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Wikipedia

Mennonite Church USA

January 30, 2023

The Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is an Anabaptist Christian denomination in the United States. Although the organization is a recent 2002 merger of the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church, the body has roots in the Radical Reformation of the 16th century.

Mennonite Church USA
ClassificationProtestant
OrientationMainline[1] Anabaptist
TheologyMennonite
PolityCongregational
ModeratorDavid Boshart
AssociationsMennonite World Conference
RegionUnited States
HeadquartersElkhart, IN, Kansas, MO, and Harrisonburg, VA
OriginFebruary 1, 2002
Merger ofThe General Conference Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Church
Congregations625 (2018)
Members69,223 (2018)[2]
Official websitemennoniteusa.org

Total membership in Mennonite Church USA denominations decreased from about 133,000, before the merger in 1998, to a total membership of 120,381 in the Mennonite Church USA in 2001[3] and 78,892 members in 2016.[4] In May 2021 the main page of their website stated a membership of about 62,000.[5]

History

Mennonite Church (MC) (Mennonite General Conference and Mennonite General Assembly)

Main article: Mennonite Church (1683–2002)

Dutch and German immigrants from Krefeld, Germany, settled in Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1683. Swiss Mennonites came to North America in the early part of the 18th century. Their first settlements were in Pennsylvania, then in Virginia and Ohio. These Swiss immigrants, combined with Dutch and German Mennonites and progressive Amish Mennonites who later united with them, until 2002 made up the largest body of Mennonites in North America (in the past often referred to as the "Old Mennonites"). They formed regional conferences in the 18th century. As early as 1725, delegates from various Pennsylvania Mennonite settlements met to adopt the Dordrecht Confession of Faith as their official statement of faith. The "Old" Mennonite Church was marked by ties of communion, pulpit exchange, and common confession, rather than formal organizational ties. Many, but not all, of the conferences joined the North American conference, the Mennonite General Conference, in 1898. The Mennonite General Conference was reorganized in 1971 as the Mennonite General Assembly. The Mennonite General Assembly merged with the General Conference Mennonite Church in 2002.[6]

General Conference Mennonite Church (GCMC)

Main article: General Conference Mennonite Church

The General Conference Mennonite Church was an association of Mennonite congregations based in North America from 1860 to 2002. The conference was formed in 1860 by congregations in Iowa seeking to unite with like-minded Mennonites to pursue common goals such as higher education and mission work. The conference was especially attractive to recent Mennonite and Amish immigrants to North America and expanded considerably when thousands of Russian Mennonites arrived in North America starting in the 1870s. Conference offices were located in Winnipeg, Manitoba and North Newton, Kansas. The conference supported a seminary and several colleges. By the 1980s, there remained little difference between the General Conference Mennonite Church and many conferences in the Mennonite General Assembly. In the 1990s the conference had 64,431 members in 410 congregations in Canada, the United States and South America.[7]

Merger

In 1983 the General Assembly of the Mennonite Church met jointly with the General Conference Mennonite Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in celebration of 300 years of Mennonite witness in the Americas. Beginning in 1989, a series of consultations, discussions, proposals, and sessions (and a vote in 1995 in favor of merger) led to the unification of these two major North American Mennonite bodies into one denomination organized on two fronts – the Mennonite Church USA and the Mennonite Church Canada. The merger was "finalized" at a joint session in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1999, and the Canadian branch moved quickly ahead. The United States branch did not complete their organization until the meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2001, which became effective February 1, 2002.

The merger of 1999-2002 at least partially fulfilled the desire of the founders of the General Conference Mennonite Church to create an organization under which all Mennonites could unite. Yet not all Mennonites favored the merger. The Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations represents one expression of the disappointment with the merger and the events that led up to it.

