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2010-02-01 issue:

MC USA consultant suggests sweeping changes

by Mennonite Church USA

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Mennonite Church USA leadership has received a consultant's report on how the denomination operates and with suggestions to improve its witness.

Consultant LaVern Yutzy's 22-page "Report on Alignment Opportunities for Mennonite Church USA" puts forth recommendations for 15 different areas of church organization, addressing issues such as the role of area conferences, Executive Board composition and the four churchwide program agencies functions and structures.
LaVern Yutzy

Executive director of Mennonite Church USA Ervin Stutzman, noted that no decisions have been made about any of the recommendations in the report at this time.

To introduce his work, Yutzy says, "I consider it a very rare privilege to have had the opportunity to talk with 142 persons ... Meeting these persons and participating in a variety of conference and denominational level meetings have underscored the high levels of commitment and competence that are present. There is clear evidence of a strong passion for the church and an appreciation for worship and prayer as an integral part of following Jesus."

Yutzy observed Mennonite Church USA as a denomination in change and affirmed our ability to live into the future. The alignment effort, he said, must be seen within the vision and commitment of Mennonite Church USA to embody and extend healing and hope.

"Alignment efforts are not an end in themselves ... if it has any value, this report will support our efforts to faithfully follow Jesus," he says.

Noting area conferences' "significant frustration" at feeling marginalized, Yutzy calls for giving them greater prominence in the church. The role of denominational-level activity, he said, should be supporting the 21 Mennonite Church USA area conferences rather than congregations. Serving congregations should then be the conferences' responsibility.

"In order to identify resources that will facilitate the work of conferences, conferences themselves must be integrally involved in this ongoing conversation," Yutzy said.

One way to do that, he proposes, is reconfiguring the Executive Board to include five representatives from area conferences as well as one representative from each recognized racial/ethnic group in Mennonite Church USA.

Other recommendations include:
• Executive Leadership and the four churchwide program agencies sharing support services as much as possible.
• Adding MHS Alliance as a fifth agency.
• Implementing a process to identify strategies to address each of the four churchwide priorities.

The Executive Board, which had hired Yutzy a year ago, received his report last month and has since distributed it to other denominational leaders and staff for their consideration.

The report and responses will be a major agenda item at the Executive Board's Feb. 18-20 meeting in Hampton, Va. At that time the board will develop a plan to receive feedback over the next number of months from those potentially most affected by the recommendations.

Each recommendation will be considered on its own merit over the next months in an appropriate forum for discussion and decision-making. Within this process there will be wide opportunity for participation by people who have a stake in the outcome. Stutzman is calling the church to prayer as we move into this period of discernment.


RECOMMENDATIONS:
Alignment around vision and priorities:
1. That a process for identifying more focused strategies for each major priority area be developed:
a. That this process involve key stakeholders, including conferences, Racial/Ethnic groups, program agencies, Executive Board, etc.
b. That each of the areas of the church, including churchwide program agencies and conferences, identify how they individually and corporately will contribute to carrying out the strategies.
2. That this biennial planning process be implemented in preparation for the 2011-2013 biennium.
3. That we build on the very positive collaborative efforts of Executive Leadership and the program agencies by using a modified process to identify more focused strategies for the 2009-2011 biennium.

Denominational level activities and role of conferences:
1. That the Executive Board be reconfigured to include the following members:
a. The moderator and moderator-elect
b. Five members appointed by the conferences, potentially through the Constituency Leaders Council.
c. One member appointed by each recognized Racial/Ethnic group. As additional Racial/Ethnic groups are recognized, they should have the opportunity to be represented on Executive Board.
d. Five at-large board members elected by the delegate body.
2. That denominational level leaders place priority on the function of supporting each conference in their role of resourcing congregations.
3. That denominational leaders collaborate with conference leaders to identify and shape denominational level activities and decisions.

