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Recommendations of the Task Force on Identity, Purpose, and Organization (IPO)

Report Prepared forProvincial Elders’ Conference

December 2013

Submitted by

IPO Task Force Members

Eastern District: David Bennett, Gary Harke, Margaret Wellert

Western District: Matthew Knapp, Alex MacDonald, Christie Melby-Gibbons, Dawn Volpe

Canadian District: Ann Tyrell

At-Large: Judy Kaaua, Justin Rabbach

Staff: Tina Giesler, Betsy Miller

Executive SummaryThe Provincial Synod of 2010 called for the formation of a commission to study the structure of the

Northern Province and report back with recommendations to come before the 2014 Provincial Synod. In tasking the commission, the Provincial Elders’ Conference (PEC) interpreted and broadened the original mandate to focus on structure as one piece of the Province’s larger identity, purpose, and organization. This broader focus allowed the commission to think beyond simply reduction to facilitate cost savings. Instead, the recommendations outlined in this report reflect changes the commission believes will help to reshape our structure to more effectively and efficiently support ministry being done by congregations across the province. Additionally, recommendations are made regarding new ministry opportunities that can help us to more firmly claim our identity as people whose love for Christ sends us out in service to the world.

The commission completed its work during the inter-synodal period through six face to face meetings, and ongoing electronic communication and conference calls. The work of the commission began as conversations with stakeholders and a study of our history to facilitate deep reflection on our culture and identity as the Moravian Church Northern Province (MCNP). It became increasingly clear over time that a significant challenge facing the MCNP was the need to undergo a larger cultural shift, to help us take on a structure matching our identity as we claim our unique call to be a part of God’s mission in the world.

To help maintain focus on this larger goal throughout the process, the commission took on the name of the IPO (Identity, Purpose, Organization) task force. While organization and structure are not the only keys to cultivating a change in culture, we understand the important ways in which structure can be best organized to support the ministry of the MCNP. Therefore, the IPO task force is proposing a number of important structural changes in how the Province is organized, governed, and staffed. These include:

Holding regular non-legislative conferences organized provincially or regionally Continuing quadrennial provincial synods with a revised, less costly, process of representation Forming a newly constituted and expanded PEC elected by regions, and re-commissioning the PEC

president as the Presiding Elder Employing a chief operating officer for administrative oversight Employing staff persons for key ministry roles who partner with congregations to encourage and

empower ministry engagement in their local contexts Eliminating district level governance, executive boards, staffing and programmatic structures Strengthening the provincial committee on nominations Amending the Book of Order as needed to accommodate these recommendations

Just as faith without works is dead, structural change without cultural change is dead. Four particular areas have been identified, which are reported here as “adaptive challenges”. A variety of possible experiments in these areas to cultivate a culture of empowered local and collectively owned Provincial ministry are outlined in the report. These areas are: Identity, Connectivity, Leadership and Call, and Congregations in Context.

May our love for Jesus and the power and presence of his Spirit in our midst guide us as we mutually discern how to live into the future God has for us as the MCNP.

Table of Contents

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SECTION PAGE

Executive Summary 2

I. Mandate, Charge, and Process Design 4-5

II. Key Affirmations and Naming The Challenges 6-7

III. The Organization and Structure of the MCNP 8-12

Specific Recommendations

IV. Naming and Addressing Adaptive Challenges 13-17

A. Adaptive Challenge: IdentityB. Adaptive Challenge: ConnectivityC. Adaptive Challenge: Leadership and CallD. Adaptive Challenge: Congregations in Context

Appendices 18-28

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Section IMandate, Charge, and Process Design

A. Mandate from Provincial Synod (see Appendix A for full resolution)

RESOLVED: (11) During the inter-synod period of 2010 to 2014 a study commission of twelve (12) persons across all parts of the Moravian Church – Northern Province shall be established by the Provincial Elders’ Conference to engage the congregations of the Moravian Church – Northern Province in discussion about how the current Provincial structure does or does not meet Provincial needs and to gather recommendations about suggested changes to the Provincial structure; and be it further

RESOLVED: (12) The Study Commission on the Provincial structure shall have membership appointed by each District Board (four members from the Eastern District, four members from the Western District, two members from the Canadian District) and two members at large appointed by the Provincial Elders’ Conference; and be it further

RESOLVED: (13) The Study Commission on the Provincial structure shall report their collective findings and make recommendations based upon their study to the Provincial Elders’ Conference no later than June 2013; and be it further

RESOLVED: (14) The Provincial Elders’ Conference will prepare a recommendation for the 2014 Provincial Synod for consideration at that time.

B. Charge from Provincial Elders’ Conference (see Appendix B for full charge)

The Provincial Synod of 2010 established a commission to study the structure of the Moravian Church Northern Province. The Provincial Elders’ Conference named a consultant, Dr. Craig Van Gelder, to guide a comprehensive process that would ground our study of structure in our understanding of God, the Moravian Church, and ourselves as members of the Body of Christ. By exploring our identity—whose we are, and our purpose—what we do, we hope to structure ourselves to maximize how we express our identity in Christ and our purpose as servants of the risen Lord.

The Team, formed according to guidelines established by synod, is charged to work with our consultant to craft and lead a process that will give all interested participants of the Moravian Church Northern Province the opportunity to explore our identity and purpose as a prelude to shaping our structure. The PEC envisions the team engaging regional conversations in a process that will help us claim and live our narrative (our DNA, who we really are), define and refine our purpose, and explore ways that we can organize ourselves to more faithfully participate in what God wants us to be doing in the world today. We see this process as something like the Exodus journey through the wilderness. The journey may be a time of uncertainty, but we trust that God will guide us along the way and bring us to a place of hopeful purpose and mission.

