Often, organizations and organisms (as in the case of the church) are considered to directly reflect the health and vitality of their leadership. While we understand that the body of Christ is not just about leadership but also follower-ship, in order for our conference to realize God’s vision to increase and strengthen the number of healthy and growing leaders, disciples, churches and connections we must be intentional about how we equip and support leaders for congregational vision and mission.
For the past several years all of conference has worked together to better define and understand the true meaning of leadership support, mission and oversight for our congregations and ministries. While our work continues to evolve, several years ago we together as a community affirmed that God’s mission for Franconia Conference was a call to “Equip Leaders to Empower Others to Embrace God’s Mission” ( E3). In this article I am setting out to offer a brief context and the emerging definition as to how we’ll continue to work to fulfill this call.
As Franconia Conference moves forward with the vision to “Equip Leaders to Empower Others to Embrace God’s Mission,” the question of what is appropriate oversight and support for congregations emerges. LEAD, Leading, Equipping And Discipling in mission for the reign of God, is a response to both Franconia Conference’s vision and ongoing conference-wide conversations about leadership and authority.
LEAD is a team oversight direction and platform intended to cultivate healthy and growing Anabaptist congregations by equipping leaders to empower others to embrace God’s mission.
The LEAD platform embeds the work of the conference Faith and Life Advisory Council and the mandate in Franconia Conference’s Vision and Financial Plan (VFP) to equip leaders in order to cultivate healthy and growing disciples, leaders, churches and connections because of God’s love for the world.
The LEAD model of “team oversight” was introduced to Franconia Conference through our intentional interim pastor relationships and their experience providing oversight to congregations. Through a four-month pilot study seven pastors, along with Conference leaders, contextualized and shaped the LEAD model to be a direction and platform for oversight.
As this work has continued to take shape, new learnings continue to emerge. One example is the importance of having the chair or team leader of the congregation’s governing body present in a more intentional way to ensure clarity of alignment with the congregation’s vision and mission.
Why oversight by teams? For several reasons:
1) Teams were the practice of the early Church: Paul and Silas; Priscilla and Aquila; Paul and Barnabas; Paul, Andronicus and Junias
2) Teams reflect the Anabaptist value of discerning God’s will with others
3) Teams build on the next generation’s passion to work more collaboratively
4) Teams afford broader representation of the leadership gifts described in Ephesians 4
5) Teams have been experienced by several LEAD participants who testify of a rich benefit to those on the oversight team, congregational leaders and the congregation itself
Each congregation’s Oversight Team will consist of one Franconia Conference staff person who will be known as the congregations’ LEADership Minister (who will be in regular contact with the lead or senior pastor); the lead or senior pastor of the congregation; at least one other leader from beyond the congregation, who will be known as the LEAD Advisor; and the congregational chairperson, where appropriate.
For the role of LEAD Advisor, congregations will select and call trusted Anabaptist leaders from beyond their congregation. These persons might include other pastors, business leaders, educational leaders, retired conference leaders, etc. It is expected that LEAD Advisors will connect with congregational leaders and governing bodies at least twice annually or as needed. One connection point would be annual meetings where church leaders will work with the oversight team.
LEADership ministers and advisors will resource congregational leaders during the annual reflection and contextualized training and connect them to conference and church-wide resources to promote and enhance personal and congregational growth and development. Among other ways, this will strengthen relationships, build trust and offer oversight teams better insight and understanding of the pastor and her/his context.
During times of conflict or disagreement, the LEADership minister and advisor will “speak the truth in love,” offering congregational leaders the needed counsel to work at accountability, conflict resolution and healthy relational patterns.
Franconia Conference will approve and equip those willing to serve in an oversight role as LEAD advisors.
