ICOMB Proposal
The International Committee of Mennonite Brethren is formally asking the 17 national MB conferences around the world to consider taking significant steps to develop ICOMB. Following are the main areas under consideration.
1. Purpose
ICOMB is asking the national conferences to consider ICOMB's fourfold purpose statement as outlined in its bylaws, and to either commit themselves to that statement or to suggest changes.
2. Structure
ICOMB has operated with regional representation, with two representatives each from Asia, Latin America and North America, and one each from Africa and Europe. This means that many countries do not have direct representation. ICOMB is proposing that every national MB conference have a representative (usually the moderator or designate) on ICOMB.
3. Finances
ICOMB has received some funding from several national conferences, and the travel costs of the representatives attending the meetings have been borne by their national conferences. However, these travel costs can be a serious burden for the national conferences in poorer countries. ICOMB is proposing an ongoing system of funding for ICOMB: Each national conference would contribute 1% of its annual income to ICOMB; a country would have to contribute at least 0.5% to maintain its representation.
4. Global Consultation
A global Mennonite Brethren consultation was held in 1988 in Curitiba, Brazil, sponsored by MB Missions/Services, before the creation of ICOMB. ICOMB is now proposing a second global consultation, to be held July 12-15, 1999, immediately following the North American MB Conference in Kansas, USA. Four delegates would come from each national conference (the moderator, a youth leader, a women's leader and an educational leader). The suggested theme is "Signs of Hope in a World of Chaos: Renewing the MB Church for Century 21". MBM/S has committed $30,000 to subsidize delegates' travel costs.
5. Video
ICOMB is considering producing a video of the MB church worldwide. Each national conference would contribute one hour of video material (showing its conventions, evangelistic events, Bible studies, sports, weddings, baptisms, church buildings, schools, leaders, pastors, youth, women's organizations, etc.). This material would all be edited down to a 15-to-20-minute video. The script would be written by MB Missions/Services, and the video would be produced by Obedeira in Asuncion, Paraguay. The video would cost about $10,000 to produce, using funding from outside the ICOMB budget. It would be made available in at least six languages (English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese). All material would be submitted by May 1, 1997, and the video would be ready by July 1, 1997.
6. Ten-Year Plan
ICOMB has developed a tentative schedule of meetings over the next 10 years. These include regular annual meetings of ICOMB, one global consultation and several regional consultations. (One regional consultation has already been held in Asuncion, Paraguay, drawing representatives from 8 Latin American conferences). The proposed meetings include:
1997 - Calcutta, India - in conjunction with Mennonite World Conference
1998 - Zaire - ICOMB
1999 - USA (Kansas) - Global Consultation
2000 - Austria - ICOMB
2001 - Brazil - regional consultation (Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil)
2002 - Canada - ICOMB
2003 - Colombia - regional consultation (Peru, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia)
2004 - Paraguay - ICOMB (in conjunction with 50th anniversary of Paraguay MB Conference
2005 - Japan - regional consultation (in conjunction with 55th anniversary of Japan MB Conference)
2006 - Peru - ICOMB
2007 - Mexico - regional consultation
2008 - CIS/Europe - ICOMB
ICOMB is hoping that the national MB conferences will consider these proposals and come prepared to make decisions at the next ICOMB meeting, January 5, 1997 in Calcutta, India. It is hoped that representatives from all national MB conferences will be able to attend and not just the current ICOMB membership.
adapted from a letter from Edmund Janzen, chair of ICOMB
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