← Back to Institutional Records

Executive Committee / Executive Board / National Leadership Team (1910– )

Proper Title

Canadian Conference of MB Churches Executive Board/Executive Committee/National Leadership Team series

Dates of Creation

1927–

Physical Description

189 cm of textual records, digital copies of meeting minutes starting in 2019

Administrative History

The Executive Committee of both the Northern District (1910–1945) and the Canadian Conference (1946–present) functioned as a policy making body and carried out these policies as approved by the conference at the annual convention.The Conference Yearbook often refers to this committee as the "Conference Executive" or the Konferenzleitung. The committee was made up of the moderator, assistant moderator and secretary. Until 1960, the committee also included the Conference treasurer.

Beginning in 1967, representatives from each Canadian Conference board would meet with the Executive Committee to report and discuss. This meeting was known as the Council of Boards and happened twice a year (see Council of Boards series). Due to the close relationship between the Executive Committee and the various boards of the Conference, documents and reports from other boards may appear in the Executive Committee documents.

At the 1986 convention, a recommendation was made to restructure the executive committee. The new committee would still consist of the moderator, assistant moderator and secretary, but would also include the moderators of the provincial conferences and a "to-be-appointed" executive minister. The general feeling was that there was a lack of coordination between the boards of the Canadian Conference, and that the Provincial Conferences did not have enough involvement in national decisions. By including the provincial moderators on the executive committee, each province would be given a national forum. This structure change was passed at the 1987 convention. One alteration was made, which was that the restructured committee would also include the board chair members, facilitating coordination between the various Conference boards. The redesigned committee was given the new name of "Executive Board."

In 2004, the structure of the Executive Board was altered once more. With the implementation of the Governance Model, the Canadian Conference dissolved the Board structure and placed the Executive Board as the lead decision-making body (for more details on the governance model change promoted by Les Stahlke, see Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren churches fonds description). This was a strategic move, designed to allow the executive board to focus completely on the development of strategic planning, and in designing and maintaining Canadian Conference policies.  The Executive Board hired an intermediary, the Executive Director, to manage and report on the Conference's various departments and ministries. Having an Executive Director as the point person between the Executive Board and the ministries of the Conference streamlined conference governance and decision making. Now decisions could pass between ministry representatives and be implemented by the Executive Director. Previously, decisions had to be processed by what had become a cumbersome board structure before achieving approval, often creating a slow turn-around time.

To manage the various aspects of acting as the Canadian Conference fiduciary, the Executive Board also delegated duties to four committees: the Nominating Committee, Finance/Audit/Investment Committee, Governance Committee and Measurement Committee. On occasion, only a small number of the Executive Board members, called the "Executive Committee," would meet to discuss issues. These would be documented and passed on to all Executive Board members.

Three other associated boards report to the executive board, namely, the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary Board, the Mennonite Brethren Mission Board, and the Historical Commission. At the Canadian Conference level, the Board of Faith and Life also retained its position of leading the Conference in ethical, moral, and theological issues, providing the role of safeguard or watch-care in matters of "faith and life."

At that time, the executive board consisted of the moderator, assistant moderator and secretary, the provincial moderators, one member from the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary Board and from the MB Mission board, nine members elected at large and one non-voting member appointed by the Board of Faith and Life.

In 2014, the conference ministries were re-framed as "services" and reorganized around four headings: Building Community, Multiplying Churches, Developing Leaders, and Financial Ministries (renamed Resourcing Ministry in 2016). The executive board was the elected body that gave oversight to all four services.

See (click here) 2016 video describing CCMBC's four services model.

In 2018, CCMBC launched a vision for the collaborative model where the Provincial church conferences worked together to shape and direct the vision and delivery of services across Canada. The result was the formation of the National Leadership Team (comprised of the executive directors of each provincial conference) and the National Faith and Life Team.

See (click here) 2018 video describing CCMBC's vision for a collaborative model.