It is important to keep in mind that while the LEAD oversight and equipping model has some flexibility and can be adapted according to context, the following are four congregational principles that will be the focus and goal of the work regardless of the setting:
Principle One: Mission that is current, relevant, and a vehicle for transformation
Principle Two: Clarity for congregational leadership to…
…understand and promote the congregational mission
…exhibit a clear understanding of power and authority
…establish and follow clear processes for accountability, decision-making, and conflict management
…be equipped, trained and empowered to lead
…equip, train and empower others to minister
for the sake of those who have not yet encountered Jesus Christ
Principle Three: Clarity for pastoral leadership to…
…minister with clearly defined expectations as outlined in the congregation’s job description
…posses a clear sense of personal mission and calling that is nurtured by spiritual practices and aligns with the congregation’s mission
…exhibit self-awareness that improves performance and enhances self-management of pastoral relationships
…learn continually, through ongoing reflection and review and implementation of new discoveries
Principle Four: Leadership by an Oversight Team who will…
…function through teams of people who are in agreement with Anabaptist/Mennonite faith values and Franconia Conference’s vision and mission
…maintain regular contact between LEADership ministers, LEAD advisors and lead/senior pastors
…include congregational leadership chairpersons when appropriate; facilitate and encourage pastor’s personal, leadership, and spiritual growth
…offer and encourage ongoing reflection and accountability for practices
…equip and connect (annually or) as needed, meeting with a congregation’s leaders to support, teach, and facilitate self and congregational review and reflection
…be available upon request of congregational leaders to offer discernment and counsel
You may ask yourselves how is this different than Conference Ministry Team oversight. The following graph demonstrates some of the differences:
I opened this article by stating that an organization or organism is a direct reflection of its leadership. While we indeed have a great number of leadership gifts throughout our conference and beyond, as the body of Christ, we must first depend on the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is my prayer that our organism will continue to reflect that spiritual leadership that God so graciously provides everywhere and all over the place. Let us continue to pray for one another as we continue to lead, equip and disciple in mission for the reign of God.
It is nearly 40 years since I began pastoral ministry. I have experienced oversight from Bishops, Overseers and Conference Ministers. I have served as an Overseer and a Conference Minister. So what is different about these patterns of oversight? And why these changes?
As I read the articles in this issue of Intersections, I was struck by the shifting role and authority of oversight and the shifting nature of church community and fellowship. I believe the two are related. The late churchman and historian Harold S. Bender identified community as one of the key values of the Anabaptist movement. Our past experience with Bishops was in large measure, a way of maintaining a particular kind of community. With their authority they were able to keep some sense of uniformity in belief and lifestyle that marked a distinct community in the midst of the larger community. Forrest Moyer, in his article, reflects on John E Lapp’s memories of those days. There was an orderly understanding of leadership and authority that was shared by most church members.
In the 60s and 70s when Franconia members and churches reflected greater acculturation with the larger community, leadership and authority patterns were questioned. Diversity called for greater flexibility. Congregations and members were given greater freedom to express their lifestyles. As congregations rather than conference became the center of church life and mission, Overseers replaced Bishops to help facilitate healthy processes of change, and to support pastors in their leadership of congregations. Authority shifted to a Conference Council, church councils and Elders. The church fellowship was shifting from a closed set of relationships, to broader interactions with the larger community, other faith traditions and the larger Mennonite Church. But we did not learn well how to handle our diversities and differences or how to connect missionally with those in our larger communities. We were very unsure of authority, perhaps fearful of it, and uncertain about leadership structure.
In the late 90s we came face to face with our lack of clarity around authority and community and were unprepared to work through our relationship with congregations at variance with Conference. It was a very painful time for those in leadership. Conference leadership and the Conference Assembly were able to re-group and identify a clearer vision and mission and began to set a new direction. A Conference Ministry Team was called to oversight work. New relational resources were provided for pastors and congregations in transition. The intense effort was helpful in many situations, but certain kinds of conflict and old patterns of behavior persisted. The diversity of Franconia Conference congregations was far greater than we thought. What would hold these communities of faith together and give us a mission into the 21st century?
