Keith Regehr, a managing partner working in the field of conflict resolution and restorative justice for the L3 Group in Kitchener, Ont., formerly known as Associates Resourcing Churches, has been named the new transition director for Mennonite Church Canada, according to a new website of the national church’s Future Directions Task Force.
A teacher in the peace and conflict studies program at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ont., Regehr, a member of First Mennonite Church in Kitchener, will have access to multiple resources and experienced colleagues, including Betty Pries. He holds an advanced certificate in conflict management and faith communities from the same institution.
He is married to Arli Klassen and has two adult children. (For more on his spiritual journey and professional life, see ‘God is leading us into this process.’)
With his skills and experience in leading processes to re-shape congregational identity, mission and direction, and participative management systems, he will be working with the transition team comprised of area/national church executive staff and moderators over the next two years.
The interim council is made up of Calvin Quan, the new moderator of MC Canada, and vice-moderator Aldred Neufeldt; Lee Dyck, moderator of MC B.C.; Dan Jack, moderator of MC Alberta; Ken Warkentin, moderator of MC Saskatchewan; Peter Rempel, moderator of MC Manitoba; and Paul Wideman, moderator of MC Eastern Canada.
An executive staff group includes Willard Metzger, executive director of MC Canada; Coreena Stewart, chief administrative officer of MC Canada; and the executive directors of the area churches: Garry Janzen, MC B.C.; Tim Wiebe Neufeld, MC Alberta’s temporary future directions coordinator; Ryan Siemens, MC Saskatchewan; Ken Warkentin, MC Manitoba; and David Martin, MC Eastern Canada.
“As we move into this period of transition,” says the Future Directions website, “the ministries of MC Canada and each area church will continue. It is vital that congregations maintain, or, if possible, increase, current giving levels so that this transition into an even greater and deeper ownership of Christ’s call to our church(es) can be a success.”
For more information, or to give feedback, email contact@futuredirectionsmc.ca or visit futuredirectionsmc.ca.
For background on the Future Directions Task Force recommendations, see here.
To read about what the delegates of Mennonite Church Canada decided concerning Future Directions, see ‘We are all responsible for what happens next.’
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