Franklin Conference follows Lancaster Conference by
four days in joining MC USA
by Laurie L. Oswald
Franklin Mennonite Conference delegates partake of
communion Sept. 21 at Marion Mennonite Church in Chambersburg,
Pa., when they voted to join Mennonite Church USA as
a full member
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. (MC USA) -- Like its sister conference next
door, Lancaster, Franklin Mennonite Conference's 71.6 percent
vote on Sept. 21 to join Mennonite Church USA as a full member
shows that its internal work is not finished as it moves toward
deeper fellowship with other Mennonite USA conferences and
agencies.
Only four days earlier on Sept. 17, Lancaster delegates affirmed
a recommendation by 69.5 percent to join the denomination
as a full member -- just over the 66.6 percent required. Franklin,
with its 14 congregations, also exceeded its two-thirds requirement
by a close margin.
Eighty-eight delegates out of a possible 94 voted during the
gathering held only for the vote -- effective immediately
-- at Marion Mennonite Church in Chambersburg. Voters included
the conference's active and retired ordained leaders, as well
as some lay delegates.
But even with the percentage similarities and the perspectives
that fueled them, Darrell Baer, conference minister, said
that Franklin delegates deliberated their own decision quite
independently from Lancaster, despite the strong and good
ties with their neighbor.
"Our discernment process was a lot more personal to our
conference than I thought it would be," said Baer, who
helped facilitate the discernment process since February 2003
in a series of cluster and delegate meetings. "Even though
our recommendation was worded a lot the same as Lancaster's,
it didn't seem to me that our delegates had their ears turned
to the Lancaster Mennonite Conference discussions as much
as I expected.
"At the same time, it is undeniable that Lancaster is
truly a sister conference to us and one that has a very similar
perspective and history and manner of church life and is influenced
by the same voices. We are constantly passing the same materials
around."
Franklin's recommendation included much latitude, as did Lancaster's.
In part it read, "We recommend an invitational but non-uniform
model of relationship with Mennonite Church USA where congregations
are first and foremost members of Franklin Mennonite Conference.
In this model, congregations are invited to participate with
Mennonite Church USA at whatever level they have interest
and comfort."
J. Allen Lehman, Franklin Conference moderator -- like his
counterpart, Keith Weaver, moderator of Lancaster Conference
-- expected that the conference vote would be higher. Nevertheless,
Lehman said he is grateful that it passed and that the conference
can move forward. "Even with the block of 'no' votes,
in a large measure, I think we are ready to move beyond some
of these issues and move on," he said. "I, for one,
am happy, relieved, and I am breathing a little lighter.
"We're a small conference, and so I am really grateful
that we made this decision, even with some of the outstanding
issues, because not to have joined the larger body could have
been devastating to us in the long run."
Lehman said his involvement with Baer on the Constituency
Leaders Council (CLC) -- a group of about 90 conference leaders
who advise the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board -- has
taught him the value of this connectedness. "It feels
so right to have this connection and this accountability that
this decision brings, and vice versa," he said.
He also cited his involvement at Atlanta 2003 as a "watershed"
of new acceptance of his brothers and sisters in Christ. "It
was an awesome experience to sit across from people at those
tables and to hear them share their views on abortion that
were so different than mine," he said. "But I discovered
that they were genuine people with genuine convictions, just
like me."
Lehman, Baer and Larry Lehman, administrative secretary for
the conference, all said that this mutual give and take is
one of the aspects they look forward to the most in fully
being part of the wider church.
"I think the gift that Franklin brings to Mennonite Church
USA is its simple belief in the evangelical perspective that
is focused on the scriptures," Lehman said. "I think
we bring a conservative voice and a mindset that wants to
maintain a simplicity of faith and belief. ... "But when
all is said and done, we just all need each other so very
much."
Larry Lehman, who served in Guatemala with the K'echi people
for many years before working at the conference office in
Chambersburg, said that he believes that Mennonite Church
USA can stretch the conference. "We need the challenges
that Mennonite Church USA can bring us, especially on peace
and justice issues and non-resistance," he said. "I
think this focus is why some of our people maybe voted against
the recommendation.
"But I think it will be good for us, as long as it is
not too overdone with an attitude of having peace seen as
our salvation, rather than Jesus."
