January 21st

An Aspiration for All of Us!

MCA’s vision statement ends with the line, “Together we seek to embody Jesus Christ in the world.” What an aspiration! And also what a daunting task! Such a lofty goal suggests nothing short of the transformation of all of life. It echoes the words of Menno Simons, who wrote that true faith must become “all things to all creatures”.

While our calling as followers of Jesus shapes all aspects of life, as individuals and as church organizations there are limits to what we can hold in focus. We can’t do everything. There’s an old saying that goes, “If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority.”

Over the last year or so MCA leadership has delved into a process of identifying key priorities for the ministry focus of MCA. Early on we spent time at General Council and All-Committee meetings sharing stories of our encounters with God through our experience of the broader church. We shared stories of powerful worship experiences in congregations, at conferences, and around campfires. We heard about calls to leadership, encouragement from mentors in using one’s gifts, and equipping for service through broader church programs and schools. We recognized the powerful presence of God’s Spirit in our connections, our intercultural relationships, and our common calling as part of God’s people.

As we reflected on these stories some themes percolated to the surface. After testing these at General Council, Annual Delegate Sessions, and in various other settings, Executive approved the following 3 priority areas to guide the programming and activities for MCA:

1. Witnessing to Jesus’ healing and hope. Some ways to do this include loving our neighbours, sharing our hope, and living the “Jesus way”. Our witness includes both actions and telling stories of encounters with Jesus.

2. Building mutual relationships between congregations. Aspects include seeking ways to connect as congregational members and leaders, becoming stronger as an MCA community, and building our Christ-centred identity as part of the Mennonite church.

3. Calling, developing, and nurturing leaders. This includes encouraging all to use their gifts and skills in Christ’s service, providing opportunities for training and mentoring, and “cultivating a culture of call”.

It is encouraging to realize that much of MCA ministry activities and programming already reflects one or more of these priority areas. That said, naming these helps us focus our efforts and decisions, especially when choosing between possible directions and options. It will help us name goals that reflect these priorities, and stir our imagination as we take next steps. It may be that our discernment shifts our energies to properly attend to these, ensuring each area is given the “priority” it deserves.

It’s also encouraging that these priority areas resonate with the areas of focus being talked about at MC Canada meetings and discussions. I anticipate there will be ways that nationwide efforts can help us live into these priorities.

As we focus on these priorities in the coming months and years, I would be curious to hear your thoughts. What ideas do you have about how we could live into these priority areas? Where do you see God at work? How might we as a faith community direct our efforts as we seek to embody Christ in the world?

I look forward to the continued discernment—and discovery!
 

Tim -- execmin@mcab.ca