Assembly 2012 date announced

December 5, 2011
-Deborah Froese

Winnipeg, MAN. —  The 2012 Mennonite Church Canada Assembly will take place July 12-15 at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel.

The assembly will be shaped as a study conference, with business sessions taking place only on the evening of Thursday, July 12. The Faith and Life Committee is planning a scripture study and discernment theme. A Sunday morning worship service will be open to all.

The decision to hold Assembly 2012 in a hotel was made together with Mennonite Church British Columbia after an exploration of educational institutions and churches in Vancouver proved unsuccessful. Reasons ranged from accessibility challenges or unavailability to space logistics. The 2006 Assembly was held in a hotel in Edmonton for the same reasons.

“The Sheraton Vancouver Airport offered us a tremendous deal, much better than any other major hotel in Vancouver,” said Vic Thiessen, Executive Minister, Church Engagement, who gave oversight to the arrangements. “And staying in a hotel offers the kind of convenience which will drastically reduce the staff time required to plan and run Assembly, an important consideration now that staff numbers have decreased.” This allows Mennonite Church Canada to subsidize the cost of meals and the venue, he added.

As more information is available, it will be posted on the Mennonite Church Canada website at www.mennonitechurch.ca/events/vancouver2012/