Baer said he believes deeply in the denomination while also
believing deeply in the freedom to challenge the denomination.
It's a freedom that the conference is likely to take to heart
with some healthy vigilance.
"Some of the 'no' votes registered some outstanding skepticism
whether or not the denomination can hold to its confession
of faith and the Word of God and a seeking after a holiness
in our walk with God," he said. "I think it's a
fear that the church in its largeness -- that may tend to
be all things to all people -- will drift from the core of
its central faith.
"I take the turn-out of our vote as a mandate to be vigilant
on these matters. ... At the same time, I am delighted that
our die is cast with the larger Mennonite confession and witness
in our nation. That feels very good to me and it is an identity
that feels safe to us in the long run, I think."
Laurie L. Oswald is news service
director for Mennonite Church USA.
Mennonite Church USA Executive Board paves way for Charlotte
2005
by Laurie L. Oswald
From left, Sharon Waltner of Parker, S.D., Mennonite
Church USA Executive Board member, gives a report on
the development of a churchwide statement and research
regarding healthcare access during board meetings Sept.
17-19 in Charlotte, N.C. Listening in are board members
Kim Vu Friesen, St. Paul, Minn., and Daryl Byler, Washington,
D.C.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (MC USA) -- To help pave the way to Charlotte
2005, the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board met Sept. 13-15
in Charlotte, site of the churchwide convention next summer
to discuss identity, funding, relationships with area conferences
and a statement on healthcare access for delegate discussion
next July.
The board's concern for these topics at this juncture in the
denomination's journey shows why the convention theme, "Can't
Keep Quiet," is an apt one for Charlotte 2005, said Duane
Oswald, moderator of Mennonite Church, who chaired the board
meetings. The denomination will hold its second biennial gathering
jointly with Mennonite Church Canada next July 4-9 at the
Charlotte Convention Center.
"The theme for me means that I can't keep quiet about
all the great things I see God doing among us in the transformation
process," Oswald said. "I feel that the denomination
is coming together very, very nicely."
Oswald and other board members witnessed this positive reality
first-hand Sept. 17, when Jim Schrag, executive director for
Mennonite Church USA, took a cell-phone call from Keith Weaver,
moderator of Lancaster Mennonite Conference, during a board
session. Lancaster Conference had just affirmed to join Mennonite
Church USA as a full member, and Weaver wanted the board to
know. The board members immediately prayed for Lancaster Conference
and later created a welcome statement to be sent to the conference.
"By Charlotte, we potentially could have all our 21 area
conferences on board as full members," Oswald said. Several
days after the board meeting, Franklin Mennonite Conference
also voted to join Mennonite Church USA as a full member.
In spring 2005, it's likely that North Central Conference
-- the only remaining provisional conference -- will decide
on whether to become a full member, he said. And delegates
are likely to consider approving the formation a new area
conference, Mountain States Mennonite Conference.
As the denomination grows, building a clear identity, a strong
funding base and cooperative relationships will help Mennonite
Church USA fulfill its calling, said three staff members on
Mennonite Church USA's executive leadership team: Barth Hague,
communications director; Marty Lehman, director of financial
development; and Phil Bergey, a consultant to area conferences
on behalf of executive leadership.
Barth Hague, communication director for Mennonite
Church USA, gives a presentation on strengthening of
denominational identity during Mennonite Church USA
Executive Board meetings Sept. 17-19 in Charlotte, N.C.
Four steps to identity
During his presentation Sept. 18, Hague gave his preliminary
thoughts on how the denomination can best build identity:
establish Mennonite Church USA as a single, whole denomination;
show how becoming a missional church is the denomination's
primary aspiration through congregations that are pursuing
Christ's purpose; reaffirm that Christ-centeredness is at
the heart of the denomination's reason for existing; and educate
constituents on what are the denomination's primary organizations
and activities.
Hague emphasized Christ-centeredness as a necessary part of
denominational identity. "We imply that our commitment
to being Christ-centered is central," he said. "But
we need to make it much more explicit. We must do a better
job of communicating this to the our congregations and members."
To illustrate, he shared feedback he received during a churchwide
communication survey in 2003. A constituent wrote, "I
would only hope that in the midst of all the excitement over
what it means to be Mennonite in the new millennium, that
'Mennonitism' would never take precedence over what it means
to be in Christ and to be a Christian."
