By Marathana Prothro

In a meeting Sunday and Monday with the executive directors and board chairs of Mennonite Education Agency, Mennonite Mission Network, MMA and Mennonite Publishing Network (Mennonite Church USA’s churchwide agencies), the moderator and moderator-elect of Mennonite Church USA shared the Executive Board’s vision for a reformed and unified churchwide organization.

Moderator Sharon Waltner of Parker, S.D., and moderator-elect Ed Diller of Cincinnati, Ohio, expressed the board’s concerns to the group, which also included Mennonite Church USA executive director Jim Schrag and associate executive director Ron Byler. At its Feb. 8 to 9 meeting in San Antonio, Texas, the Executive Board stated that the denomination’s vision and call “is not adequately supported by our present relationships, behaviors and organization.”

To support the vision of Mennonite Church USA, the Executive Board is calling for a unified churchwide communication and identity system and a simple and cohesive funding system. The Executive Board is also suggesting that an additional person be added to the Executive Leadership staff with the goal of assisting the executive director to ensure churchwide ministries practice good stewardship by reducing duplication and increasing organizational effectiveness at meeting congregational needs.

Finally, the Executive Board believes that the unity of purpose needed to adequately support the vision requires the development of one, integrated board of directors for the denomination that would replace the individual boards for each agency.

“Too often, we appear scattered organizationally and motivated by narrow purposes and segmented missions that do not equip our members and congregations for ministry,” Waltner said. “Our future depends on our ability to grasp new relationships and behaviors that support community, equip our members and offer a clear, focused, unified identity and witness for Christ in the world.”

Waltner said the Executive Board came to these conclusions in two closed sessions without staff present at its San Antonio meeting. The board agreed it was important to share and discuss this direction first with agency executives and board chairs before public discussion. Area conference and constituency group leaders will be invited into the conversation later this month when the Constituency Leaders Council (CLC) meets March 31 to April 2 in Mt. Pleasant, Pa.

The Executive Board agreed at its September 2007 meeting in Newton, Kan., to lift up Vision: Healing & Hope and its missional church priorities as a framework for future board direction. The board said it would lead the church in responding to the Church Member Profile findings and would evaluate churchwide systems by how effectively they supported congregations.

Also at its September meeting, the Executive Board agreed it would accept its leadership position and authority in Mennonite Church USA. Waltner and Diller said this guiding principle was stirred by delegate responses at San José 2007 calling for the Executive Board to take a more prominent role in vision and leadership for the whole of the denomination.

Waltner and Diller said the denomination’s six year review, delegate table group responses from San José 2007, feedback from the Constituency Leaders Council, a 2006 CLC task force report, a 2005 funding study and the Church Member Profile 2006 all indicate a need for improving the ability of churchwide ministries to function effectively, to relate to each other and to support area conferences and congregations as they seek to join God’s work in the world.

“An increasing number of congregations and area conferences are calling for integrated churchwide communications and funding practices that bring clarity to their connection to other parts of Mennonite Church USA and support the whole denomination as a unit,” Diller said.

Waltner said that while the Executive Board has stated its desired outcomes, it wants to engage the other parts of the church in developing a plan for how to achieve them. She said the board wants the best thinking from across the church on how best to reorganize the denomination and its agencies in a way that best meets congregational needs.

One churchwide communication and identity system

The Executive Board sees redundancy—such as multiple news services, uncoordinated congregational mailings and competing organizational identities—in the area of communication as a hindrance to the denomination’s combined capacity to enable Mennonite Church USA congregations and members to strengthen their witness. At present, each of the agencies and Executive Leadership coordinates some joint communication, though the majority of each staff’s work is separate from the work of other staff. To remedy the duplication, the Executive Board calls for one churchwide communication and identity system that is headed by and in the denominational center.

Area conferences will be needed to help shape and participate in a new churchwide communication system. The board wants the system to include The Mennonite magazine so that all communication from church entities to congregations and their members will be integrated.

A simple and unified funding system

Currently, Mennonite Church USA has multiple funding systems that are complicated and lead to what appears to be competition among agencies, colleges, area conferences and related groups for funds. As the system currently operates, each agency is responsible for raising its own funds independent of the others. Executive Leadership does not actively raise funds from individuals, but relies on contributions from area conferences and agencies to support its ministries.