To view copies of the convention yearbooks, now published every two years, click here.

Scope and Content

This series consists of textual and digital records pertaining to the function of the Canadian conference executive committee and executive board.

Custodial History

Records are transferred to the Centre for MB Studies archives in Winnipeg, Manitoba on a regular basis.

Notes

  • Volumes 35, 40–41, 1397, 1403–1404.
  • Digital records located on CMBS server "Electronic collections/Canadian Conference/Executive Board Minutes 2019+."
  • Accession No. : 1998-073, 2003-028, 2004-003, 2005-013, 2005-014, 2005-015, 2005-030, 2005-035, 2006-03, 2006-026, 2007-002, 2008-002, 2008-004, 2009-016, 2013-032.
  • Finding aid consists of a file list and sub-series description.
  • Previous classification under the Canadian Conference of MB Churches inventory B210.
  • Described by Bert Friesen September 9, 2002; updated by Yvonne Snider-Nighswander October 16, 2012; updated by Kate Regier, August 2015.
  • No restrictions on access.
  • English and German languages.
  • Accruals expected.

Series Descriptions

Executive Board: Moderator

The Moderator of the Executive Board held a pivotal role as the official representative of the Canadian Conference and chairperson of all conference conventions, the Council of Boards and the Executive Board. As a spokesperson for the Conference, the Moderator was often involved with various associate boards, such as ICOMB and MBBS. While the Executive Board files often present finalized documents and reports, the Moderator files often portray the "behind-the-scenes" work of the Executive Board and the Canadian Conference at large. For a complete list of moderators, please click here.

  • Volume 1403, files 1-39; Volume 1404, files 1-8.