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C. Design of Study Process

September 2011 Orientation and Getting Started

Task Force on Identity, Purpose and Organization (IPO) met to review mandate and charge and plan its work over the next two and a half years

October 2011-February 2012

Phase 1: Data Collection and Preparing a Report(See Appendix C for outline of data collected)

Task Force engaged in an extensive study of all aspects of the history, ministry, congregations, organization, finances, and previous planning efforts. A summary report of the findings was developed for sharing with District Synods

March 2012-Fall 2012

Phase 2: Sharing Information Summary with District Synods (See Appendix D for summary of key findings)

Task Force members shared the information summary at key meetings of the District Synods as well as other gatherings. Responses to the report were summarized with the Task Force reflecting on how this informed its work.

Fall 2012-Fall 2013

Phase 3: Naming and Addressing Technical and Adaptive Challenges

Task Force named the technical and adaptive challenges which appeared to be embedded within what was learned from the data collection and sharing of the information report. A subgroup worked on developing recommendations regarding technical challenges which had to do primarily with matters of organization and structure. Other subgroups worked on designing possible experiments which might be implemented to address the adaptive challenges. Several consultative conversations were held with the PEC regarding emerging recommendations.

Fall 2013-June 2014

Phase 4: Developing Recommendations and Final Report

Task Force developed a final report of recommendations to address both the technical and adaptive challenges which was presented initially to pre-synod gatherings in the winter/spring 2014 and then to the Provincial Synod 2014.

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Section IIKey Affirmations and Naming the Challenges

The Task Force on Identity, Purpose, and Organization spent much time in study and reflection on the life and ministry of the Moravian Church, both that of the Unity as well as the Moravian Church Northern Province, historically and around the world today. This study and reflection allowed the Task Force to articulate key affirmations that guided the development of the recommendations found in this report.

Key Affirmations Informing this Process

God in Our Midst

1. God is at work in the world, through the movement of the Holy Spirit among individuals, congregations, agencies and denominations.

2. God called the Moravian Church into being centuries ago, as a people whose identity emerged out of faithfulness in the midst of persecution, exile in the midst of political and religious conflict, and a love for Jesus that sent us out of nurturing communities to bear witness to God’s amazing grace to those whom the world had forgotten.

3. God has been in the midst of the Moravian Church Northern Province throughout its life, leading it to engage in meaningful ministry in the name of Jesus.

4. God is continuing to lead the Province today in the midst of significant change taking place within the church and the world around us, requiring us to engage carefully and reflectively in mutual discernment as we continue our journey in ministry.

We as the MCNP 5. Our identity as a province in North America emerged out of a gradual separation from German

oversight. Districts were formed in the early 20th century to facilitate church extension and to speed communication.

6. Some of our provincial structures were patterned after those of larger denominations in the North American landscape which gave us an organizational identity that was similar to theirs. We are coming to realize that those structures no longer serve to strengthen our particular identity as people who follow our conquering Lamb.

7. A restructuring process in the 1990s reduced our focus and resources on denominational programming and increased our focus and resources on governance at both the provincial and district levels.

8. We need to structure ourselves in a way that frees up and empowers congregations to engage in ministry in their local contexts.

9. What the 2010 synod called for was to study our structure; what we need is a change in our culture that helps us reclaim our core identity as Moravians.

10. We will not restructure our way into a new way of being; rather we need to experiment our way into a richer understanding of who God is calling us to be.

Naming the Challenges

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The Task Force drew on the work of Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky from Harvard Business School in pursing their work. These authors make the distinction between “technical” and “adaptive” challenges to help leaders understand how organizations need to respond to the complex world we now live within. The distinction is:

Technical Challenge: An issue we face, which we must address, and for which we possess the necessary information, skills, and competencies to address it.

Example: Developing a small group ministry in a congregation that helps to strengthen relationships among the members

The Task Force on IPO was given the responsibility to address the organization and structure of the MCNP. Based on the information gathered in this process, as well as the skills and competencies of the members of the task force and numerous persons who were consulted, a series of recommendations are offered in Section III regarding a proposed structure for the Northern Province. The technical recommendations regarding structure offered in Section III include implications for adaptive change related to culture.

Adaptive Challenge: An issue we face, for which we presently do not have an answer, but which we must address if we are to live into God’s future.

Example: Helping a homogeneous congregation transition into becoming a multi-cultural community where there is genuine mutual respect, care, and grace among the diverse cultures.

In conducting its work around organization and structure, the Task Force on IPO came to realize that there were some deeper issues facing the Northern Province which fall more into the realm of being “adaptive” challenges. These deal with the following four areas:

Identity Connectivity Leadership and Call Congregations in Context

The key to addressing an adaptive challenge is to engage in putting into practice some new behaviors. This is referred to above in Key Affirmation 10 as conducting an “experiment.” The critical point is that since we do not have the answers regarding how to address the challenge, then we need to “practice our way into new thinking.” Section IV identifies in more detail the nature of these four adaptive challenges and offers some possibilities regarding experiments we might engage in to begin to address them.

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Section IIIThe Organization and Structure of the MCNP

The original mandate from the Provincial Synod of 2010 called for a study of the present structure of the Northern Province and asked that a task force be appointed to make recommendations regarding how best to organize the province, with a final report to be presented to the Provincial Synod of 2014. The Task Force on Identity, Purpose, and Organization (IPO) thoroughly engaged this mandate, but, as noted in Section I, did so in light of substantive reflection on the identity and culture of the Moravian Church Northern Province. This reflection deeply informs the recommendations on organization and structure which are offered below.

Making Recommendations Regarding StructureIn preparing these recommendations, the Task Force was inspired by a vision of Moravian congregations,

scattered across the northern United States and in Canada, vibrantly engaged in ministry after the example of our conquering Lamb. That vision, however, is not of congregations, however faithful, in isolation from one another; rather, it is of congregations that recognize they “need each other and indeed are given each other in order to be the Church” (Michael Kinnamon, “What Marks Ecumenical Commitment as Distinct from, but Related to, Other Forms of

Cooperative Activity?”, Ecumenical Trends, XXVIII/4, April 1999.) and consequently find ways to work with one another, build community, and engage in common ministries of witness and service. The Task Force believes that the province needs more than structural change; indeed it needs a cultural change to re-imagine how God is calling us to be faithful expressions of God’s ongoing mission to the world.

