New Wine/New Wineskins
Responses by Scott Morton Ninomiya

I'm writing to add my input to this exciting process and take part in shaping MCC for the 21st century. I grew up in Kitchener, Ontario and served with MCC as a Local Voluntary Service Worker with Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support there from 2000 - 2002.  Subsequently I did a Voluntary Service term with my wife Melody in St. John's Newfoundland. Our job was to re-establish a nonprofit called Community Mediation Services promoting conflict resolution and restorative justice.  Though that term ended in 2006, the mission and work of MCC still resonates strongly with me, and I consider myself an ongoing supporter (financial and otherwise).

Following are my responses to the main questions posed by the Wineskins process:

What were your high point experiences with MCC?

1) Walking with refugee claimants at the grassroots level and speaking truth to power along side them.  This involved challenging oppressive systems, policies and attitudes.
2) The annual Restorative Justice Gathering in Winnipeg where we convened to support and inspire each other.  These fellowship and networking opportunities are a very important way that MCC can support the work of people who strive to be salt and light.    

Most important trends affecting MCC today?

See responses to next question.

What task is God calling MCC to in the 21st century? (What is MCC's purpose?)

MCC's purpose is two fold:
1)    Seizing the opportunity now that the philosophies and methods of MCC are gaining greater currency in the world
2)    Coordinating the development of an international network of local action groups 

MCC can provide the links to the great cloud that has witnessed to the power of love through the centuries. God is calling all of us to be instruments of peace.  MCC plays to role of effectively organizing all these mortal instruments to respond to God's call on the local and global level. 

Mennonites have been using their words and actions to promote ‘simple living so that others can simply live' for many years.  In a world still in the grasp of domination, fear and greed, the small acts, which promote care for creation, for fellow humans is a powerful witness.  I believe the rest of the world is starting to recognize the importance of living simply by reducing consumption, committing to non-violence and respecting how we are all connected.  It is time for MCC and the many keepers of its soul to step up to this new challenge and be a leader of this growing global movement for real change.  We cannot shrink from opportunities to speak truth to powers, whether they are the leaders calling for war, multinational corporations, or consumers who are willfully blind to the global impact of their shopping choices. 

MCC can be a key organizer of the many instruments of peace who are poised to change the course of history over the next few decades.  This is a crucial opportunity for us to seize.

Who is "the keeper of the MCC soul?" (To whom is MCC accountable?)

The keepers of the MCC soul are any people to whom the MCC mission and vision resonates.  These could be Mennonites and Brethren in Christ church members, or people anywhere who are touched by the work of MCC.  God's love is all-inclusive and the call to do kingdom work is equally inclusive.  There is too much work to be done to waste our time drawing tighter circles around who is in and who is out.  If you are passionate about the work of MCC and the way it is done, you are a potential keeper of the MCC soul.  

I think MCC is moving successfully in this direction in its thinking.  The way MCC portrays its work in A Common Place magazine is a particularly brilliant example.  There is no "developed and developing", and no "rescuer and rescued", nor even "saved and unsaved".  Common Place portrays people all over the world working together for peace and social justice.  The photography captures this sense of shared human dignity and power particularly poignantly.  This is what sets MCC apart from so many other organizations doing peace and development work.

What structure will ensure that MCC values and principles are effectively expressed at every level and drive exemplary programming?  (How should MCC structure itself?)

I am very interested by the bits and pieces of discussion I have heard about moving the focus of control for MCC beyond North America.  If we are not ready to share power, we are standing in the way of kingdom work.  As Paul writes in his epistle, "Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed, by the renewing of your minds".  MCC needs to reinvent its collective mind to avoid being conformed to the patterns of domination in the world.  As an organization, it is time for MCC to decisively move beyond the model of sending forth privileged white North Americans to ‘help' the people of other countries.  This model is based on a domination mindset. By adopting a new model for its work, MCC can help to transform the mindset of colonialism, racism and domination that has helped to create many of the injustices in the world today. 

Over the coming decades, I think we can influence a global movement in the direction of real sharing of power and resources.  A decentralized structure, which allows people to develop solutions that work in their part of the world, is essential.  This must be coupled with a focus on building strong global relationships and networks among many decentralized local hubs of action.  This will facilitate action, which takes place at local and global levels simultaneously. I believe MCC is already well placed to move in this direction.  There must be a concerted effort to ensure that this new model takes hold at a fundamental level.

The premise of this structure would be a partnership between north and south with a
dual focus of control.  In North America and Europe the focus needs to be on advocating change in local personal lifestyle and choices such as shopping, energy use, etc.  There also needs to be a focus on influencing government policies to make them more in line with justice for the people and the planet, both domestically and internationally. Examples include refugee rights, support of restorative justice, equality for Aboriginal people, eliminating arms export, advocacy for creation of a Department of Peace, etc.

This work can be encouraged by the development of a network of local action cells - which are made up of networks of households and small groups.  This would be in the spirit of Margaret Mead's quote: "Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world, indeed it's the only thing that ever has."  Imagine the power of an international network of small groups of committed citizens! 

MCC can provide the resources, expertise and technology to help link the local action groups around the world to take collective action and influence issues.   Another key piece of this work is to focus to create more opportunities for youth and others to take part in exchanges so that they can learn cross cultural and international realities. 

These small local groups can help to make the work of MCC a more daily reality for more of the keepers of the MCC soul.  We can no longer simply send out a couple from our home church and support their work through prayer and financial contributions.  Every member of every congregation and every household that supports MCC must be encouraged and equipped to do the work of transforming their minds and translating that into action. 
Clearly MCC is already moving in this direction through several initiatives, such as the Trek series.  There needs to be an even more concerted effort. 

In the majority (developing) world, MCC needs to keep moving ever more intentionally in the direction of building local capacity to address issues at the local level.  This can be done through helping to foster local action groups in the developing world as well. The local action groups and networks of action groups in the developing world can take on the role of identifying how action groups in the developed world can support their work for justice. 
I'll say less about the priorities for these groups in the developing world because that is outside my experience and the prerogative of the groups themselves. 

Quilts and meat cans sent overseas are beautiful expressions of God's love, and it is time to look beyond these relief methods to address the reasons why they are required in the first place.   I recognize that this will be a gradual transformation in methodology.  I am not suggesting that we dismantle the canning trucks tomorrow, but rather that we set a course that takes us more intentionally in the direction of local work at the grassroots level aimed at the root causes of hunger, poverty, war and injustice.   The structure for this work must be developed at the local level, by local people and coordinated across all borders.   I believe this will make MCC a powerful instrument for kingdom work.