As the leadership of Conference struggled with what oversight looks like in a 21st century mission-focused church and conference several key understandings were emerging. We needed a clear, relevant mission that is focused on what God is doing in the world. We needed leaner and more responsive structures for changing communities. We needed pastors and lay leaders who as a team were clear about their calling and authority. Oversight teams were needed to equip leadership and hold congregations accountable for their mission. These are core values around which the new LEAD (Leading, Equipping And Discipling) oversight direction and platform is built. These will take shape in differently in each congregation and ministry. LEAD will provide the empowerment and authority to move the church and its ministries into God’s mission.
Many different understandings of and experiences with community, across four or more generations, will call for leadership that is clear about its role and authority and who can work together to accomplish God’s mission of peace and love begun in Jesus and his followers. Sandra Drescher-Lehman’s article on “Community at our fingertips” illustrates how community is shifting and changing. Many, except the younger generation, will struggle with this. The articles on meeting needs in Norristown and Philadelphia further demonstrate how new forms of community take shape to meet the needs of the larger community. These are followers of Jesus and members of our congregations and ministries at work doing God’s mission. To keep healthy and growing congregations, members and ministries, we will need leadership and oversight that is focused on “Equipping leaders, to empower others, to embrace God’s mission.” May LEAD lead us in this mission.
Precisely 12:01 pm is the time that’s been set for our local ministerium to convene in the back room of China Wok each month, sometimes it’s 12:06. Our tradition is that the last pastor to arrive gets to pray – we appear to be vying for that privilege! It’s always hard to get there, hard to leave the office or hospital and all the work that never gets done, to meet with people who don’t really need me. But as soon as I arrive, I remember why I need them. These Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist, Greek Orthodox and other pastors, chaplains and leaders of the Souderton, Telford, Harleysville and Franconia social service agencies, help me laugh at how seriously I take myself. They also inspire me to know when and how to take my role in the community and world more seriously. They expand my otherwise fairly Mennonite world with stories from the larger community of faith.
Afterward back in my office, I find ten emails that have arrived in the 78 minutes I was gone – some from people in my church, one from a friend in Germany who is thrilled to have “Googled” my name and found me again, my weekly correspondence from my soul-mate in Virginia and the one I’ve been eagerly awaiting from my daughter, visiting a friend in Australia. I’m aware of the debate about the pros and cons of doing pastoral care by email, but the alternatives for me often boil down to email them or they don’t know I even thought of them. I try to prioritize reply to the several needing an immediate response. While I do that, I listen to voicemail with messages as varied as the hats I wear.
Then there’s Facebook. My teenager tells me to stay off; it belongs to “them.” I’m feeling equal pressure from my 50-something colleagues, inviting me to be their friends. My addictive personality knows that every time I’d be on-line, I’d feel guilty if someone knew I was “on,” tried to connect and I didn’t respond. I already caved to unlimited texting, and have this undiscerning thumb reaction to every one I get, even it’s just “K” – after all, how else would I be able to communicate with my kids?!
Did I say guilty? Now there’s a word that’s fading from the categories where it’s been used so effectively in the past. I thank God that grace has replaced much of the “shoulds,” but at what cost to community?
A few years ago if someone missed Sunday morning church for a week or more, I’d have to be careful how I asked where they’d been. There was a fine line between showing an interest in their lives and keeping the list of who can safely come to the next communion. No more line! Many people seem quite content to be members of a place they frequent once a month or less.
With community at our fingertips, many are using weekends to disconnect from the world rather than celebrate together. Or they’re choosing to compliment the larger church gathering with fewer friends at a retreat house, coffee shop or living room. What was once an eager response to being apart all week and a model for not only spiritual enrichment, but also for emotional and social balance, is no longer evoked in the same way. After being a pastor for over eight years, I sometimes find myself welcoming a “guest” and realizing their name is vaguely familiar – only to remember seeing it on the membership list, I hadn’t had a chance to meet them before. I’m still learning to know who all thinks of “my church” as their community.
