“I love seeing how the agenda for Commissions’ meeting are set by member churches. As someone new to this role, it’s really interesting to see this bottom-up approach, requiring listening. The essence of our meeting was collective discernment of important issues as raised at the General Council, and discerning how to better resource our global church,” says Nelson Okanya, director of Commissions.
All four MWC Commissions met at Mennorode, Elspeet, Netherlands, 12–14 May 2026 prior to CMERK.* In the three-day meeting, they reviewed their work in light of the MWC Strategy approved in 2025, and discussed priorities for the next three years.
Deacons
“We engaged in many significant conversations, including relationship building, deepening friendships and reimagining the future role of the Deacons Commission as one of the ‘four chambers of the heart.’ We reflected on how DC can walk alongside members of MWC churches in times of suffering and crisis as an expression of our solidarity,” says Tigist Tesfaye, Deacons Commission secretary.
The bimonthly Online Prayer Hour (OPH) continues to be well attended with an average of more than 60 participants.
On solidarity trips, a small delegation of Deacons and specialists visit a member church in a country undergoing hardship. Three trips are currently in the planning stage.
The Deacons continue to refine the Global Church Sharing Fund to best meet the needs of MWC member churches.
A major area of discussion centered on strengthening pastoral care resources for churches. The Deacons Commission also acknowledged the increasing need for trauma-informed pastoral care and discussed developing practical tools and guidance for churches.
Faith & Life
Under a new chair, the Faith & Life Commission is taking on the challenge of how to study the Bible and interpret Jesus’ teaching as one global communion when multiple perspectives exist on issues that threaten to divide us.
“My hope and my prayer is that we learn to dialogue with respect and trust about a myriad of issues, and that we experience how much more important it is to build community together than to persuade everyone to believe the same,” says Faith and Life Commission chair Tim Geddert.
Faith & Life also worked with Communications to create videos to highlight available resources on the MWC website and beyond.
“MWC has already produced many useful resources for church leaders. Watch for this series on social media in the coming months. We hope it will inspire you to discover tools that will help your faith and ministry,” says Tim Geddert.
Peace
What does it mean to be a peace church in the world today? The Peace Commission plans to launch a 7-year journey to renew our understanding. This will begin in 2028 as the Renewal decade concludes, and run util 2036, the 500th anniversary of Menno Simons’ transformation to Anabaptism.
Additionally, Peace Commission is representing Mennonite World Conference and participating in an ecumenical initiative “Blessed are the Peacemakers” that the Quakers started to commemorate the symbolic 2000-year anniversary of the Sermon on the Mount in 2030.
The Peace Commission has also received a request to work on a statement on freedom of religion which they are in the process of drafting. It also reviewed and edited the guidelines for political advocacy when it receives invitations from member churches for support in the event such advocacy is necessary.
Additionally, the Peace Commission is working on protocols for when MWC participates in solidarity visits to conflict zones.
“When our member churches request and invite actions of solidarity, we want to know how we can best support them and demonstrate our solidarity with them in their struggle. It also means being mindful of the risks that those who participate in such visits undergo and being wise in how we do this. Ultimately, it is important to demonstrate that our member churches are not alone in the journey towards a holistic peace that our world so desperately needs,” says Andrew Suderman, Peace Commission secretary.
Mission
The Mission Commission is updating their resources on mission, which include stories, testimonies and articles.
Alongside the Mission and Service Networks, they are planning regular webinars to strengthen the connection between peace and mission in the global Anabaptist family.
“Under this plan, member churches can expect a Mission or Service Networks webinar every two months up from the current schedule of four webinars a year,” says James Krabill, Mission Commission chair.
They also began planning for workshops and speakers at Assembly 18 in Tanzania.
“The MWC Commissions serve the worldwide church as it seeks to follow Jesus, live out unity, and build peace. Working closely together like the four chambers of the heart, the Commissions promote a holistic gospel and vision, giving guidance and proposing resources to MWC member churches and facilitates MWC-related networks working together on matters of common interest,” Nelson Okanya says.
*CMERK, a regional gathering for all European Mennonite churches is a combination of two names for the event: Conférence Mennonite Européenne (French) + Mennonitische Europäische Regionale Konferenz (German).