File List

Volume 35

1. Northern District Executive Committee correspondence, position paper on inter-Mennonite relations, non-resistance. -- 1927–1944.
2. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence with a wide range of areas of responsibilities of the members outside of the executive committee and including responses, MCC Peace Section newsletter (1947), recommendations for the formation of provincial relief committees (1947), Fürsorgekomitee meeting minutes and reports (1947). -- 1945–1950.
3. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, many, as previously, to and from A. H. Unruh, Fürsorgekomitee meeting minutes (1956), programme of the ministers and deacons convention (1956). -- 1951–1960.
4. Northern District Executive Committee correspondence, incorporation of the B.C. provincial MB conference, programme for the 1939 MB conference convention, convention meeting minutes and reports (1942), Bible School committee meeting minutes (1943), Northern District resolution on military service (1942), agreement for the purchase of Christian Press by the Canadian Conference ([194-?]), agenda for Northern District convention (1944), higher Bible School committee meeting minutes (1944), Bible school teachers meeting minutes (1944), resolutions of the Canada–Inland mission ([1944]), family registers, city mission report (1944), Canadian conference office holder list ([194-?]). -- 1929–1944.
5. Northern District Executive Committee correspondence, congregational directory (Winnipeg – Juno and William) (1945), list of congregations in Canada (1945), general conference financial statement (1945), Manitoba conference financial statement (1945), minutes of the founding meeting of the Lichtfelder MB Church, Gnadenheim (Paraguay) (1944), Toronto Jewish mission newsletters (1945–1946). -- 1944–1946.
6. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, financial statement of the Lichtfelder MB Church (1946), executive committee meeting minutes (1946), Canadian conference financial statement (1946), Canadian conference school committee meeting minutes and reports (1946), Canadian Bible schools statistical report (1946), foreign missions report (1946), board of foreign missions meeting minutes (1946), Canadian conference convention programme (1946), Fürsorgekomitee meeting minutes (1946). -- 1946.
7. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, Sunday School committee report, constitution and bylaws of the Canadian conference tracts mission, resolution concerning the travel debt, resolution concerning Bethesda Home for the mentally ill, Russian Missionary Service newsletter, conference statistics, application for missionary service. -- 1946.
8. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, executive committee meeting minutes, agenda for the convention, Fürsorgekomitee meeting minutes, position paper on pacifism, paper on relationship with the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization, ordination protocol, position paper on pedagogy and psychology in the Bible schools of Canada, position paper on church giving. -- 1947–1948.
9. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, constitution and bylaws of Bethesda Home for the mentally ill (1949), agenda for the Canadian conference convention (1949), paper on religious freedom in Canada, resolutions of various committees of the Canadian conference (1950), agenda for the Canadian conference convention (1950, 1951, 1952), newspaper clipping ([1950]), financial statement (1952), conference convention reports (1951), resolutions of the Canada Inland mission (1952), missions report from the BC Conference ([1952]), resolutions of the MB Bible College committee ([1952]), Ontario conference directory of church leaders ([1952]), Ontario conference missions report ([1952]), revisions to the Bethesda Home for the mentally ill bylaws (1952). -- 1949–1953.
10. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, home missions committee meeting minutes ([1953]), proposed revisions to the Canadian conference constitution and bylaws (1953), agenda for the Canadian conference convention (1952, 1953), high school report to the Manitoba conference convention (1953), reports for the Canadian conference convention (1953), financial statement (1953). -- 1952–1953.
11. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, financial statements, agenda for the Canadian conference agenda (1954), minutes of the Manitoba conference mission to Jews (1954), Mennonite Central Relief Committee financial report (1954), agenda for the Manitoba conference convention (1954), report and resolution concerning Bethesda Home for the mentally ill (1954), Mennonite Central Committee report (1954). -- 1954.
12. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, conference leaders directory, financial reports and statements, publications committee meeting minutes and report, Mennonite Central relief committee report, agenda for the Canadian conference convention, MBBC report, Tabor College report, resolutions concerning Bethesda Home for the mentally ill, conference statistics report, report of the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization, foreign missions report, convention minutes, missions committee meeting minutes. -- 1955.
13. Canadian Conference Executive Committee agenda for the Canadian conference convention, programme for prayer week, Manitoba application for registration of minister, Fürsorgekomitee meeting minutes, MBCI report to the Manitoba conference, Manitoba conference correspondence, statistics report, Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization report. -- 1956.
14. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, agenda for the Canadian conference convention, proposed resolutions, directory of MB high schools, financial statements, foreign missions report, education committee report, letter to the Prime Minister of Canada, Mennonite Central relief committee report, Manitoba conference correspondence. -- 1957.
15. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, publicity committee meeting minutes, Manitoba conference correspondence, financial report, agenda for the Canadian conference convention, press release, Canadian Mennonite (periodical) correspondence, agenda for the ministers and deacons convention. -- 1958.
16. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, recommendations of the publications committee, missions board reports, agenda for the Canadian conference convention, Christian Press report, paper on family, Manitoba conference correspondence, and financial report. -- 1959.
17. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, recommendations of the Fürsorgekomitee, recommendation concerning the conference ownership of Christian Press, recommendation concerning the expansion of the Bethesda Home for the Mentally ill. -- 1960.
18. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, directory of Canadian conference office holders, recommendations for the convention, programme for the ministers and deacons convention, Manitoba conference correspondence, executive committee meeting minutes ([1961]), assignment of delegates to the Mennonite World Conference assembly, recommendations of the Fürsorgekomitee. -- 1961.
19. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, executive committee meeting minutes, Manitoba conference correspondence, agenda for the Canadian conference convention. -- 1962.
20. Canadian Conference Executive Committee correspondence, agenda for the Canadian conference convention, Brazilian conference executive committee meeting minutes, press release concerning the North American conference convention. -- 1963.
21. Canadian Conference Executive Committee statistical form (1962), correspondence (1963) and brochure ([1963]), Winnipeg pastors meeting minutes (1963), North American council of boards meeting minutes (1963), North American executive committee meeting minutes (1963), North American executive committee correspondence and reports, financial records, North American convention organizing committee directory, minutes, and reports (1963), programme for the North American conference convention and assorted publicity material (1963). -- 1962–1963.

