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2011-04-01 issue:

Conference leaders deal with differences

by Chris Rahe of Mennonite Church USA

Print Article

Representatives from each of Mennonite Church USA’s 21 area conferences and five constituency groups reported at the spring meeting of the Constituency Leaders Council (CLC), March 28-30 at Sauder Village in Archbold, Ohio. Common themes included dealing with differences—from immigration to theology—and staying in conversation; resourcing pastors and congregations; and new church plants.

From left: Carl Walcott, district minister for Southeast Mennonite Conference; and Carol Roth, staff leader of Native Mennonite Ministries; serve communion to Gene Miller, conference minister for New York Mennonite Conference. Photo by Chris Rahe.

The CLC met its diversity goals for the meeting with a makeup that was 43 percent female and 23 percent members of Racial/Ethnic groups.

Each morning began with Dwelling in the Word on 1 Corinthians 3:1-17, led by Iris De León-Hartshorn, executive conference minister for Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference and CLC vice-chair. Participants focused on the passage in silence and then in table groups, responding to questions posed by the leader.

Ervin Stutzman, executive director of Mennonite Church USA, reported on “the Pittsburgh Experiment,” a proposed change in the format of delegate sessions at convention that will be presented to delegates as an option at Pittsburgh 2011. Rather than using delegate time to present and adopt formal resolutions, delegates would engage in dialogue with each other, discern denominational priorities together, and spend time Dwelling in the Word. CLC members affirmed this idea. (Click here for article on the Pittsburgh Experiment).

Rachel Swartzendruber Miller, director of convention planning for Mennonite Church USA, and Glen Guyton, associate executive director for constituent resources for Mennonite Church USA, shared the results of a recent CLC study in response to the Executive Board’s decision to hold the 2013 convention in Phoenix in spite of the state’s new immigration legislation. Table groups spent time discussing questions about the 2013 convention.

Juan Montes moderator of Iglesia Menonita Hispana (IMH), spoke on behalf of IMH regarding the 2013 convention location. Montes assured the CLC that members of IMH consider themselves Mennonite now more than ever.

Worship was led all three days by Chuck Neufeld, executive conference minister for Illinois Mennonite Conference; Anita Amstutz, pastor of Albuquerque (N.M.) Mennonite Church, Donna Mast, interim conference minister for Allegheny Mennonite Conference; and Zenobia Sowell-Bianchi, member of the African-American Mennonite Association (AAMA) board. Willard Metzger, general secretary of Mennonite Church Canada, also brought greetings.

The CLC’s next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 24-26 in Halifax, Pa.

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