The changes proposed in the Task Force’s recommendations are not mere technical “fixes” to structure in the face of changing circumstances and diminishing resources. Rather, they seek to respond to significant challenges within the culture of the Moravian Church Northern Province. In terms of governance and structure, the province

needs to think provincially instead of locally or in terms of district boundaries;

needs to look to each other for ideas and inspiration, and learn to consult with and learn from the experiences of others;

needs to use more care and foresight in the nomination and election of our leaders, always mindful of the missional needs of the church; and

needs to foster mutual trust between the church and those elected to lead so that we all may offer our best to be faithful to God’s call as the Moravian Church Northern Province.

As we engaged our story, we consistently noted the church’s resilience to adapt to changing contexts (circumstances, culture, and geography). The Task Force believes the church’s faithfulness in this century requires a similar display of resilience and adaptability, and offers these recommendations in that spirit.

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Specific RecommendationsThe intent of all these recommendations is that congregations be equipped, empowered and released to be partners in God’s mission in their local and regional contexts where resources can be focused primarily on mission and ministry that is supported by our governance structure. The Task Force believes that resources, both material and personnel, will be more uniformly distributed, economies of scale achieved, and better stewardship sustained with common, shared governance.

A. Hold regular non-legislative conferences to deepen our shared identity, cultivate community, and support and enhance the ministry of congregations as faithful expressions of God’s love and grace in their local contexts. These conferences may be organized provincially or regionally, by congregations, clusters of congregations (either geographically or shared interests), or other provincial entities. The Provincial Elders’ Conference and provincial staff will provide coordination as needed. Conferences are to be open to all members and friends of the Moravian Church Northern Province.

B. Continue quadrennial provincial synods

i. Membership of the Synod – The Task Force developed three (3) options for membership, (see Appendix F) keeping three assertions in mind: 1) Synod should be smaller than it is currently both in delegate size and cost; 2) Lay delegates should always outnumber clergy delegates; 3) Representation is highly valued. Appendix F also includes cost data related to Synods.

ii. Responsibilities

The Provincial Synod shall be the highest legislative body of the Moravian Church Northern Province and shall be responsible for all areas of the Province’s life and ministry. Its specific responsibilities shall be in essence identical to those currently fulfilled by the Provincial Synod. (See Book of Order ¶103-104)

C. Form a newly constituted Provincial Elders’ Conference to be responsible for the overall ministry and leadership of the province. The Provincial Elders’ Conference will be comprised of:

i. The Presiding Elder, who shall be ordained, full-time, salaried, and elected at the provincial synod by ecclesiastical ballot. The Presiding Elder would be the chair of the Provincial Elders’ Conference, responsible for articulating and interpreting the vision of the ministry of the province and overseeing its implementation. For the purposes of facilitating relationships with the worldwide Moravian Church and with other churches and ecumenical/inter-faith expressions, s/he would serve as “Head of Communion.”

ii. Nine (9) additional membersa. six (6) lay people, one from each of the following six regions of the church, elected at

the provincial synod from a slate prepared by the Committee on Nominations: 1. New York, New Jersey and Toronto2. Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the District of Columbia3. the Mid States—Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois4. Wisconsin5. Minnesota, North Dakota, and California6. Canada (Alberta)

b. Three (3) members of the clergy, elected at large at the provincial synod from a slate prepared by the Committee on Nominations. These clergy members (as would also be the case of lay elected members) would serve as unsalaried members of the Provincial Elders’ Conference and continue in their respective called or appointed positions.

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D. Eliminate Districts (Canadian, Eastern, and Western), District Synods, District Executive Boards (Board of Elders of the Canadian District, Eastern District Executive Board, and Western District Executive Board), and District staffing and programmatic structures. [The Task Force is aware that Canadian law may require the creation and maintenance of some legal entity in Canada. Provision for such an entity will be made in consultation with legal counsel.] Both legislative and other functions become the responsibility of the Province and PEC.

i. Maintain and enhance our connectedness through conferences and clusters that are vibrant expressions of our relationality.

ii. Charge the Provincial Elders’ Conference with stewarding the development of ministries across the province by (a) encouraging congregations to collaborate with each other around areas of common interests, geography or context, and (b) cultivating connections and creating the space for developing relationships in these “clusters” as a key to allocating resources to focus on ministry. These clusters may take on different structures and purposes, depending on their ministry focus.

iii. Delegate through the Provincial Elders’ Conference appropriate representation to regional boards and agencies such as Marquardt Village, Moravian Open Door, and Camp Van Es. Representatives named would report regularly and be accountable to the Provincial Elders’ Conference.

iv. Charge the PEC and District Boards as they are currently configured to develop and live into the new structure, taking into account all the ministry functions currently done by the districts. This transition will occur during the 2-year period between the 2014 Synod and 2016 Synod.

v. See Appendix G for a summarized cost comparison of total District and Provincial costs as is vs. an estimate of what is proposed.

E. Employ staff people (up to 3 FTE) to enable the PEC to manage its responsibilities in representative ministry areas listed below so that congregations are supported in the ministries which emerge at the local level, both in their local communities and also in partnership with other congregations.

Clergy nurture Call process Lay leadership and joint board development Congregational development Conferences Conflict management Healthy congregations initiative

Remain flexible in employing staff in order to meet the changing opportunities and needs of the province. Staff may be full-time, part-time, clergy or lay. Staff would work closely with the PEC and be involved in that portion of PEC meetings that pertained to their ministry portfolio. They would work under the direction of the Presiding Elder and be accountable to and serve at the will of the Provincial Elders’ Conference. Residency at the provincial offices would not be required.

i. The MCNP process for pastoral placement (call process) offers an opportunity for experimentation. Currently, Joint Boards and pastors at times express frustration with a process which limits engagement, offers inadequate congregational/biographical information, and is encumbered by practices which stymie communication that would otherwise advance the process more efficiently. Further research and dialogue with key stakeholders is still

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necessary as we assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the current process, as well as identify key process elements which are associated with core theological values. See pages 16 and 24 for more detail about experiments related to the call process.