Many board members responded positively to Hague's presentation,
with some additional suggestions -- such as one from Kevin
Goertzen, of Goessel, Kan. "I am thrilled with this report
... and I think you've hit a lot of things right on,"
he said. "But I think it would also be good to show what
is distinct about being Mennonite.
"This is tricky, because if we show too much about our
distinctiveness, then we just see ourselves as Mennonites
and not Christians. ... But we have to think through what
makes us different from Baptists or Presbyterians or all the
independent churches that dot the landscape."
Edie Landis of Telford, Pa., speaks with fellow members
of the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board during meetings
Sept. 17-19 in Charlotte, N.C. They are from left, Kim
Vu Friesen of St. Paul, Minn., and Jane Hoober Peifer
of Lancaster, Pa
Clear funding, clear identity
Building a strong funding system will help the denomination
to build a strong identity, Lehman said. She shared themes
gleaned from a recent funding survey sent to congregations:
the need to simplify giving, to be more clear on how much
it costs to operate the denomination and to build trust.
"It's obvious that many constituents don't know how our
system works, and confusion creates a lack of trust,"
Lehman said. "We will build that trust by listening to
people."
Schrag responded, "This is not as much about a new system
as it is about making the systems we have more user friendly."
In this transitory time, area conferences and the denomination
also need to redefine their relationship, Bergey said. He
works with Schrag and executive leadership to increase collaboration.
Bergey said, "Developing a churchwide resource network
is an attempt to tie together denominational and congregational
resources ... to create a seamless access to resources that
exist. ... Networking is key."
From inner to outer focus
The board moved Sept. 18 from focusing on internal issues
within executive leadership to touring the Charlotte 2005
convention facilities. The board also heard a report from
Mennonite Mission Network, one of its four churchwide agencies.
And board members received a report from the Access Commission
about the creation of a churchwide statement on healthcare
access, as well as research about healthcare access in Mennonite
Church USA. The report also included the plans for response
that delegates will discuss for the first time at Charlotte.
Sharon Waltner, board member of Parker, S.D., and a member
of the commission, gave the report. She shared why the church
is tackling the complex issue and outlined the commission's
goals prior to Charlotte.
In 2003, Mennonite Church USA authorized a churchwide initiative
to address the U.S. healthcare crisis. Research shows that
more than 44 million people are uninsured, racial/ethnic people
receive substandard care, runaway costs erode employee benefits
and weaker and vulnerable citizens are excluded from basic,
non-emergency healthcare coverage.
The denomination asked the Anabaptist Center for Healthcare
Ethics to facilitate the broad initiative, which includes
the commission's work. Its vision statement guiding the project
calls for "access to appropriate healthcare for all Mennonite
Church USA members and more equitable access for our neighbors."
Most recently, the commission sent a draft of the statement
to congregations for feedback (available accessing "delegates
at www.Charlotte2005.org).
In Charlotte, delegates will give further feedback, which
the commission will use to develop an action plan for delegate
approval in 2007.
Waltner said, "There was a sense of real skepticism at
first about what we could do with healthcare, since the issue
is huge and complex. ... But we have powerful success stories
to tell. ...There are people who are thinking outside the
box. There are congregations who are thinking and talking
about it. There are healthcare workers who are doing things
with clinics and outreach and preventative health. So things
are happening."
Some board members raised concerns regarding the polarities
that exist in the denomination regarding how the church should
speak to government on current issues, such as healthcare.
"The recent letters we sent to congregations regarding
Iraq and Vietnam surfaced different opinions about how we
speak to government," said Ed Rempel, board member of
Littleton, Colo.
Janeen Bertsche Johnson, of Goshen, Ind., said, "This
is an important issue to consider as we bring this healthcare
access statement before the delegates. ... A response from
one pastor was anger when it appeared that we could speak
to the government on the healthcare issue but not on the abortion
issue. ... There is the perception out there that we have
different standards for different issues."
Daryl Byler, a board member of Washington, D.C., said the
board should create statements that follow God's Spirit rather
than the spirit of the times. "Our church does not need
to keep everybody happy," he said. "We need to develop
statements that bring the best wisdom from above and that
don't just promote a Democrat or Republican point of view.
We need to do fewer statements and do them well."
Laurie L. Oswald is news service director for Mennonite Church
USA.
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