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2009-04-07 issue:

CLC proposes new Leaders Forum

First mini-assembly could happen in 2010

by Anna Groff

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Constituency Leaders Council affirmed a new "Leaders Forum" event for church leaders to meet regularly as a mini-assembly for about one week every two years on the off-convention year. The first gathering could happen in 2010. CLC met March 30-April 1 at the Amigo Centre in Sturgis, Mich.

Keith Weaver, Lancaster Mennonite Conference moderator and member of the "Role of the Conferences in the Denomination" task force said the forum's intention is to "get all the players in the same room to have some shared conversation."

The proposal called for all leaders in the Mennonite Church USA system to attend, including conference moderators and leadership groups, conference ministers and other key conference staff, Executive Board members and Executive Leadership staff, constituency group board members and staff, churchwide agency board members and key agency staff and other leaders.

CLC members raised the following concerns: the environmental impact of this group, that participants with resources may dominate the attendance and the perpetuation of meeting fatigue for leaders.

Members also questioned if this truly answers the ongoing question for CLC: What is the role of conferences?

After feedback from CLC, the task force came back with these considerations:
-The exact date can be set later, but the meetings should take place on college, seminary and high school campuses on a rotating basis.
-The forum should at least minimize redundancy in our current system.
-CLC would refocus its role as "Board of Elders"
-The forum should prioritize "Holy Spirit-led renewal."

With implementation of the forum, the number of CLC meetings would be reduced by at least 25 percent in each biennium.

The task force also plans to propose placing churchwide conventions on a three-year cycle to the Executive Board, while acknowledging the logistical complexities.

On the final day of the meetings, CLC affirmed the task force moving forward with the forum proposal while making some revisions and working with the Executive Leadership and Executive Board.

Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg, a pastor at Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold, Ohio, said she saw a major strength of the forum as offering a place for youth and young adult ministry leaders to gather and contribute.

Currently, church leadership loses out on input from this interest group, she said. Youth leaders gather at the conventions, but often carry other obligations that week.

Silent white male experiment
CLC put into practice the "silent white male" experiment adopted at last fall’s meeting in Albuquerque, N.M. In each session, seven white men volunteered to serve as silent partners so that 20 percent of the active group would be under-represented racial/ethnic people.

"The spirit was less anxious than I predicted," said Iris de Leon-Hartshorn, member of the CLC anti-racism task force, after the majority of the sessions. "It was good to see people volunteer and participate."

She said the task force will consider other methods for future meetings, such as the talking circle, in which participants pass a stick while speaking.

Justin Heinzekehr of Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference volunteered as a “silent partner.” He said he perceived the exercise as more useful to the white men at this table than necessarily encouraging racial/ethnic people to contribute more.

"This gave people an authentic way of experiencing exclusivity," he said. "[The exercise] is a valuable first step."

He said he understands the purpose of this exercise and drew a parallel to his feelings as a young adult. In meetings, he said, he has observed factors that bar young adults and other minorities from participating: knowledge of the church structure, communication style differences and a lack of understanding of the generational cultures.

Jacob Castro of Western District Conference told the CLC that the lack of time for introductions and relationships inhibits the table group discussions. He said it is difficult to discuss weighty issues with unfamiliar people.

In other news:
CLC reviewed a document, "Strategic Planning for Mennonite Church USA," from the churchwide agency executives. The three main goals are to revitalize our traditional churches, nurture the growing edges of our churches and make connections with others who share our beliefs and values.

Dick Thomas, moderator of Atlantic Coast Mennonite Conference, reported from the executive director search committee. At this time, 70 names of candidates have been submitted. The committee’s goal is to have the announcement ready by Mennonite Church USA Convention 2009 in July, if possible.

The next CLC meeting will be Oct. 19-21, 2009, at the Williamsburg (Va.) Christian Retreat Center.

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