F. Employ a Chief Operating Officer with specific skills in administrative leadership and oversight. S/he may be lay or clergy, full-time, salaried, and employed by the Provincial Elders’ Conference. The Chief Operating Officer will be involved in that portion of PEC meetings that pertains to his/her responsibilities, work under the direction of the Presiding Elder and be accountable to and serve at the will of the Provincial Elders’ Conference. S/he will oversee the operations of the province, manage administrative staff, and oversee finance and benefits administration.

G. Amend the Book of Order ¶112 as follows to strengthen the provincial Committee on Nominations:

¶112 Committee on Nominations: a. The Committee on Nominations shall be an intersynodal committee elected by the

Provincial Synod for the following intersynodal period.b. The Committee on Nominations shall consist of four lay persons and two clergy persons,

elected from a slate of nominees. A majority of the votes cast shall be necessary for election.

c. The chair of the Committee on Nominations shall be a bishop of the Unity resident in the Province and shall be appointed by the Provincial Elders’ Conference.

d. The Committee on Nominations shall:o Discern the leadership needs of the Province, with particular attention to those

offices filled by election at the Provincial Synod.o Identify and recruit candidates to stand for election to all positions filled by election

at the Provincial Synod.o Provide in its report to the Provincial Synod information concerning nominees to

assist delegates in assessing the character, qualities, and capabilities of each nominee; the information shall be appropriate to the office under consideration and shall be similar in content and format for all nominees.

o Aid in the filling of vacancies that occur during an intersynodal period by presenting appropriate nominees.

o Provide a copy of its written report to each synod delegate no less than two months prior to the convening of the Provincial Synod. In addition to providing information on nominee qualifications, the report shall also detail established requirements for each position to be filled together with the Committee’s assessment of the special leadership needs of the Province.

e. Nominations in addition to those made by the Committee on Nominations may be made from the floor of the Synod through a motion to amend the report of the Committee. Any nomination from the floor shall be accompanied by appropriate biographical and qualification information, together with the written and signed consent of the proposed nominee; such materials shall be presented to the Synod secretary in quantity sufficient for distribution to each delegate prior to any motion to amend the report of the intersynodal Committee on Nominations.

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H. Implementation of recommendations:

i. Assuming endorsement by the 2014 Synod of the Moravian Church Northern Province, the foregoing recommendations from the Task Force on Identity, Purpose, and Organization shall take effect upon the convening of a Provincial Synod in 2016.

ii. Appropriate amendments to The Book of Order shall be prepared under the guidance of the Provincial Elders’ Conference for approval by the 2016 Synod.

iii. The term of incumbent members of the Provincial Elders’ Conference shall conclude with the convening of the 2016 Synod. It is understood that there would be no District Synods convened in 2016.

iv. Assuming endorsement by 2014 Synod, legal counsel will be secured to assure that requirements for property, oversight and legal issues are satisfied for the congregations in Canada prior to convening the 2016 Synod.

In conclusionGetting our structure “right” at this time so that it supports the life and ministry of the MCNP is critical, both for our current shared work as well as for our shared work into the foreseeable future. But as noted in Section II, Key Affirmation 10: “We will not restructure our way into a new way of being; rather we need to experiment our way into a richer understanding of who God is calling us to be.” This brings us to the next set of recommendations in this report which deals with addressing adaptive challenges.

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Section IVNaming and Addressing Adaptive Challenges

The Task Force on IPO came to understand the importance of paying attention to the “culture” of the MCNP if, in fact, we are to cultivate a “new way of being.” Four key adaptive challenges were identified which the Task Force believes must be addressed if we are to experience that new way of being.

Adaptive Challenge: An issue we face, for which we presently do not have an answer, but which we must address if we are to live into God’s future.

These challenges are:

A. Identity

We no longer adequately claim our spiritual heritage of living as disciples whose love for Jesus sends us as a mission people in service to the world.

B. Connectivity

We lack sufficient connectivity among all layers of the province.

C. Leadership and Call

We have a limited sense of both “call” and “leadership” which cultivates clergy dependence, keeps our expectations of congregations and laity low, and overlooks the discovery and use of a wide variety of gifts.

D. Congregations in Context

In our rapidly changing world, many of our congregations have lost vital connections with their local contexts and our processes of forming leadership have not been able to address this.

This section names these four challenges in terms of:

Identifying the ministry issues we presently face Naming the adaptive challenge that must be addressed Offering a series of possible experiments which might be engaged to “practice our way into new

thinking”

Though some initial work was done with experimenting, the Task Force did not have the necessary time to adequately attend to this work. These experiments need to become part of the ministry we engage in together within the new structure when adopted. Some examples of possible designed experiments are provided in Appendix E.

A. Identity

Ministry Issues We Presently Face:

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We need to articulate our unifying identity in a way that can be expressed in the different regions and contexts of our province.

We are not sufficiently prepared to live faithfully in the changing world in which we now exist. We lack a clear understanding of our theology of the church. We know we are a deeply relational

people but we haven’t adequately grasped what that means for us. We haven’t fully understood how to live together with increasingly diverse theological views. We want

to rely on our relationships and shared practices without understanding how our view of the church impacts the tension between theology and relationships.

Our worship, music, and liturgies once unified us; various worship styles and resources used across our province no longer serve as those unifying factors.

Ministries, practices, and behaviors that once shaped our identity and purpose no longer occur organically from within our faith communities. Without a shared set of practices, we lack clarity about what shapes our faith and life.

