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Who We Are (And Who We Have Been) Affiliation With Franconia Mennonite Conference Our Beliefs as Mennonites Membership Organizational Document Our Consensus Decision-Making Process

WHO WE ARE (AND WHO WE HAVE BEEN)

In 1984 the West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship (WPMF) grew out of a small Bible study group which had a vision for an internationally focused Mennonite Church in West Philadelphia. Twenty-one people attended WPMF's first worship service; today about 80 people gather weekly for worship and fellowship. David Greiser and Diane Stitt served as the founding pastoral team. Libby Caes and Fred Kauffman worked as co-pastors until 1998; Fred Kauffman then served as sole pastor until Dec. 2005. The congregation has met in various venues, from the 2nd Mile Center to its current location in the Calvary Center.

Rooted in the Anabaptist experience of the Protestant Reformation, we stress community, peacemaking, believers' baptism, and following the teachings of Jesus Christ. Our vision prayer reads: Open us to your grace, O God, that we may grow as a joyful community of Jesus' disciples who honor you in worship, seek your presence daily, encourage each other in faithfulness, welcome others to life in Christ, and work for the shalom of the city.

Although we identify ourselves as Mennonite (see Mennonite Church USA), only about 30 percent of us are from Mennonite backgrounds. The rest of us come from a variety of religious traditions -- Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish -- or none at all. We are Americans of European, African, and Asian ancestries, and also international people here for work or study. We are students, teachers, social workers, homemakers, para-church workers, missionaries, artists, construction workers, computer programmers, health-care workers, and other professionals. Our common faith in God through Jesus Christ binds us together.

AFFILIATION WITH FRANCONIA CONFERENCE
WPMF is one of the member churches that comprise a Mennonite network called Franconia Conference. The vision of the conference is to equip leaders that can empower others. It provides member congregations with resources and accountability. Delegates from WPMF attend the decision-making annual assembly in November of every year. Contacts with Franconia churches in Philadelphia and in other areas are valued, and members of WPMF have been involved with such entities as the Eastern District / Franconia Conference Peace & Justice Committee, Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania, and others.

OUR BELIEFS AS MENNONITES
At the center of Mennonite teachings is the need to believe in Jesus Christ as the one who died and rose from the dead in order that people could live in union with God. Mennonites believe that the life and teachings of Jesus guide our daily living. They believe that the church should keep Christ's life and ministry alive in the world, just as though Christ was still living on earth. That's why they refer to the church as the "body of Christ."

Mennonites believe that the church is made of people whose sins have been forgiven and who choose to follow Christ's teachings. Mennonites believe that Christians should try to relate to each other and the world in the same loving, forgiving way that Jesus practiced.

Here are highlights of seven basic beliefs: The Bible is Central: The church tries to live in obedience to the Word of God -- the Bible. Mennonites believe that God's spirit, or "Holy Spirit," helps the community of believers understand that Word. The life and teachings of Jesus as recorded in the Bible help in interpreting the meaning of the "Old Testament" part of the Bible. The Holy Spirit uses the written Word to give new life to the church and to help people grow in faith.


** The Bible is Central: The church tries to live in obedience to the Word of God -- the Bible. Mennonites believe that God's spirit, or "Holy Spirit," helps the community of believers understand that Word. The life and teachings of Jesus as recorded in the Bible help in interpreting the meaning of the "Old Testament" part of the Bible: "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 3:1 1, RSV).   The Holy Spirit uses the written Word to give new life to the church and to help people grow in faith.

** New Life in Christ: Because we are human beings, we all sin: we commit wrongs, we don't do the things we should, and we're out of touch with God. In history, God sent Jesus Christ to the world so that all those who believe in Jesus Christ could receive forgiveness for their sins, as well as the gift of a whole life today and the promise of living forever with God.  Taking part in a regular worship service enables Christians to respond to God with praise and thanks, and to live for Jesus through the week.

** Voluntary Membership and Commitment to Christ: A church is strong when its members experience God's love and are wholeheartedly committed to its purpose. For that reason, "believer's baptism" is practiced to symbolize the decision of an adult to make a public commitment to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. In baptism the believer shows willingness to share the good news about Jesus by words and actions.