The truth of community remains – humans are created with a need to be in relationship; to serve and be served. The whole world has become my community, accessible in bold colors; as close as the keyboard on my lap, the headset in my ears or the Skype call on my computer. The challenge is to not become overwhelmed and numb to the needs, but to allow myself to be enticed by the invitation to join God’s activity!
More than ever, the church needs the many faces of God to be a welcoming community. With God’s grace the church is invited to be a place of acceptance. In Jesus’ mercy, the church is compelled to forgive and seek forgiveness. Copping the love of the Holy Spirit, the church draws people into its dynamic faith. Mennonites in community have been scrambled, but not disassembled.
A recent news release from Mennonite Central Committee’s Philadelphia office recently proclaimed that “Philadelphia Mennonites are witnessing the ‘multiplication of loaves and fishes’ as they extend a hand to low income members and neighbors.” The article explained that an unexpected contribution for emergency food aid from Franconia and Eastern District Conferences to Philadelphia congregations allowed ten Mennonite and Brethren in Christ pastors and leaders to begin a distribution of MCC grocery bags and 20 pound bags of rice that grew and grew.
“These ‘loaves and fishes’ were blessed and began to multiply,” explains Fred Kauffman, MCC Philadelphia Program Coordinator. “We asked a Vietnamese Christian businesswoman, Julie Hang Tran, where to buy rice in bulk. She responded with a very generous personal contribution to the project. Sister Laura Rogers at Crossroads Community Center in North Philly called Cousins Supermarket, owned by Palestinian Muslims, and they donated 1,000 lbs of rice. Pastor Aldo Siahaan from Philadelphia Praise Center went to buy 800 lbs of rice from a Chinese wholesaler, and an employee bought 100 lbs himself to contribute. When one of Bishop Lawrence Chiles’ congregations was distributing grocery bags, a local shop owner came up and donated some canned goods.
“Later, while sharing a meal at an Indonesian restaurant, our sense of wonder grew as we listened to each others’ stories of how local resources were appearing to extend the blessing of food assistance. Bishop Chiles summed it up. ‘It’s raining rice!’ he said. “Thanks be to God.”
This donation was not the only emergency food response from Franconia Conference. Kirby King, faculty member at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, has helped Nations Worship Center in South Philadelphia to begin what’s being called The Diakonia Project working alongside a fellow Eastern Mennonite Seminary classmate, Beny Krisbianto, who leads Nations Worship Center.
“Because of the global economic crisis that is happening, many people in our inner city Philadelphia have lost their jobs, struggle to buy food, don’t know what to do to survive,” explains Krisbianto. “So as the church we want to be the hands of God that are used by him to help our community.”
King explained that he approached Krisbianto after class one day and together they set up a plan to help meet the food needs. The Diakonia Project, which is the Greek word for deacon and derives its name from the Acts 6 passage that describes the appointment of seven deacons to distribute food fairly, is donating the staple foods of many Asian cultures: rice, noodles and eggs.
“The project component that I am working with is a once a month supply of some basic food for the families for six months, March through August,” states King. “It includes 300 pounds of Jasmine Rice, 300 packets of Ramen Noodles, and 60 dozen eggs. Souderton Mennonite Church’s Genesis Sunday School class is funding the eggs and 150 pounds of Jasmine Rice from Derstine’s Foods. The students and the teachers at Christopher Dock are providing the remaining 150 pounds of Jasmine Rice and all 300 packets of noodles.”
“We started with 35 grocery bags, and this weekend we were able to pass out 80 grocery bags,” noted Krisbianto after a recent distribution. “The numbers are multiplying. Other people who have seen our actions started to join with us and contribute more. The donations started flowing to our ministry. I have seen almost 30 new people starting to come to our church in the last two months. All of our congregations got exited because we believe that we are doing the right things to help our brothers and sisters who need help right in this moment.”
“I was again reminded of how quickly we can rally together for mutual aid and how caring this Mennonite community is,” reflected King when asked what inspirations he has seen since beginning this project.