A funding study of Mennonite Church USA household giving completed in 2005 by Advancement Associates indicated that Mennonite Church USA is a small denomination with too many organizations competing with each other for the same funds. For board members, this raises a concern about whether existing church structures are sustainable—or relevant—for the future of the denomination.

The board calls for a simple and unified funding system that respects designations from donors while providing funding where it’s most needed in the denomination. The funding system, like the communication system, will be headed by and in the denominational center.

One integrated board of directors

At present, each agency and The Mennonite has its own board of directors that are responsible to the Executive Board. The Executive Board acts on behalf of the Delegate Assembly, the denomination’s decision-making body, when it is not in session.

The Executive Board is calling for an integrated board of directors for the agencies, Executive Leadership and The Mennonite that would make space for meaningful, connective voices from present agencies and conferences. The shape of a new integrated board will be the subject of discussion between now and the all-boards meeting June 19 to 21 in Columbus, Ohio, Waltner said.

Next steps

After the CLC joins the conversation at its March 30 to April 2 meeting in Mt. Pleasant, Pa., the Executive Board’s Executive Committee will meet to evaluate the discussions with agencies and conferences. The committee also will prepare for discussion with other churchwide boards June 19 to 21. Boards participating in that meeting include the Executive Board, Mennonite Education Agency, Mennonite Mission Network, MMA, Mennonite Publishing Network and The Mennonite. This meeting was set more than a year ago and will be the first gathering of all Mennonite Church USA boards of directors since its inception in 2001. Immediately following the all-boards meeting in Columbus, the Executive Board will have time to evaluate next steps. Those steps will be reported as they are discerned.

Diller shared his optimism about the future, “The strength of our vision, supported by clearer identity and stronger behaviors of community might surprise us in its capacity to invite increased support for all parts of our mission.”

SIDEBAR: A summary of delegate responses from the San José 2007 Minutes book
The Executive Board at the San José 2007 Delegate Assembly asked delegates, “In what ways do you recommend that Mennonite Church USA organizational structures be modified as the church moves into its next phase of growth?” This is a brief summary of the table group responses listed in the San José 2007 Minutes Book.

• Many delegates felt uninformed of the current organizational structure. They asked for specifics about what may or may not be working. One group wrote, “The structure is known but its usefulness and function is less well understood.”
• Delegates expressed a desire for Mennonite Church USA organizational structures to be driven by churchwide priorities.
• Delegates called for more streamlining or consolidation of activities among agencies, the Executive Board and Executive Leadership.
• Delegates highlighted duplication of ministry as a concern. One specific comment was “Executive Leadership and MMN both involved in peace initiative and missional church education—who is leading?”
• Delegates called for a more efficient funding system. “It would be wonderful to give to one rather than so many parts!,” one group wrote. Another responded, “(We) need a clear and easy way to distribute money to the groups in the church.”
• Delegates requested a proposal of how the Executive Board would change the structures, and some responded that “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it!”

Source: San José 2007 Minutes Book, pages 42 to 43.

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Thomas Albright, Whitehall Mennonite Church, Eastern Mennonite Seminary (EMS)
I hope to creatively and lovingly encourage others to find authenticity, action and abundance, making space and places for people to consider Jesus as Lord and Savior. Attending seminary has helped and is helping me to expand my thinking and clarify my thoughts and models of ministering.

Leonard Dow, Oxford Circle Mennonite Church, Palmer Theological Seminary
In addition to my personal and spiritual growth, my seminary experiences have also impacted my congregation and our local community, as well as enabled me to be a resource to the larger Mennonite denomination. The combination of seven years of pastoral experience and a wholistic theological training that requires practical application along with biblical/prayerful reflection has been truly a blessing!

Mike Ford, Franconia Mennonite Church, EMS
My hope is that I can help influence youth to grow spiritually in a passionate, daily relationship with Jesus. I’ve come to realize more clearly that much of my influence will come over the long haul…as I journey with youth, try to be an example to them and love them over the years.

Michael Hedrick, Zion Mennonite Church, Moravian Seminary
I have felt the call to ministry for most of my life and when I was offered early retirement I could no longer ignore the call. During my Clinical Pastoral Education at Grand View Hospital every person I met was at a different place in their spiritual life and I had to meet each one where they were on their faith walk if I was going to bring them any comfort. I was honored every day as people let me into their lives.

