Stellar Kart writes punk music with a positive message.

“People are touched by the way we act without saying a word,” said the lead singer, Adam Agee. “That is what people notice more than anything.”

The band members interact with their audience through scream contests, Q and A, and a playful act in which they pull up “distant cousins” from the audience.

Songs like “Part of Something Holy” and “Me and Jesus”  highlight the heart of their message.  They also have a comical side, on display when their bass player, Brian Calcara, sings the part of Jasmine from Disney’s ”A Whole New World.”

The members started playing in their praise band when they were teens. As they gained popularity, they toured with big names like Toby Mac and Newsboys. But the band has grown past their initial awe in the spotlight.

“As you get older, your goals change,” Agee said. “It’s not just about being that rock star. The more flawless your  playing is, the better people are able to worship. Don’t be afraid to pursue perfection.”

Stellar Kart was pumped to accept the invitation to give Mennonite teens their last chance to worship and rock out at convention. ” I love when people get together from all over, ” Agee said. “They’re so excited.”

“You can be an ambassador of Christ, but you need to be reconciled with God,” said Stutzman. “Open your hearts to God.”

Stutzman started by reading segments from 1 Corinthians, highlighting the sins and controversies experienced by that church in Corinth. He then explained how those same problems were again addressed in 2 Corinthians.

“If you read 2 Corinthians, you get the really strong impression that (the Corinthian Church) didn’t get it,” Stutzman said.

The Corinthians needed to reconcile with God before they could become ambassadors for God to others, both inside and outside of the church.

Stutzman then compared the Corinthian church to Mennonite Church USA in how it is divided on controversial issues. He said he sees many of the same troubles that plagued the Corinthians occurring in Mennonite Church USA.

“In our nation today, we are like a big bus careening down the road,” said Stutzman. People are on both sides of this political bus, leaning on certain sides, hoping to avoid ditch after ditch, he said.

“Where would Jesus sit? That’s the question,” he said. If we claim that the divided  bus is headed toward the Kingdom of God, Stutzman said, then Jesus would say that we’re all on the wrong bus.

“When political differences divide our congregations,” said Stutzman, “. . . we sin just like the Corinthian people.”

According to Stutzman, becoming reconciled with God is imperative if a Christian wants to become an ambassador of God. Doing so requires one to “open up (one’s) heart to God.”

“(Paul) would want us to be ambassadors for God. There’s no better job description than being an ambassador for God.”

“When we come to meetings like this, we often point out the sins of others,” Stutzman said. He suggested that Mennonites take the planks out of their own eyes and use it as a bridge to reach people of other opinions.

“Being a bridge to the cross… often invites us to confess our sins,” he said.

He ended by saying he is “a sinner saved by grace,” ushering the service into its time of anointing. Stutzman was the first person to be anointed, and he returned the favor, by anointing the worship leaders, Sue Conrad Howes and Glen Guyton.

Anointing is a practice that lets participants be totally covered by the grace of God, according to Conrad Howes and Guyton. It’s a way of acknowledging God’s grace in our work, our ministry and our lives. “When we are weak, when we are weary, the spirit of God will give us strength,” Guyton said.

Adult worship at convention ended with dismissal and the invitation to anointing. Conrad Howes said, “Go in peace, brothers and sisters. Be the bridge.”

So begins the poem that Brenda Matthews shared with the youth at the final worship service on Friday night.

For Matthews, a poet, storyteller and preacher from Chicago, this was a return engagement. She was also a speaker at Charlotte 2005, San Jose 2007 and Columbus 2009.

“I am honored to be back,” said Matthews. “Some of these kids heard me when they were 10 and some are now grown. That’s a beautiful thing.”

Matthews began writing poetry at age 12 and believes in using her poems as a way to inspire young people to plant seeds of change. She started as a motivational speaker when she worked in social services and decided to combine her love for the two areas. Matthews has now been traveling around the country as a speaker for 20 years.

“Poetry is a way that I can identify with youth,” said Matthews. “It opens doors for discussions, gets their attention and makes them trust what I have to say.”

Matthews has been going to church all her life and uses her words as a way to express faith.

“When you think about it, the Bible is made up of poetry,” said Matthews. “The Bible has the voices of the oppressed but it also tells stories about victories. Poetry is a powerful tool that encourages people to use their voices as objects of change.”

Matthews used poetry, story and scripture to show the youth what it means to build bridges and practice reconciliation.

“I was trying to write a sermon but I thought, nah,” said Matthew. “I’m a storyteller.”

While she knows Mennonites do not baptize at birth, Matthews also focused on the importance of getting baptized.

“Nothing is ever perfect,” said Matthews. “It is time to be able to move forward in this kingdom. This is a hurting generation; there is so much brokenness. When (youth) begin to talk about how God has moved them through brokenness, that can help others overcome their own trials.”

