Intercultural Mosaics Spring Class Schedule effective from January 7, 2022 to May 27, 2022 – All classes will be held on Zoom at PDT/PST Time (California, USA) – tentative

Friday Zoom Site: https://zoom.us/j/589676463

• Conversational Spanish: 4 pm on 2nd and 4th Fridays

• Conversational Chinese: 5 pm on 2nd and 4th Fridays

• Conversational Japanese: 6 pm on 2nd and 4th Fridays

Saturday Zoom Site: https://zoom.us/j/589676463

• Beginning Korean & Culture: 4 pm

• Advanced Korean: 5 pm

• Beginning Mandarin Chinese: 6 pm

• Beginning Japanese: 7 pm

• English Learners Group: 8 pm

Sunday Zoom Site: https://zoom.us/j/442438856

• Beginning French: 3 pm

• Beginning Spanish: 4 pm

• German Language & Culture: 5 pm

• Bible Study & Meditation: 6 pm

For more information, please join our FaceBook group at: www.facebook.com/groups/interculturalmosaics or our Meetup site at: http://meetup.com/mosaics.

Thank you!

Mosaics Christmas Carol & Karaoke Party

This year, we are celebrating Christmas little earlier by singing carols and doing the karaoke contest together with people who are joining form all around the world.

• When: Dec. 19, 2021 at 4 pm to 7 pm
• Where: Zoom Online at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/442438856
• Who: Mosaics Participants and their friends
• What: Karaoke Contest with Prizes (eGifts)

Please RSVP at: https://www.facebook.com/events/207757181537814

Please feel free to join without worrying about singing. For those who are entering singing contest, please prepare to share a YouTube karaoke-version video to sing-a-long.

For more information, please contact Dr. Stephen Moon at catalyst@nextg.org.

Thank you!

2021 Year-End Fundraiser to Support Mosaics!

Happy Thanksgiving!! Happy Holidays!!

It’s a season of giving and we would like to invite you to our fundraiser.

We’re raising $12,000 for Intercultural Mosaics (via our sponsoring church and a partner, Davis Community Church) at FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/donate/201241078839301 and your contribution will make a big impact, whether you donate $5 or $500.

Every little bit helps. Thank you so much for your financial support! <3

If you prefer to make donation to our online donation account directly, please use the following link: https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-bin/Vanco_ver3.vps?appver3=wWsk24ZWJSTZKsGd1RMKlg0BDvsSG3VIWQCPJNNxD8upkiY7JlDavDsozUE7KG0nFx2NSo8LdUKGuGuF396vbasZoKVewoWYQhBu2eHzNSCXHubq5Z7ap5JVmPErc4ZeYHCKCZhESjGNQmZ5B-6dx5lg8X-kR8SDRo33hXuTxG8=&ver=3

or you may also write tax-deductible love-offering check(s) payable to:

“Davis Community Church” (for Intercultural Mosaics on the note of your check) and mail your donation to: Janet C. Soller, Interim Finance and HR Administrator, Intercultural Mosaics at Davis Community Church, 412 C Street Davis, CA 95616.

Your generous donation in any amount will be greatly appreciated. For more information about our ministry, please visit our website: www.nextg.org.

For more information about Intercultural Mosaics, please contact Dr. Stephen Moon at 916-217-5470.

Thank you so much again for your support and prayer! 

Mosaics Halloween BBQ Picnic at DCC North Lawn on Oct. 30, 2021

Who: Mosaics participants and their friends & family

Dinner starts at 4 pm:

• We will grill Grass-Fed Beef Patties, Vegan Patties, Lemon Chicken, Fishes and Vegetables.

• We will make rice and 5~7 delicious Korean side dishes.

• Please bring side dish, desserts and/or drinks to share.

Costume Contest and Raffle starts at 5 pm:

• Please wear Halloween costume if you want to win prize. It’s ok to come without costume.

• Please bring contest and/or raffle prizes to donate, if you have.

COVID-19 Safety Rule & Class Information:

• Everyone must be vaccinated and it is highly recommended that attendees receive a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the event.

• Served food should be done by people who are vaccinated and masked. No self serving of anything including beverages and condiments.

• Attendance will be recorded in the event that contact tracing is necessary. When you sign your name upon arrival, you will be given a raffle ticket.

