Mennonite Weekly Review

STRASBOURG, France — Planners for the Global Mission Fellowship, established in Zimbabwe in August, took their first look at the new group’s vision Dec. 11-13.

The GMF is intended to provide a forum where Anabaptist-related churches and mission groups around the world can meet for encouragement, vision-sharing, networking and cooperating in mission.

At its first meeting, held in Strasbourg, the committee decided to refine criteria for membership, adopt terms of reference to guide its work and project expenses and income for the next three years, including the next GMF gathering.

Planners also discussed designing a logo and motto for the group and exploring connections with other global and interdenominational mission networks. They also hope to conduct a survey of goals and activities of Anabaptist-related cross-cultural mission churches and groups.

Alma-Aty, Kazakhstan, will be explored as the location for the next GMF gathering in 2006.

Planners will decide on a theme at their next meeting, to be held in conjunction with the Asia Mennonite Conference in Shamshabad, India, in November.

The committee also is considering guidelines for consultation and cooperation in cross-cultural missions for Anabaptist-related churches and groups; facilitating exchanges for mission leaders from different regions; establishing a Web site; and researching and reporting on one mission frontier annually.

Meanwhile, the fellowship will continue to build an identity through several gatherings of mission leaders from various regions, which are scheduled in early 2004.

Representatives of all Mennonite missions in Europe have been invited to the European Mennonite Mission Conference in Elspeet, the Netherlands, in February. Mission leaders from East Africa also will meet in February, and an all-Africa meeting is scheduled for June.

On Jan. 30-31, the Council of International Anabaptist Ministries will consider forming a regional mission fellowship to include groups with cross-cultural mission interests within North America and abroad.

GMF members in Central and South America also intend to work in the Southern Cone, the Andean zone, Central America and the Caribbean.

Holding the next planning committee meeting in conjunction with the Asia Mennonite Conference is intended to increase cooperation in Asia.

Javier Soler of Honduras chairs the committee.