Matthews finds so much value in her work, but it is not the praise of adults that matters most to her.

“It is hard to gauge how I’m doing,” said Matthews. “But when young people make the effort to come tell me, ‘Mama Brenda, you’ve done a good job,’ then I know that there’s value in what I do.”

Rosemarie Matsuda, of Pittsburgh, has lived through two house fires, a world war and “an entire city burning down in front of me.” Growing up in a city outside of Berlin during World War II, Matsuda’s German Lutheran family owned a bake shop. In war-torn Germany, Matsuda always had a heart for the poor. “My father used to come and ask where all the bread went,” she said. “I would see the people with their food coupons and me, with my full stomach, would give away the bread to them.” After moving to the United States as a college student, Matsuda attempted to realize her dream to become a social worker with the church. The church that she was a member of at the time, however, did not welcome her because she was married to a man of Japanese descent; so she found refuge at the local integrated Mennonite church. “I was delighted to find the Mennonites,” she said. Since joining the church in the late 1950s, Matsuda, who is 86, has attended every convention since. This year, she has found that the amount of attention given to welcoming all races and ethnicities in the church “delightful.”

Elizabeth Tomayo, Norristown, Pa., is a leader for a Spanish youth worship group at convention this year. Throughout the week she realized that the place she found the most enjoyment was at the youth worship sessions. “You can feel the peace and love being shared with each other,” she said. “It is so encouraging to see so many youth; the abundance of youth is awesome.” In addition to leading her own worship group with singing and musical organization, she also finds time to encourage the youth in their gifts because, she said, “It encourages me to see their joy, their expressions and their smiles.”  Tomayo and her husband, who is a delegate and pastor at her home church in Norristown, had originally intended to leave the convention early. But after experiencing the events of the week, “We had to extend our time here. We may have one plan, but God has another.”

Kelsey Donnovan and Anna Kennell, both from Illinois, did not know each other before attending Pittsburgh convention. Yet, they have found that of all the activities, seminars and events they have attended throughout the week, the experience that bonded them as friends was the walk from their hotel to the convention center. “A place is only as good as the people you’re with,” said Donnovan. As Kennell nodded in agreement, she added that “the walks from the hotel to the convention center were when we got to know each other.” Kennell, who came here with her brother and sister, was nervous about making friends before the convention. “But now,” she said, “it’s good.”

Bill Swartzendruber of Middlebury, Ind., came to convention to catch up with old friends whom he has known through the church over the years. Most inspiring to him was Shane Hipps’ discussion about the needlessness of disputes within the church. Referencing Romans 15, he said, “Let’s focus on who we are as followers of Christ. If there’s something you disagree with your brother about, don’t mess with it!” As an active member of his church’s transition team (meant to help others in the church “realize what God is doing and what they can do to be a part of it”), Swartzendruber plans on taking the lessons he learned at convention back to his home congregation.

Autumn Wiese traveled with her youth group from her home congregation of Prairie Street Mennonite in Elkhart, Ind., to take part in convention this year. Wiese was dressed from head to toe in pink with the addition of a bright pink scarf around her arm in support of Pink Menno. She admits that prior to the Pittsburgh convention, “I had been afraid to upset the still waters. I didn’t even want to buy a Pink Menno T-shirt,” she said. Yet after attending a session led by Dale Schrag entitled “Open palms or closed fists,” she realized that she did not have to deny the ideas of others in order to affirm her own. “When you have a conviction, open up to the fact that you might be wrong,” she said. Realizing that both sides of an argument (including her own) may be wrong, she has allowed herself to follow her beliefs with open palms. “After the session I went out and bought a Pink Menno bandana and I’ve been wearing it ever since,” she said. Even after being approached by someone who disagreed with her apparent support, Wiese opened her palms and welcomed the criticism. “It was hard,” she said, “but I tried to see his point of view. I think I’ll take that with me the most.”

A distinctive Canadian flag held by Cale Burkhart make a group of young men from Floradale Mennonite Church stand out in the crowd. When asked what their most influential moment at convention was, the boys began mentioning events such as the Pirates game they attended and the restaurants with great food. Yet as the conversation progressed, the group began discussing that day’s speaker at morning worship, Jeniffer Dake. “She was energetic” said Tyler Martin. “Yeah, like she really believed what she was saying,” added Nick Bauman.  “And she was easy to follow,” said another. What most affected Tim Greenwood, another member of the group, was the need to keep pursuing God when coming down from what he called “a spiritual high.” “When you leave worship, don’t let it drop,” he said. “It’s different to leave a place like this [convention]. You can say it’s easy, but it’s not. Compared to this, things just don’t measure up.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the city’s dominant newspaper, featured several articles on the Mennonite assembly throughout the week.