• No Zoom classes on Oct 29-31 due to the Halloween event.

Please RSVP at: https://www.facebook.com/events/4477752528984255

For more information, please contact Dr. Stephen Moon, at 916-217-5470 or catalyst@nextg.org. Thank you! 

Intercultural Mosaics Fall Class Schedule effective from Sept. 24, 2021 to Dec. 19, 2021 – All classes will be held on Zoom at PDT/PST Time (California, USA)

Friday Zoom Site: https://zoom.us/j/589676463

• Conversational Chinese: 5 pm on 2nd and 4th Fridays

 Saturday Zoom Site: https://zoom.us/j/589676463

• Korean Alphabet: 3 pm

• Beginning Korean: 4 pm, 1st and 3rd Saturdays

• Beginning Russian: 4 pm, 2nd and 4th Saturdays

• Advanced Korean: 5 pm

• Beginning Mandarin Chinese: 6 pm

• Beginning Japanese: 7 pm

• English Learners Group: 8 pm

Sunday Zoom Site: https://zoom.us/j/442438856

• Beginning Spanish: 2 pm

• Beginning French: 3 pm

• Beginning Conversational Japanese: 4 pm

• Beginning German: 5 pm

• Bible Study & Meditation: 6 pm

In addition to Zoom classes, we plan to have outdoor intercultural classes and events such as, Tai Chi, Drum Circle, Karaoke, Dancing, Paintings, BBQ Fellowship and Intercultural Festivals in the near future at the Davis Community Church Campus.

For more information, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mosaicsfellowship

Mosaics in Davis started as an “experimental ministry” in early 2015 to reach out innovatively to the next generations. It sought to help today’s younger generations find their way to faith through the pleasures and dangers of the Internet and computer technology, which has done so much to shape their world. After evaluating the demographics, doing some street “exegesis” (exploration) to find which town/district would be most suitable to become the core-center in the Sacramento Metropolitan Area, we identified Davis, CA as having the most potential. As a college town, it was a good fit.

We developed a partnership with Davis Community Church (hereinafter, “DCC”) which began proactively supporting Mosaics by providing gathering spaces, staff support, financial support and prayers. A relationship with the presbytery has been firmly established that includes a liaison as well as ongoing communication with the presbytery’s Congregational Support Ministry Team. We also developed a relationship with Cal Aggie House (campus ministry by DCC and other denominations), International House (an intercultural non-profit for UC Davis students and residents), Yolo Food Bank, and many other non-profit organizations in Davis.

Mosaics began being a place of belonging for young people… Christian and non-Christian alike. Grounded in the spiritual practice of hospitality, we enable people to more fully live with and know their neighbors. Since the original word for hospitality, “philoxenia,” literally means the ‘love of strangers,’ it is our call to create a community of welcome for all. We are a “new expression” of Christianity that responds to the rapidly changing culture in dynamic ways. With that, Rev. Moon began to meet monthly with DCC’s New Expressions Committee which helped build bridges of opportunity for Mosaic participants to join DCC opportunities, including worship.

When we started in 2015, there were 12 initial core participants. By early 2020, there were 120+ regular participants. Mosaics was providing a contemporary interfaith-intercultural-inclusive fellowship weekly on Saturday afternoons on the DCC campus, as well as spiritual classes and small group fellowship on weekdays at various small group leaders’ homes. Mosaics leaders-teachers led the 60~80 avg. weekly participants. The age span was also expanding–in both directions! Millennials came with their young children and older people began joining as well.

With the onset of the pandemic, Mosaics converted from all in-person classes to virtual classes starting mid-March of 2020 and stopped offering small group fellowship. Mosaics received new participants that weren’t from Davis or even Sacramento. We went from having about 6-9 cultures represented to almost 30! Over 300 new friends joined from around the world with a wide range of participation–some joining only briefly, as well as those who are developing ongoing relationships. With the inception of Zoom classes, we have 70-80 participants while offering nine major language classes. We have also begun to offer music classes, spirituality and Bible study classes. Now our classes go from Friday through Sunday every week, adding 6-9 new participants weekly. We’ve been a creating dynamic virtual community without boundaries of age, geography or culture. Thus, we have a new name: Intercultural Mosaics.