Decline

Since its merger, a large number of conservative congregations have left Mennonite Church USA. 2013 saw nine congregations leave, and in 2014 at least 12 did so.[8] In November 2015, the Lancaster Conference, Mennonite Church USA's largest conference, with 13,838 members in 163 congregations in six states plus the District of Columbia, voted overwhelmingly to leave the denomination by the end of 2017.[9]

By early 2016, the membership had decreased to 78,892 members,[4] mainly because of the denomination's increasingly liberal position towards same sex marriage, which caused many congregations to leave Mennonite Church USA.[9] In April 2016, the Franklin Mennonite Conference, a conference with 14 congregations and about 1,000 members in Pennsylvania and Maryland, voted to withdraw from the Mennonite Church USA.[10] In 2018 the number of baptized members had fallen to 69,223 and the number congregations to 625.[2]

Political Involvement

For most of its history, the Mennonite Church has stayed away from political involvement. This came from a desire to separate the church from the culture of the world.[11] In 1968 Mennonite Central Committee, the governing body for the Mennonite Church, created an advocacy office in Washington DC.[12] This was a drastic shift in how the church approached politics and was not appreciated by many members at the time. Since then, the church has become more politically involved as this became more normalized.

Structure

Convention and delegate assembly

Every other year, Mennonite Church USA holds a week-long, church-wide convention. The convention includes gatherings for adults, youth, junior youth and children (K-5, Preschool and Infants/Toddlers). During the convention, there are worship sessions, seminars, alumni gatherings, and special dinners. Also, taking place during the convention is the Delegate Assembly. Delegates from local congregations, regional area conferences, and constituency groups gather to develop vision and direction for the national denomination. Previous conventions have been held in Nashville, Tennessee (2001), Atlanta, Georgia (2003), Charlotte, North Carolina (2005), San Jose, California (2007), Columbus, Ohio (2009),[13] Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2011), Phoenix, Arizona (2013), Kansas City, Missouri (2015, 2019, 2021),[14] and Orlando, Florida (2017).[15]

Area conferences

 
Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church, a Western District Conference congregation

All congregations in the denomination belong to an area conference, and it is the area conference that is the component part of Mennonite Church USA. There are currently 21 area conferences with many of them overlapping geographically due to conference structures prior to the merger. Recently, some divisions have occurred and the Lancaster Conference (not included here) voted in 2015 to leave the Mennonite Church U.S.A. by 2017.[9]

Agencies

Mennonite Church USA maintains five church-wide ministry agencies: Mennonite Mission Network,[32] Mennonite Education Agency,[33] MennoMedia (formerly Mennonite Publishing Network),[34] Mennonite Health Services,[35] and Everence (formerly Mennonite Mutual Aid).[36]

Mennonite Education Agency

The mission of Mennonite Education Agency (MEA)[33] is to strengthen the life, witness and identity of Mennonite Church USA through education. MEA helps provide leadership to Mennonite Schools Council,[37] elementary and secondary schools throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. MEA also helps bring support and leadership to Mennonite colleges, universities, and seminaries located throughout the United States. It also works with various people and groups within Mennonite Church USA to help involve them and show the unique qualities of Mennonite education. MEA works with Mennonite Church USA to provide leadership to church educational programs.

Colleges and seminaries

 
The Goshen College Music Center in Goshen, Indiana.

Mennonite Church USA provides denominational oversight through Mennonite Education Agency to five colleges and universities and two seminaries in the United States:

Secondary schools

Faith and practice

Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective

A Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective[38] provides a guide to the beliefs and practices of Mennonite Church USA. This confession was adopted in 1995 at a joint session of the Mennonite Church and General Conference Mennonite Church in Wichita, Kansas. It contains 24 articles ranging from the more general Christian theologies of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit to the more distinct Foot Washing; Truth and the Avoidance of Oaths, Peace, Justice, and Nonresistance; and The Church's Relation to Government and Society.