We are not clear on “essentials” and have a long-standing willingness to put any challenge into “non-essentials”, therefore avoid thinking things through and doing the theology that needs to be done.

In our conferential church, our essentials are somewhat secondary because what defined is what we did; once we stopped doing, we don’t know who we are; things that once happened organically within community were later assigned out to staff as tasks and we lost touch in many ways with who we are.

Statement of Adaptive Challenge:We no longer adequately claim our spiritual heritage of living as disciples whose love for Jesus sends us as a mission people in service to the world.

Examples of Possible Experiments:

1. Developing a 21st Century Choir SystemThis would be an effort to recapture spiritual vitality through the use of prayer bands (small groups

focused on spiritual formation) with the desired outcomes of: (a) deeper understanding of personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and (b) personal awareness of God’s call/vocation.

2. Experiment In How We Gauge Congregational Health & VitalityExplore ways to gauge congregational health and vitality through measuring and assessing congregations

based more on biblical imperatives than statistical data. For example, ask how congregations feed the hungry and clothe the poor instead of just asking how many children attend Sunday School.

B. Connectivity


There is a need to build better relationships among congregations, districts, and province. There are communication gaps and missed opportunities at all levels.

Our history of working effectively because of our relationships with one another does not work as well now as it did in the past. We don’t all know one another as we used to.

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Compared to previous eras, there are fewer common initiatives engaging districts, congregations, and members across the province. Many local congregations lack active awareness or appreciation of the work of the current districts and provincial levels of government.

The financial burden of our structure has made relationships adversarial around “who pays” Districts and the province sometimes relate awkwardly with one another; there’s a fear of “stepping on

toes” because responsibilities are not always well-defined and boundaries are not always clear

Statement of Adaptive Challenge:

We lack sufficient connectivity among all layers of the province.


1. PEC Interactions & Virtual MeetingsThis experiment would focus on building ownership across the province into the work of the PEC by

seeking input from clergy and laity. On occasion the PEC meetings will include time for listening sessions: (1) conversation sessions at which clergy and laity attending can address the PEC on any topic; (2) conversation sessions during which people are invited by the PEC to address it on particular topics; (3) invite written submission of items for consideration or review.

2. Interacting with PEC MeetingsThis experiment would involve someone present in the PEC meeting for the “open session” parts providing

regular tweets of the conversation. Information about the hashtag address would be publicized ahead of time.

C. Leadership and Call


We need to find a way of providing leadership for every local congregation in a sustainable way. This may involve changing our expectations of a full-time, seminary trained, ordained person for every congregation.

Even as congregations struggle to support full-time clergy with health care and pensions, many clergy in our province expect a full-time call with benefits.

We seem to have lost a sense of priesthood of all believers and understanding how our baptism calls each of us into mission. We need to invite people to respond to God’s call.

We need to encourage laity to develop their gifts and get beyond our present tendency to be clergy dependent.

“Simplicity we do not cherish”: we’ve created much more structure than we actually need even while we have spoken of simplicity as a value.


We have a limited sense of both “call” and “leadership” which cultivates clergy dependence, keeps our expectations of congregations and laity low, and overlooks the discovery and use of a wide variety of gifts.

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1. Practice a broadened definition of “call”This experiment would invite congregations to identity gifts among their laity and encourage the

development of these gifts by having those lay people lead in ministry areas that have traditionally been carried out by ordained pastors. This would help to expand the sense of call to include possibilities other than an ordained parish pastor and also help reduce congregational dependence on clergy.

2. Broadening Clergy and Congregational Understanding of MinistryThis would involve testing a variety of approaches to ministry within and among congregations including:

(a) clergy as tentmakers, (b) cooperative ministry between congregations, (c) yoking congregations for shared ministry, and (d) allowing for different expressions of congregations as local communities of faith. These approaches might help to: reinvigorate some congregations that are nearing the end of their historical approach to ministry, modify both clergy and congregational definitions and expectations of a full-time call, reduce congregational dependence on clergy, encourage laity to develop their gifts, reduce cost to congregation of pastoral presence, and provide opportunities for ecumenical partnering.

3. Practicing Different Call Process Elements This would involve testing and assessment of a more open set of call process elements to foster a spirit of dialogue and openness among clergy, denomination, and congregations throughout the call process.

D. Congregations in Context


We have forgotten how to look for God at work both within our congregations and among our neighbors in the communities around us.

We don’t have a heritage of living in the world. We don’t know how to interact with our communities and respond when significant changes impact them.

We are unsure how to translate our “relational theology” with living in our rapidly changing world When congregations face financial hardships or internal conflicts they are less interested in looking

beyond themselves to care for their neighbors. Our consumer lifestyles tend to keep us from being vulnerable to the “least among us”


In our rapidly changing world, many of our congregations have lost vital connections with their local contexts and our processes of forming leadership have not been able to address this.


1. Getting to Know Your Community This experiment would help congregations get to know and reconnect where needed with their contexts in

order that they might better serve the communities in which they are located. A number of congregations

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would be invited to participate in actively attending to discerning where God’s Spirit appears to be at work in their communities and then: (a) engage in building informal relationships with their neighbors in order to understand who they are and to cultivate mutual trust, (b) identify together what the needs in the community are, and (c) explore ways in which they might collaborate with their neighbors to address these needs. The focus would be on learning to carefully listen to and learn from persons in the community.

2. Reclaim Underutilized Church Facilities for Ministry to Local CommunityThis experiment would focus on reinvigorating congregations that have lost their sense of identity and

purpose by offering new approaches to being the church today in a post-modern world. Congregations that are struggling with issues of sustainability (finances, maintenance of property, membership), as well as those that have a passion for ministry in their community would be invited to explore using their buildings for ministry in their local contexts, such as: community centers, office space for community organizations, and housing for the homeless.

3. Rental Property as a Missional OutreachThis experiment would bring together a cluster of congregations to purchase a rental property in an area of high demand (university campus) and rent to people who wanted part of their rent to support mission causes and outreach. Local congregation members would volunteer much of the maintenance/management with oversight provided by a committee that would determine rent, mission causes, and marketing.

