Lancaster Mennonite Conference Forms Vision 2010 Through PMC Process
By Alonna G. Sprunger

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Lancaster Conference (LMC), a middle judicatory of Mennonite Church USA, was on a missional journey before we realized it. We were not intentionally pursuing a missional direction as we entered the new century because all of our energies were being consumed with decisions, issues, conflict and grief that included the loss of 20 congregations, many of which were started within the last 20 years.

In the midst of this environment, leaders began asking, “Who are we? What is our purpose as a fellowship of congregations? Why do we exist?” To say the least, Lancaster Conference was in the midst of an “identity crisis.”

In 2002, Lancaster Conference invited Patrick Keifert of Church Innovations to walk with the leaders in weighing current decisions, issues and conflict. Patrick began his work with LMC by introducing the spiritual practice of Dwelling in the Word and expanded the questions we were asking to include: “Whose are you? What is God calling you to be? How is God sending you? What gifts and experiences has God gifted you as a conference to carry you into God’s future?” Our discernment together put new meaning and value to our vision statement: VISION 2010 -- new, revitalized and multiplying congregations that extend God’s Kingdom. Discerning answers to the above questions and dwelling in God’s Word started us on our missional journey. However, the journey lacked the involvement of congregations.

In 2005, our congregations were invited to participate in Partnership for Missional Church (PMC) together with Lancaster Mennonite Conference, its mission agency—Eastern Mennonite Missions—and Church Innovations. LMC was drawn to PMC, in part, because it mirrors many of the values we deem foundational to who we are (i.e. a high regard for Scriptures, the centrality of Christ, spiritual discernment by the community). The PMC process recognizes the need for contextualization and holds together the being/doing, word/deed, peace-making/evangelism, nurture/mission, inviting/belonging aspects of faith that, often, we have allowed to pull us in different directions. PMC honors and builds on the strengths and gifts of each congregation. The three-year process develops teams of congregational leaders, and involves networking and learning from each other. Finally, the partnership provides coaching for conference staff.

Two years into the Partnership for Missional Church process, congregations, pastors and coaches offer the following reflections.

“The discipline of Dwelling in the Word has brought the ‘Living Word’ back to a central place in the life of our congregations in very real and practical ways. Practicing Dwelling in the Word together is teaching and transforming us.”

“We discovered that our congregation has a rich history of faithfulness to God’s calling. But what became even more enlightening was to recognize God’s faithfulness to the congregation. We don’t want to start over—rather we want to build on the 300 years of faithfulness.”

“We became aware that most of our language for the church, faith and worship was describing human efforts of what we did. As the two years of PMC has progressed, we are hearing lay and pastoral leaders passionately articulate the discoveries of God’s movement in, among and around themselves, their congregation and their neighborhoods.”

“We are learning that we need to create space and time for reflection, discernment and prayer. This stretches our comfort levels because many of us are ‘doers’ and equate business with being effective.”

“We have learned that we have become very comfortable at being huddled communities and that our neighbors know little about our congregations other than the presence of a building or the ‘touristy’ knowledge of Mennonites as a sect.”

LMC recognizes that one of our gifts is the high value we place on a close, relational community. At the same time, this gift presents us with adaptive challenges because a close, relational community can become closed or exclusive. Congregational teams are learning to lead in ways that respect, engage and gain commitment to practice behaviors that support the future that God desires for them. Congregational leaders recognize this as a life-long journey and being faithful in the journey is what is important.

For Lancaster Mennonite Conference, the PMC process has been an exciting way to continue to journey toward our missional calling of Vision 2010 -- becoming new, revitalized, and multiplying congregations partnering with God to extend God’s kingdom.

Alonna G. Sprunger is a staff consultant for the Lancaster Mennonite Conference.