If you want to get in touch with the pure joy that comes with empowering others in Jesus’ name, watch Peggy Fajardo light up when she talks about The Benefit Bank.
“People are so surprised that it’s free. Curious about our church, they start asking questions about our worship services and other activities.”
The Benefit Bank is an online databank that assists low and moderate income households with submitting applications for various social services such as Medicaid (such as CHIP & AdultBasic), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps), Prescription Assistance (PACE & PACE Net) and Property Tax/Rent Rebates for low income seniors and persons with disabilities. The Benefit Bank also files FAFSA college loan applications along with federal and state tax returns. Designed to bring people closer to stability and self-sufficiency, this free web-based system simplifies and centralizes the process of applying for many state and federal benefits.
Peggy, the Administrator at Nueva Vida Norristown New Life (NVNNL), is one of five Benefit Bank counselors at NVNNL who offer this service to the Norristown community in Spanish and English.
“People are so relieved to file their taxes in a timely and correct way, even if they must make a payment,” says Peggy. “Others appreciate the warm, confidential atmosphere of the church, where they are treated with dignity and not just as ‘the next’ in line. I feel like I am giving them a gift.”
Peggy puts people at ease, playing Christian music softly in the background, and she invites them to join us for worship and Bible study. Sometimes she prays with persons as they share their struggles. A Benefit Bank client is now attending our congregation and another client, who is a regular attendee, has indicated her eagerness to become a member.
The Benefit Bank is just one of the many ways NVNNL is “Enlarging Our Place In God’s World.” The thrust behind our $2 million capital campaign is a God-given vision to expand our intercultural, intergenerational ministries of justice, reconciliation, access and opportunity for transformation within and beyond our walls, and Kingdom entrepreneurship (income generation to support our ministries). After 10 years of full-capacity use of our facilities, the congregation was able to purchase New Life Plaza, an adjoining office building. New Life Plaza is now home to ASSETS Montco, a small business training program, The Benefit Bank and the church office.
The Benefit Bank was one of the easiest parts of “Enlarging Our Place…” to start. With internet access, a printer and volunteers willing to serve as counselors, we were “good to go.”
The building also holds the possibility of hosting counseling, financial and legal services for low to moderate-income families in our community. The campaign also includes exterior and interior renovations and repairs which are greatly needed to maintain our facilities as a welcoming place for all. Our immediate next steps are to lower the mortgage for New Life Plaza, install carpet and new air conditioning units, select members for our new ACTS 2 Community Development board, aquire materials and labor for various renovations, and raise undesignated gifts and pledges of support.
As NVNNL enters our second year of the “Enlarging Our Place…” effort, we are in an unanticipated season of increased needs with diminished resources. After several years of over-the-budget giving, our growing congregation is now dealing with the economic fallout that is facing most non-profits and congregations.
We are grateful to Franconia Conference congregations as well as businesses and indviduals connected with the Conference community who have walked with us thus far. We’re trusting God to open more doors.
For more information on Nueva Vida Norristown New Life’s “Enlarging Our Place In God’s World” and it’s expanding ministries like The Benefit Bank visit norristownnewlife.com or contact Pastor Ertell Whigham at 484-322-0442 or Jim Williams at 610-277-1729.
Kingdom Builders Anabaptist Network of Greater Philadelphia, in partnership with Mennonite Central Committee’s (MCC) Philadelphia office, has launched Kingdom Builders Construction a new renovation and construction project for the various Anabaptist churches and ministries in Philadelphia.
Dan Umstead, a Spring City, Pa., resident and recent Eastern University graduate, will serve the Kingdom Builders and MCC Philadelphia office for the next two years as project coordinator of Kingdom Builders Construction. Dan is an experienced volunteer construction team leader and jobsite foreman. He has worked in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina and in the Dominican Republic.
