Bridgefolk leaders found renewed energy as they met December 15-17 at Saint John’s Abbey in Minnesota. The Bridgefolk board of directors chose a theme for next summer’s conference, initiated a process for revamping communication efforts, and took decisive first steps toward putting the ongoing work of Bridgefolk on a sustainable footing. Adding to the meeting’s energy are three new members, Mary Schertz and Darrin Snyder Belousek of Indiana, and Ron Pagnucco of Minnesota.
Next year’s conference will be hosted July 26-29 in Elkhart, Indiana by Michiana Bridgefolk. Northern Indiana is the home of sizeable historic communities of both Mennonites and Roman Catholics. The location, noted board members, offers a rich opportunity to reflect on our shared baptismal identity as Christians in relation to other identities.
The board chose the theme, “Who Do We Think We Are? — Mennonites and Catholics Growing Together in Christ,” as a way to explore the interplay of our primary loyalty to Jesus Christ in relationship to citizenship, ethnic identities, and the “double belonging” of those seeking in various ways to be both Mennonite and Catholic. More information will be available early in the year.
A break in Bridgefolk communication efforts over the last few months has made clear how important those efforts are for encouraging mutual understanding and sharing between our traditions, board members concurred. Ivan Kauffman’s resignation as newsletter editor provides an opportunity to use emerging Internet media in order to involve more Bridgefolk in sharing ecumenical news of interest to both Catholics and Mennonites. Gerald Schlabach, executive director, and board member Susan Kennel Harrison will form a working group in hopes of launching a new approach to sharing Bridgefolk news in the first half of 2007.
As Bridgefolk enters its sixth year of work, board members also sought to ensure that resources needed for its ministries will be sustainable. Board members Abbot John Klassen and Mary Schertz will be heading up a subcommittee of the board to work with Schlabach to identify approaches to fundraising that are appropriate to the grassroots dynamic of Bridgefolk. The board also made a commitment to negotiate with Schlabach’s university to free up a portion of his time for his work as executive director.