Mennonite
Central
Committee

Requirements

All workers representing MCC must meet the following criteria: *

1. exhibit a commitment to personal Christian faith (policy #121)
2. be active members of a Christian church (policy #122)
3. be committed to the teaching of nonviolent biblical peacemaking (policy #123)

• Additional lifestyle expectations

 

* Some Short Term Opportunities do not require the same faith commitments.

 

1. Exhibit a commitment to personal Christian faith (policy #121)

   All workers representing MCC must exhibit a commitment to personal Christian faith. For MCC this means believing in Jesus Christ as God's Son, the revelation of God, and the Lord of all who respond to Jesus in faith.

   MCC expects that the behaviour of its workers will be guided by the expectations of the local church and community, the workers' own faith commitments, personal conscience, and MCC policy.

   MCC workers witness to their faith in both words and actions. Some MCC workers preach the gospel in churches. Many are active in Sunday school, adult Bible studies and vacation Bible schools. In many countries MCC workers serve with local churches active in evangelism and church planting.

   A number of Mennonite churches around the world trace their origins to MCC service. Churches in Ethiopia, Haiti, Bolivia, Japan, Paraguay, Taiwan and elsewhere stemmed from MCC relief and service work. North American congregations have resulted from MCC's work with Haitian and southeast Asian refugees. However, the specific task of most MCC workers is not church planting. That is primarily the task of mission boards and local churches. If you are primarily interested in church planting, please contact your church's mission board.

    

2. Be active members of a Christian church (policy #122)

   MCC is a church organization. In the Anabaptist/Mennonite tradition, commitment to the church is an important part of Christian faith: faith is worked out in the church community, and Christians are sustained in being faithful by the support of other church members. Christians are accountable to the church and are also empowered by it for outreach and mission. Being an active church member means being a part of this kind of community of believers by sharing the same commitments. MCC believes this association provides crucial support throughout the MCC experience — from the process of deciding to apply, to dealing with the challenges of being in a service assignment, to the adjustments required when returning home.

   MCC is unique in that its funding and resources come mostly from individuals and congregations on a grassroots level, rather than from government grants. Sharing what you have learned and experienced as an MCC worker with members of your congregation — who are also an integral part of MCC through their support and prayers — is an important part of MCC's mission.

   MCC's activities are also often carried out in the context of a church in another setting. Volunteers must therefore be committed to working with and through the church during the assignment — a mission better understood by those who are already committed to a home church.

    

3. Be committed to the teaching of nonviolent biblical peacemaking (policy #123)

   MCC is an organization of the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches, which hold to a biblically based belief in nonviolence. We are called to follow Jesus' radical teachings of love, in which the peacemakers are children of God (Matthew 5:9), and old structures of power and revenge are turned upside-down.

   Volunteers representing MCC are expected to share this commitment to nonviolent approaches to conflict.

   The Peace Making Commitment of MCC

 

 

Additional lifestyle expectations

 

• "Living Simply" (policy #1)

  MCC’s intent is that service worker support policies cover the basic cost for a worker’s term of service.  The support given will reflect the varied living costs for service workers due to the widely different economic conditions in which they serve around the world.  Support for service workers will allow a healthy, comfortable, simple lifestyle that is as close to the living level of local program partners as possible.

   

• Racial harassment (policy #131)

  MCC will not tolerate any racial harassment as expressed by acts or communications (verbal, written, electronic) that intimidate, demean, insult, annoy or that undermine a colleague's self-worth and dignity on the basis of her/his race or ethnic origin, whether intended as such or not.  MCC also prohibits those behaviors that contribute to the creation of a racially hostile and offensive work environment.

  MCC expects all personnel to take part in maintaining a work environment safe and free from racial harassment and to contribute to eradicating racism and racial harassment.

   

• Sexual harassment (policy #132)

  MCC will not tolerate any acts or communications (verbal, written, electronic) related to a person's gender that are demeaning, intimidating, insulting or that undermine a colleague's self-worth and dignity, whether intended as such or not.

  MCC expects all personnel to take part in maintaining a work environment free from sexual harassment and to contribute to eradicating sexual harassment.

   

• Alcohol, tobacco and illegal drug use (policy #151)

  MCC recommends that its personnel abstain from the use of alcohol and the use of tobacco.  This is particularly important in settings where alcohol and/or tobacco use would compromise MCC's witness.  MCC permits a measure of discretion regarding use of alcohol in private settings or at non-MCC events where social custom may involve its limited use.

  When the use of alcohol and/or tobacco compromises MCC's witness, in the eyes of the local church and community, program leadership may require complete abstinence by MCC personnel.

  MCC prohibits the use of alcohol and tobacco by MCC personnel on MCC premises and at MCC-sponsored events.

  MCC prohibits the use of illegal drugs and the use of alcohol and tobacco where illegal under local law.

   

• Sexuality and celibacy (policy #152)

  MCC requires sexual celibacy for personnel outside of a heterosexual marriage relationship during their terms of service with MCC.

  Persons of homosexual orientation who meet MCC personnel criteria as noted above will be considered for MCC service if they are willing to abide by MCC's requirement of celibacy for all outside of a heterosexual marriage and if they will not use MCC as a platform from which to advocate for same-sex sexual relationships.

   

• Internet use policy (policy #906)

  MCC requires that all personnel who access the Internet ( email, world wide web, etc.) via MCC computer or while using personal computers on MCC property do so in a responsible manner and refrain from the following:  Sending, soliciting or viewing sexually oriented messages or images;  Visiting inappropriate sites allowing MCC's domain name to be captured, possibly resulting in negative publicity;  Accessing, sending, or receiving offensive or harassing statements or language including disparagement of others based on their race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability or other protected characteristics.

   

For further details, ask for the specific policies and/or for a copy of MCC's Policy Handbook on the Inquiry and Application Request page.

 

January 2007.