** Reaching Out to the World: Jesus Christ said, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you" (John 20:21, RSV). He sends the church to bring "good news" to all persons throughout the world. Jesus wants his followers to help each other. As Jesus put it, "The Spirit of the Lord ... has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, ... freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind" (Luke 4:18, RSV). Mennonites also believe it's important to be concerned for both the "spiritual" and "physical" aspects of life.

** Belonging to Each Other: "In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others" (Ro. 12:5, NIV). Mennonites feel that Christians need each other for encouragement and growth, for confronting one another in a supportive way, and for help in time of crisis. The church grows in faith, unity, service, and witness when it is a caring and loving community.

** Living Peacefully: As disciples of Jesus, Mennonites try to live under Christ's rule: for many this means loving the enemy and refusing to use violence or participate in military service, living peaceably with others at all levels, serving the poor and needy, and taking risks to work actively for justice and mercy.

** Helping Each Other: As members of the body of Christ, Mennonites try to care for the spiritual, emotional, and physical health of other members. "Mutual aid" takes many forms, including giving time, money, and goods in times of crisis.

MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Mennonite Church, and thus in WPMF, is by confession of faith and/or adult baptism and is open to all those who declare their faith in Christ and who have completed the WPMF membership class. Members renew their commitment through an annual covenant signing. The Covenant of Membership reads as follows:

In the midst of this congregation, O God, today I covenant with you to:
1. Accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
2. Honor your written Word as my authority for life and faith, interpreting the Scriptures in light of the life and teachings of Jesus.*
3. Give prayerful attention to following Jesus’ example and teachings, opening myself daily to the grace and truth of Christ as your Spirit enables me.
4. Consciously enter your presence in regular times of Bible study, meditation and prayer; and join with brothers and sisters in regular gathered worship.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today I covenant with you to:
5. Use my spiritual gifts in this body of Christ and in the congregation’s ministries in the neighborhood, city and world.
6. Be mutually accountable, that we may enable each other to follow Christ in our daily lives; and when we have conflicts to resolve them according to the teachings of Jesus.**
7. Make this congregation a priority in my life, committing my resources—time, money and talents—giving as God makes me prosper.
8. Intentionally call forth and support diversity in leadership.

As sisters and brothers in this fellowship, O God, today we jointly covenant with you to:
9. Witness in word and deed, in our homes and in public, to the present and future kingdom of God revealed in Jesus Christ.
10. Faithfully support the congregation’s servants in ministries near and far through prayer, communication, and material gifts, opening ourselves to service in your name, wherever you may lead.

*In this, I will use the 1995 Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective as my general guide to interpreting the Scriptures.
**Matthew 18:15-22.

Revised February 27, 2005.
Based on original covenant of March 31, 1985 and revised in 1997.

ORGANIZATIONAL DOCUMENT
[with changes approved by the congregation Oct. 18, 1998]
I. Name
The name of this congregation is West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship.

II. Purposes
By God's grace, to grow as a joyful community of Jesus' disciples who honor God in worship, seek God's presence daily, encourage each other in faithfulness, invite others to faith in Christ, and work for the shalom of our city.

III. Affiliation
A. The congregation is a member of the Franconia Conference of the Mennonite Church and participates fully in its proceedings and activities. The Conference accepts as its guide the 1995 Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective.
B. Conference Delegates: Franconia guidelines state that there is to be one lay delegate to Franconia Assembly for every 100 members or fraction thereof. Delegates shall be members who are in good standing with the congregation, who are actively involved in the life and work of the congregation or conference, and who manifest spiritual discernment and mature judgment. Also representing WPMF at Franconia Assembly are the pastor(s) and a lay person representing the elders.