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Appendix ASeventh Partial and Final ReportMission through Administration

Re: Establishing a Commission to Study the Structure of the Moravian Church – Northern Province

Whereas, a more efficient structuring of the current Northern Province may be necessary: one that will reduce travel costs, maximize administrative leadership, eliminate redundant synods and provide different opportunities for church development and collaborative ministry; and

Whereas, the current administrative structure of both Province and Districts was established in earlier decades when the Northern Province had a higher communicant membership than at present; and

Whereas, change is best accomplished when studied carefully by a group of people commissioned to do that work; and

Whereas, there is a need to maximize our congregations and their abilities to improve their overall health so that they can more faithfully live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission; therefore be it

RESOLVED: (11) During the intersynodal period of 2010 to 2014 a study commission of twelve (12) persons across all parts of the Moravian Church – Northern Province shall be established by the Provincial Elders’ Conference to engage the congregations of the Moravian Church – Northern Province in discussion about how the current Provincial structure does or does not meet Provincial needs and to gather recommendations about suggested changes to the Provincial structure; and be it further

RESOLVED: (12) The Study Commission on the Provincial structure shall have membership appointed by each District Board (four members from the Eastern District, four members from the Western District, two members from the Canadian District) and two members at large appointed by the Provincial Elders’ Conference; and be it further

RESOLVED: (13) The Study Commission on the Provincial structure shall report their collective findings and make recommendations based upon their study to the Provincial Elders’ Conference no later than June 2013; and be it further

RESOLVED: (14) The Provincial Elders’ Conference will prepare a recommendation for the 2014 Provincial Synod for consideration at that time.

June 2010

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Appendix BCharge to the Restructure Team from PEC

The Provincial Synod of 2010 established a commission to study the structure of the Moravian Church Northern Province. The Provincial Elders’ Conference identified and named a consultant, Dr. Craig Van Gelder, to guide us through a comprehensive process that would ground our study of structure in our understanding of God, the Moravian Church, and ourselves as members of the Body of Christ. By exploring our identity – whose we are, and our purpose – what we do, we hope to structure ourselves to maximize how we express our identity in Christ and our purpose as servants of the risen Lord.

The Team, formed according to guidelines established by synod, is charged to work with our consultant to craft and lead a process that will give all interested participants of the Moravian Church Northern Province the opportunity to explore our identity and purpose as a prelude to shaping our structure. The PEC envisions the team engaging regional conversations in a process that will help us claim and live our narrative (our DNA, who we really are), define and refine our purpose, and explore ways that we can organize ourselves to more faithfully participate in what God wants us to be doing in the world today. We see this process as something like the Exodus journey through the wilderness. The journey may be a time of uncertainty, but we trust that God will guide us along the way and bring us to a place of hopeful purpose and mission.

Members of the Team will be

Grounded in faith, with a profound hope that God is still at work in our world and denomination Willing to explore new ideas and embark on spiritual journeys with uncertain outcomes Team players – willing to work, pray, discern, and explore together despite challenges

The process will include

Learning from our past Engaging people now in their understanding of who we are and what we do Discerning structure(s) that will best equip us to be a nimble, faithful, and effective witness to God Presenting proposal(s) to the PEC by June 2013, with accompanying implications, for deliberation and

presentation to the wider church Making a presentation to the 2014 synod in preparation for conversation and possible action.

Commitment

Present-June 2014 Meetings, face to face and other media, as appropriate. Willingness to travel to regions of the church to involve congregations in conversation All associated costs will be covered by the province

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Appendix CStudy Components by Task Force

Historical Moravian Data

1. Annotated Select Bibliography2. Narrative Outline of History3. Moravia and Zinzendorf4. Moravians as a Mission Movement5. Core Elements of Moravian DNA

History of Moravians in North America

1. Historical Development of Moravian Church in NA2. Moravian Church as a Denomination3. Moravians in Canada and the United States4. Developing Corporate Organizational Design and Culture

Identity, Purpose, Organization (IPO), and Finances 1960s to Date

1. Organizational Analysis of Recent MCNP Life2. Previous Study Task Groups3. Financial Cost and Budget Analysis4. Giving and Stewardship Analysis

Congregational Data Profiles and Demographic Analysis

1. Congregation Data Base2. Charting Data3. ARDA DATA and Demographics of Congregations4. ARDA Data and County Profile of Congregations

Experiments by Moravians and Others

1. MCNP Congregational Experiments2. Moravian Provincial Experiments3. Other Faith Communities Experiments

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Appendix DReport of Key Findings to District Synods

An eleven (11) page summary report of all the information gathered by the IPO Team, as outlined above, was developed and presented to each of the District synods that met during the spring/early summer of 2012.

Basic Moravian DNA: Elements of the basic DNA of Moravians include: “form follows function,” ecumenical, community, pragmatic and opportunistic, and holistic

Moravians in the US: Moravians became increasingly autonomous in the mid to late 1800s and increasingly denominational in the 1900s. Growth of denominational program and staffing up to the last quarter of the 20th century followed by declines since that time.

Moravians in Canada: Moravians came to Canada at the end of the 19th century—mostly western provinces. They are small in number and today are part of a bi-national Northern Province.

Membership Growth and Decline: Membership of the MCNP grew rapidly from the late 1800s to about 1960 when it stood at just under 40,000 and has been in steady decline since that time, standing today at just under 20,000.

Patterns of Structure: The church organization followed immigration and migration patterns from the late 1800s through the 20th century and evolved with the Eastern, Western, and Canadian Districts increasing in authority while the centralized authority in Bethlehem, PA was maintained.

Growth and Decline of the Total Congregations: The starting of new congregations has tended to be in those locations where there are already concentrations of Moravians. Overall the period 1960 to 2010 saw the start-up of 30 new congregations, with the closing of 42 congregations.

