MWR : MC USA leaders respond to same-sex ceremonies

Last updated June 25.

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June 25, 2012 issue

MC USA leaders respond to same-sex ceremonies

In a June 13 letter, the Mennonite Church USA Executive Committee responded to same-sex covenant ceremonies performed by MC USA pastors in Illinois and Kansas.

The letter says the Executive Board “owns the understanding of our confession of faith that sexual union is to happen between one man and one woman committed to each other for life in holy marriage. The board has no plans to suggest that the church should change its current understanding and commitments.”

A PDF of the entire letter is available here.

The committee wrote that decisions about situations such as those in Illinois and Kansas must take place at the congregational and conference levels.

“The national church does not have the authority to control the discussion or decisions at these levels,” the letter says. It acknowledges that “our polity creates some differences in the practice of church discipline from conference to conference.”

A Western District Conference pastor, Joanna Harader of Lawrence, Kan., performed a same-sex covenant ceremony in 2010. A Central District Conference pastor, Megan Ramer of Chicago, has performed three civil unions in the past year.

In each case, an area conference leadership group decided not to impose discipline. Western District delegates will weigh a resolution to suspend Harader’s credentials at their annual meeting July 6-8 in Oklahoma City.

“We understand the frustration of persons who wish that the national conference would make decisions that our polity has given to area conferences of Mennonite Church USA to resolve,” the letter states. “We also understand the need for time and space to allow orderly consideration and processing of the questions that are being raised.”

The executive committee is made of up of moderator Dick Thomas, moderator-elect Elizabeth Soto, board members Addie Banks, David Boshart and Patricia Shelly, and MC USA executive director Ervin Stutzman.

Letter recipients include the MC USA Constituency Leaders Council and Governance Council. The CLC is made up of leaders from conferences, churchwide agencies and constituency groups. The GC is made up of the executive director, director of churchwide operations, agency directors, agency board chairs, the moderator and moderator-elect.

Comments

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- John B (jun 18 at 5:44 p.m.)
Let prophetic leadership come from the bottom up and from the margins in! It's the Jesus way!

- Bert Newton (jun 19 at 12:29 a.m.)
It is obvious these two female pastors have been sprinkled with Anabaptist holy water, therefore their performing same sex covenant ceremonies is considered acceptable to their respective conference leaders. Apparently only female pastors have access to Anabaptist holy water at this time. As Anabaptist holy water becomes increasingly available to MC USA people, this divisive issue will eventually become dormant.

- Dale Welty (jun 23 at 3:45 p.m.)
Dale, I assume you meant this sarcastically, but I personally hope and pray that all Mennonites be not just sprinkled but immersed in the "Anabaptist holy water" that you speak of.

James M. Branum Minister of Peace and Justice Joy Mennonite Church Oklahoma City, OK

- James M. Branum (jun 24 at 9:53 p.m.)
"For real change, we need feminine energy in the management of the world. We need a critical number of women in positions of power, and we need to nurture the feminine energy in men.” ~ Isabel Allende

- Charlie Kraybill, Bronx, NYC (jun 27 at 11:29 p.m.)
As a Christian foremost, and as a member of a congregation under MC USA, I am stunned at the continued disregard for the Word of God, The Holy Bible. I pray that these people will know the truth, and let it set them free. The following are not my words, but those from the inspired word...

If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable... - Leviticus 20:13

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders... - 1 Corinthians 6:9

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. - Isaiah 5:20

You have wearied the LORD with your words. "How have we wearied him?" you ask. By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them"... - Malachi 2:17

When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." - Mark 2:16-17

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." - John 8:11

- Brandon (jul 24 at 11:07 p.m.)
Wow! I worked with attorneys my entire adult life and that Executive Committee letter is, legally, a thing of beauty and a joy forever. It's one of the most exciting pieces of legal manipulative, maneuvering management of a hot button subject I've ever seen. And I've seen plenty! Amazing!

- Debra Bender (jul 24 at 11:40 p.m.)

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