Executive Council
Council Members
Ed Boschman, Moderator
(Peoria, Ariz.)
Canada, 1997
Larry Martens, Assistant Moderator
(Fresno, Calif.)
U.S., 1997
Valerie Rempel, Secretary
(Fresno, Calif.)
1997
Lorlie Barkman
Board of Resource Ministries
Jim Enns
Board of Trustees
Neil Fast
Board of Missions/Services
Herb Kopp
Board of Faith and Life
Ron Toews
Board of Directors, MB Biblical Seminary
Dennis Fast
US Conference Moderator
Ike Bergen
Canadian Conference Moderator
Marvin Hein
Executive Secretary
When the newly formed Executive Council met in the fall of 1995, it was clear to us that the winds of change were blowing. In addition to both informal and formal discussions at the 1995 convention itself, we received various communiques from district, provincial and/or national leaders and leadership boards. The voices were strong and at times passionate. Our two national periodicals had several times addressed the need for change. Our General Conference Boards were already restructuring in significant ways how they were doing God's work.
Though the Council consists of the executive officers of the bi-national conference, the moderators of the national conferences and the chairs of the General Conference ministry boards, we invited the Seminary president, the MB Missions/Services General Director and the Executive Secretary of the Board of Resource Ministries to join us in our meetings. It was important that we work together to address the mandate for change that we had been given. In our earliest discussions, hard questions surfaced. Do we still need a bi-national conference? What is the impact of movement towards nationalization and internationalization as illustrated in ICOMB? How do we address the perennial comments that we have too many conventions and they cost us too much money? What of the reality of declining interest and attendance at conventions? How can we retain and strengthen the valuable ministries of leadership training and world evangelization? How will we guard the biblical theology to which we are committed?
Strategic Evaluation
Our discussions led us to call an advisory Strategic Evaluation Meeting at Camp ECCO in California in September, 1996. The meeting of the Council of Boards which immediately followed the SEM, reviewed the brainstorming which had occurred, and went on record to work toward changing the management of the current bi-national ministries in such a way as to eliminate the need for the bi-national conference. We will recommend that we begin that process.
Articles of Incorporation, Constitution, By-laws
We have brought the by-laws into compliance with convention decisions, and approved Board and Committee policies and procedures.
In light of the possibility of imminent changes, we have set aside notices of motion to "rewrite the Conference Charter" and to "extend the term of the Charter from `99 years' to `perpetual' ".
If, at convention '97, we decide to move ahead with the realignment of our General Conference ministries, we will need to approve recommendations that will permit us to do so. It is important to understand that these recommendations will hinge on the convention vote regarding the recommendation to move toward discontinuing our bi-national conference.
Board Appointments
The Executive Council has the responsibility to appoint members to Conference boards as it becomes necessary between conventions. Since 1995, we have appointed Bob Wick and John Redekop to the Board of MB Missions/Services; Malinda Nikkel, Scott Leonard, Marvin Dyck and Dan Ratzlaff to the Board of Directors of MB Biblical Seminary; Elvera Froese to the Board of Faith and Life; and Gordon Janzen to the Board of Resource Ministries.
Nominating Committee
The formation of a nominating committee was overlooked at Fresno '95, and so the Council appointed Jascha Boge, Elizabeth Esau and Jim Gaede to join continuing members Phil Glanzer and Salome Hiebert. Gaede replaces Arnie Prieb, who resigned.
Name Change
The motion to call the bi-national conference "North American Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches" will not be brought to the convention. The uncertainty of the future led us to "back burner" this matter.
India Relationship
The nature of our interaction with the India MB Church is complex and strained. We have continued contact with Indian leaders, primarily through Werner Kroeker, who represents us in India; Harold Ens, representing MBM/S; and Larry Martens, representing the Executive Council. Progress seems at times encouraging but mostly laborious and slow. It is encouraging to know that at the grassroots churches are essentially healthy and that evangelism and church planting are carrying on. We still need to consider how we will work together in future years, and to develop a mutual understanding of what it means for us to be sister conventions within the larger MB family.
ICOMB
The International Committee of Mennonite Brethren continues to meet in order to link the 17 national MB Conferences throughout the world. We have been represented there by former General Conference Moderator Edmund Janzen, whom we appointed for the sake of continuity. In the future, there will be appointees from the Canadian and U.S. Conferences, thus eliminating the need for General Conference representation. ICOMB may well be the wave of the future. Other national conferences want to relate to North America by way of national representatives and to work and minister alongside us as equal partners in world evangelization.
Mennonite World Conference
The General Conference was represented at the Mennonite World Conference Assembly in January, 1997 in India by our Executive Secretary, Marvin Hein, and by Harry Heidebrecht (Canada) and Larry Martens (U.S.). They had an effective ministry and also collaborated with other MB leaders to contribute to our ongoing relationship with the India Conference.
Service/Ministry Recognition
Previous conventions made it clear that it would be appropriate to develop some guidelines for the recognition of faithful board and committee service. We have developed such a policy in collaboration with MBM/S and MBBS.
MB-BIC Conversations
We are continuing our fraternal meetings with Brethren in Christ leaders. The purposes of these meetings are to provide mutual encouragement and counsel, and to explore avenues for working together.
Shared Ministry
Questions continue to be raised about our current position on the involvement of women in the various ministries of the church. We therefore wish to state that our understanding of the present denominational position is that we encourage our sisters to be involved in all ministries of the church as they are gifted by God and called by the church, with the exception of the senior pastor position. We understand this to be the clear consensus at the Winnipeg '93, convention.
Executive Secretary
Marvin Hein continues to serve us well. We will recommend that he be appointed for an additional two years.
Next Convention
Our next convention is scheduled for Wichita, Kansas, July 9-11, 1999. It should be noted that ICOMB will convene there as well. Their meeting will be a global consultation that focuses on the renewal and mission of the church for the 21st century. The fact that all our sister national conferences will meet at that time promises a strong international flavor for Wichita '99!
Ed Boschman, Moderator
Recommendations
1. In response to the mandate for change, in consideration of the processing of the past biennium, and in anticipation of the dissolution of the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, we recommend:
A. That we adjust the Amendment by-law to allow us to suspend or waive any by-law provision by a two-thirds vote of the delegates.
B. That the Executive Council inititate the process of realigning and restructuring the management of the ministries of our bi-national conference.
C. That we suspend elections for the next term except to fill vacant positions.
D. That we adjust the by-law which governs the Amendment of the Charter and the Confession of Faith to allow us to accept the completed and properly processed revision of the Confession of Faith at the next convention. (This would eliminate the "Notice of Motion" requirement.)
2. We recommend that the composition of the Board of Trustees be reduced from nine members to five members. (This is the result of eliminating the two representatives from the Canadian Conference Board of Management and the two representatives from the U.S. Conference Board of Trustees.)
3. We recommend that the revised by-laws be adopted.
4. We recommend that the Service and Recognition Policy be adopted.
5. We recommend the continuance of Marvin Hein as Executive Secretary for the next biennium.
6. We recommend the budget for this next biennium. Given present realities, the proposed budget is decreased by approximately 10% from the previous year.
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