Amy Yoder McGloughlin, Germantown Mennonite Church, Lutheran Theological Seminary
In experiencing a call into ministry, many things have been unclear. But, what I am sure about is that Philadelphia is the right context for me to study what it means to be a Christian and a Mennonite.

John Michael Metzler, Towamencin Mennonite Church, EMS

Timothy Moyer, Towamencin Mennonite Church, EMS
The decision to enter seminary and set aside once important goals of my life was not easy. However, I have been inspired and encouraged in many ways through the actions of others. I’ve been on the receiving end of prayers, encouragement, and support from my home congregation and now realize anew the profound impact that we can have on each other as a community of believers.

Christian J. Nickels, West Swamp Mennonite Church, EMS
I experience God often as I study. The ancient Jewish rabbis had a saying comparing scripture to a gemstone with many facets–each time you turned the gemstone, light reflected off of it in a different way. In the same way, each time the text is studied there is the opportunity for God to teach us something new.

Tamela Prather, Second Mennonite Church, Geneva College
My heart’s desire is to effectively serve my family, urban churches, communities and marketplace. God is showing me that the study of His Word, deeper understanding and a closer relationship with Him will help me to reach my fullest potential so I can continue to help move the Kingdom of God forward. To God be the Glory!

L. Mark Reiff, Grace Mennonite Church, Palmer Theological Seminary
In my short life, I have already begun to see that life is much easier when I plan to do one thing and nothing else: be faithful to go wherever God calls me and do whatever God calls me to. Palmer has already been pushing and shaping my comfort zones in new ways and I hope that this disequilibrium will be an avenue in which God can continue to shape me.

Rodger Schmell, Deep Run West Mennonite Church, EMS

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Grace Nolt, Open Door
grace@sprucelake.org

Spruce Lake Outdoor School, an educational ministry of Spruce Lake Retreat, is celebrating its 20th year this fall, 2007. Since 1987, over 60,000 students have experienced Christ-centered, hands-on outdoor learning at Spruce Lake. The ministry has indeed become a counter-cultural enterprise, if one agrees with what Richard Louv observed in his recent book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder; “Our society is teaching young people to avoid direct experience in nature. That lesson is delivered in schools, families, even organizations devoted to the outdoors…”

Richard Louv had not yet written his book when Paul Beiler, Spruce Lake’s founding director, dreamed of starting an outdoor school on the camp’s Pocono Mountain property. But they would have agreed earnestly on this: “the extent that we separate our children from creation is the extent to which we separate them from the creator – from God.”

With little time to develop the dream himself, Paul appointed Sterling Edwards to direct the new program in 1987. Under Sterling’s passionate leadership those first 18 years, the ministry grew from 12 to over 100 schools participating each year. Students in grades 4-12 have arrived from 11 different states, some from as far away as Ohio, West Virginia, and Massachusetts.

“God just brought the right people at the right time to build this ministry,” Sterling has said. Now, as then, Spruce Lake Outdoor School is all about integrating natural and spiritual truth – “learning ABOUT God’s creation IN God’s creation.” Students are exposed to the “sensory magic” of being outdoors. Teachers try to cultivate the sense of wonder that is such a critical element for wide-eyed spiritual and practical awareness.

Ecologist and naturalist Doug Musselman has taught at Spruce Lake Outdoor School 12 years. He’s on a team of eight instructors and just as many support staff who pitch in to help. Many children he teaches are in junior high, the same age Doug was when the seed of concern for the environment started growing in his own mind.

Doug went on to earn a B.S. in General Biology from Grace College and spent two years at AuSable Institute of Environmental Studies, where he earned his Naturalist Certificate and worked as an Environmental Education Intern.

“God led me to teaching in the big classroom of his creation!” Doug said, having discovered that the typical classroom setting was not for him. “I enjoy opening people’s eyes to the wonders of our Father’s world,” Doug said, “and helping people understand our role in taking care of it.”

His years of teaching at Spruce Lake Outdoor School have convinced Doug all the more that taking care of God’s world and its resources is actually part of our Christian witness, “We are the ones to be taking care of his property, as his children.”

Just last week Doug led a new group of students on a Spruce Mountain Hike. Afterward, Doug asked the class, “How can we respond to this?”

“Wow,” burst one child! That is just what Doug had been hoping to hear. The memory of it stayed with Doug for days, sustaining lively hope that this child, and surely others the school has taught, will not be the last ones in the woods.

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