Volume 40

  1. Executive convention planning minutes; convention program and reports; correspondence. -- 1965.
  2. Executive correspondence; convention planning minutes; convention program and reports; proposal for Canadian Conference structure; statistics questionnaire. -- 1966.
  3. Executive correspondence; convention planning minutes. -- 1967.
  4. Executive convention planning minutes. -- 1968.
  5. Executive correspondence. -- 1969.
  6. Executive convention planning minutes. -- 1970
  7. Executive correspondence; convention program. -- 1971.
  8. Executive Committee correspondence, minutes; convention correspondence. -- 1972-1975.
  9. Executive Committee minutes and correspondence. -- 1977-1978.
  10. Executive Committee minutes. -- 1980-1981.
  11. Executive minutes, reports and correspondence; statistics questionnaire. -- 1964.
  12. Executive Committee report and correspondence. -- 1982.
  13. Executive Committee minutes and reports. -- 1983.
  14. Executive Committee minutes and correspondence. -- 1984.
  15. Executive Committee correspondence and minutes. -- 1985.
  16. Executive Committee minutes and correspondence. -- 1986.
  17. Executive Committee correspondence and minutes. -- 1987.
  18. Executive correspondence re: novelist Rudy Wiebe. -- 1984-1985.
  19. Executive correspondence re: Ottawa MB church/Ottawa church plant. -- 1980-1986.
  20. Executive correspondence re: Quebec Affiliation. -- 1984-1987.
  21. Executive Board minutes and correspondence. -- 1988.
  22. Executive Board & Executive Committee minutes, reports and correspondence; membership guidelines of the MB church; brief profile of the MB church; Canadian Conference vision statement. -- 1989.
  23. Executive Board minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1990.
  24. Executive Board & Executive Committee minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1991.
  25. Executive Board & Executive Committee minutes and correspondence. -- 1992.
  26. Executive Board & Executive Committee minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1993.
  27. Executive Board & Executive Committee minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1994.
  28. Executive Board & Executive Committee minutes, reports and correspondence; vision statements; Inter-Conference Moderator minutes. -- 1995.
  29. Executive Board & Executive Committee minutes, reports and correspondence; "Perspectives on Funding the Mission of the Church;" Canadian Conference budget. -- 1996.
  30. Executive Board & Executive Committee correspondence and documents related to the Canadian Conference restructuring and constitution. -- 1994-1996.
  31. Executive Board & Executive Committee correspondence and documents on Canadian Conference relationship with "Institut Biblique Laval" (IBL). -- 1996.
  32. Executive Board & Executive Committee correspondence and documents on Concord College external audit. -- 1996.
  33. Executive Board & Executive Officers minutes, reports and correspondence; Manitoba MB Conference Post-Secondary Christian Education Review - Committee Report. -- 1997.
  34. Executive Board & Executive Officers minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1998.
  35. Executive Board correspondence and reactions to General Conference restructuring; Restructuring Report of the Organizational Review Task Force to the Executive Council. -- 1998-1999.
  36. Executive Board & Executive Committee minutes and reports. -- 1999.
  37. Executive Board Nominating Committee nominees and correspondence. -- 1994, 1996, 1998.
  38. Executive Board & Executive Committee minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 2000.
  39. Executive Board & Executive Committee minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 2001.

