(Mennonite Church USA)—Area Conference Resource Advocates joined the Constituency Leaders Council (CLC) on the morning of March 11 for worship and reporting during the CLC’s spring meeting, held March 11–13 at Camp Hebron in Halifax, Pa.
At right, Cathy Spory (at left) of Allegheny Mennonite Conference addresses the CLC; Lynette Miller of Illinois Mennonite Conference is on the right (photo by Chuck Neufeld). CLC members met the resource advocates, heard about the work they do for their respective area conferences and shared ideas for ways to improve the resource advocate system.
Leading the CLC meeting were Elizabeth Soto-Albrecht, moderator-elect of Mennonite Church USA, and CLC co-chair Tom Kauffman, conference minister of Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA. The theme for the gathering was, “The Earth is the Lord’s, and we belong to God” (Psalm 24:1-2).
Each morning the group began with worship led by the CLC worship team of Nicole Francisco (African American Mennonite Association—AAMA), Chuck Neufeld (Illinois Mennonite Conference) and Edward James (AAMA). Those present then had a time of Dwelling in the Word with Psalm 24.
CLC members heard stories from Arlene Tubby of Native Mennonite Ministries and from representatives of Atlantic Coast Conference, Southeast Mennonite Conference, Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference and the North Central Conference of the Mennonite Church.
Other items on the agenda included discussing Mennonite Church USA polity, giving feedback on an update to the Mennonite Polity for Ministerial Leadership (a polity manual shared by Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada), discussing membership issues and membership guidelines, giving feedback on resolutions proposed for the upcoming delegate assembly at Phoenix 2013, and learning about different decision-making methods.
The CLC’s next meeting will be Oct. 14–16 at Amigo Centre, Sturgis, Mich.
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—Marty Lehman, director of churchwide operations for Mennonite Church USA
