How to budget for MC Canada in 2002

Winnipeg, Man.- "We're not sure what to do with the General Conference line in our congregational budget."

These are the kinds of queries MC Canada staff continue to field from western Canadian congregations.

Congregations in Mennonite Church Eastern Canada support Mennonite Church Canada through contributions submitted through the area conference. But in the rest of Canada, congregations need to decide individually whether they will sustain their support during the transition from a bi-national church (General Conference/Mennonite Church) to a national church. (Mennonite Church Canada).

"In short, we are asking western congregations simply to shift giving from General Conference and it's programs, such as COM, CHM and COE, to Mennonite Church Canada. This change will need to take effect on February 1, 2002," says general secretary, Dan Nighswander. Delegates at Abbotsford 2001 approved plans that rely heavily on this shift, emphasized Nighswander.

"We want to maintain mission workers in places like Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. And, we have domestic ministries and congregational services here in Canada that will require continued support. We've tried to get this message out, but we haven't been successful everywhere."

Perhaps part of the problem may be that church integration discussions have been underway for years, and people have "tuned out", adds Nighswander. Now that the reality of many years of planning is here, more work needs to be done to "bring people back up to speed."

The chart below can help you calculate how to give after February 1, 2002.