On Monday, an article written by Ann Rogers offered an overview of the Mennonites, including an opening paragraph to dispel stereotypes some may hold of the faith tradition.

“These aren’t horse-and-buggy Mennonites,” wrote Rogers. “They wear modern clothing, use technology and often hold professional jobs. But all Mennonites share a biblical faith that requires pacifism and teaches that patriotism should never overshadow commitment to God’s kingdom.”

Rogers also updated her Twitter account throughout the week, including her Tuesday tweet that said, “Not your grandpa’s Mennonite conference. Gospel band rehearsing with drums, guitars and trumpet.”

On Wednesday, Diana Nelson Jones of The Post-Gazette followed several youth groups as they performed their servant projects at a ravine called Heth’s Run. The article highlighted the youth group’s hard work and their willingness to give back to the hosting city.

On Thursday, an article in The Post-Gazette titled “Live to serve: Mennonites bring more than a convention to town” focused on the servant projects as well.

“While many of the group’s members are here to listen to speakers, attend workshops and discuss aspects of the church’s mission, 2,900 youth are donating 10,000 hours of work to 47 local organizations,” the article reported.

Thursday’s article also offered an encouraging look at how Mennonites have been perceived by outsiders this week in Pittsburgh.

“These out-of-towners are enriching Pittsburgh far beyond dollars in cash drawers and heads in beds,” the article said.

After short reports on the Conversation Room and the theme for the Phoenix convention in 2013, delegates spent the greater part of the session discussing the long-term vision of Mennonite Church USA and a list of seven priorities that have been proposed for the church.

“(These priorities) are going to guide the Mennonite Church in the next 10 years,” said David Boshert, a member of the Executive Board. “Under each of the priorities several strategies are proposed that could affect how the church conducts business.”

The vision of the Mennonite Church is: “God calls us to be followers of Jesus Christ and by the power of the holy spirit, to grow as communities of grace, joy and peace so that God’s healing and hope flow through us to the world.”

The seven priorities are Christian formation, Christian community, stewardship, holistic witness, leadership development, intercultural transformation and church-to-church relations.

Each of these priorities also have what the Executive Board calls “alternate routes” or different directions by which the church could approach the priorities. These alternate routes caused the most concern for some of the delegates who spoke at open mic. While affirming their support for the plan in general, delegates expressed some concern about the alternate approaches.

Ed Diller, the moderator for Mennonite Church USA, assured the delegates that the plan was a “living document.” All the responses from table groups will be available online as well as any changes made to the document so that delegates can see any changes.

“We are signaling to the delegates how we are going to handle future issues,” said Diller. “We are setting a pattern for decision making that we never have before.”

The plan is intended to engage delegates in the process of shaping church policy rather than simply electing leaders to do it for them.

Rachel Swartzendruber Miller,  the director of convention planning for Mennonite Church USA, reported on preparations for Phoenix 2013. The theme for the convention will be “Citizens of God’s Kingdom: Healed in Hope.”

9. Make and sell the awesome T-shirt scarves. –Abigail Bechtel, Henderson, Neb.

8. Free T-shirt auction (may not be highly profitable). –Jacob Ford, Souderton, Pa.

7. A hymn sing-off. –Rachel, Goshen, Ind.

6. Sell all the free hotel shampoo that we collected. –Leanna and Emily, Goshen, Ind.

5. Sell a MennoTea and MennoTan combo pack. –Tyler Hartford, Goshen, Ind.

4. Horse and buggy drag races. – Cameron Alleman, Newville, Pa.

3. Market small vials of ashes with promise of a flaming resurrection on the last day. –Tyler Hartford, Goshen, Ind.

2. Build a (toll) bridge to Phoenix. Kim Kornhaus, Mt. Hope, Ohio

1. Sell air conditioners. –Derek Yoder, Plainfield, Ill.

On Friday morning before worship, these anonymous “Post Secrets” were on display on bulletin boards by the youth arena.

“There were some things I needed to get off my mind and out there – like carrying a dead dog in a suitcase — I had to get rid of it,” Alicia Loch said, connecting her Thursday post to Friday morning’s speaker who comically compared sin to the secret of a dead dog in a suitcase and Christ to a thug who took it away once the person with the suitcase had let go.

Here is a sampling of what was shared in the notes:

“I still love the friend that hurt me”

” I don’t know what to write on this but God knows what I’m going through and that’s all that matters”

“Self-worth”

“I haven’t done daily devotions in a long time”

“I am jealous of my sister”

“I’m insecure about my peacemaking”

Not everyone had powerful confessions to share. “It was hard to think of something,” said Haley Kuhns.”I feel like I tell everyone lots of things about myself, so I just kind of wrote something down that not many know.”

The personal nature of the posts resonated deeply, Haley said. “Some of them were really intense,” she said.