayer gathering of Franconia Mennonite Conference will be held Saturday, March 21, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Salem Mennonite Church, Quakertown PA. Time will be spent in worship and fellowship together, sharing the vision for building the prayer ministry in the local church, and spending time praying together in small groups. All are invited!
All are invited to Plains Mennonite Church on Friday, March 27 at 7 p.m. for a seminar with MCC Executive Director Arli Klassen entitled “Mennonites Engaging Iran.” For more information, please contact Walter Sawatzky at walter.sawatzky@verizon.net or 267-664-5542.
Come for a night of uplifting music at a Southern Gospel Music Concert on Saturday, March 28 at 7 p.m. at Souderton Mennonite Homes. The evening will feature Bruce Burgess Gospel Music with special guests Donna Godshall and Krystal Keeler. Cost is $10 for adults (under 16 free). Tickets are available at the door or by calling 215-234-0793. Visit www.bruceburgessgospelmusic.com for more information.
On Sunday, March 29 Stuart Murray Williams will preach and lead an interactive Sunday School class at Spring Mount Mennonite Church. Stuart is the chair of Franconia Conference Partner in Mission The Anabaptist Network. He has a PhD in Anabaptist hermeneutics and has written several books on church planting, urban mission, emerging church, the challenge of post-Christendom and the contribution of the Anabaptist tradition to contemporary missiology. The service begins at 9:45 a.m. followed by Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. All are welcome to attend.
A free seminar entitled “Was Jesus a Conscientious Objector?” will be offered on Sunday, April 5 from 2:30 - 5:00 p.m. at the Methacton Mennonite Church. Created primarily for youth, adults are also welcome. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the issues surrounding conscientious objection to war and militarism, hear stories of past C.O.s, and encourage each other in saying a conscientious “yes” to following Jesus. Pizza will be served. Led by West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship; sponsored by the Franconia Conference / Eastern District Conference Peace & Justice Committee. RSVPs encouraged by April 1 but not necessary. Contact wpmf@wpmf.org or 215-729-2050.
On Sunday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m. the Blooming Glen Mennonite Church adult choir will present A Sermon from the Mountain under the direction of Michael Bishop, Pastor of Music and Worship. This cantata by Alice Parker is arranged for choir, soloists, string quartet, piano, percussion and narrator. It is based on scripture and the sermons of Martin Luther King. A free will offering will be received.
The Morning for Moms group at Franconia Mennonite Church is organizing a “Moms Market” to take place at the church on Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. - noon. This is a multi-participant, indoor yard sale of infant/children’s items (clothing, toys, equipment, etc.) open to the public. Those that would like to rent a table to sell items are invited to pre-register. Cost per table is only $5.00 and pays for advertising the Market to the general community. For additional information or to reserve a table, please contact Kim Frederick at tkfrederick@hotmail.com.
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Without any formal music background, Ken Kolonder began learning to play the fiddle at age 23 by listening to recordings of bluegrass and American Old-time or Appalachian music. A few years after picking up the fiddle, Ken discovered the hammered dulcimer while in graduate school. Ken’s interest in the two instruments developed into an ever-expanding musical appetite beginning with Celtic music and eventually into music spanning many cultures ranging from South American music to Chinese music.
The Board of Trustees of 
On March 6, about 100 people celebrated the move of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) East Coast regional office to Philadelphia from Akron, Pa.
Lee Lever has begun a new assignment as interim director of denominational ministry for Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership. He will lead a team of denominational ministers providing support and encouragement for conference ministers.
Nancy Kauffmann will join Lee Lever as a denominational minister for Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership, effective May 1. She joins Linford King, Phil Bergey and Iris de León-Hartshorn as denominational ministers responsible for building strong, churchwide relationships with Mennonite Church USA area conferences and their staff.