Readers write

May 11, 2011 | Viewpoints | Number 10

Prayer needed as MC Canada prepares to downsize

Re: “‘The signs are clear’: MC Canada leadership discerns a smaller church system,” April 4, page 18.

While the factors feeding into this crisis are complex, I believe much of it has to do with how the whole national church sees itself and “what we can do together that we can’t do on our own.”

I recently spent a year in Winnipeg, Man., studying  and occasionally visiting churches  in support of our church-planting ministry in Macau as an MC Canada Witness worker. During that year, I had cause to frequent Mennonite Church Canada offices. These visits convinced me that our national church staff is not superfluous. In fact, they are already stretched in their various capacities of serving the national church, yet they do it with joy.

This is why I stood up at the 2010 MC Canada assembly in Calgary, Alta., to express this point. I believe what they do is very important, even though much that they do may be “behind the scenes.” I realize that just expressing this likely will not increase understanding of what the national church does, or support for it. There has been a downward trend in giving to the national church in the last few years, and we trust God as the board and executive seek God for a way through this.

We will continue to do what we can to report and inspire, but know that our prayers must accompany that, too. We will be praying for the General Board and executive as discussions and discernment continue.  

Tobia Veith, Macau, China

Heavy hitter assigned?

It appears MCC has decided to send out the heavy hitters in the game for the constituency’s heart. To borrow a quote from William Shakespeare, “MCC doth protest too much, methinks.”

Barry Heinrichs, Winnipeg Man.

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