IV. Membership
A. Requirements: To become a member one is expected to attend the "Exploring Anabaptist Faith" class and fulfill the requirements of that class. Any person who confesses faith in Jesus Christ and who commits him/herself to Jesus Christ as Lord, and who accepts the responsibilities of discipleship as understood by the Mennonite Church and the WPMF Covenant of Membership, may be recommended for membership by the elders to be received by water baptism, by letter of transfer, or by confession of faith.
B. Privileges: Only members can vote on leadership issues, such as the affirmation of persons who have been nominated as elders and the calling of pastors. Only members can be nominated for the elder or deacon positions, or serve on the Human Resources Committee.
C. Yearly Covenant of Membership Renewal: Each spring, a covenant renewal service is held. This gives all members the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship by signing the Covenant of Membership.
D. Transfer: Members moving away from the geographical area are encouraged to become members of a Mennonite congregation or other Christian fellowship in a new place of residence. A member wishing to transfer to another congregation may be granted an appropriate transfer letter by the pastoral team.

V. Congregational Meetings
A. Since the congregation is the local body of believers, united by faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, following Jesus in a life of discipleship, sharing in fellowship, expressing mutual love, and witnessing individually and corporately, the government of the congregation shall be the members assembled in a congregational meeting.
B. Congregational meetings can be called as needed by Council or by petition of ten or more members. A facilitator for each meeting will be chosen by the group calling the meeting. These meetings are to be a maximum of two hours in length. At least two weeks written notice of the meeting agenda is to be given to the congregation. A quorum consists of the members present. The congregation will strive for a consensus but if a vote is needed, a two-thirds majority is considered the action of the congregation. Consensus is needed for affirming elders.

VI. Church Council
The Church Council is the administrative and decision making body of the congregation. Council is accountable to the congregation, and all agendas, minutes, and other documentation is available to the members. Council welcomes input and feedback on all matters from the congregation. The council is responsible for implementing the vision and programs of West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship. Church Council is composed of all the members of the Pastoral Team, Deacons, and Human Resources Committee. Each of these groups is empowered to make decisions relating to their areas of responsibility. Each group will appoint one of its members to take responsibility for communicating that group's decisions, discussion, and questions to the other groups and the congregation. A partial or full council will meet as necessary as determined by any one of the groups.

VII. Ministry Teams
A. The Pastoral Team, consisting of the Pastors and the Elders, deals with congregational spiritual life--clarifying vision and mission, and seeking to discern God's will for the congregation.
1. Pastors: A composite job description has been developed for the pastors. It includes specifics regarding preaching, teaching, pastoral counseling, prayer and Bible study, intern supervision, church meetings, community outreach/service, accountability, networking, and interacting with the Franconia Conference. If there is only one pastor, that pastor is not expected to fulfill the entire composite job description.
2. Elders: See below for selection criteria.
3. Areas of responsibility:
a) Overseeing the small-group life of WPMF;
b) Pastoral care;
c) Working with the core ministries--currently defined as worship and children's ministries;
d) Encouraging and supporting other ministry teams that develop;
e) Dealing with matters of church discipline;
f) Shaping the preaching and teaching plan;
g) Overseeing the church's membership policy and records;
h) Overseeing the integration of new persons into the life of the church;
i) Intervening with members experiencing conflict with one another;
j) Appointing one elder as delegate to the Franconia Conference Assembly;
k) Keeping records of elders' meetings.

B. Deacons: The deacons are responsible for the general administration of the congregation, including financial, personnel, and physical plant. Deacons must be members of the congregation. The deacons shall also act as the Board of Trustees for the congregation and shall hold legal title to all assets on behalf of the congregation. The trustees shall, under the same conditions, have authority to execute all leases or agreements for the purchase of real property, execute contracts and otherwise transact business on behalf of the congregation. The deacons shall appoint one of their number to be Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the authority to certify as true and correct all financial statements.
1. Areas of responsibility:
a) Shaping the budget and presenting it to the congregation;
b) Overseeing and monitoring financial affairs of the congregation and taking steps to maintain the fiscal integrity of the congregation;
c) Looking after legal affairs;
d) Facilities: negotiating lease, relating to landlords, attending to improvements needed, scheduling use of building;
e) Responding to mutual aid requests;
f) Disbursing missions budget line items;

C. Human Resource Committee (HRC): HRC's purpose is to plan and conduct the activities necessary to provide for the current and future organizational and staffing needs of the congregation.
1. Areas of responsibility:
a) Employ and supervise all paid staff, including development of job descriptions, perform annual review/evaluation of job performance, negotiate compensation packages to be proposed to Deacons, and monitor vacation time, sick/personal leave, and continuing education time;
b) Name a search committee in the event of pastoral vacancies;
c) Select nominees for Deacons and HRC.