J. Fred Kauffman, MCC Philadelphia Program Coordinator, explained that this building project started very quickly beginning with a discussion of the needs of many churches and ministries in Philadelphia and an inquiry on available positions with MCC from Dan. “In a period of about a month we went from nothing to enough work to say let’s go,” said Fred.
Along with immediately taking on the role of building caretaker at Franconia Conference Related Ministry Philadelphia Mennonite High School (PMHS), Dan will also work on renovating Philadelphia Praise Center’s basement to add a kitchen, renovating Oxford Circle Mennonite Church’s new building, renovating Vietnamese Mennonite Church’s fourth floor, helping a newly developing Ethiopian church purchase and renovate a building for their congregation and working with several city-based Anabaptist community ministries to assist in renovating the homes of community members in need.
“Kingdom Builders Construction (KBC) is now in full swing aiding the Philly churches in their rehab projects,” says Dan, who is now a few months into the project. “KBC is actively working with Oxford Circle Mennonite Church doing a large scale remodel and has a full schedule for the next few months, between jobs with Philadelphia Praise Center, Cross Roads Community Center, and the Vietnamese Mennonite church - we will be very busy.”
In addition Dan will solicit and coordinate volunteer groups to assist him in the renovation and construction projects.
“All the work done by KBC is facilitated through volunteers and they are the heartbeat of this project,” notes Dan. He is making a wide appeal to all local church groups, including youth groups on up to older groups, to come and spend a week or so with him in Philadelphia building and renovating in these projects.
“Through pulling volunteers from within the city as well as the outlying areas KBC has been already been a catalyst for forming relationships.”
In the future Dan will also be holding construction and home improvement workshops open to all interested and a Friday Elective Service Learning class for PMHS.
The congregations employing Dan have already committed funds toward the project and Fred was very excited to note that Kingdom Builders and MCC Philadelphia has already received more than half of the money needed to fund this initiative. The project’s biggest needs now are tools, funding for operating expenses and volunteers.
For more information on Kingdom Builders Construction and on volunteering contact Dan Umstead at 610-574-2959.
At the Mennonite Heritage Center, we preserve and share the heritage of eastern Pennsylvania Mennonites. Some of the history is well-known. Some is forgotten or unclear. Daily we revisit, discover and share stories of life as it was in this Mennonite community, so that we may know where we come from, learn from the past and hold out hope for the future.
It has been my privilege to work with the papers of John E. Lapp, a leading bishop in Franconia Conference through the middle of the twentieth century. Lapp was ordained to the ministry in 1933, as a 27-year-old grocer. Four years later he was ordained bishop, becoming one of five men appointed for life to lead and spiritually govern a community of 4,000 Mennonite souls between Allentown and Philadelphia.
Lapp’s time as bishop saw greater change in this community than anyone expected. Through three wars, the radical 1960s, and swift advances in technology and suburbanization, Franconia Conference Mennonites became increasingly educated, exposed to new cultures and ideas, and thoroughly integrated with the world around. By 1972, when Franconia Conference restructured and discontinued the office of bishop, there was no longer a covenant discipline requiring distinctive dress or avoidance of worldly attachments. There was a new effort to break down barriers between Mennonites and their neighbors, and decision making in congregations had become more democratic.
In 1974, John Lapp shared his memories of authority and discernment in the Mennonite community. His words provide a window into patterns of discernment now largely forgotten. According to Lapp, this is the way things were:
“In the congregations, there were four groups of leaders…
1) The ‘bench’ [those who sat behind the long pulpit in our old meetinghouses] – the ordained ministers, bishops and deacons, chosen by lot.
