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     Vested with the responsibility of helping MWC outline its shape and future, the International Planning Commission (IPC) met for the first time, April 1-3, in Fresno, California, U.S.
     In this get-acquainted meeting, the group of seven, backed up by two staff members, dealt largely with harnessing their task. First, they agreed, MWC's member churches will be presented with the vision of the global church "moving from being a conference to being a communion." Member churches will then be invited to respond to that vision with "Yes, but ..." or "In addition ... ."
     The IPC quickly recognized that in many parts of the global church, neither Mennonite World Conference, nor the scope of the worldwide membership, are known or understood. MWC's search for direction from its members will likely require that it develop a fuller articulation of what it means to be a global communion, along with the benefits and responsibilities of belonging to such a body. Only then will member churches be prepared to express their views of how MWC can support such a reality.
     The IPC hopes to have its work done by the time of the next global assembly -- Africa 2003 -- scheduled for Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in August 2003. Meanwhile, they must find culturally appropriate -- and effective -- means to begin gathering the wisdom of the church.