Sexuality discussions

The Brethren Mennonite Council has been active since 1976 to encourage "full inclusion" for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in the church.[citation needed] In 1986 the General Conference Mennonite Church (one of the predecessors of Mennonite Church USA), meeting in Saskatoon,[39] adopted a statement on sexuality establishing heterosexuality as the only legitimate form of sexual expression. In 1987, the Mennonite Church (another predecessor of MC USA) issued the Purdue Statement, with similar language.[40] At the 2009 convention in Columbus, some protested for the further discussion of human sexuality.[41] In 2015 discussions revolved around the decision by multiple conferences to license openly LGBT members for church ministry. Two districts within the denomination had licensed pastors openly in committed same-sex relationships.[42] Due to the denomination's increasingly liberal position, the Lancaster Conference voted in November 2015 to leave the Mennonite Church USA.[9] At the same time, toward the end of 2015, the Western District Conference voted to allow ordained ministers to officiate at and perform same-gender marriages.[43] On 29 May 2022 the church repealed the Membership Guidelines that forbids pastors to officiate same-sex marriages. Most area conferences already allowed pastors to solemnize same-sex marriages. The church also voted in favor of an apology to the LGBTQ community.[44]

Life issues

Mennonites have a commitment to pacifism,[45] and members of Mennonite Church USA have a history of being conscientious objectors in wars as a way to uphold a commitment to nonviolence.[46] They also oppose abortion and capital punishment.[47]

MC USA has passed a resolution committing to creation care (2013) as developed by Mennonite Creation Care Network (MCCN), which in 2013 had a membership directory of 650 individuals[48] to "advance the commitment of congregations and members in caring for creation as part of the good news of Jesus Christ" and a resolution on "Seeking Peace in Israel and Palestine" (2017).[49][50]

MC USA released a "Churchwide Statement on Immigration" in 2014 that states, "We advocate for just and humane immigration policies for immigrants and refugees, and we empower congregations, area conferences and denominational staff to serve as advocates for these vulnerable groups of peoples and resolutions pertaining to immigration."[51]