VIII. Committee Selection and Terms
A. Core ministries are those ministries deemed to be essential to the life of the congregation. They are connected directly to the pastoral team by a designated elder. Core ministries identified as of this writing are worship and children's ministries.
B. People are encouraged to start ministry teams as they feel led. Elders are available as a resource to the ministry teams. Examples of such ministry teams include those related to hospitality and missions.
C. The Administrative Assistant will serve as the communication center among the various ministry teams as well as the groups comprising Church Council. This includes keeping a list of ministry teams and maintaining a schedule of activities.
Gender balance is to be sought in the composition of each group within Church Council, with a minimum requirement that both genders are to be represented on each group. Immediate family members are not to serve together on either the Pastoral Team, Deacons, or HRC (although they may serve in different groups of these three).
A. Pastors: When a pastor resigns, or desires a leave of absence, a three-month notice shall be given. When a pastor resigns, HRC is responsible for initiating the naming of a Pastoral Search Committee. The Congregational Overseer must be part of the Pastoral Search Committee. Prior to presenting candidates, the Search Committee will articulate a process, subject to congregational affirmation, for review and selection of a pastor. Pastors will serve renewable three-year terms.
B. Elders: Elders are selected through a process supervised by HRC. Elders must be affirmed through consensus by the members of the Congregation and will serve a term of three years renewable once. Terms end on May 31.
C. Deacons: Deacons are selected by HRC. Immediate family members of paid staff are not to serve as Deacons. Deacons are presented to the Congregation for affirmation. If consensus is not achieved a vote will be taken and two-thirds majority of members present is required for affirmation. Deacons will serve a term of three years renewable once. Terms end on May 31.
D. Human Resource Committee will have at least three members, selected by HRC. Immediate family members of paid staff are not to serve on HRC. Candidates for HRC are presented to the Congregation for affirmation. If consensus is not achieved a vote will be taken and two-thirds majority of members present is required for affirmation. Members of HRC will serve a term of three years renewable once. Terms end on May 31.
E. Conference Delegates will be elected by the Congregation and will serve a term of two years renewable once. If consensus is not achieved a vote will be taken and two-thirds majority of members present is required for affirmation. Terms end in November.
F. Ministry Teams: Ministry teams are free to recruit their own members and determine their own term limits, if any.
G. Administrative assistant: The administrative assistant is hired by HRC in consultation with Deacons.
H. Other personnel: HRC will recommend hiring of other staff as necessary.

IX. Amendments and Revisions
The congregation may amend this organizational document at any meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present, provided the proposed changes have been circulated in written form among the membership at least fourteen days prior to the meeting at which the changes are to be considered.

OUR CONSENSUS DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
[see "Congregational Meetings" in Organizational Document above]
The following decision making process was developed to be used for congregational meetings. (all members AND non-members may participate in this process, but only members may vote)
1. Chairperson initiates discussion on proposal;
2. Presenting group presents proposal & answer questions on it;
3. Group as a whole discusses proposal (amount of time set by chairperson). If amendments are suggested, and the presenting group members are in agreement, the proposal will be amended. Otherwise no amendments will be made;
4. Group breaks up into Consensus Determination Modules (CDMs), small groups of 3-4 people, for three minutes of discussion. Members and non-members may participate;
5. After three minutes the Chairperson polls each CDM;
6. If there is complete consensus in all groups then the proposal passes;
7. If there is not complete consensus, steps 3 through 6 are repeated, then step 8;
8. If there is no consensus after second CDM groupings then step 9;
9. Presenting group may choose to table the proposal (or)
10. Proposal goes to a members-only vote. The vote must past by a two-thirds (2/3) majority.