MWR : Ideas for MCC

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Sept. 14, 2009 issue

Tags: Letters Mennonite Central Committee

Ideas for MCC

By Cal Redekop Harrisonburg, Va.

Here are several observations that affirm some and challenge other proposals of Mennonite Central Committee’s “New Wine, New Wineskins” discussion:

The “emerging MCC” should continue to focus on the historic Anabaptist-Mennonite genius of love of the neighbor as evidenced by service worldwide and by the recent Mennonite World Conference designation of diakonia (service) as one of its four pillars.
The service purpose should continue to be expressed in activities such as emergency food, clothing and housing assistance, disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction, and economic social and community development. Because of the controversial presuppositions regarding justice and conflict transformation, these activities should be left to national service or peace organizations.
The structure would need to consist of a worldwide body — perhaps called Mennonite World Service, or MWS — which would coordinate many national Mennonite service organizations, or MSOs. MWS would have its offices in a neutral country, preferably near the MWC offices. National MSOs would elect representatives to sit on the governing board of MWS and would contribute to and coordinate world service activities. However, national MSOs would be free to do their own international non-service activities, such as justice.
The name “MCC” no longer fits the organization’s purposes and structures. The iconic name so dear to many of us has little meaning for those who did not work in MCC or who were its far-flung beneficiaries.
MWS, with national MSOs as supporting substructures, could be the best umbrella for the historic Anabaptist-Mennonite service genius.

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