March/April 2005: Gospel Evangel

From the moderator

One of my favorite Scripture accounts is that of Jesus walking with his followers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24). This story is about learning, listening, feeling grief, reflecting on the events of our lives, receiving those we walk with each day, prayer, God walking with us, and more. It is rich with life and faith application.

For me, the story’s climax comes when Jesus invites his disciples to pray: “And then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” Suddenly the disciples’ journey with Jesus had new meaning. They knew where they were to go next. They changed from weary travelers in a tragic world to inspired leaders, passionate about telling others of their encounter with Jesus.

In late November, the IN-MI Executive Committee (EC) sent conference delegates an outline of a plan to identify a team of six to seven people to “walk the Emmaus Road” with our community of congregations. Over a period of 18 months to two years, they would hear our stories, listen for Jesus in our midst and think creatively about ways to move our conference in a more missional direction, individually and collectively.

This proposal -- named “God is on the Move” by the EC task group that drafted it -- is not a plan for the future, but rather a proposal for a process of “listening and redesign” to lead us into the future. (Contact the conference office or visit im.mennonite.net to view it.)

With the world and the church changing around us, my perception is that IN-MI Conference’s EC, staff, pastors and delegates feel that now is the time to open ourselves to change -- not for change’s sake -- but to keep ourselves on the path with Jesus. Now is the time to revisit stories from our past, to open our eyes to embrace Jesus as our guide and power in the present, and to clarify a vision for God’s work in us in the future.

What will emerge and how? None of us knows. Delegates who responded to the proposal were generally supportive and offered good questions and counsel. The strongest counsel focused on being open to significant change and new thoughts; considering future relationships with other area conferences of Mennonite Church USA in our region; and allowing all of us to tell our stories. Delegates have asked questions and discussed the proposal at cluster meetings in February and March, and it is likely that we will be involved with it in some capacity at annual sessions in June.

The EC supports the proposal and is now calling out people from the broader conference constituency to design and lead the process. One current EC member will serve on this team. We look forward to sharing the names of the whole team as soon as we’re able.

As we walk this journey together, I invite you and members of your congregation to:

- Watch for invitations to share and engage in the process. This is a special time in our history in which we all can participate.

- Engage your sister congregations in conversation about what is happening in your midst and about possible directions for the future of our conference. Brainstorm in area councils so you can bring stories not only of the past, but also of the ways we’re being missional in the present that might inform our future.

- Pray for your sister congregations, for conference staff and leaders, for the listening and redesign team and for this new process! Spiritual renewal needs to be part of our collective experience as we clarify direction for the future.

As we journey down the road together in these next months, may our eyes be opened anew to see and experience Jesus in our midst, may we be energized to tell God’s story in our words and lives, and may vision and direction become clear for our community of congregations aligned with the risen Christ in a world that needs healing and hope.

-- David Sutter serves as IN-MI Conference moderator. He also is pastor of congregational life and vision at Kern Road Mennonite, South Bend, Ind.