Income Congregations, Districts, and Province: Total congregational income between 1995 and 2010 has tended to be flat, with approximately $20 million total (constant in 2010 dollars). Total District and Province income has also been flat during this time.

New Experiments within the Province: There are examples of some experiments within congregations in recent years in the areas of: Fun and Family Activities, Programs Meeting Specific Needs, New Forms of Worship, and Use of Church Buildings. There are also some experiments that have taken place at the District and Province level.

New Experiments in the Larger Church: There are a wide range of congregations trying new things in the larger church today, with many of these efforts focusing on creative ways to start new congregations.

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Appendix EExamples of Possible Experiments

Adaptive Challenge: Identity

Experiment for 21st Century Choir System

Objective: o Recapture spiritual vitality through the use of prayer bands (small groups focused on spiritual

formation)o Desired outcomes:

o Deeper understanding of personal relationship with Jesus Christo Personal awareness of God’s call/vocation

Experiment Development:o Initial assessment of model through the use of a focus group over a period of 18 monthso Identify experiment siteso Define an experiment assessment process

Adaptive Challenge: Connectivity

PEC Interactions and Virtual Meetings

Objective:

o Build ownership in the work of the PEC by seeking ideas and advice from clergy and laity.

Rationale:

o The PEC is perceived by some as making decisions without significant knowledge of the circumstance of congregations and clergy. Similarly, some congregations don’t feel adequately informed of decisions that are made by the PEC. Scheduling significant opportunities for hearing from clergy and laity may assist in overcoming these perceptions.

Process:

o On occasion the PEC will allow time for listening sessions: a session at which clergy and laity attending address the PEC on any topic conversation sessions during which people are invited to address the PEC on particular

topics invite written submission of items for consideration or review.

o Experiment with “Go-To-Meeting” for virtual meeting time for constituents to access PEC.o Invite one or more persons to attend a public portion of the PEC and post regular updates on

Twitter. o Evaluation - Track number of participants, responses, and retweets from each area, with PEC

assessing the perceived helpfulness of the interaction

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Adaptive Challenge: Leadership and Call

Experiment to Increase Lay Leadership Involvement

Objective: Identify and cultivate gifts among the laity Term: 6-12 monthsWorship Leadership – invite laity to plan and lead worship services once a month, using a variety of resources, including sermon preparation, music selection, etc. Include options of various worship styles, including “Now Testament” or faith talks.

Test with 5-7 congregations to assess level of lay involvement, confidence in leadership, and response by congregation members. The pastor would be present for coaching, guidance, and feedback.

Evaluation Criteria: Feedback from congregation using a dialogue format, answering the questions; what worked well?

And what did not work well and why? Feedback from Pastor regarding the value of the experiment towards increasing laity participation

in worship planning and worship leading

Experiment for Broadening Our Understanding of Ministry—Ordained Clergy as Tentmakers

Objective: Test concept of ordained clergy in a blended role of part-time parish ministry coupled with a part-time other vocation.

Term: 2-3 years Overall Goals:

Modify clergy expectation of full-time call Modify congregational expectation of full-time pastor Reduce congregational dependence on clergy Encourage laity to develop their gifts Reduce cost to congregation of pastoral presence

Process: Solicit up to five (5) ordained clergy volunteers to give up full-time parish ministry status (and all that

means in terms of benefits) to explore a blended 50/50 (or other ratio) parish ministry/other work calling

Share clergy volunteer names with those responsible for call process Explore congregational support for a part-time parish pastor: a) clergy volunteer would remain at

current congregation if congregation supports a part-time clergy presence; b) if current congregation does not support part-time status, assign volunteer clergy to a willing congregation; c) only choose clergy who volunteer with full support of current congregation

Evaluation Criteria: Number of clergy volunteers Number of willing congregations Interim reporting every 6 months from clergy volunteer, congregation, staff on:

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o unexpected issues and how resolved; o unexpected joys;o “workability” rating by assessing level of success, acceptance by parishioners, and clergy

satisfaction

Call Process

Objectiveo Create a spirit of dialogue and openness among clergy, denomination, and congregations throughout

the call process

Process1. Communication:

a) Post available placement opportunities electronically, along with data relevant to congregational demographics, ministry aspirations, salary ranges, etc.

b) As a prerequisite to a call being issued by a Joint Board, sanction open communication between pastoral candidates and the staff person responsible for the call process.

c) Allow pastors to discreetly apply for posted positions through the staff person responsible for the call process.

d) Prior to accepting or declining a call, allow pastors to communicate to their own Joint Board that they are currently holding a call.

2. Engagement:a) Allow calling Joint Boards the opportunity to consider and engage more than one pastoral candidate at a

time before issuing a call.b) Allow pastors multiple engagements with the Joint Board before accepting or declining a call.

3. Information:a) Annually update pastoral biographiesb) Provide electronic access for pastors to submit and update Pastoral Ministry Philosophies.c) Provide electronic access for pastors to submit ministry/program/training updates which articulate skills,

giftedness, and ministry aspirations.

Adaptive Challenge: Congregations in Context

Getting to Know Your Community

ObjectiveGetting to know our communities in order to better serve our neighbors.

Overall Goal(s): enhance attentiveness to where God’s Spirit is at work in the world build relationships with people in the community determine what access to the church (if any) the community needs/wants determine what concerns/interests the community has in relation to the church determine if there are unmet spiritual needs among the community members inquire whether community members want to participate in church sponsored activities/events

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discern and listen to persons in the community

Process: Identify community members who already have a relationship with someone in the congregation Ask the community member(s) to host an informal gathering of other community members in their

home or at a location in the community Two members from the congregation will attend and gather the information about

o What social issue most touches you? (Homelessness, environment, etc.) o What keeps you away from church? o Is there anything the church can do for you?

Evaluation Criteria:

What new ministries emerged in response to information gathered? How were lives impacted as a result of the relationships between congregation and community? How many gatherings were held? How many community members and congregation members attended?

