Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference

1
Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference

• Transformed in Mission Doing Gods Business - a
  new organizational paradigm
• 2002-2006 Strategic Plan
• Adopted, PSMC Board of Directors
• August 2002, Phoenix, AZ

2
Our vision is to be transformed in mission, doing
Gods work in community

• Purpose
• We work together as Pacific Southwest Mennonite
  Conference to equip congregations to engage in
  worship, mission and fellowship so that we are
  fully participating in the life and witness of
  Mennonite Church USA
• Values
• Christ the life, teachings, death and
  resurrection of Jesus shape conference life
• Community we support each other by sharing
  resources, blessings, and grace
• Communication sharing our stories in mutual
  relationship
• Cultures many traditions at the conference
  table
• Credibility transparency in personal and
  financial relationships
• Credentials lay and pastoral ministry for
  living faith

3
Discipleship, reconciliation and community in
fellowship describe our 5 year conference
objectives

• Community of congregations
• Administrative and pastoral skills consistently
  present for the PSMC board to govern wisely,
  supporting development and maintenance of vital
  member congregations
• Christian stewardship fully embraced releasing
  resources for congregational and conference life
  and witness
• Retreat ministries offer inspirational and
  popular programming across all age, demographic
  and geographic boundaries
• Discipleship
• Pastors formally credentialed for congregational
  and conference leadership
• Lay leaders consistently commissioned for
  congregational and conference roles
• Reconciliation
• Conference leadership, Assembly worship and
  attendance reflects congregational diversity
• Greater collaboration and affiliation with other
  Anabaptist groups across the street and around
  the world
• Church planting strategies continue to be
  developed and implemented through the Conference
  Mission Team

4
Congregations that participate fully in the life
and witness of PSMC embody the following key
behaviors

• Designated, conference credentialed pastoral
  leadership identified, and congregationally
  commissioned lay leadership
• Missional vitality through a congregational life
  of intercessory prayer, community ministry and
  leadership development - including the process
  for forming new disciples
• Weekly assembly for worship, at a minimum, and
  administration of the ordinances of baptism,
  Lords Supper and footwashing when appropriate
• Formalized congregational documents that assist
  in the process of working through issues of life
  and faith (e.g. by-laws, vision, purpose, and
  mission statements, congregational confessions of
  faith, pastoral and lay leader position
  descriptions, written decision making models)
• Prepared annual business reports for their
  membership that detail both financial and risk
  management activities complying with legal and
  good business practice requirements.
• Expressed solidarity with the Confession of Faith
  in a Mennonite Perspective
• Participation in PSMC Assemblies sending, at a
  minimum, pastoral leadership and delegates as
  allowed under the PSMC by-laws
• Offering either the minimum community
  contribution or the first fruits of
  congregational stewardship to further PSMC and
  denominational efforts

5
For 2002-3, the objectives that will help us
attain our long-term goals

• Community of congregations
• 75 of member congregations send identified
  delegates to at least one Assembly
• 50 of member congregations contribute at or more
  than the minimum recommended community
  contribution financial giving level
• Personnel Committee identifies overall
  administrative, business and pastoral skill sets
  needed in PSMC Board of Directors
• At least 75 of MC USA program agencies and
  boards have members from PSMC
• Discipleship
• Personnel Committee identifies core competencies
  for Conference Ministers
• Conference Ministers complete personal
  developmental plans
• Pastoral Leadership Committee completes
  commissioning process for congregational lay
  leaders
• Reconciliation
• Add at least one new ethnic tradition in church
  planting efforts (Korean)
• Start at least one new church plant in Northern
  California (South Bay)
• Reassess conference role in Native American
  ministries (Arizona)
• Invite fraternal Anabaptist attendance at 2002-3
  Assemblies

6
Our proposed strategic planning process reflects
our mission and values

• PSMC Board of Directors
• Develops and monitors plan
• Solicits information and input from pastors and
  delegates

• Actions
• Highlighted by area
• Implemented 7/1

• Planning
• Mission/Purpose
• Goals/Priority development
• Assigned Actions
• August

• Evaluation
• Mission/Purpose
• Goals Achieved
• Conference Staff Reports
• Priority Review/Amend targets
• October April

7
The planning cycle is coordinated with the fiscal
cycle. For this coming year
8
Appendix

• PSMC Board of Directors
• Revised Governance Structure
• 8/02

9
Moving forward we need to continue to adjust our
structures to reflect evolving contextual
realities
Note Retreat Ministries and CAL are
cross-denominational affiliates of PSMC
10
Our organization must be able to support evolving
and ongoing programs and resource development
Notes Retreat Ministries and CAL are
cross-denominational affiliates of PSMC
11
We also need to address our multicultural and
geographical diversity on an ongoing basis

• Goals
• 3 regions NCA, SCA, and AZ
• EC members - represent 3 regions
• 7 addl BOD members- represent 3 regions
• BOD reflecting ethnic diversity
• BOD inclusive of ministerial, business
  management, writing, accounting, and legal
  functional skills

Executive Committee Member