by Mike Clemmer, Franconia leadership minister
On May 4 at the joint Eastern District-Franconia Spring Assembly, the Structure and Identity Task Force rolled out a draft of the recommendations that were the result of months of work. The team consisted of Sherri Brokopp Binder, Mike Clemmer, Edie Landis, Josh Meyer, Rina Rampogu, Mark Reiff, Scott Roth, and Ron White.
As a way forward, the recommendations that were highlighted included the appointment of congregational and Conference Related Ministries delegates, credentialing of leaders, the new conference board structure, and how to integrate new congregations. After a presentation of the recommendations by the committee, the delegates had the opportunity to respond to the recommendations at several break-out sessions led by Structure Team Committee members. Questions and comments from these sessions were compiled and reviewed by the committee in the next phase of their work, which resumed soon after Spring Assembly.
The committee’s next task is to answer some of the questions brought up by the delegates regarding the recommendations, as well as to move forward in the reconciliation process by creating by-laws, structure, budgets, and supporting documents for a new merged conference. The goal is to introduce the new plan to the delegate body at delegate gatherings this fall, prior to Fall Assembly (November 1-2) and then to have it affirmed by a delegate vote at Fall Assembly.
With a lot of work ahead of them, the committee broke the work up into four specific areas: business/finance of the New Conference, Conference Related Ministries (CRM’s), naming of the New Conference, and implementation. Structure and Identity Task Force committee members divided themselves among these four sub-committees and then persons representing both Eastern District and Franconia Conferences were added to help these committees complete their specific tasks.
Please keep these persons in your prayers as they work at the task of completing this process. The committees have been formed as follows:
Business/Finance
Task Force: Mark Reiff (Doylestown), Rina Rampogu (Plains)
Staff: Conrad Martin (Blooming Glen)
Eastern District: Jim Gunden (Zion)
Franconia: John Goshow (Franconia board; attends Blooming Glen)
Conference Related Ministries:
Task Force: Sherri Binder (Ripple), Scott Roth (Perkiomenville)
Staff: Mike Clemmer (Towamencin)
CRMs: Bronwyn Histand (Dock Academy; attends Blooming Glen)
Margaret Zook (Living Branches/Penn Foundation; attends Salford)
Naming:
Task Force: Josh Meyer (Franconia), Edie Landis (Zion), Ron White (Good Samaritan)
Staff: Steve Kriss (Philadelphia Praise)
Franconia: Merlin Hartman (Franconia board; attends Franconia), Aldo Siahaan (Philadelphia Praise), Sara Kolb (Plains), Jaynie McCloskey (Taftsville)
Eastern District: Jim Musselman (Zion)
Implementation:
Task Force: Scott Roth (Perkiomenville), Sherri Brokopp Binder (Ripple)
Staff: Mary Nitzsche (Perkasie)
Franconia: Ken Burkholder (Franconia board; attends Deep Run East)
Charlotte Hunsberger (legal counsel; attends Blooming Glen)
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.