ORLANDO, Florida (Mennonite Church USA) — The Mennonite Church USA Executive Board met Tuesday afternoon for what moderator Patty Shelly called “a little coda of our time together” over the past biennium. The board said farewell to four members and addressed a few items of business prior to the Mennonite Church USA convention, which is bringing about 3,300 Mennonites to Orlando this week.
A major focus of the convention is the Future Church Summit (FCS), which seeks to “imagine an Anabaptist future” for the church and provide fresh vision and direction. Board members spent time discussing the summit and possible next steps, encouraging use of the summit’s results as a guide for all levels of the church.
In other business, the board:
- Approved consent agenda appointments of James Miller and Jim Rodriguez to four-year terms on the Everence Board, beginning Jan. 1, 2018.
- Heard a report of constitutional amendments and restructuring of leadership by Iglesia Menonita Hispana (IMH), and rescinded a spring consent agenda appointment of Yvonne Diaz to another term on the Executive Board. IMH has recently elected Margie Mejía-Caraballo of Moline, Illinois, to fill that role under its new process.
- Approved Cal Zehr of Tiskilwa, Illinois, as the new chair for the board’s Leadership Discernment Committee (LDC). Current chair Sharon Waltner will finish her term as a continuing member.
- Heard an update from executive director Ervin Stutzman on accomplishments related to the Purposeful Plan over the past biennium and other recent initiatives.
- Reviewed the crisis communication plan for the convention.
- Went into executive session to discuss and analyze the decision-making process used in the recent appointment of Doug Basinger to the LDC, which was later suspended until the board’s fall meeting.
The Executive Board next meets Sept. 28-30 in Kansas City, Missouri, with new moderator David Boshart of Wellman, Iowa, serving as chair for the biennium. Current board member Joy Sutter has been nominated as moderator-elect.
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