Volume 41

  1. Executive Board minutes, reports and correspondence; Board of Discipleship presentation; Statement following the Church Planting Congress, Montreal QC. -- 2002.
    1.a. Executive Committee reports and correspondence re. Kindred Productions, Board of Resource Ministries, MBBS divestiture, Historical Commission, and Saskatchewan Seminary Project.  Exec. Director David Wiebe's deposition. Acc. No. 2009-003. -- 2002.
  2. Executive Board minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 2003.
  3. Executive Board minutes and reports. -- January, 2004.
  4. Executive Board minutes and reports; Governance manual workbook. -- May, 2004.
  5. Executive Board minutes and reports. -- June, 2004
  6. Executive Committee minutes. -- September, 2004.
  7. Executive Board minutes and reports; Governance board manual. -- October, 2004.
  8. Executive Board minutes and reports; Strategic planning survey. -- January, 2005.
  9. Executive Board minutes and reports. -- April, 2005.
  10. Executive Board minutes and reports; Strategic planning survey results. -- June, 2005.
  11. Executive Board minutes and reports; Women in leadership discussions. -- October, 2005.
  12. Executive Board minutes and reports. -- January-April, 2006.
  13. Executive Board minutes and reports. -- July-October, 2006.
  14. Executive Board minutes and reports. -- January-April, 2007.
  15. Executive Board minutes and reports. -- June-October, 2007.
  16. Executive Board minutes and reports; Re:Generate 21-01 discussion. -- January, 2008.
  17. Executive Board minutes and reports; Re:Generate 21-01 project presentation. -- April, 2008.
  18. Executive Board minutes and reports; Re:Generate 21-01 presentation. -- July-October, 2008.
  19. Executive Board minutes and reports; Strategic Plan. -- January, 2009.
  20. Executive Board minutes and reports; strategic plan presentation; CCMBC Governance Manual. -- April, 2009.
  21. Executive Board minutes and reports; strategic plan (final draft); Governance Manual. -- October, 2009.

Volume 1397

  1. Executive Board minutes and reports. -- January, 2010.
  2. Executive Board minutes and reports. -- April, 2010.
  3. Executive Board minutes and reports. -- July & October, 2010.
  4. Executive Board minutes and reports; MB National and Provincial Collaboration meetings; letter from Parliament. -- January, 2011.
  5. Executive Board minutes and reports; "MB in Canada: Findings of the 2009 Canadian Evangelical Churches Study." -- April, 2011.
  6. Executive Board minutes and reports; strategic plan; "Defining Our Direction;" "National Office Review." -- June, 2011.
  7. Executive Board minutes and reports; National and Provincial Field Staff meeting; "Ministry Effectiveness Project." -- October, 2011.
  8. Executive Board minutes and reports; MBBS Strategic Plan and Vision; CMU and MBBS affiliation agreement; MOU between CCMBC and USMB. -- January, 2012.
  9. Executive Board minutes and reports; Provincial Moderator's Summit; MOU between CCMBC and USMB. -- April, 2012.
  10. Executive Board minutes and reports; Resolution of Executive Board and CCMBC. -- July, 2012.
  11. Executive Board minutes and reports; Ministry Effectiveness Project. -- October, 2012.
  12. Executive Board minutes and reports; Governance Manual. -- January, 2013.
  13. Executive Board minutes and reports; CCMBC Ministry Effectiveness Plan. -- April, 2013.
  14. Executive Board minutes and reports; MBBS Canada Community Covenant; Ministry Effectiveness Project. -- June, 2013.
  15. Executive Board minutes. -- 2014.
  16. Executive Board policy manual. -- [2002].
  17. Executive Board secretary correspondence. -- 1980-1983.
  18. Executive Board correspondence with Concord College; Concord College minutes. -- 1993-1998.
  19. Executive Board: Concord College and CCMBC agreement -- 1995-1998.