Yoking Congregations

Objective o Reinvigorate congregations that no longer wish or are no longer able to exist alone so that they are

better able to participate in God’s mission to the world.

Process – o Invite congregations that choose to enter this experiment to yoke themselves with one or more

congregations (either Moravian or ecumenical) in geographic proximity to explore how to share resources of laity, staff, buildings, and ministries so that the overall witness of the yoked group is strengthened.

o Joint Boards and hopeful visionaries in a congregation to enter into dialogue with leaders and hopeful visionaries from other local Moravian or ecumenical partner congregations to share ideas for transitioning into a new (or shared) space and into new ways of being the church together locally. These “new ways” should be high-quality, relevant, and unduplicated.

o Articulate a shared set of core values with involved congregations.o Research possibilities for adequate facilities, such as: selling property and/or consolidating into

one existing church building, or co-renting (with other partner congregations) a storefront to house collaborative outreach ministries.

o Research alternative, yet reliable, revenue streams, such as: starting a business, which would allow involved congregations to experiment with entrepreneurial endeavors as a means for sustaining the ministry.

Time-Frame: 18months-2 years

Evaluation Criteria:

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• The degree to which the articulated core values were lived out• Presence of diversity (regarding age, gender, ethnicity, etc.)• Financial sustainability• Upkeep of buildings (in terms of keeping the grounds safe and welcoming)• Openness to creative outreach• Presence of a 3-5 year plan, articulating vision/values/proposed budget

Church Collaboration to Manage a Rental Property

Objective

o Provide housing in a high-demand rental area that offers a mission emphasis for renters

Property management: Purchase a residential property near a group of congregations and in an area where rental property is in high demand (such as a university campus). A committee comprised of members from local Moravian congregations would oversee the management of this property and provide much of the labor to repair and maintain the property.

Monthly rent from the facility will be used to fund selected ministry efforts of those congregations. The representatives from the congregations would decide distribution of the funds by percentage, or month; a granting application could be developed as necessary. A percentage of all rent would be saved and applied to a repair and maintenance fund, and also to start building savings to purchase additional properties, as can be feasibly managed by these congregations.

Outreach: While the property would be managed such that rental income is profitable, and can be used to fund ministry, the house itself would also be designed as an outreach to the campus. As possible, advertisement of the property for rent would be done within campus ministry groups, or other student organizations. The goal of this would be to find individuals who are attracted to the idea of staying in a property where a portion of their rent goes to ministry and charitable causes. An incentive could be given to the tenants, to work with them and present several options for local organizations, charities or ministries, to which they can decide to designate a portion of their rent. In this way, they also feel ownership in the programs that can be funded by the rent they are paying.

A second engagement opportunity would be to partner with a ministry organization on campus such as “The Crossing” which takes numerous groups on mission trips each year. If members from the organization were tenants, we could offer that one of the funded ministries is the trips taken by the organization. This could help to form a strong partnership, as well as be an extension of the mission work of the Moravian Church.

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Appendix F

Models for Synod Representation

Models for Synod Representation Large Synod (101 clergy/133 lay)

All clergy under call or appointment serving congregations 91All bishops residing in the Province not serving congregations 3One clergy representing those serving in specialized ministries 1Two clergy representing retired clergy 2All clergy members of PEC 4One lay member for every congregation 93One additional lay for every congregation with AWA over 100 16One additional lay for every congregation with AWA over 200 12All lay members of PEC 6

Models for Synod Representation Large Synod (101 clergy/133 lay)

All clergy under call or appointment serving congregations 91All bishops residing in the Province not serving congregations 3One clergy representing those serving in specialized ministries 1Two clergy representing retired clergy 2All clergy members of PEC 4One lay member for every congregation 93One additional lay for every congregation with AWA over 100 16One additional lay for every congregation with AWA over 200 12All lay members of PEC 6

cost of $504/delegate at 2010 rates (round numbers) $90,000

Small Synod (44 clergy/76 lay)One pastor for every 3 congregations as listed in Provincial Directory 31All clergy on PEC 4All bishops 6One clergy representing those serving in specialized ministries 1Two clergy representing retired clergy 2

One lay member for every congregation not represented by a pastor 62

One lay member for every emerging ministry not represented by a pastor 2All lay on PEC 6

cost of $504/delegate at 2010 rates (round numbers) $118,000

Small Synod (46 clergy/76 lay)One pastor for every 3 congregations as listed in Provincial Directory 31All clergy on PEC 4All bishops 6One clergy representing those serving in specialized ministries 1Two clergy representing retired clergy 2

One lay member for every congregation not represented by a pastor 62

One lay member for every emerging ministry not represented by a pastor 2

A fourth model is based on regional representationbased on percentage of average worship attendance (AWA).

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Appendix G

Moravian Church Northern Province2013 and 2014 Summary Budget for Province and All Districts

IncomeAssessments $ 2,327,354 $ 2,332,030 Income from Other Provincial Funds 468,949 453,018 Contributions & Fees 95,515 103,715 Interest Income 21,100 20,200

Total Income $ 2,912,918 $ 2,908,963 ExpensesPersonnel $ 1,071,803 $ 1,106,409

116,800 121,050 Operating 140,242 144,492 Program 1,534,879 1,486,415 Future Planning 46,600 50,100

Total Expenses $ 2,910,324 $ 2,908,466

Total Net Income $ 2,594 $ 497

2013 Budget ($)

2014 Budget ($)

Provincial Elders' Conference & District Boards

Moravian Church Northern Province2014 Summary Budget for Province in Restructure Model

Moravian Church Northern Province2014 Budget for Province

in Restructure ModelIncomeAssessments $ 2,332,030 Income from Other Provincial Funds 410,268 Contributions & Fees 86,915 Interest Income 20,200

Total Income $ 2,849,413 ExpensesPersonnel $ 799,590 Provincial Elders' Conference 95,000

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