The original version of this article was published by MC USA. This shortened version includes quotes from Mosaic’s participants in the meeting.
The MC USA Constituency Leaders Council (CLC) reflected on the question, “What does it mean to do church together?” at its biannual meeting at College Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana, on March 21-23, 2024. Moderator-elect Marty Lehman presided over the meeting, which introduced leaders to MC USA’s new strategic plan, invited them to participate in reinvention exercises, and offered inspiration through storytelling.
Fifty-eight leaders, representing area conferences, racial/ethnic groups, constituency groups and MC USA Administration, attended the meeting. The three representatives from Mosaic Conference were Moderator Angela Moyer Walter, board member Emmanuel Mwaipopo (Norristown [PA] New Life), and Executive Minister Steve Kriss. In addition, Leadership Minister Marco Güete also attended in his staff role with Mennonite Education Agency (MEA), Camille Dager (Zion [Souderton, PA] in her staff role with MC USA, and Melissa Stoner (Philadelphia [PA] Praise Center) in her role on the MC USA Leadership Discernment Committee.
MC USA Executive Director Glen Guyton presented the new denominational strategic plan, which seeks to reimagine church. Objectives of the plan include identifying and leaning into the key markers and practices of the Anabaptist faith community, communicating in new ways and through new channels, providing prophetic leadership in peace and justice, developing a streamlined and effective denominational structure, and creating a sustainable funding system.
MC USA Associate Executive Director Iris de León-Hartshorn led attendees through a workshop to reimagine church using Reinvention Academy tools. MC USA designed the workshop to help leaders analyze how adaptive they and their organizations are to anticipating, designing, and implementing change. Common fears among attendees included fear of conflict/polarization, fragmentation, loss of identity, loss of resources, and change. In considering how they might address these concerns, many participants recognized that they have considerable influence over their fears.
“I appreciate the annual face-to-face gatherings for CLC as a time to catch up with other conference and denominational leaders, to strengthen our relationships and renew connections from across the country,” reflected Kriss. “What happens in between the meetings and during meals is often as significant as the meeting content itself.”
“Hearing stories from congregations across the denomination was valuable,” shared Moyer Walter. “Additionally, Marco’s MEA presentation and new video is very exciting and the fruit of many years of hard work. I also appreciated the lunchtime conversation around global partnerships, with Executive Director of Mennonite Mission Network, Marisa Smucker.
Shared worship (including a reflection from Mwaipopo), faith formation through storytelling, and sharing about youth and young adult faith formation were other substantial components of the meeting. The next CLC meeting is Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, via Zoom.
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.