Photo: Participants at the 2017 Mennonite Church Canada special assembly, Oct. 13-15. MC Canada photo. 

In October, Mennonite Church Canada delegates strongly approved significant restructuring for the denomination. A 94 percent approval will result in staff reduction and program realignment to move toward Regional Churches serving their congregations.

The staff positions which will continue in the new structure are:

• Executive Minister;
• Director, Indigenous Relations;
• Bookkeeper/Accounts Payable Administrator;
• Coordinator, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits Accounting;
• Director CommonWord, Resource;
• Administrative Assistant, CommonWord;
• Executive Assistant;
• Web & Multi Media Producer;
• Director, International Witness.

Three staff have been released from the Communications Department, four from the Witness Department, one from Church Engagement and one from Operations.

The following roles are discontinued:

• Director, Church Engagement-Communications;
• Lead Graphic Designer;
• Director, News Services;
• Executive Minister, Witness;
• Director, Africa, Latin America;
• Administrative Assistant, International Ministries & National Ministries;
• Short Term Ministry Coordinator, Witness;
• Chief Administrative Officer/Director, Church Engagement-Administration;
• Receptionist/Administrative Assistant;
  and
• Director of Congregational Partnerships.

A refocusing on the Regional Church capacity to serve congregations means that the staff roles at the national church are no longer part of the denomination’s structure.

Jason Martin has accepted the newly created role of Director, International Witness. Martin has previous experience with relational funding from working as an International witness worker with Virginia Mennonite Board of Missions. Mennonite Church Canada will be transitioning the International Witness program towards some form of relational funding in the coming year. Martin previously served Mennonite Church Canada as Director of Congregational Partnerships.

“We received a strong mandate at Assembly and have been given direction. I am grateful that Mennonite Church Canada has been an environment of family and community and I trust the friendships will remain,” stated Willard Metzger, Executive Director.