Statistics of Mosaics as of August 1, 2021

• Total Number of Meetup Registrants: 1,870 registrants

• Total Number of FaceBook Group Active Members: 233 members

• Total Number of Webpage Subscribers (www.nextg.org): 25,215 subscribers

• Total Number of Gatherings: 3,380

• Average Number of Weekly Participants: 75 ~ 100 participants

• Average Number of Weekly New Participants: 7 ~ 10 new participants

• Number of Weekly Zoom Gatherings: 12 +

• Number of Monthly Small Group Gatherings: 2 ~ 5

• Number of Core-Leaders: 15 +

• Number of Ethnicities: 30 +

Intercultural Mosaics Summer Class Schedule effective from July 9, 2021 through August 29, 2021

Friday Zoom Site: https://zoom.us/j/589676463

• Conversational Chinese: 5 pm on 2nd and 4th Fridays

• Chinese History & Culture in Mandarin language: to be announced

Saturday Zoom Site: https://zoom.us/j/589676463

• Mosaics Group Fellowships in Person: check upcoming events

• Beginning Korean: 4 pm on 1st and 3rd Saturdays

• Beginning Russian: 4 pm on 2nd and 4th Saturdays

• Advanced Korean: 5 pm

• Beginning Mandarin Chinese: 6 pm

• Beginning Japanese: 7 pm

• English Learners Group: 8 pm

Sunday Zoom Site: https://zoom.us/j/442438856

• Beginning Spanish: 3 pm (it will be changing back to 2 pm from Aug. 8th)

• Beginning French: will resume from Aug. 8th at 3 pm

• Beginning Conversational Japanese: 4 pm (will offer from July 11 through Aug. 29, Mutsumi will teach from Japan)

• Intermediate Korean: 5 pm (it will be changing back to 4 pm from Sept. 12)

• Beginning German: No classes during the summer time (it will resume from Sept. 12 at 5 pm)

• Bible Study and Meditation Group: 6 pm (Gospel of Luke)

• Hebrew Bible Reading: 7 pm (Alphabet learning and Genesis)

For more information, please visit: https://nextg.org or contact Dr. Stephen Moon at 916-217-5470. Thank you!

{ Intercultural Mosaics }

To evangelize Gen Y-Zers, Mosaics began its journey in 2013. The journey focused on intense social media and person-to-person outreach to Millennials living in the Sacramento Metropolitan Area. Mosaics has been providing space, both physical and spiritual, for Gen Y-Zers, and other generations to find authentic fellowship with God and others. Since its inception, we have been inviting Gen Y-Zers through word-of-mouth, Internet and social media networks—vital aspects of postmodern technology available in our era to unite and evangelize them effectively. Mosaics’ fellowship has been filling with love, grace and laughter as participants have begun to consider each other as siblings. Many newcomers speak of their sense of “belonging” to Mosaics fellowship from day 1 as they find that our community is not formed through traditional or systematic ways, but is being formed organically without any rules or forces—a main reason we grow and attract newcomers every week.

Though the original focus specifically targeted Gen Y-Zers, the age of those the Spirit was prompting began to get a bit wider. By the beginning of 2020, we were even needing to consider the needs of some children of Gen Y parents! Though we anticipated some ethnic diversity, perhaps 4 or 5 different ethnicities, it rapidly surpassed that number. The Spirit was doing something much more than what we had expected.

Our ministry dramatically changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. When we changed all of our gatherings in virtual space, mostly on Zoom, stretching from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening, many new participants joined from all over the world for our 12+ gatherings. Since the pandemic, we have been constantly receiving 6~9 newcomers each week, many who are continuing to be part of Mosaics. Three of them became teachers and many of them want to be leaders. Our local presence dramatically shifted to global presence in 1.5 years. Our in-person ministry dramatically shifted to virtual in a few weeks. The age span continued to expand. The ethnic diversity expanded dramatically as well. Mosaics’ original focus on building a local community of Gen Y-Zers has transformed into a global community for all generations, all cultures and languages, and needs to shift to offering online and in-person engagement. This transformation was unplanned and led by the Holy Spirit. Mosaics became Intercultural Mosaics—intercultural salad bowls by crossing boundaries of time, locations, cultures, languages, races, identities, ideologies, history, religions, and all/any barriers.

