May 6th
From The Desk of Our Executive Minister

Better Together 3 | MCBC at 90: We Are Part of a Larger Family

Better Together 3 | MCBC at 90: We Are Part of a Larger Family

MCBC, the Westcoast Anabaptist Network, does not exist in isolation. We are part of Mennonite Church Canada (MCCAN), a nationwide network of Regional Churches. In my role, I serve both MCBC and MCCAN, working locally in BC and contributing to the broader national work. I just returned from the May Joint Council meeting.

When you give and serve generously as an individual (above and beyond your regular giving) and when your congregation gives to support MCBC (ideally 5 to 7% of local church income), you are investing in more than local ministry. You are also supporting the shared work we do together as MCCAN. mcbc.ca/giving 

Since the 2017 restructuring, Regional Churches (no longer called "conferences") are the regional expression of MCCAN. There is a healthy division of labour: some work happens regionally, some is shared nationwide, and we collaborate closely across that spectrum. This collaboration is expressed through the Joint Council, which includes one representative from each Regional Church (Jennifer Regehr represents MCBC), a Moderator (Fran Hofenk, who recently began her term), the Regional Executive Ministers (including myself), and the nationwide Executive Minister Doug Klassen, who spoke at our AGM this past year.

How Does MCCAN Compare to Our US Counterpart?

People sometimes wonder whether MCCAN is simply the Canadian version of Mennonite Church USA. It is a fair question, and the honest answer is: not quite, and less so in recent years. Our tent is broader, and theirs has narrowed significantly over the past ~25 years. We have a growing number of evangelical-Anabaptists within MCCAN, per capita a much larger group than in the US church. This reflects several realities: the ongoing fruit of global missionary work (my grandparents, for example, were General Conference missionaries in the DRC, formerly Zaire, teachers, farmers, and civil rights activists), significant Mennonite immigration to Canada from around the world, and a complex denominational history here in BC involving multiple Mennonite streams.

MCCAN holds membership in both the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and the Canadian Council of Churches, which says something about how wide our tent actually is. We span conservative, traditionalist, to progressive, and progressive-evangelical “o”rthodox Anabaptist expressions, and the word "evangelical" here fits more closely with its UK meaning than its US one. Just an aside: the loudest voices tend to not be the most representative ones. 

Being part of MCBC means being part of MCCAN —there is no separate MCCAN only category, only Regional Church membership for churches. That does not require agreement on every secondary issue. It does mean belonging to something larger than any one congregation, and it means your giving multiplies in its reach. 

What Does Your Membership in MCBC/MCCAN Make Available to You?

Your congregation has access to a wide range of resources and support because you participate in MCBC and MCCAN. The following is just a small sample:

  • Pastoral search support
  • Pastoral review and ethics processes
  • Credentialing, development, and accountability
  • Training and leadership development
  • Retirement plans and benefits
  • People and culture support
  • International Witness and shared ministries
  • Worship planning resources
  • Common Word and other shared publications
  • Regional and nationwide Task Groups to support local churches with sharing Jesus and Jesus-shaped justice

The 2025 Triennial Gathering

Every three years, MCCAN gathers nationwide. This past summer, we experienced the full breadth of the church together, including the beautiful and growing demographic diversity within our family. Out of that gathering came shared priorities with implications at every level: nationwide, regional, local congregation, and household.

 Four Key Initiatives from the 2025 Gathering:

  1. Centring on Jesus Through Theological and Spiritual Renewal
  2. Becoming a Vibrant Intercultural Church
  3. Discovering, Calling, and Equipping Leaders for the Church
  4. Embodying Peace as Witness and Bridge

Nine Actionable Items (Under the Four Key Initiatives):

  1. Nationwide Youth Ministry Strategy
  2. Ministry with Young Adults: Nationwide Strategy
  3. Internships
  4. Peace Church Working Group
  5. Diaspora Church and Underrepresented Leadership Training
  6. Congregational Life
    • a. Renewing Congregations
    • b. Planting New Congregations
  7. Intercultural Church Steering Committee
  8. Worship Resources (Peace and Intercultural Church)
  9. TRC Call to Action #60

As always, I appreciate hearing from you! The best IS yet to come,

+Boese