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Because Inclusion, Community, and Justice are core values to MCC, and because we want every church and member to be able to participate as fully as they wish, we seek to address the inequities in our current communications, including ways by which we can increase the understanding of various systems and processes that vary by culture and context.
This Commission will make recommendations to the General Conference and to the Governing Board. The Commission may also make recommendations, as appropriate and relevant, to other Commissions, such as the Commission on General Conference, the Commission on Pathways of Healing and Reconciliation, and to MCC Staff.
The Communications Commission will initiate the work to:
- Define ways to express appreciation of and support all our volunteer translators.
- Assist with moving MCC towards equitable compensation of translators and commitment to full translation of our communications.
- Identify the current barriers to our global communications as well as the ways in which our communications are moving towards being effective and accessible.
- Contribute to the reduction of socio-cultural inequalities within the UFMCC resulting from the primacy of English as the official language of the denomination.
- Ensure that core documents of our denomination (ex. Bylaws, Statement of Faith) are available online in the languages of all locations where MCC has representation.
- Explore ways to effectively communicate HOW systems and processes work in addition to the specific content about the system or process.
- Encourage the development of cross-cultural communication opportunities to build our global community, connection and understanding.
- Strengthen communication within and between Networks.
- Develop tools to increase communication from non-English speaking churches to denominational leaders and staff.
- Give direction to expand the use of social media/apps that provide automatic translation.
- Examine the timeline needs for preparing digital communications, getting them translated and distributed relative to the needs of staff, volunteers and churches.
- Provide feedback and direction to the Governing Board and/or General Conference planners that will increase the ability of non-English speakers to participate more fully in the General Conference business and its processes.
- Recommend a strategy for moving towards culturally and linguistically relevant communications without creating exclusions of various groups.
- Inspire deeper connections across MCC.
The Commission will meet virtually at least monthly.
The Commission will be in place at least until the 2022 General Conference.
The Commission may recommend that parts of its work be continued by other relevant bodies.
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