According to Dr. Klaus Schwab of World Economic Forum, we are living in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) era since 2015, where AI, nanotechnology, robot technology and internet networks are rapidly evolving and flourishing in the foundation of the digital revolution (1970s – 2000s). The most distinctive character of the 4IR is how ‘most effectively’ people can connect and communicate—creating an “infosphere” in a hyper-connected society.

Mosaics is preparing and shifting to reach out globally and to become a spiritual infosphere. While Millennials and Gen Zers, are constantly adopting 4IR in their lives and connecting to others globally through various social media hubs, churches have not yet fully incorporated the opportunities of the 4IR for the evangelism of precious souls of the next generations. Schwab predicts that local-based communities will disappear and many will lose the ability to empathize. Schwab sees that the main goal of the 4IR is empowering people to improve their quality of life. In 4IR, society will be more “human-centered,” so that the need of spirituality (the work of churches), will be greatly increased and more important than ever. Therefore, we, the church, need constant innovation of leadership to be equipped for this new reality. (*Further reading: “The Fourth Industrial Revolution” by Klaus Schwab, 2017).

This is a critical time and tipping point for Christians to energetically and innovatively claim our divine calling—to rise to the challenge, rejecting despair and fatalism—and to truly seek the wellbeing of the planet and human beings. To meet these challenges, Mosaics wants to pursue Ezekiel’s vision. Dr. Michael Beck, in his book, “Deep Roots, Wild Branches: Revitalizing the Church in the Blended Ecology” says that Ezekiel has vision of revitalizing and cultivating new communal ecosystems amidst declining congregations.

“All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.” – Ezekiel 17:24.

Beck’s “Blended Ecology” is summarized as “a manifestation of emergence”—synergistic relationships occurring between inherited and emerging modes of church that result in a new complex organism. Revitalization is not the goal. The ultimate goal of our inherited churches is creating a missional ecosystem and becoming missional hubs to pursue the Great Commission and the Great Commandment of Christ.

“So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then the Lord said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. – Ezekiel 37:7-10

If we work together to implement a blended ecology in our inherited churches to transform them into missional hubs, our churches will flourish again to glorify God. The vision that Ezekiel saw at the valley of dry bones (Ezek. 37) is our harvest-mission field. We have valleys of dry bones in our time—people who are starving for spiritual nourishment. Those who come to life become the body of Christ. As we work together, the next generations will be disciples who make disciples. Ezekiel’s vision is what I bear witness to in our time. I envision the Intercultural Mosaics as the ultimate harvesting catalyst to fulfill God’s holy mission. This is God’s perfect will and our faithful act of worship.

God opens up Ezekiel’s perspective to show the fourth dimensional vision that transcends time and space, and transforms us in our very critical time. In Ezekiel 36:26-27, God says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

Mosaics has been evolving and is at another tipping point to become the “Intercultural Mosaics”—a new missional expression in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Intercultural Mosaics will continually trailblaze new paths of unknown territories in the era of 4IR by not only extending its global evangelism but also implementing the blended ecology into inherited churches. Mosaics stands to carry out the new dream of God—creating a spiritual ecosystem and global missional hubs—together with inherited churches and the Presbytery so that there will be many fruits in a dynamic, life-giving exchange.

Mosaics will continue crossing boundaries and breaking down barriers of all kinds, not only to transform inherited churches, but also to expand the territories of intercultural ministries, mission and evangelism to ultimately reach out to unreached people (Luke 10:2).

Mosaics New Mission:

1. Growing a learning, caring, transforming, spiritual community with “koinonia” to disciple Millennials, Gen Zers and all generations for 21st century ministries. (Original mission, with expanded generations)

2. Creating missional ecosystems in inherited churches to become missional hubs for intercultural people (Ezekiel’s vision).

3. Breaking boundaries to expand territories of intercultural ministries for local and worldwide evangelism (Jabez’s prayer).