Volume 1403

  1. Assistant Moderator & Moderator correspondence. -- 1982-1986.
  2. Moderator correspondence. -- 1996-1998.
  3. Moderator correspondence. -- 1999-2000.
  4. Moderator: ICOMB correspondence, minutes and reports; Confession of Faith for multiple countires. -- 1996-2000.
  5. Moderator correspondence and mediation between MB Herald and Concord College. -- 1996.
  6. Moderator: Concord College correspondence and updates. -- 1996.
  7. Moderator: Task Force documents for the restructuring of the General Conference. -- 1997-1999.
  8. Moderator: General Conference divestiture correspondence and documents. -- 1996-1997, 1999.
  9. Moderator: General Conference divestiture of the Board of Faith and Life. -- 1999.
  10. Moderator: MBMSI divestiture documents, Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws. -- 2000.
  11. Moderator: Conference Minister/Executive Director hiring process. -- 1999.
  12. Moderator correspondence. -- 2000.
  13. Moderator minutes, correspondence and negotiations pertaining to the divestiture of the Board of Resource Ministries. -- 2000-2002.
  14. Moderator: Canadian Council of Anabaptist Leaders (CCAL) joint meeting minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 2001.
  15. Moderator: Annual Consultation of Moderators and Secretaries agenda, reports and correspondence. -- 2000.
  16. Moderator correspondence with Board of Communications; drafts of Board of Discipleship proposal. -- 2000, 2002.
  17. Moderator correspondence with Board of Faith and Life. -- 2000-2001.
  18. Moderator correspondence with the Board of Evangelism; director of Evangelism evaluation. -- 2001-2002.
  19. Moderator correspondence with Board of Management; Conference Treasurer search. -- 2001-2002.
  20. Moderator correspondence with Board of Christian Education. -- 2001-2002.
  21. Moderator correspondence and minutes for the Evanglical Fellowship of Canada. -- 2001.
  22. Moderator: ICOMB correspondence, minutes and reports. -- 2001.
  23. Moderator: ICOMB correspondence and reports. -- 2002.
  24. Moderator minutes, correspondence and documents pertaining to the divestiture of the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary (MBBS). -- 2000.
  25. Moderator minutes, correspondence and documents pertaining to the divestiture of the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary (MBBS). -- 2001.
  26. Moderator: MBBS divestiture correspondence, minutes; Memorandum of Understanding & By-Laws. -- 2002-2003.
  27. Moderator: Leadership Training Matching Grant (LTMG) proposal and correspondence. -- 2001-2002.
  28. Moderator correspondence. -- 2001.
  29. Moderator: Board of Discipleship Ministries search team minutes, correspondence and resumes. -- 2002.
  30. Moderator correspondence. -- 2002.
  31. Moderator: Leadership Development Proceedings documents -- 2001.
  32. Moderator: Open Space Proceedings and participant correspondence. -- 2002.
  33. Moderator correspondence re: MBBS Manitoba campus. -- 2002.
  34. Moderator correspondence re: MBBS B.C. campus. -- 2002.
  35. Moderator: MBBS report to Board of Directors. -- 2002.
  36. Moderator: MBBS board member correspondence. -- 2002-2004.
  37. Moderator: MBBS report to Board of Directors. -- 2003.
  38. Moderator correspondence. -- January - June, 2003.
  39. Moderator correspondence; including governance discussion and Bill C250 dialogue. -- July - December, 2003.

Volume 1404

  1. Moderator: CCMBC and MCC resolution process. -- 2003.
  2. Moderator: MBBS report to Board of Directors. -- 2004.
  3. Moderator: Gathering 2004 presentation notes, nominations, planning minutes and correspondence. -- 2004.
  4. Moderator: Executive Board letter to membership re: restructuring - correspondence and drafts. -- 2004.
  5. Moderator correspondence, minutes and documents re: Conference restructuring; Governance Committee documents, new Winnipeg land dedication. -- January - June, 2004.
  6. Moderator: Northview reconciliation. -- 2002-2004. [restricted]
  7. Moderator: CCMBC Governance Manual Workbooks. -- 2004.
  8. Moderator: CCMBC Ministry Focus presentation. -- [2002].

Digital Files

  • Executive Board meeting minutes. -- 2019.
  • Executive Board meeting minutes. -- 2020.
← Back to Institutional Records