Along with God’s people around the globe, our churches and agencies have grappled with COVID’s challenges to health, life, and work. While the toll has been significant, we have survived the year! Thanks to all for your creativity and perseverance!

Annual General Meetings are about reporting the state of our organization as well as doing necessary work to guide us going forward. We are still required to hold our meeting virtually and we are grateful for the opportunity and even the plusses for participation that Zoom provides.

Your Executive Board has met for two-hour zoom meetings monthly throughout the year – our attendance has been strong, and committees have worked hard to address their responsibilities. See the roster in here.

Throughout this year, we worked to prepare several key elements to live out our “collaborative model for your approval:”

• A revised and adapted set of General Operating Bylaws,
• A Collaborative Unified Strategic Plan (CUSP),
• A Budget both for 2021 as well as a proforma for 2022.

We have also seen the operationalizing of several key teams and meetings:

• The National Ministry Team, consisting of senior leaders from all provinces and partner organizations, which has led the way in crafting our CUSP;
• The National Faith and Life Team, consisting of representatives from all provincial Faith and Life Teams, who are stewards of our Confession of Faith as well as guides to coordinate our wider spiritual and theological health;
• The National Council, which consists of all the Boards from Provinces and Partner Organizations, which offers discernment and counsel to the major elements of our work;
• National Townhalls, which offer church members opportunities to learn about and offer counsel regarding key issues – this year we held Townhalls around the Bylaws and CUSP.

In addition to these, the Board has engaged in regular matters such as:

• Evaluation of the National Director’s work,
• Monitoring our finances and compliance with regulations,
• Working at reviewing and creating needed policies and procedures to guide us,

Troubles and challenges are also to be expected and this year also brought us some of those:

• Completing the Multiply Organizational Review, resulting in leadership and board changes,
• Downsizing our National Staff to deal with financial restrictions,
• Responding to our NFLT Director going on medical leave,
• Renegotiating an affiliation agreement between MB Seminary, MB Church Manitoba, and CMU,
• Responding to a petition from individuals around ministry related to the LGBTQ+ issue.
• We have also provided a follow-up report to the “Keeping our Promises” project arising from “Our Financial Story.”

We are pleased with progress on the above as well as “clean audits” and positive financial outcomes in our several financial departments: CCMBC, Legacy, Investments, and Pensions.

At this National Assembly (AGM), our major decisions will involve approvals of:

Governance-level recommendations:

• General Operating Bylaws,
• The Collaborative Unified Strategic Plan (CUSP),

Operational membership decisions:

• Approval of 2020 Financial Statements,
• Approval of the Auditor for this year,
• Approval of Budgets
• Election of representatives to needed posts.

Key Policy recommendations:

• Approval of a revised Confession of Faith Article on Baptism and Church Membership,
• Approval of National Membership Policy
• Approval of a National Credentialing Policy

As we look ahead to the coming year, we anticipate needing work in the following areas:

• Operationalizing the CUSP,
• Updating MOU’s or Agreements among our Partners,
• Updating additional policies.
• Hopefully adapting to a “post-COVID” reality.

While an active and effective Board is essential for organizational health, it is also very important that we have a good complement of staff to operationalize our mission and goals.

We want to express our thanks to the leaders and staff of our national office as well as those of our partners: Historical Commission, Legacy, MB Seminary, and Multiply.

Elton DaSilva has worked many extra hours dealing with the volume of work, effects of incorporating four time zones in his sphere, and the trouble-shooting this year has required.  Thank you, Elton and your team.

We welcome Jason Krueger as President and CEO of Legacy and thank Jim Davidson for his work during our transitional process. Bertha Dyck continues as CFO for both Legacy and CCMBC.

One of the outcomes of the Multiply Review was Randy Friesen’s departure as General Director. Not only has he served as General Director, but also a champion for various new initiatives in MB Mission throughout his 30 years of service. We thank him for his leadership and wish him well in his new chapter! We also pray for the Multiply Board as they search for a new General Director.

Again, thanks to the members of our Executive Board – we serve as your representatives in the work of planning, implementing, monitoring and problem-solving. Alongside, it is essential that we listen well to what God is about during these days as well as what our brothers and sisters are hearing.

We hope you will take time to join us for several key events now in June:

• Thursday, June 10^th – Virtual Seminars to give you an opportunity to gain more information on four key topics: Bylaws, CUSP, Finances, and Confession of Faith.
• Friday, June 11^th – An evening of sharing and celebration.
• Saturday, June 12^th – Our Annual General meeting.

The mission before us is: “To cultivate a community and culture of healthy disciple-making churches and ministries, faithfully joining Jesus in his mission.”

For the Executive Board,

Ron Penner

Moderator