Current problems not because of structure
by Wayne North, Harrisonburg, Va.
While it is important for the Executive Board to explain the rationale behind the proposed structural changes for Mennonite Church USA, I found Moderator Waltner’s article unconvincing (“The Season for Planting is Upon us,” May 20). To provide a list of admirable qualities—such as collaboration, relevance, simplicity, responsiveness and empowerment—and imply that such will appear with a new structure is a real stretch. Further, she notes that the recent Mennonite Church Member Profile indicates we are getting older, losing young people and are less willing to share our faith. I have never heard the complaint that our current structure is the fault of those problems.
Waltner’s opening story regarding the grandfather who had difficulty adapting to the tractor may have been tossed off as a humorous attention-getter, but it subtly warns anyone with doubts that they are just senile, old stick-in-the-muds and their task is to get with the program or wind up the butt of some loud guffaws.
Finally, since “the direction is set” and we “know what needs to be sown,” sending Executive Board members to distant places seems like an effort at public relations that is hardly worth the price—unless they mean to gather funny stories about fearful people who are wont to holler “Whoa!” Now that might really sell.
Associated Issue: Poverty in the suburbs - May 20, 2008
Associated Article: The season for planting is upon us
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