Mennonite Women USA

STURGIS, Mich. — As the 30 participants of the Mennonite Women USA (MW USA) Strategic Planning Retreat at Amigo Centre March 27 to 28 listened to a “State of MW USA” presentation, including the history of the organization, and reviewed the current mission and vision statements, they endeavored to envision needs of women — both within and outside of the church — that are best met by other women. As they worked at what a new vision statement for the coming three to five years might include, words such as “advocating for women in the church,” “taking risks,” “empowering women,” “working from the margins to the margins,” “valuing our diversity” and “using the prophetic voice of women” emerged as themes.

Ruth Guengerich’s history of the work of former generations of women within our churches, led to a discussion of needs that sewing circles meet, as well as an acknowledgement that as society changes, ways women meet together will also change. Donna Mast’s innovative programming facilitating intergenerational friendships and mentoring sparked a conversation on the importance of women mentoring one another.

While all of the program areas MW USA is currently involved in: 1) International Women’s Fund Scholarships, 2) Sister-Link, 3) Publications (timbrel: women in conversation together with God, Annual women’s Bible Study Guide (BSG), MW USA Web site, and “A Postcard and a Prayer” e-newsletter), 4) Women in Conversation (WIC) Retreats, and 5) Providing resources for group leaders — including Sister-Care Seminars — were each affirmed, participants urged the organization to speak out for more women in leadership positions within the church and its agencies.

Becky Drumm of Advancement Associates (pictured left, with Marty Lehman, Indiana, and Gail Harder, California) led the strategic planning portion of the retreat to guide MW USA in its work for the coming five to 10 years.  Women from Mississippi, Texas, Oregon, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and other geographic areas of the United States participated in the planning group, which included 25 percent women of color.

Participants’ ages ranged from the 20’s to the 70’s. Women theologians, pastors, MW USA Conference leaders, MW USA board and staff members, Mennonite Women congregational group leaders, and women interested in the future of MW USA were represented among those in attendance.

Theologian, Dr. Mary Shertz, noted that within Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS), fewer women are in leadership positions currently than a decade ago, according to a recently completed AMBS self-study. Theologian and author of the 2010 women’s BSG, Dr. Elizabeth Soto (pictured left with Patricia Burdette), added that women have a prophetic voice for the church that is being silenced.

Goshen (Ind.) College professor and MW USA board member, Dr. Regina Shands Stoltzfus (pictured left with Rebecca Wenger, Pennsylvania), pointed out that this kind of programming will call women to “active” advocacy. “Active advocacy is scary, lonely and takes a toll on those at the forefront. There is a backlash when people speak out against unjust structures.” Dr. Stoltzfus asked, “How radical (that is, how willing to go to the root of unjust structures) is Mennonite Women USA willing to be? How much risk-taking are we willing to do? How willing are we to not be liked for what we are doing?”

Twila King Yoder, East Coast Rep on the MW USA board from Harrisonburg, Va. noted that women seemed to make progress for some time in the area of church leadership but the trend seems to be moving toward fewer women in ministry and leadership positions. She speculated as to whether women are just "tired of pushing" or whether "we are not training and preparing for leadership roles in as great a number as we once did." Yoder asserted that some women are getting broken through this process and are saying, "I've been trying to use my gifts for the church, but if they are not valued in the church, I'll use them elsewhere."

Another participant said, “Today all our churchwide agency boards are chaired by men, while previously three were chaired by women. Younger women may put up with [these] things for a year or two but will likely then say, ‘Enough,’ and leave.” 

Another participant said there are some women who say they don’t want timbrel: women in conversation together with God “pushing radical issues,” while others’ vision for timbrel is that the magazine actively create a space for women to enter into dialog about issues women in the church want to discuss, but are not given a place within the church to discuss them.

During the last session of the retreat, Dr. Shertz stated that she was hearing the participants indicate that perhaps MW USA’s newest program area, Sister-Care Seminars, may become a new way to meet the needs of women in the church as “sowing” circles. 

By May 2009, MW USA will have a strengthened mission statement and a new vision statement, both written based on the ideas that emerged in the planning retreat to guide the work of MW USA into the future. Photos available.

 Editor’s note: A woman, Sharon Waltner, currently chairs the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board, which is not considered an agency board.