Working toward collaboration with other Anabaptist agencies
CIM members take time to bless and commission Joe Showalter, the first CIM staff director. (Ruth Konrad)
The Council of International Anabaptist Ministries (CIM) is a group of agencies from across North America that meets once a year for collaboration and discussion. Each agency takes a turn hosting. This year it was the privilege of EMC Missions to host the meeting.
The 2026 meeting was held at Steinbach Bible College from May 19–21. Twenty-two guests gathered from across North America—including representatives from Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM), Be in Christ Canada Global, Brethren in Christ USA, Eastern Mennonite Missions, EMC Missions, Mennonite Central Committee USA and Canada, Mennonite Church Canada and USA, Mennonite Mission Network, Rosedale International, and Virginia Mennonite Missions.
EMC Missions was represented by Gerald Reimer (director of global outreach), Anthony Reimer (Board of Missions chair), and Ruth Konrad (executive assistant).
The theme of the last few years has been collaboration—asking why CIM exists and exploring ways we can continue to work together. This group has gathered for several years, but each year, there are a few new people, so meetings begin with a half-day of agency introductions. Each agency describes its identity, who they are, what makes them unique, who they serve, and what programs they run.
The meetings included plenary sessions with Norm Dyck (Mennonite Church Canada). He spoke on metanoia—the necessary journey of transformation as we follow God in his mission and re-imagine what it means to collaborate as agencies. Collaboration sessions on specific topics such as training and resourcing, engaging youth in missions, business for transformation, breakouts on disciple-making movements, the Christian humanitarian response, and maximum impact short-term missions rounded out the week.
The week ended with a guided tour of the Mennonite Heritage Village, where we learned about the Anabaptist history of Southern Manitoba, and enjoyed a “traditional” Mennonite meal (or not-so-traditional, as the food was new to nearly all the Mennonites present).
This year’s meetings also brought two new components. John Fumana, executive coordinator for AIMM, was entering Canada to attend the CIM meetings and passed away as his plane landed in Montreal. The group took some time to share memories of John and to grieve his passing (see announcement on p. 31).
This year also included a time of blessing and commissioning the first CIM staff director. This position was created in the last year to ensure ongoing collaboration within the CIM. Joe Showalter, former director of Rosedale International, has been hired quarter-time for this position.
It is always encouraging to gather with others in similar roles who are working to further God’s kingdom around the world.
CIM meetings have produced much fruit over the years. The 2025 meetings led to the newly finalized partnership between EMC Missions and Rosedale International in the Mediterranean, paving the way for EMC Missions to send workers to join Rosedale’s team in North Africa, and for Rosedale to send workers to join EMC’s team in southern Spain. We are excited about this partnership and look forward to where God may lead us to collaborate in the future.
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