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An experiment - two regional meetings

2009 IN-MI Mennonite Conference Regional Meetings
The Executive Committee--seeking to be flexible in following the Spirit’s leading--is calling for two regional meetings (instead of seven cluster meetings) to be held this year. We believe that your presence at these meetings will be very important--and that each delegate’s voice makes a difference.
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View photos:
- Northern Regional Meeting
- Southern Regional Meeting

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Regional meetings report
Thank you to everyone who gave of their time and energy to attend one of the two regional meetings -- Feb. 14 at Ninth Street Community Church in Saginaw and Feb. 21 at First Mennonite of Indianapolis. (These meetings replaced the usual seven cluster meetings this year.) Eighty-eight people attended the North regional meeting in Saginaw, and 77 the South regional meeting in Indy.

And an extra special THANK YOU goes to both congregations for their warm hospitality! Both of them cleared their sanctuaries and set up round tables, and provided food for participants. The Ninth Street congregation left the tables up for worship and were delighted with the notes of gratitude and blessing written by delegates on the paper table covers.

Both meetings began a little late due to snowy travel conditions. Each meeting began with worship and wove worship throughout. The mornings included table conversations about creative congregational responses to economic challenges. Nancy Kauffmann reported on the denomination’s proposed health cost sharing plan (The Corinthian Plan) for church employees and Mennonite Church USA agencies. She shared a testimony about our conference’s Premium Assistance Fund, which helps congregations who are not able to pay premium costs for their pastor, and invited contributions to help replenish the fund; the offerings amounted to $1,528!

The afternoons were given to table discernment about spending plan projections and a staffing proposal from the Transition Team. Working through three questions, each table group came to their best wisdom about how to proceed on both questions, along with rationale for their position. These responses were shared verbally and handed in on paper.  Leadership groups, including the Transition Team, will review the counsel received as they make decisions on next steps.  Further information will be coming.
 -- Dan Miller, lead conference minister

 If you are new to the conference and/or to the role of conference delegate, you may find this Transition Team information helpful.