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I've been listening with great interest to how participants in the summits and regional meetings talk about MCC and the church.  Those who work most directly for "the church", and those who connect to MCC solely through their local congregation, seem to me to be the ones who speak the strongest about MCC being part of the church and the church's' mission in the world.  Those who connect to MCC in other ways than through their church (ie as MCC partners, staff, or volunteers) also speak about MCC being connected to the church, but with appreciation for MCC having a little bit of distance from the church, in order to do things and be in places where the church is not.   This intrigues me!  Why this distinction?  Or, am I reading too much into who has been saying what?  Does this reflect a "high" view of the church by some, and a different perspective by others?  Does this distinction have more to say about the church, or more to say about MCC?

As I've been listening, I've been reflecting, and shifting my own opinions as to the ideal relationship between MCC and the church, and I suspect that they will continue to evolve.  I do know that I love the church, and that I strongly believe that the church is the body of Christ in our world today, to continue to carry out Jesus' mission and message.  I know that we cannot and should not operate as individual Christians, but that it is accountability to the church that is vital for spiritual growth.  I know that at least in Canada and the United States, the church itself is evolving - away from denominationalism, and away from being the primary social unit of many communities - while the church is gaining in size and influence in the Global South, as well as becoming more evangelical. I wonder how all of these aspects of the church impact MCC into the 21st century?

It is when I begin to think about church structures (local congregation?  regional?  national? global? and what about denominations?) that I begin to get confused in my theology of the church.  And, then when I think about faith-based and denominational organizations I get even more confused.  

MCC has been a global inter-Mennonite (and BIC) organization, and yet, as far as I am aware, we have no jobs or positions in MCC that require one to be a member of an Anabaptist congregation.    We work in many countries where there are no Anabaptist churches, and partner with many other denominations, as well as with other faiths. Over the last few months, I have heard from many who fear that if we become more closely directed by Anabaptist churches, that we will lose this inter-denominational and inter-faith work, but will become an organization that only meets the needs and interests of the broader Anabaptist community.  I have also heard from many who fear that we will continue to operate from a neocolonialist mentality if we have no representatives from the people whom we serve on our governing bodies (which would be a pretty broad group if we continue to say that we serve all people, regardless of religion or culture or nationality).

Thus far, MCC has been directed and controlled by boards that are comprised of representatives of a lot of different types of Anabaptist groups, in Canada and the USA.  I think that this healthy tension between different Anabaptist groups has been very good for MCC, instead of being connected to just one Anabaptist group.  I also think it has been very good for the Anabaptist community, as MCC has fostered relationships between and amongst different Anabaptist groups that would not otherwise have happened.  I wonder how to preserve that engagement between different "ownership groups" in revising MCC's structure for the future, and in naming MCC's role in building relationships in the global Anabaptist communion.

I do believe that MCC's mission and mandate comes from the church, and that MCC's unique niche in our world today has to do with carrying out part of the church's mission, on behalf of, through, and with the church.  MCC cannot and should not carry out the whole mission of the church - we are not a church.  We are a denominational organization (albeit still inter-Anabaptist rather than linked with any one particular group), that carries out part of the mission of the church. My prayer is that this revisioning and restructuring process will affirm and strengthen MCC's mission as one part of the church's mission, with clarity on exactly what MCC is called to do and be, as well as a revised structure that will work for the coming decades to ensure MCC remains grounded in the global Anabaptist communion.

Arli Klassen
Executive Director
Mennonite Central Commitee