May/June 2007: Gospel Evangel

Delegates to review, act on revised Listening and Redesign proposal

Drawing on the counsel of delegates at this spring’s cluster meetings and of the Executive Committee and staff, the Listening and Redesign Team has revised the system redesign proposal. (A summary of the proposal appeared in the January/February Gospel Evangel.) The changes include:

- recommending “Vision: Healing and Hope” as the conference’s vision statement.

- a new mission statement. (See first sentence above in “From the moderator.”)

- no increase in the current staff size.

- authorizing the Stewardship Team to use some funds for resource development consultants, but not proposing a new staff person for stewardship/development.

- contracting the “Keeper of the Vision” function rather than having it be a staff position.

At annual sessions, it is anticipated that delegates will vote on the action, “The Executive Committee recommends the approval of the Redesign Proposal as presented by the Listening and Redesign Team for referral to a newly formed ‘Transition Team’ who will give leadership to phasing in the new organizational design.”

A two-thirds majority vote will be required for approval. The vote will be taken by ballot, with opportunity for written comments.

In May, delegates received a mailing containing the revised proposal, questions to guide conversation about the proposal in their congregations before annual sessions, an outline of the steps of the discernment process at annual sessions, and a copy of the proposed action. This information also is available at im.mennonite.net/Conf_Assembly/Listening_and_Redesign.