Mennonite Church USA

To what should we compare a churchwide convention—to a county fair, a revival service, a congregational business meeting, a hymn sing, a mass youth gathering, a drama and musical exposition, a camp meeting?

All these and more may qualify, but none can capture the essence of a churchwide convention. Its uniqueness is not in its smorgasbord of events and opportunities but in the nature of the people who gather there.

All ages gather from across 21 conferences and many congregations. Here is where the melting pot of Mennonite Church USA is expressed in a unique way found nowhere else. The whole church is gathered to worship, learn, make decisions, establish new relationships, be heard and listen to the hearts of others.

This is not just another meeting. If you could experience this in your congregation or conference, this meeting would not be necessary. This is the one place we experience the entire breadth, height and depth of our Mennonite Church USA peoplehood.

Not everyone comes, to be sure. It takes some planning, money and travel. It’s usually held in a convention center in a large city. Some people like that kind of location, others prefer more intimate or bucolic settings. The choice of location is facility-driven—how to house people, allow them to meet and mingle, feed them and give them a place to worship. Our conventions are of a size that few other facilities can handle.

The largest group is under age 21. A long tradition of youth conventions precedes our current experiences. The youth program inspires participants to greater commitments to Christ and the church. Some adults come just to be around the youth. Adults are strange that way; they take hope from being close to young people, hearing them and hearing about them. Though the adult and youth programs are separate, there are more opportunities for intergenerational dialogue, and young adult participation in the delegate assembly is growing.

The delegate assembly will meet for four hours each of four days. Ninety percent of the delegates are sent from congregations; the rest come from conferences, racial-ethnic groups and members of the Executive Board. The delegate assembly is the highest and final decision-making body of Mennonite Church USA. Between biennial sessions, the Executive Board acts for the delegates. The moderator leads both the Executive Board and the delegate assembly.

Since 2001, when two delegate bodies met to form Mennonite Church USA, we have assigned all delegates to round tables. This gives opportunity for discussion and sharing of ideas and perspectives. Tables are encouraged to send reports to microphones for all to hear of their discussion, questions and counsel.

Delegates often ask for something and receive the work back two years later. In 2007, delegates asked for a study on what it means to be a citizen and a Christian in the United States. They also asked the Executive Board to implement a plan for health-care access for all pastors, since some cannot get or afford coverage now.

Planning for this event is a big deal. Staff from the convention planning office labor at this task for two years. They enlist many volunteers in the planning of worship and implementation of program. If you’ve never attended a churchwide convention, maybe this is your year. You won’t regret coming to be with God’s people in Mennonite Church USA. Register here.

James Schrag is executive director of Mennonite Church USA.