Are we invited now? Name change opens doors

  • Ryan Miller

For more than a half-century, True Vine Tabernacle in Elkhart, Ind., existed as Roselawn Mennonite Church. But some time over the past decades, the vine had stopped growing. Pastor Nancy Rodriguez-Lora tells the story of how Spirit-led changes in actions and name have begun to bear fruit for the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference congregation.

Several years ago, people in the church were thinking about the name Roselawn. It was no longer our identity and did not reflect who we were. We sat down with leaders of the church and talked about it, prayed about and came up with this name – True Vine Tabernacle. The old name identified our neighborhood. The new name reflects our mission – to have people connect to the one vine and produce fruit for Christ. It reflected the leaders’ mission of evangelism around the church as well.

Urban Connections – September 2007
1.  On our street: Displaying who we are Who have we been? Who are we? Who are we seeking to become? Discovering and displaying our identity – or identities – can be tricky, but is vital as we relate to the world.
2.  Demographic study indicates divide It may not be an identity crisis, but results of a recent survey indicate at least an identity divide among urban and non-urban Mennonites in the U.S.
3.  Are we invited now? Name change opens doors Removing the denomination from its name has helped an Elkhart, Ind., congregation change neighbors’ perceptions without changing its theology.
4.  Identity is more than a word In Raleigh, N.C., and Pittsburgh, being clearly Mennonite has helped congregations define themselves both internally and externally.
5.  Why Mennonite? A new-church conversation-starter Asian church planter Kuaying Teng believes the unfamiliarity of "Mennonite" is a blessing for new churches, not a barrier.
6. Urban briefs: News from across the street How have identity questions affected other parts of the church?

The neighbors had been hearing the music from the church and seeing life in it again. Before, many neighbors had felt that part of the name Roselawn Mennonite excluded them. A few approached some of our members and asked them, “Are we invited now?”

Many in our neighborhood looked at our name and saw “Mennonite.” They thought that the church was for someone else. They thought they didn’t belong here.

The neighborhood, I think, sees it differently now.

Our story of arriving at True Vine is basically one of prayer and being led by God. We knew many places across the Mennonite Church USA but when we came to Elkhart in July of 2002, I didn’t even know Roselawn existed. We had prayed for four years with our pastor in New York City – Nicolas Angustia of Iglesia Unida de Avivamiento (United Revival Mennonite Church) – and finally decided that it was time for us to leave and follow God. We had a strong calling to Elkhart.

My husband, Carlos, came two months before I did. He visited several area churches and prayed for those churches. I believe God led him to check out Roselawn, because it wasn’t one I would have even visited. There was a small group of people there praying for God to do something in that area. Carlos felt strongly that this was where God wanted us to work. When I came, Pastor Romero from Belize was the interim pastor. After we were there two or three weeks, his role ended and the church had no pastor, no leaders, no nothing.

It was hard for me, coming from Iglesia Unida, a church very alive and rich and involved in the community, to come to a place where it felt like people were ready to close the doors. I had to trust the Lord and be willing to help out where we were needed.

The Roselawn leadership approached us first to lead a music ministry at the church. I had been heavily involved in such a ministry in New York. I agreed to help temporarily. Soon after, we began to host prayer nights and Bible studies and started giving leadership in other areas. Before we were there two years, they invited me to be their pastor, which I’ve done for three years.

We have a history, but True Vine is really a church plant, even if the conferences have not recognized it in that way. We have a lot of unchurched people in our neighborhood and the population we are working with is tough. There are people who have been on drugs and alcohol and involved in crime and prostitution. We started building this congregation basically from scratch with music and Bible teaching. Everything here is new and different, which is why we needed a new name.

We purposefully did not use “Mennonite” in the name because we wanted to see how people would respond. I have no reservations about being Mennonite and am a proud member of the Mennonite community, but the hesitation that comes when others question a name before hearing our message presented a problem for some. We know our identity – first we are followers of Christ and then we’re part of Mennonite Church USA. The name outside the building does not need to say “Mennonite” for us to be Mennonite.

Now neighbors come in and listen to the message. If they are interested, then we can explain who we are as Mennonites. They don’t question themselves before they enter. As we educate them, then, about what it is to be Mennonite, it’s easier for them to receive. They are already in the church.

We can see our community changing because we are changing. I don’t think it is coincidental.

Talk back: To respond to this story, e-mail urbanconnections@mennonitemission.net. Subscribe to this and other e-mail lists through Mennonite Mission Network.

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