Realignment of Denominational Level Functions/Agencies:
Executive Board:
1. That the Executive Board and the incoming Executive Director clarify in writing their respective roles with the goal of minimizing overlap between setting policy and operations.
2. That these understandings be reviewed by the Executive Board and the Executive Director at least every six months to determine whether modifications are needed.

Integration of Executive Leadership and Mennonite Mission Network:
1. That leadership for developing and coordinating the denomination's missional understandings be lodged with the Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA.
2. That preparation for integrating Executive Leadership and Mennonite Mission Network into a denominational office begin as soon as possible and include the following:
a. During this transition period, the Mennonite Mission Network Board will continue to function.
b. The CEO/Executive Director of Mennonite Mission Network will:
i. Continue to report to the Mennonite Mission Network board during this transition period.
ii. Immediately begin serving as a member of the leadership team of the Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA.
c. That all of the support functions of Mennonite Mission Network and Executive Leadership be integrated under the overall supervision of the Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA.
d. A name or descriptor (other than Executive Leadership) be identified for the denominational office that supports a unified denominational identity. This may simply be "Mennonite Church USA" or "Mennonite Church USA Offices."
e. That the Executive Board and Mission Network board and their staff leaders, with input from conferences, engage in a planning process to:
i. Determine the best means for:
      1. Maintaining an emphasis on missions
      2. Maintaining and/or increasing funding after integration.
ii. Determine whether the brand of Mennonite Mission Network should be maintained or modified.
iii. Determine if the appointment of several Mennonite Mission Network board members to the Executive Board for up to three years after the integration would facilitate the transition.
3. That the integration of Executive Leadership and Mennonite Mission Network functions and staff be accomplished not later than February 2012 at which time:
a. The Mennonite Mission Network board will cease to exist as a governing board. (One option is for it to transition to an advisory board if that is determined to be the best model.) 
b. The activities of Mennonite Mission Network will be integrated into the denominational office under the leadership of the Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA.
c. The CEO/Executive Director of Mennonite Mission Network will report to the Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA and the title will be modified as determined by the planning process.

Integration of support services:
That the integration of support services within Executive Leadership and Mission Network be extended to include churchwide program agencies to the extent possible.

Churchwide program agencies:
Mennonite Education Agency:
1. That Mennonite Education Agency be reconfigured into an association of Mennonite schools (including K-12, higher education and seminaries).
a. That a Higher Education Council be developed that is similar to its Mennonite Schools Council counterpart.
b. That three members of the Mennonite Schools Council Executive Committee and three members of the Higher Education Council Executive Committee be members of the Association's board along with six denominational appointees.
c. That a Commission on Sponsorship (that includes at least four of the association's denominational appointees) be appointed by the Association board to provide oversight to the Statements of Arrangements that are developed with each institution of higher education.
d. That another name be considered that reflects its association function, i.e. Mennonite Education Association or Mennonite Education Services Alliance.
e. That the Association develop a covenant with Mennonite Church USA.
2. That the Mennonite Education Agency's current programs and initiatives that are not congruent with an association of schools be transferred to the denominational office.
3. That the Mennonite Education Agency continue with its plans to move to the planned denominational offices in Elkhart or to the MMA site in Goshen.
4. That the Mennonite Education Agency participate as fully as possible in the integrated support services network.
5. As two associations serving church related organizations, that opportunities for mutual collaboration and sharing of services be explored with Mennonite Health Services Alliance.
6. That additional mechanisms be identified for strengthening the ties of the institutions (especially higher education) to the denomination either through the new association or
otherwise.

