2008 Responses to Breakout Questions

Background Information: This focus emerged out of the resolution that came from the delegates to MC USA Executive Leadership at San Jose last summer. (The resolution is printed below.) CDC Leadership used this focus to guide much of our work throughout the year. MC USA leadership has invited our input on this issue and it will be part of the work done at Columbus 2009.

During the breakout sessions, we divided participants into four groups and gave each group one of four different questions related to the overall topic. Each group had a convener and a recorder.

We asked the groups to use the following process:
        Gather in your designated room as indicated below. Break into groups of four or five.
        Come back together as a larger group and share what each group has contributed.
        Process together what you would like to report to the larger delegate body
        Report back to the delegate body

Click here for a summary of the responses to the following questions from each of the four groups. (Note: This document is seven (7) pages.)

National Identity Resolution:
We, the delegate body of MC USA gathered for San Jose 2007, have been challenged to consider both the promise and peril of living faithfully asa Christians in the USA. As a recently created national body of Mennonites, and one member in the larger body of Christ, we call upon the Executive Board to formulate a process that helps us explore our identity as Mennonites living in what many consider to be the wealthiest and most powerful nation on earth. We ask for resources that help us live faithfully in Christ-like ways, sometimes at odds with our national culture, acknowledging that no culture is either completely redeemed or completely fallen.

Breakout Questions: Since the United States is a country considered to be the wealthiest and most powerful nation on earth and acknowledging that no culture is either completely redeemed or completely fallen, in order to live as Anabaptist Mennonites...

Blue Group... How does this
    •    impact how we use our financial and natural resources?
    •    accumulating,
    •    giving,
    •    standard of living we expect?
    •    (focus is on materialism, accumulation, use of resources...)

Green Group... How do we relate to others not from this country, both globally and immigrants here... both of the Anabaptist family and other denominations, faiths and traditions? (focus is on world relationships both externally and internally)

Yellow Group... How do we relate to the use of military force and violence on behalf of our nation against others? (focus is on militarism)

Red Group...How do we maintain supportive and grace filled communities, even when our schedules and culture pull us in multiple directions? (focus is on maintaining community)

General question for all groups (please consider the first question first before moving to this one if you have time)... what are some unique challenges/blessings/opportunities to faithful discipleship? And, in what ways do we live at odds with our culture as well as celebrate and embrace our culture.