Donella Clemens, PerkasieWhen I first became involved “in the center” of Franconia Conference as chairperson of the Nurture Commission in the early 1980s, the Conference leadership governing body was quite different than it is today. A conference council consisted of the chairs of each of six commissions and their staff plus the conference administrator. The organizations relating to the conference, now known as Conference Related Ministries, and the congregations were connected to the conference through the commissions. The six commissions were nurture, education, brotherhood, stewardship, leadership and mission. Each commission consisted of congregational members who were appointed by vote at the annual business meeting of Conference Assembly.The conference staff was responsible for the administrative work of these commissions and the conference board.When these commissions were first established in the early 70s, they were all chaired by ordained men, and yes, the ordained persons were all men at that point. Consequently the first Conference Councils consisted of only ordained persons. Additionally, for many years all the members of the school board at Christopher Dock were ordained preachers. Might that be a reason that the work of all organizations in those early years was seen as ‘blessed’ by the pastors and thus the conference?As time moved onward, patterns of behavior and structures changed in conference organizations. I personally felt those changes when my husband, Wayne, and I became part of the changing patterns. Wayne was the first non-ordained person to chair a commission, Stewardship Commission, and I was the first woman to chair a commission, Nurture Commission.
How did we get from there to where we are now? Let me jump to the time when I became moderator of Franconia Conference in November of 1996. Organizations and congregations were somewhat restless. Conference leaders were considering how the structures of the conference needed to change in order to better to give leadership and serve the needs of pastors, congregations and organizations. The six commissions were disbanded which over time resulted in reduced numbers of committees and thus, less involvement of congregational members in the work of conference. While this change seemed necessary, I wonder what structures or programs might have been created that could have enhanced support for the work of conference.In what ways was the need for change evident? First of all, in the congregations—Overseers, who were pastors of congregations themselves working on a volunteer basis, were finding that congregations were asking the overseers to deal with issues of concern that they did not feel they were equipped or gifted to handle. Pastors were also asking for more assistance due to the difficult challenges they were encountering in their ministry. In an effort to develop healthy pastors for healthy congregations, the Conference Ministry Team was formed to provide support and assistance to pastors in their work. Currently congregations are seeking more direction from conference for leading––both for pastors and congregational leaders.Second, change was also happening for the Conference Related Ministries. State and national bodies that provide accreditation and legal status for these organizations were increasing and continue to increase their inspection and regulation requirements. Denominational associations have developed that provide relationships for support, mutual association and encouragement. By example, our schools are closely tied to Mennonite Education Agency; the retirement communities are members of Anabaptist Provider Group and Mennonite Health Services Alliance (MHSA). While the church relationship provided through conference association is critical, the professional resources and mutuality that are necessary to the Conference Related Ministries are increasingly found through denominational associations.These changes exist and are real. As CRM’s find support and resources for their ministries beyond the conference, but within the church, conference leaders are giving primary focus to congregational life and mission. The current emerging direction with the LEAD oversight model and LEADership ministers is intended to provide nurture, support and relationships that respond to the call for training of leadership, both lay and credentialed persons. We are beginning to hear of new training opportunities through programs such as Gateway courses, the conference’s School for Leadership Formation, and extension courses offered by Eastern Mennonite University and Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary.It is very rewarding to see the way in which we have changed into a significantly more multi-cultural people. Our identity can no longer be that of a group with one cultural heritage but rather a people that are part of a worldwide Anabaptist communion. We are gradually giving up the mentality of a rural people. We now have a significant group of women pastors and the number keeps growing.
It has been very rewarding for me to serve as a member of the Christopher Dock board of trustees for 16 years and as chair of the board for eight of those years. Satisfaction and gratitude describe my feelings for those years working in partnership with Elaine Moyer, administrators and many board members to shape Anabaptist education with a focus on preparing leaders for service in God’s Kingdom.In my work as a member of the Conference Ministry Team, I have had tremendous joy in witnessing the unique journey of congregations in following God’s Spirit to new spiritual vitality. Each journey has been unique, and at times was not easy, but people and congregations have responded to God’s prompting for change and spiritual growth. A special, treasured gift to me has been working with our congregations, pastors and leaders in Vermont. Even though they live miles from us, I have found them to be diligently carrying out the mission and goals of our conference in their communities. I would wish that more congregations would create times of fellowship with our sisters and brothers in Vermont.In recent months I have overseen the process of congregational search committees in finding pastors. While this is intense work that sometimes covers many months, it is very heartwarming to participate with a search committee in that unique holy moment when the needs of the congregation and the gifts and calling of a pastoral candidate come together.It has been exciting to experience God at work—whether defined at the “center of conference” or on the “edges.” I frequently ponder why it is that so many among us (even though we are not living in Vermont or Northern PA) feel “on the edge” of conference and that “the center” is elsewhere! These sentiments are expressed in comments such as “we don’t think like others in conference” and “those people at conference…” Perhaps it depends on how one defines “center.” For me being at the center or on the edge in relation to conference is not important. What is important is to be at the center of God’s work, where people choose to be God’s people, fully engaged in the mission of the church! From my experience over these 25 years I have found that center to be in all the congregations and organizations of which I have had the privilege to serve. Thanks be to God!Donella Clemens retired from Franconia Conference on June 1, 2009. In response to her retirement Executive Minister Noel Santiago wrote, “Donella has been invaluable in her service to and with Franconia Conference. She has raised up an excellent team of persons who lead pastoral searches, helped numerous congregations move toward their vision and mission in spiritually vibrant ways, served in a volunteer capacity in order to allow for younger female leaders to have the opportunity to serve in conference leadership and she has encouraged and empowered multiple leaders, pastors and persons on their journey with God. We thank her for all she has given and for sharing of herself.”