2) The trustees, who were selected by an older man at the end of his lifetime of service as a trustee…
3) The song leaders. These were usually chosen by the song leaders of the congregation from younger men who were gifted…
4) The Sunday School superintendents. These were usually elected at an annual meeting…
Congregational decisions were made by the bench. If the bench wanted some broader counsel, they would speak to either the trustees or one of the other groups of leaders…These persons were usually persons of good judgment, so the members of the congregations trusted their decisions…
…Sunday afternoons [for lay and ordained members alike] were always spent in visiting after a dinner in one of the homes. Four families or even more would be together in one home, and the discussions would be centered around the Word, or on some important question that was before the people. There was much discussion about the eternal things. Questions of relations to the government, doings of the president and governors were talked about. But the Word of God was always the final authority on any question. A reverent attitude toward God was maintained. Personal piety was subjected to the scrutiny of the group and together they became better persons…
Out of these visits and special occasions there was much discernment for persons, families and for the community. There was often personal heart-searching resulting from these discussions.”
There is much more to Lapp’s memories than I have room to share, and you are welcome to stop by the Heritage Center and learn more! But even in this small portion, there are notable things:
1) Discernment was communal, relational and anchored in spiritual conversation. Members and leaders shared together about their world and community life while visiting casually in one another’s homes after a good meal.
2) Usually, the leaders described were in office for life or at least many years, and remained in the congregation where they were called to office. They were committed to those people and relationships until death. This must have contributed to a sense of trust between the congregation and decision makers.
Criticism could be brought against the old patterns described above. Certainly there were problems. But we benefit by looking back and seeing also the good in old ways. In reading Lapp’s words, we can ponder: What from the past might be relevant to our 21st century journey?
Many of us think about how numbers define ministry–from budgets, attendees and fundraising goals. At Camp Men-O-Lan, God is pulling us to see differently in the view of eternity, not only in increase of scope and impact. The child from England, accepting Christ for the first time at our day camp, giving him hope as he headed home to a broken family. Or the girl invited by a friend, who found Christ and subsequently went home, explained to her family who Christ was and watched her family make a commitment to be “seekers” of this newly found faith. If we only watch the numbers, we can miss the eternal connections and the people for which we are supposed to be ministering.
Men-O-Lan has recommitted itself to being active in our community, purposeful in our connections and sustainable in our commitment of partnering with local churches in the rewarding work of reconciling our youth and adults to God. As peacemakers of God, our history has helped us define our future–making peace across cultural divides, producing programs, not for program’s sake, but for the sake of the Cross and enabling our youth to be purposeful and productive Christians in our communities.
Over the past year, Camp Men-O-Lan has enjoyed working in fresh new ways for our supporting churches and beyond. It is our desire not to be an organization apart from the work of your church, but to support its effectiveness with our own unique outdoor setting. We take seriously the title “Conference Related Ministry” and are eager to partner as Mennonite brothers and sisters in the Lord. Mutually, we are indeed reaching our world for the sake of Christ.
Our purpose is not to concern ourselves so much with crowds, but to work slowly and methodically, individual by individual, in several areas God has effectively laid out for us. Continuing our partnership with our local churches, we’ve focused on several areas of ministry. We continue the amazingly effective work of our summer programming. With increased vision and strategy, our overall goal is to be missional with the kids God allows for us to minister to for the summer. But also, and just as importantly, our program staff strives to make leaders for the critical and eternal work back home in the congregation. Our college-age staff will receive online training via the web before summer camp even begins. And this year, we’re introducing “Individualized Education Programming” (IEP) to teach life-skills, based in outdoor education and much more. Because of this, we’re increasing our effectiveness as a partner with Penn Foundation and their summer program here at Camp Men-O-Lan.
God has also allowed us to be better stewards of our environment. Recycling, composting and creating smaller “footprints” in our usage of water and electricity are just some of the newly changed areas we are endeavoring and encouraging others to be faithful in here at our facilities. We see a real need to move progressively into agriculture and ask you to consider how you might be able to help us financially and practically in this area; a sustainable and amazing way to allow kids to think and cooperate together, while having fun with livestock and gardens. In terms of Creation-based education, Camp Men-O-Lan is creating better trails, land use and educational programs to allow youth (and adults) the time needed to stop and think about their Creator.