Mennonite Publishing Network:
1. That Mennonite Publishing Network take into account its partnership with Mennonite Church Canada as it responds to recommendations for enhancing its work with Mennonite Church USA.
2. That in its relationship with Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Publishing Network continue its designation as a churchwide program agency recognizing that Mennonite Publishing Network also has a similar status in its relationship with Mennonite Church Canada.
3. That Mennonite Publishing Network focus its energies on implementing its strategic priorities and business plan with modifications as needed.
a. Participate as fully as possible in the shared support services.
b. Intentionally take steps during the next two years to locate a contingent of Mennonite Publishing Network staff in the central denominational office in Elkhart.
4. That Mennonite Publishing Network leaders and Mennonite Church USA leaders:
a. Review Mennonite Publishing Network's current functions to determine whether any functions should be returned to the denominational office.
b. Avoid directing "unfunded mandates" to Mennonite Publishing Network other than collaboratively developed Mennonite Publishing Network contributions to support implementing denominational biennial strategic priorities.
c. Increase the collaborative connections with denominational leaders and conferences.
5. That Mennonite Publishing Network and Third Way Media consider potential collaboration opportunities.

Mennonite Mutual Aid:
1. That Mennonite Mutual Aid continue as a program agency of Mennonite Church USA.
2. That the denomination provide guidance on stewardship education priorities that includes input from conferences and Racial/Ethnic groups.
3. That the new branding initiative of Mennonite Mutual Aid reflect its strong connection with Mennonite Church USA.
4. That Mennonite Mutual Aid participate as fully as possible in the shared support services coordinated by the denominational office.
5. That Mennonite Mutual Aid Church Relations Managers work with Mennonite Church USA conference in each congregation they visit.

Related agencies:
Mennonite Health Services Alliance:
1. That discussions be pursued with the Mennonite Health Services Alliance board with the goal of recognizing Mennonite Health Services Alliance as a churchwide program agency.
2. That Mennonite Health Services Alliance participate as fully as possible in the support services shared by the denominational office and other churchwide program agencies.
3. That Mennonite Health Services Alliance move its Goshen office to the either the Elkhart site or MMA site to further consolidate the location of program agencies.

Elkhart office building:
1. Build only the amount of space necessary to serve current staffing levels of confirmed occupants.
2. Ensure that the space is able to be flexibly adapted to meet future needs including expansion options if necessary at some future time.
3. Ensure that funds for projected building costs plus endowment are received or committed prior to beginning the project.

The Mennonite:
That The Mennonite become the official publication of Mennonite Church USA and a part of the denominational office communications department.

Church extension services:
That the mission of Church Extension Services be expanded through connections with a church related organization with related expertise and that this integration be completed not later than June 30, 2010.

Newton office:
1. Maintain office space in the Newton, Kansas area for Mennonite Church USA related staff.
2. Consider co-location of Mennonite Church USA related staff and Western District staff.
3. Take steps to sell the inefficiently used portions of the Main Street properties as that becomes possible. If necessary, attempt to lease any unneeded space until it can be sold.
4. By 2011 the denomination should designate only one location as its official headquarters.

Resource availability:
Assign the Director of Denominational Support Services the tasks of:
1. Developing a process to identify the resources that are desired.
2. Expanding the resources that are available online based on stakeholder requests.
3. Improving access and content based on customer feedback.
4. Promoting the availability of the resources.

Mennonite Men and Mennonite Women USA:
Connect Mennonite Women USA and Mennonite Men organizationally to the denominational office with supervision as determined by the Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA.

Reader Comments

Add Comments
  • Posted by tmadmin at Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 01:25 PM

    Comment from Martin Lehman: In his report to the denomination, Consultant Laverne Yutzy noted that the area conferences feel marginalized and are experiencing "significant frustration." I learned recently in a meeting with retired scholars mostly with MC connections, that the GC part of the church was the loser in the merger when the former MC conferences tended to gain control over the former GC congregations. It should be no surprise when former GC churches bypass present conferences and go directly to resources offered by the MC USA executive board. I suggest MC-USA respect the conferences, relieve them of the need to control congregations, and give them a new and important role. Denominational staff should equip conferences to expedite the statement, "Agree and Disagreeing in Love." Given our history of disagreeing and dividing, along with increasing diversity, future conflict and division seems inevitable. A new denominational strategy that builds communities of understanding, tolerance, and love through conferences seems to be an urgent agenda. If conferences were used to introduced the agenda to their congregations, they would have a prominent role that is recognized and honored by the whole church and experience less frustration.

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