Anti-racism Vision and Goals for 2000-2010

Mennonite Church USA

Vision statement

Mennonite Church USA will be a community of congregations, conferences, programs and institutions that teach and practice anti-racism as a spiritual reality based on biblical principles related to worship, community life and mission (Eph. 2:11ff, Matt. 28:19-20, Rev. 7:9).

Source

Anti-racism committee: Ron Byler, Leslie Francisco III, Miriam Martin, Jim Schrag, Norma Wiens and Roy Williams

Goals

To place clear anti-racist language in Mennonite Church USA bylaws and other formation documents.
To develop a strategy that will work for the full participation of people of color in the life of the church.
To ensure that parameters are established and followed for including representatives of organized groups of people of color in formation of the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board.
To ensure that persons of color connected to people of color communities are included in the formation of all boards and reference groups in Mennonite Church USA.
To develop guidelines for hiring of new staff throughout the Mennonite Church USA guaranteeing inclusion of people of color at all levels in an effective mass.
To ensure that congregations of people of color have equal access to programs and services of Mennonite Church USA.
To request that the Executive Board of Mennonite Church USA appoint an anti-racism team whose tasks will be to interpret and apply these goals.
To provide anti-racism training for Executive Board and program agency board members and staff.
To develop a common definition of racism throughout the church via church media and educational programs.
To identify white privilege within the Mennonite Church USA institutions and programs.
To advocate for development of anti-racism teams in all conferences and provide for networking of those teams.
To advocate for inclusion of anti-racism training as a part of leadership development programs.
To maintain direct relationships with organized groups of people of color to assess progress in achieving anti-racism vision and goals.
To plan for an anti-racism audit as part of scheduled evaluations of Mennonite Church USA structures and program.

Implementation

Phase I (2000-2001) Structural formation of Mennonite Church USA

Develop guidelines and criteria for evaluation of structures and programs
Review foundational documents for anti-racist language and principles

Appoint a Mennonite Church USA anti-racism team composed of members of the Executive Board and Board-related staff
Train the Executive Board anti-racism team* (The current Mennonite Church USA anti-racism team will continue to function until the new team has been trained.)

Phase II (2002-2006) Program development

Train a new anti-racism team every two years that includes Executive Board members and staff*
Develop an accountability group of people trained in anti-racism*
Each program entity appoint and train at least one anti-racism team
Provide a one- to three-day racism awareness training seminar for all new Executive Board members and program agency board members every two years*
Offices of the Executive Board and program entities report annually to the Executive Board how they are making programs available to people-of-color congregations and equipping them to meet the needs unique to their communities
Invite people-of-color organized groups to identify program needs of their congregations that are not being met by church agencies
Provide opportunity for networking of anti-racism teams from conferences, church institutions and program entities at biennial conventions*

Phase III (2007-2010) Evaluation and advocacy

Evaluate to what degree people of color congregations are using programs available to them through the church, why or why not, and whether they are experiencing increased connectivity to the church.
Send anti-racism teams to conferences that have not formed their own teams to help develop a common definition of racism and identify white privilege in conferences and congregations*
Carry out an anti-racism audit of Mennonite Church USA administration and programs*

Comments from the executive director designate
Mennonite Church USA, as a successor church to two previous churches, will continue on a learning curve with respect to anti-racism. The Damascus Road program has been very influential in recent years throughout the church, in many of its boards, conferences and institutions, including both previous general boards. This proposal builds upon those efforts.

In the future anti-racism training and practice will spread throughout the church, and Damascus Road will be only one of the resources we can draw upon. The US Country Committee took anti-racism seriously in recommending the composition of the Executive Board. We are following that lead now in the composition of future boards and committees, reflected elsewhere in other formation proposals, particularly in Executive Board offices.

Systemic racism exists in our church, old and new. Its subtleties are more challenging than its obvious characteristics. The identification of our church as anti-racist is consistent with and supportive of our call to be a peace church, based upon equality and justice, as the Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches.

Executive Board Action (January 25, 2001)
Proposal accepted as consent agenda. No action.

*Indicates budget necessary
3/6/01