MWR : Central District takes 2-part action on pastor’s credentials

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May 28, 2012 issue

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Central District takes 2-part action on pastor’s credentials

Pastor’s ministry affirmed; actions ‘at variance’ with MC USA guidelines

By Sheldon C. Good Mennonite World Review

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The Ministerial Committee of Central District Conference has reviewed the credentials of an Illinois pastor who performed three same-sex covenant ceremonies in 2011 and has come to a two-part decision.

Megan Ramer, pastor of Chicago Community Mennonite Church, performed the ceremonies with the prior blessing of the congregation.

After a nine-month discernment process, the Ministerial Committee made two decisions: they affirmed Ramer’s ministerial gifts and her pastoral work at Chicago Community Mennonite Church; and they will note in Ramer’s Ministerial Leadership Information form, or MLI, that her actions in performing same-sex unions are at variance with Mennonite Church USA’s Membership Guidelines.

“Noting this on her MLI is one way of being accountable to the wider church,” said Joel Miller, a member of the Ministerial Committee and pastor of Cincinnati (Ohio) Mennonite Fellowship.

Miller said reviewing Ramer’s credentials was “an occasion to engage with [Ramer] and the congregation.”

The committee’s discernment process “felt like what church should be — deep listening to one another, searching for biblical wisdom and openness to the leading of the Spirit,” he said.

Prior to Ramer’s actions, Chicago Community Mennonite Church came to consensus around a marriage-practice statement on May 15, 2011, affirming any ordained or licensed person in the congregation to perform a covenant ceremony for any couple, if he or she is willing to do so.

Civil unions became legal in Illinois on June 1, 2011.

“The change in our state law was an opportunity for us to take stock of how we wanted to practice ministry and marriage commitment ceremonies,” said congregational chair Celeste Groff. “We didn’t feel compelled to [create the marriage practice statement] because of the new state law.”

In June, Ramer contacted Lois Johns Kaufmann, conference minister of Central District Conference, about requests for commitment ceremonies. In August, Ramer informed the conference of her plans to perform several same-sex covenant ceremonies.

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Comments

I am deeply troubled by the actions of Megan Ramer. One part because I believe it is not in line with Biblical teaching. Also on the part I believe it is falling into the very thing Ana-Baptist Mennonites decry about the culture. We sit and say individualism is of the devil. Yet her congregation goes against the gathered community in the area of what is regarded as acceptable for marriage. How did this congregation not act in the ways of the world where I know better than the gathered community?

- Jeff Linthicum (may 24 at 3:33 p.m.)
I for one am glad to know that Pastor Megan Ramer and her congregation are not in line with biblical teaching. Biblical teaching has often put humans on the wrong side of important issues. The abolitionists were not in line with biblical teaching (Paul said slaves should obey their masters), and thank God the abolitionists chose to ignore Paul. The suffragettes were not in line with biblical teaching (Paul said women should defer to men, and keep their mouths shut in church), and I'm grateful to the Goddess the suffragettes decided Paul was just plain wrong. The civil rights movement was not in line with biblical teaching (Paul said obey your government no matter what stupid thing they tell you), and I'm grateful Martin Luther King, Jr., declined to heed Paul's advice. Let's take the bible down from the pedestal and read it more critically, recognizing its many faults and limitations. And let's elevate the brains god gave us, trusting the self-evident truths available to all persons, accessing the "true light that enlightens everyone" (John 1:9), and recognizing that we know better than we often think about how to live in justice and peace.

- Charlie Kraybill, Bronx, NYC (may 24 at 6:50 p.m.)
It was Randall Spaulding, a male minister in FL who had his credentials removed when he married a male friend after divorcing his wife of 18 years. It was Joanna Harader, a Mennonite lady pastor in KS who performed a same sex covenanted ceremony for a lesbian couple. Joanna was allowed to keep her ministerial credentials.

Now it is Megan Ramer, a Mennonite lady pastor who also performed a same sex covenanted ceremony in IL. She also was allowed to keep her ministerial credentials.

It appears the Mennonites have a gender bias favorable to women and against men.

For those who take comfort in Article 19 of the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective that says “God intends marriage to be a covenant between one man and one woman for life” forget it. It is there on paper only and there is no intent to enforce it. To not enforce an existing statement saves the effort of going through the divisive process of eliminating it.

It is the wisdom thinking of the New Anabaptists and it works.

- Dale Welty (may 24 at 10:33 p.m.)
Dale, Randall lost his credentials because he came out as an openly gay man who didn't hate himself for being gay. The determining factor was his sexual orientation, not his gender. Losing one's credentials is pretty perfunctory for lgbt people when they come out in the Mennonite Church.

The more interesting question is why it is women who seem to be taking the lead (and the hits) for serving their congregations in this manner? I applaud their courage and leadership.

- Carol Wise (may 31 at 4:28 p.m.)
Carol, you misread my comment. Read paragraph 3 that pertains to MC USA. What I am saying is that if Randall was a women and divorced her husband after submitting herself to the leading of the Holy Spirit and with the blessing of the congregation, I don't think she would have lost her credentials, hence my bias comment.

- Dale Welty (may 31 at 10:19 p.m.)
I am deeply disturbed by this entire procedure and conversation. May the Holy, Righteous and Living God have the last word.

- kyoder (jul 1 at 1:57 a.m.)

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