Conference Minister Amy Zimbelman shares about a transformative weekend, in which Mountain States’ congregations welcomed and learned about the conference’s newest church plant and its ministry serving immigrants in San Antonio, Texas.
Amy Zimbelman is the Conference Minister for Mountain States Mennonite Conference. She has co-pastored a Mennonite church, served with Mennonite Central Committee and Mennonite Voluntary Service, and worked in refugee resettlement for almost a decade. Amy’s work on the 2023 nationwide study of women in ministry grew from her desire to foster healthy pastors and communities. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Duke University. Amy and her husband have two young sons.
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On Jan. 18, a room full of churchgoers from Colorado and Texas split into small groups and, via Spanish/English interpreters, spent an hour taking turns to share about their fears, joys, griefs and dreams for the future. Stories of harrowing year-long journeys to the U.S. mingled with joy-filled plans for upcoming weddings. There was a good deal of active listening, some laughter and a few tears. As the adults discussed their lives, about 10 of their children bounced around in the room next door.
Iglesia Christiana Roca de Refugio’s evening worship service in Spanish, shared by Roca congregants and those on the learning tour.
These storytelling groups were part of the Mountain States Mennonite Conference learning tour on January 17-20 in San Antonio. Thirteen Coloradans, representing five Mennonite congregations, flew or drove over 900 miles to meet the newest congregation to join Mountain States Mennonite Conference: Iglesia Christiana Roca de Refugio in San Antonio, Texas. Planted in April 2023, Roca de Refugio and its associated nonprofit, Nuevos Vecinos, has served about 300 immigrants, primarily asylum-seekers.
Mountain States Conference Treasurer Lauren Roth was impressed by the kindness of Roca members: “A goal of our trip was to welcome [Roca de Refugio] to the conference,” she said, “but I feel like we were so welcomed into Roca’s church community that they already knew we are all one community.”
Roca’s Church Chair Luciana Sánchez agreed. She said (via an interpreter), “It was wonderful to spend time together with all of you. We could feel the love and affection between everyone. Thank you for that beautiful moment and memory for us.”
Q&A session with Pastor Dianne Garcia (upper left corner).
The weekend’s activities included sharing meals prepared by folks from Venezuela, sorting clothes in a clothing closet, spending an afternoon on the town together, worshipping together on Sunday, and Q&As with founding Pastor Dianne Garcia. During the Q&A times, the group heard an overview of Roca’s inception and ongoing work. They also discussed everything from the U.S. immigration system to the importance of mutual partnerships when building community across lines of class, race, language and culture.
Garcia noticed that the “borders that separate us began to blur and overlap” over the time together, which helped everyone move away from a savior/victim relationship to one of mutuality. “One of the tenets of trauma healing is that people who have been traumatized must be empowered,” Garcia explained. “In order to heal from trauma, we have to write a new narrative of powerfulness of those who were (or are currently) oppressed.”
Pastor Dianne Garcia, Church Chair Luciana Sánchez, and Conference Minister Amy Zimbelman at Garcia’s licensing-toward-ordination service. Photo by Rhoda Blough.
In addition to important conversations, there were also plenty of opportunities to celebrate together, as the weekend held two birthdays, two weddings and a licensing-toward-ordination service for Garcia.
MC USA Executive Director (and San Antonio resident) Glen Guyton attended many of the weekend’s activities. He and I shared words of affirmation for Garcia during her licensing-toward-ordination service. We named that Garcia’s compassionate pastoral presence, her administrative and organizational skills, and her tireless dedication have helped make the congregation what it is today.
“I’m glad I could be here,” Guyton said of his time with the group over the weekend. “This is the real work of the Church. Instead of fighting among each other, transforming lives and helping real people is the work that the Church should be doing.”
Rhoda Blough, Mountain States Mennonite Conference moderator, Conference Minister Amy Zimbelman and MC USA Executive Director Glen Guyton participated in the license toward ordination service for Pastor Dianne Garcia. Photo by Ann Rosewall.
Near the end of the weekend, Colorado group members talked about next steps. Folks promised to share about the experience with their home churches. They pledged financial support and began an impromptu toiletry drive. Some vowed to increase their immigration advocacy efforts, stay in touch with Garcia and other congregants, share educational curricula and encourage people they know to attend possible future learning tours. While the time together couldn’t change policies or fix all the problems our immigrant communities are facing, it was a moment of connection; it was one small way of countering alienation and fear.
Rhoda Blough, one of the trip’s organizers, was glad that this experience kicked off her term as conference moderator: “I left our weekend together knowing I had been in the presence of God and had been on holy ground,” she said. “This is a weekend I will never forget.”
The Colorado learning tour members had lunch together in San Antonio, Texas.
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Discussion Resource on Immigration
Explore the Issues: Immigration – A look at today’s issues through an Anabaptist lens
Read or download it here. https://www.mennoniteusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Exploring-the-issues-immigration.pdf
Webinar Recording
Pioneering Women in Ministry, featuring Dianne Garcia
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