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US MB Conference Convention
Taking care of family business


Delegates to the US MB Conference convention wrestled with a proposed budget that drastically reduced funding for Conference ministries.

Delegates to the previous convention in 2000 had endorsed an expansionary budget of $953,000 that included a full-time Conference executive director, aggressive church planting by Mission USA and a team of part-time Mission USA fundraisers. The budget for 2001–2002 was an even larger $1,087,245. However, these optimistic goals were not achieved.

The 2000–2001 budget assumed that individual boards would raise a significant portion of their funding, within limits approved by the convention. That strategy did not work as hoped, said Ken Neufeld, Board of Trustees chair. Not only did income not meet expenses, but “we had people running all over competing for funds.” Faced with a huge deficit, the Board of Church Ministries (the central US MB Conference board) decided last year to release the team of Mission USA fundraisers and hire Ted Goertzen half-time to raise funds “for the whole”. As a result, Mission USA director Ed Boschman resigned, and all ministries were cut back

The 2002–03 budget presented to delegates this summer totaled $649,978, a 40% drop. The boards are unhappy with their reduced budgets, and delegates were not happy either. Many complained that the Conference was abandoning the energetic vision they had embraced just two years prior, particularly Mission USA’s church planting. Others pointed out that the Conference could not continue racking up large deficits.

Thirty-two individuals spoke to the budget in a three-hour discussion. They offered a variety of solutions to the financial difficulties, most of which centred on increased giving from churches. The discussion was lively but respectful of differing opinions, and delegates expressed gratification that the Conference could deal with serious problems in such an open manner. The budget was eventually approved, with 77% in favour.

Ted Goertzen encouraged delegates to support US Conference ministries and recognized those congregations that had given 100% of the norm. He challenged individuals and businesses to also financially support the US Conference through the Grant Underwriter Program.

Vision debated

Whether the US Conference has lost its vision was debated by a variety of speakers. In his devotional Friday morning, vice-chair elect Chuck Buller argued that a denomination’s vision begins with a clear understanding of its identity. For Mennonite Brethren that’s being an evangelical anabaptist denomination.

In his report Saturday morning, Board of Faith and Life chair John Warkentin said, “I’m not sure that we always agree that [anabaptism] is a value for us.” BFL has called for a consultation of leaders to hammer out the mission of the US Conference – ”not because we’re not clear about the Great Commandment or Great Commission but because we are unclear . . . about how we are going to carry out the Great Commandment and Great Commission together”.

Mission USA

While nobody was happy with the budget, many delegates went home enthused about the ministries that are being done, particularly by Mission USA. The Mission USA report was divided into three sections, each illustrated by personal testimonies.

Pastors Reggie Hunt from Boone (N.C.) MB Church and Larry Martens from North Fresno (Calif.) MB Church shared their stories of church renewal as two of the five churches Mission USA partnered with in the last two years in the Target Church Program.

Carlin Regier was one of seven interns placed by Mission USA during the past two years. She told of her experience at Mountain View Community Church in Clovis, Calif., serving with the Sunday morning worship team and coordinating the youth worship team.

Church planters Mike Harrison and Scott Huska from The River in Peoria, Ariz. and Mike Miller from Community Church of the Heart in Broken Arrow, Okla. shared stories of the men, women and children who had been baptized this summer. There are 1,205 people in churches today thanks to the six congregations Mission USA has planted. Four of those six have taken root while two church plants did not survive.

In the near future, Mission USA will likely collaborate more with the district MB Conference home mission boards. Current church plants – in Broken Arrow, Ariz., Phoenix, Ariz. and Draper, Utah – will still be funded. The intern program will continue. However, new projects have been put on hold, and no plans are in place to hire a new director. The proposed Mission USA 2002–03 budget of $197,000 is down dramatically from the previous budget of $628,730. However, only $131,000 of the $628,730 came from the US Conference, and the rest was raised by Mission USA.

Board of Communications

The main project of the Board of Communications has been publishing The Christian Leader magazine, but in the past year it has also set up a Conference Web site. This Board has also faced massive cuts. Its 2002–03 budget of $143,708 includes just $90,230 from the US Conference. BOC will withdraw $53,478 from its endowment in order to continue publishing the Leader for the next year. BOC chair Kathy Heinrichs Wiest compared the Leader to a bicycle which is slowing down (losing funding) to the point that it is in danger of toppling over.

Integrated Ministries

Integrated Ministries has played a key role in the recent numeric growth of the US Conference. Delegates heard about Slavic, Hispanic, Korean and Ethiopian congregations. “As newcomers to this country, we are in desperate need for help,” said Vyacheslav Tsvirinko, newly appointed associate director of Slavic ministries. He spoke of the gratitude IM congregations have for the US Conference’s MB Foundation, which has helped them buy meeting facilities.

 – from reports by Connie Faber

Memoranda of Understanding at US MB Conference convention

The Memorandum of Understanding for divestiture of the Board of Resource Ministries/Kindred Productions was presented to the US delegates by John Quiring, a member of the transition team. He emphasized that, although there would be a new structure, partnership ministries could be strengthened. He also emphasized the continued need for denominational distinctive materials. Kindred Productions, as the entity that would be continuing to operate in Canada, would have marketing opportunities in the US, and would work with US agencies in developing new product on a project-by-project basis. The assets of Kindred Productions would be given to Canada, as would the offsetting loan. The US would contribute $7500 per year to maintain the link of developing and marketing materials in their churches. The Memorandum of Understanding for divestiture of Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary created a little more discussion. Presenter Nick Rempel indicated that the Seminary is still a wanted entity in the US and that the “norm” for US members would continue to be $22.00 per member (same as in Canada), although it will be a voluntary contribution, rather than part of an individual church’s automatic giving to Conference funding. Questions re the regional councils and board were asked, as well as how decisions would be made in non-convention years. Concern was raised that regional councils would become too cumbersome for good management but the response was that the by-laws would spell out the responsibilities of the Board, and that with discussion within the Councils, agreements could be reached. Decisions between conventions would continue to be made by the Board of Church Ministries. It was also stated that the Regional Councils would be responsible to recommend faculty, help with fundraising and recruitment, while the Board would appoint faculty. Concern was also expressed that the method of giving to the Seminary would create a feeling of insecurity; however, giving has always been voluntary, and the Seminary will need to continue to be in contact with the churches in order to encourage continued support. The Memorandum of Understanding of the divestiture of the Historical Commission was passed with little discussion. All three memoranda were passed by the US delegation, but needed to be passed by both Conferences in order to come into effect; they will be reviewed no later than during the 2006–07 Conference year.  – sbb

 

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Last modified December 17, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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