Timeline of Mosaics Development (2013 – 2028):

• Seeding Period: 2013 – 2016 : Mosaics House Gathering, Launching of Fellowship of Mosaics, NWC; Experimental Gathering at Parkview Presbyterian Church

• Developing Period: 2016 – 2019: Multiple House Gatherings; Gathering at Faith Presbyterian Church on Sundays, Launching of Davis Mosaics, NWC; Experimental Gathering at Davis Community Church on Saturdays

• Challenging Period: 2019 – 2022: Merging Fellowship of Mosaics into Davis Mosaics, NWC; Multiple Gatherings at Davis Mosaics on Thursdays and Saturdays; Launching Small Group Gatherings; Launching Zoom Gatherings on Fridays through Sundays

• Growing Period: 2022 – 2025: Formation of “Intercultural Mosaics” as a new NWC; Becoming A New Expression of Church; Expanding Global Gatherings; Launching Hybrid Ministries

• Thriving Period: 2025 – 2028: Multiplying Intercultural Mosaics; Becoming A Movement (Revolution) of the Church

Statistics of Mosaics as of July 7, 2021:

• Total Number of Meetup Registrants: 1842 registrants

• Total Number of FaceBook Group Active Members: 220 members

• Total Number of Webpage Subscribers (www.nextg.org): 24,688 subscribers

• Total Number of Gatherings: 3271 gatherings       

• Average Number of Weekly Participants: 75 ~ 100 participants

• Number of Weekly Gatherings: 12 +

• Number of Core-Leaders: 15 +

• Number of Ethnicities: 30 +

_________

Request to Approve the New Worshiping Community, “Intercultural Mosaics”

We are hereby requesting the Congregational Support Ministry Team (CSMT) of the North Central California Presbytery (NCCP) to approve a re-formed New Worshiping Community, “Intercultural Mosaics, NWC” as of August 1, 2021.

Rev. Dr. Stephen Moon, NWC Pastor

Rev. Jerilyn Viera Dahlke, NWC liaison

Mosaics (www.nextg.org) is a New Worshiping Community sponsored by Davis Community Church (DCC) and led by the Rev. Dr. Stephen Moon and supported by the hospitality gifts of Grace Moon.

Moved by a love of Christ, Mosaics originally brought new fresh expressions of the Body of Christ to meet the spiritual needs of Millennials and Gen Zers so that they could be transformed for Christ’s ministries of justice, peace, healing and environmental stewardship for the world. Over time and especially during the pandemic, the Spirit has shifted and expanded the focus. The shift is from Millennials and Gen Zers to a ministry that is multi-ethnic, and cross-cultural. While there is still intentionality with Millennials and Gen Zers because of the lack of attention given to their particular spiritual needs, the new focus is on intercultural ministry. In the midst of the pandemic, the Spirit has also brought a geographic widening. We now have participants who live in other states, even other countries!

Grounded in the theology that God is with us (Immanuel), we’ve wondered what that means for this ministry that is growing in unexpected ways. Mosaics is being planted to provide places to belong, to practice “common good” in meaningful ways, and places to invite and to encounter God in many innovative ways. Most of the time, this year, the “place” was virtual.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most of Mosaics classes, events and fellowship have converted to Zoom meetings on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 3 pm to 8 pm and continue to attract 5~8 new participants weekly. In addition to 12 weekly Zoom meetings, several small groups have been meeting in-person in the community, keeping social distance. In light of our new realities, Mosaics will continue offering hybrid social opportunities and classes. Currently, over 400 people are registered as participants with weekly participation averaging 70~90 active people who are joining from Mosaics’ 3 meetup sites and the Facebook group for a total of 2000+ members are registered and interacting.

Mosaics’ vision is now to mobilize multi-ethnic persons, especially Millennials (aka “Mosaics” or GenY) and Post-Millennials (aka GenZ), for the Kingdom of God by liberating them through love of God, grace of Jesus Christ, and power of the Holy Spirit. Mosaics’ mission is now to share God’s love and grace in an intercultural ministry that is in-person and hybrid through 10~12 free language, cooking, and music classes, outdoor activities, spirituality-developing events, social gatherings around food and drink, and contemporary worship, so that all experience God’s love and grace.

Over the past 6 years, more than 1,000+ people have come through the DCC campus and checked out Mosaics. Of those about 120 people became active with Mosaics. Mosaics is evangelism—reaching out to to the unchurched. Though not a part of the mission, 5+ people from Davis Mosaics have become members of Davis Community Church and another 10+ people now also worship with DCC.

Mosaics is grateful for ALL that Davis Community Church gives to Davis Mosaics: facilities, staff support, pastoral support, financial resources, all with lots of prayer and encouragement.