Our up-and-coming “baseCamp” will allow us to work with youth groups to strengthen their already effective impact, specifically through becoming better and more responsible leaders back in their home churches. This outdoor program is based on the principles of Nehemiah–using the skills we already (sometimes unknowingly) possess to create new “foundations” in our culture. Through fun and creative outdoor education and community service and mission trips, God has clearly given us a vision for helping our youth “stay and not stray” from our churches.
In all of this, and much more, we humbly ask God to help us for his glory. Whether allowing us to be more biblically hospitable to our weekend group rentals, or creating awesome programs for our senior citizens, it is Camp Men-O-Lan’s desire to be the feet and hands of Christ himself. And by all means, come see us!
Bruce, a Gospel musician, has been sharing the Good News through music at local churches and events for just over two years. He notes that after passing “the half century mark’ in his life he began to feel God calling him to share the Gospel through his musical talents.
Bruce has written and produced two CD’s since he began his ministry. His friend Ken became the subject of one of his songs in the fall of 2007.
“When my wife Donna and I began attending Perkiomenville Mennonite Church, one of the goals for my life at that time was to improve my prayer life,” reflects Bruce. “Ken Krupp, Minister of Prayer at Perkiomenville, was teaching a class on prayer. Through that class I learned to know Ken and that he worked for Landis Supermarket in Vernfield as the head of the seafood department. He told me that he frequently would pray with people at the store.”
“In August 2007, on our way to record my first music CD, I suggested to those with me that we stop at Landis’ to have Ken pray with us about the project. It so happened that another sister from our church, Janelle Ferrence was also there so we had a Perkiomenville prayer circle at the seafood counter.
“Late one November night I was picking some chords on my guitar when words came to me about Ken and his work and ministry at the supermarket and how God made him a fisher of men. From there the rest of the song came together.”
The song was enititled, “KEN, Fisher of Men” and this past winter Bruce, Ken and several other folks got together to film a music video of the song. This music video shows a montage of Ken doing prayer ministry and was filmed at Landis Supermarket, Ken’s home and at Perkiomenville Mennonite Church.
“Through making this video, God has given me the opportunity to work with a lot of talented people,” notes Bruce. “He has also allowed me to become closer to my church family at Perkiomenville Mennonite Church.”
Though a bit embarassed at the attention this music project has directed towards him, Ken reflects that he is honored to have been a “role model/mentor” to Bruce.
Ken has also been blessed and seen blessings come from this music video. “One of the company owners came to me, after seeing the video, thanked me and affirmed me for the video and what I am doing. He said, pointing to heaven, ‘if it’s for God’s glory, I’m for it!’ I thanked him, for being able to serve God in my workplace, where God has called me.”
Ken has had several people ask for prayer at Landis Supermarket after seeing the video. “There have been many instances where I have been able to pray with, encourage, and share with people, and there aren’t many employers who allow that these days. Praise God!”
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Often, organizations and organisms (as in the case of the church) are considered to directly reflect the health and vitality of their leadership. While we understand that the body of Christ is not just about leadership but also follower-ship, in order for our conference to realize God’s vision to increase and strengthen the number of healthy and growing leaders, disciples, churches and connections we must be intentional about how we equip and support leaders for congregational vision and mission.
The LEAD model of “team oversight” was introduced to Franconia Conference through our intentional interim pastor relationships and their experience providing oversight to congregations. Through a four-month pilot study seven pastors, along with Conference leaders, contextualized and shaped the LEAD model to be a direction and platform for oversight.
LEADership ministers and advisors will resource congregational leaders during the annual reflection and contextualized training and connect them to conference and church-wide resources to promote and enhance personal and congregational growth and development. Among other ways, this will strengthen relationships, build trust and offer oversight teams better insight and understanding of the pastor and her/his context.
In 1974, John Lapp shared his memories of authority and discernment in the Mennonite community. His words provide a window into patterns of discernment now largely forgotten. According to Lapp, this is the way things were:
