weLink
Vol.
4, No. 11: June 10, 2009
Note: There will be no weLink on June 24 due to Annual Sessions.
- Remembering Tobias “Tip” Slaubaugh
- Blooming Glen Mennonite mutual aid gift update
- Missional Leadership Team (MLT) updates
- Annual Sessions 2009: “Once upon a time …
signs and wonderings”
- Finances
- Events
- From our IN-MI Conference Resource Advocate
If
possible, please include blurbs from weLink (as applicable) in your church
bulletins and/or newsletters. Thank you!
Remembering Tobias “Tip” Slaubaugh
Please remember in prayer the family of Tobias John “Tip” Slaubaugh,
94, of Sarasota, Fla., formerly of Montgomery, Ind., who died April 19. Tobias
was ordained July 28, 1946, and pastored at Berea
Mennonite, Cannelburg, Ind., from 1946 to 1953, and
at Providence Mennonite, Montgomery, Ind., from 1953 to 1985. Survivors include
his wife, Ada; three daughters; a son-in-law; a
brother; a sister; 12 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and one
great-great-grandchild. Services were held both at Bethel Mennonite in Sarasota
and at Providence Mennonite. Tobias’ obituary may be read online: www.legacy.com/obituaries/heraldtribune/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=126431193
Blooming Glen Mennonite mutual aid gift update
We
continue to plan for distribution of the generous financial gift from Blooming Glen (Pa.) Mennonite. Conversations with Mennonite Central Committee
Great Lakes about inter-agency cooperation resulted in a
contribution of 50 cases of canned meat for distribution alongside the funds.
Steve Slagel of East Goshen (Ind.) Mennonite and Len Geiser of College Mennonite, Goshen, are helping with
coordination and contacts. Plans include targeting resources for specific areas
through designated congregations, focusing on north/central Indiana and several
places in Michigan. Details are being put in place. (For background information
about the gift, see online.) -- Dan
Miller, lead conference minister
Missional Leadership Team (MLT) updates
(For MLT work that will be part of Annual Sessions agenda, see “Annual Sessions 2009” section below.)
Purpose. As the new governing body for IN-MI Mennonite Conference, the Missional Leadership Team (MLT) is responsible for “big picture” work -- including vision, oversight and relationships.
Meetings. Since the MLT began their work at the March 13–14 leadership retreat at Amigo Centre, Sturgis, Mich., they have met four times: April 14, May 7, May 21 and June 1. Their next meeting is scheduled for June 16 at College Mennonite, Goshen, Ind. They anticipate meeting less frequently as the new conference structure unfolds.
New conference staff positions. In their June 1 meeting, the MLT approved job
narratives for:
- a half-time Conference Minister for Leadership
Transitions, beginning July 1, and
- part-time Regional Pastors (formerly referred to as
“Cluster Pastors”), beginning Oct. 1.
The job narratives for these positions will
be distributed to delegates at Annual Sessions and posted on the conference web
site. Candidates for the positions will be recommended by a search team
consisting of the lead conference minister (chair), one person from the MLT and
one person from the IN-MI Church Life Commission. The MLT will nominate the
individuals, and their names will then be sent to delegates for affirmation.
The Gifts Development Team (GDT) and the MLT are working together to define an evolving role for the GDT that includes gifts development as well as gifts discernment.
Amigo Centre and Bethany Christian Schools Task Group report. The MLT received a report from this task group, which names Amigo Centre and Bethany Christian Schools as “two strategic assets” in IN-MI Conference and recommends ways that they “can be utilized to the fullest for the benefit of the church.”
June 18–20
at Clinton Frame Mennonite, Goshen, Ind.
We invite your
prayers for this event -- for the preparations that continue to be made, for
meaningful times of worship and work together, for people to connect with God
and with each other in ways that will make a difference beyond this weekend,
and for the leading of God’s Spirit as we discern together matters of
importance to our life together as a community of congregations.
Seminars and worshipful work agenda will be coming in a separate e-mail (and via hard copy for those who receive hard copy).
A travel pool offering to share travel expenses will be taken during Annual Sessions. Delegates will be invited to participate as follows: 150+ miles -- submit one-way miles; 50–150 miles -- contribute $15; less than 50 miles -- contribute $30. Monies received will be prorated among persons submitting expenses. Thank you in advance!
From the Missional Leadership Team (MLT): Thank you for your patience and grace as we -- the Missional Leadership Team, Advisory Council, Gifts Development Team and conference staff -- prepare together for Annual Sessions in the midst of all the activity and challenges of transition. Though much has changed -- especially in the last six months -- we hope you are eagerly anticipating our annual meeting as an opportunity to learn about the emerging structure and to reconnect around the relationships and ministry to which we are called as we joyfully follow Jesus and cultivate missional imagination in our congregations. -- Brent Eash, moderator
Much of where we are going as a conference continues to emerge as we go forward. The decisions being made by the MLT in these months -- and those being brought to delegates -- are:
- Advisory Council listening process. At the March transition retreat, the Advisory Council -- the discerning, advising and recommending body of our conference -- began to imagine its work to be to listen to the many perspectives across our conference. In anticipation of Annual Sessions, they adopted a process for conducting listening interviews with a wide variety of people in our conference. A listening group is reviewing the interview reports and identifying common themes and images. The MLT will engage delegates in three times of table discussion around these themes and images during Annual Sessions.
(Questions that interviewees have been asked: (1) What do you see God doing in your church that energizes your faith? (2) What concerns you about what's happening in our churches today? (3) What are the opportunities you see our churches facing in the midst of changing times? (4) What would you wish for the future of our IN-MI conference community of churches?)
- Constitution. The MLT is asking delegates to again suspend parts of the present constitution and bylaws that conflict with the new structure. The IN-MI Transition Team, who was not able to complete the constitutional revision in the midst of their other responsibilities, handed the project to the MLT in March. In the process of revewing the draft of the new constitution with legal counsel, the MLT became aware of other questions needing attention (including conference membership definition, language around voting, changes in the name of the governing body and the process of selecting its members). While these questions are not large, they will require attention before new governing documents can be prepared. The MLT is asking a task force to address the questions so that new documents can be brought next year.
- Revising cluster groupings. As part of transitioning to a regionalized ministry staff model, the Missional Leadership Team is developing a plan to move from seven to five clusters. This decision has been precipitated by the change in clusters over the last decade and by the economic realities of staff costs. The MLT’s approach is to leave area councils much as they are and to work at how they’re grouped. While the present clusters have been in place for many years, the MLT anticipates assessing the changes in 3–4 years. The plan for moving ahead will be shared during Saturday’s worshipful work session (during the regional pastor presentation).
Finances
May revenue was $29,511. Expenses were $34,083, for a balance of ($4,572). Year-to-date expenses have exceeded revenues by $40,080. With one month remaining in the fiscal year, we have received 79 percent of the revised spending plan total of $539,000. We have fallen farther behind than we anticipated, and ask any congregations who have not yet forwarded their contributions for this fiscal year to do so by June 30.
The numbers we’re facing reflect the economic realities for many of our congregations and their members and the need for creativity as we learn to live in a shifting reality. We’re grateful for your support and prayers. The May 31 year-to-date figures:
2008–09 2007–08 2008–09 2007–08
Estimated income* $591,454 $589,993 Estimated expenses** $594,693 $631,510
Actual income 430,553 511,474 Actual expenses 470,633 545,891
*calculated according to
historical giving patterns **eleven-twelfths
of total spending plan
Events
Micha Chacour,
from Galilee, to visit Southside Fellowship in Elkhart, Ind., June 14, 9:30
a.m. Micha
Chacour, a Christian Arab Palestinian Israeli who lives
and works in the Galilee region of modern-day Israel, serves as liaison between
Mar Elias Educational Institutions and its founder, his uncle and three-time
Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Archbishop Elias Chacour,
author of Blood Brothers. Mar Elias
Educational Institutions was founded to provide quality education for Israel’s
Arab children. The school now includes a preschool, an elementary and high
school, a Christian theology department, a gifted program, and a college. The
school’s curriculum and teachings are based on the belief that dialogue is key to a just and peaceful coexistence in the Holy Land. A worship service will be held in the
Lambright Center of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind., at
9:30 a.m. A potluck lunch will follow, and Micha
will speak on his experiences. The public is invited to attend.
Youth work
retreat: Thursday, Aug. 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Goshen (Ind.) College
Cabin. All youth ministers, youth directors, and adult youth leaders are
invited to a retreat that will focus on ministry with youth. Leader: Bob Yoder,
campus pastor at Goshen College. Contact Loanne Harms: 574 533-5642 or loanne@waterfordchurch.org
“Helping Youth Cultivate
a Life with God”: Youth Workers’ and Sponsors’ Retreat: Aug. 21–22 at Amigo Centre, Sturgis, Mich. Speaker: to be announced. Our plan is to offer a
retreat setting where each group of youth workers can have time to prepare to
launch an awesome year with their youth. There will be input times, individual
group times, crazy fun activities, and the chance to share in a rare gathering
of Mennonites who work with youth. The event will begin with an input session
on Friday evening and formally conclude on Saturday afternoon. Cost: under $25,
hopefully closer to $22.50 (includes one overnight, breakfast brunch, and
speaker costs). Check with Amigo regarding the option of staying longer: 269
651-2811 or info@amigocentre.org. Contact Loanne Harms: 574 533-5642 or loanne@waterfordchurch.org
MCC Learning Tour to Israel/Palestine: Nov. 14–25. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Great Lakes is organizing a learning tour to Israel/Palestine to visit with MCC partners and learn about the work of MCC in that region. Information about the tour, including proposed schedule, application form, medical form, memo of understanding and a list of partners to be visited are available online: mcc.org/greatlakes/events/learningtour.htm. Cost: approximately $3,000. Limit: 14 participants. If interested, submit an application form with a $500 deposit by Aug. 10. Contact Les Gustafson-Zook: 574 534-4133 or gg@mcc.org
From our IN-MI Conference Resource Advocate
“What is an
Anabaptist Christian?” In this latest booklet in the Missio Dei
series from Mennonite Mission Network, author Palmer Becker develops three core
values of our faith: (1) Jesus is the center of our faith, (2) Community is the
center of our lives, and (3) Reconciliation is the center of our work. He
compares differences between many Christians and Anabaptists in understanding
these core values. Call toll-free: 866 866-2872 (for English edition) or 877
665-6662 (for Spanish edition). Or, download a PDF version: www.mennonitemission.net/resources/Publications/MissioDei/
--
Eldon Stoltzfus, IN-MI Conference Resource Advocate
weLink serves to connect IN-MI Conference congregations to
each other, to Amigo Centre and Bethany Christian Schools, and to the wider
church. It is published on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. weLink issues are archived on the conference web site
at: im.mennonite.net/news/welink/welink.php
To subscribe to or unsubscribe from the weLink mailing list, contact the conference office: imoffice@im.mennonite.net
Editor: Annette Brill Bergstresser, annette@im.mennonite.net (Send
material for the July 8 weLink
by noon on July 6.)
Indiana-Michigan
Mennonite Conference
Mailing address: 212 S. Main St., Goshen, IN 46526-3723
Phone: 574 534-4006; 800 288-8486
E-mail: imoffice@im.mennonite.net
Web site: www.im.mennonite.net