Saturday,
July 5, 2003
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'Woogyboogymoogy' church
By EVERETT J. THOMAS
The Mennonite Saturday, July 5, 2003
Two talking toddlers took to the stage during yesterday’s Delegate Assembly and put their heads together—literally—in an effort to describe what the word “missional” means. Attempting to type their definition of the word into a laptop computer, one toddler spelled it, “woogyboogymoogy.” To many in this 17-month-old toddler-denomination, the word made as much sense as “missional.” So the Missional Church Team decided to offer fresh interpretations. “Missional isn’t something we do,” explained a team member, Jane Roeschly, “but something we should be. The church exists by mission like fire exists by burning.” To help delegates learn about the habits that are characteristic of a missional church, the team unveiled a new booklet composed of ten-minute seminars and asked the delegates to work through the first one at their tables. Entitled “Habits of the Missional Church,” the seminars focused on six actions: Stop, Look, Listen, Receive, Worship and Speak Up. The agenda for the first full day of delegate meetings also included an introduction to a statement on access to health care. However, there was not enough time for delegates to discuss the proposed resolution. Consequently, the moderators deferred further discussion and action until next Tuesday morning’s session. The third major issue slated for delegate discussion yesterday related to the matter of who could be a member of the new denomination, and who could decide on such membership. James Schrag, executive director for the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board, provided several updates to a report that covered “all the congregations that were under discipline by an active conference two years ago when the membership guidelines [for Mennonite Church USA] were adopted.” In introducing the report, Schrag noted that the issue was of such importance at the 2001 convention in Nashville that the final gathering of General Conference Mennonite Church and Mennonite Church delegates voted first on the membership guidelines before they could decide whether to merge the two denominations into Mennonite Church USA. If yesterday’s delegate session is any indication, the contention around membership issues is melting away as leaders use the new membership guidelines to address their differences, and build trust while doing so. Most delegates who spoke during the open-mic response time expressed appreciation for the way the guidelines provided a “road map” for bridging their differences, and asked leaders to now focus on those congregations who are choosing to leave the Mennonite Church.  |
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