MC USA's "Churchwide Statement on Sexual Abuse" (2015) states, "We resolve to tell the truth about sexual abuse; hold abusers accountable; acknowledge the seriousness of their sin; listen with care to those who have been wounded; protect vulnerable persons from injury; work restoratively for justice; and hold out hope that wounds will be healed, forgiveness offered, and relationships established or reestablished in healthy ways."[52]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Reporting on Protestant Christianity". religionlink.com. Religion Link. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches at World Directory of the Mennonite World Conference.
  3. ^ (PDF). Mennonite World Conference. 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
  4. ^ a b Huber, Tim (Jan 26, 2016). "Lancaster's distancing shrinks roll: A few churches want to stay with MC USA; others are dropped from denomination's membership number". Mennonite World Review. Mennonite World Review. Retrieved August 24, 2016. "MC USA's new, lower membership total is based on only 1,091 members from LMC"(Lancaster Mennonite Conference)
  5. ^ Main Page at mennoniteusa.org.
  6. ^ "Mennonite Church (MC) – GAMEO". gameo.org. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
  7. ^ Mennonite Directory, p. 16
  8. ^ Mennonite World Review: Ohio Conference loses more churches
  9. ^ a b c d Huber, Tim (19 November 2015). "Lancaster Conference to leave the Mennonite Church USA". mennworld.org. Mennonite World Review. Retrieved December 11, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ Mennonite World Review: Franklin Conference votes to leave Mennonite Church USA. mennworld.org. Mennonite World Review. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  11. ^ Miller, Keith Graber. Wise as Serpents, Innocent as Doves: American Mennonites Engage Washington. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1996.
  12. ^ jamesstuckeyweber (2014-04-17). "Washington Office". Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  13. ^ "Mennonite Church USA Convention Records, 2003-2009 | Mennonite Church USA Archives". mac.libraryhost.com. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  14. ^ "MWR : MC USA picks KC for '19 convention". www.mennoworld.org. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  15. ^ "Mennonite Church USA convention comes to Orlando July 4–8". Mennonite Church USA. 2017-06-07. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  16. ^ . Archived from the original on 2015-03-25. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  17. ^ . Archived from the original on 2016-03-16. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  18. ^ . Archived from the original on 2016-03-11. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  19. ^ Eastern District Conference
  20. ^ . Archived from the original on 2009-03-01. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  21. ^ . Archived from the original on 2009-03-01. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  22. ^ "Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference - a community of congregations joyfully following Jesus...engaging the world God loves". Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  23. ^ "Mountain States Mennonite Conference - An area conference of Mennonite Church USA". mountainstatesmc.org. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  24. ^ "New York Mennonite Conference". www.nymennonite.org. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  25. ^ . Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  26. ^ . Archived from the original on 2016-04-05. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  27. ^ "Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference - A conference of the Mennonite Church USA". pnmc.org. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  28. ^ "Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference". Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  29. ^ . Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  30. ^ . Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  31. ^ "Western District Conference - An area conference of Mennonite Church USA". Western District Conference. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  32. ^ Mennonite Mission Network official website. Accessed 2006-03-14.
  33. ^ a b Mennonite Education Agency official website. Accessed 2006-03-14.
  34. ^ MennoMedia official website. Accessed 2015-01-19.
  35. ^ Mennonite Health Services official website.
  36. ^ Everence official website. Accessed 2006-03-14.
  37. ^ Mennonite Schools Council official website 2012-09-18 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 2011-03-01.
  38. ^ Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective (1995), Herald Press ISBN 0-8361-9043-2. Online copy, accessed 2006-03-14.
  39. ^ "Resolution on Human Sexuality, 1986". General Conference Mennonite Church. Archived from the original on 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
  40. ^ Johns, Loren. "Homosexuality and the Mennonite Church" http://www.ambs.edu/LJohns/H&MC.htm 2008-10-05 at the Wayback Machine
  41. ^ Barr, Meghan. "Mennonites in Ohio protest exclusion of gays" http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8589237
  42. ^ Yoder, Kelli. "Central District Licenses Pastor in same-sex relationship". mennworld.org. Mennonite World Review. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  43. ^ Schrag, Paul. "WDC: Same-sex marriage won't bring censure". mennoworld.org. Mennonite World. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  44. ^ Schrag, Paul (2022-05-29). "Delegates repeal Membership Guidelines, pass LGBTQ-affirming resolution". Anabaptist World. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  45. ^ "Historic Peace Churches". Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved Jan 12, 2013.
  46. ^ "Conscientious Objection." ThirdWay.com. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
  47. ^ Mennonite Church USA (1995). "Article 22. Peace, Justice, and Nonresistance." MennoniteUSA.org. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  48. ^ "Creation Care Resolution for Mennonite Church USA" (PDF). Mennonite Church USA. July 5, 2013. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  49. ^ "Seeking Peace in Israel and Palestine" (PDF). Delegate Assembly at Orlando 2017. Mennonite Church USA. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  50. ^ "Israel/Palestine Initiatives". Mennonite Church USA. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  51. ^ "Churchwide Statement on Immigration. 2014 Revision of 2003 Statement" (PDF). Mennonite Church USA. February 15, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  52. ^ "Churchwide Statement on Sexual Abuse Passed by the Mennonite Church USA Delegate Assembly at Kansas City, Missouri" (PDF). Mennonite Church USA. July 3, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2019.

References

  • Encyclopedia of American Religions, J. Gordon Melton, editor
  • Handbook of Denominations in the United States, by Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood
  • Mennonite Church USA, 2003 Directory
  • Mennonite Directory (1999), Herald Press. ISBN 0-8361-9454-3
  • Mennonite Encyclopedia, Cornelius J. Dyck, Dennis D. Martin, et al., editors

External links

  • Mennonite Church USA official website
  • Third Way Café

January 30, 2023
mennonite, church, anabaptist, christian, denomination, united, states, although, organization, recent, 2002, merger, mennonite, church, general, conference, mennonite, church, body, roots, radical, reformation, 16th, century, classificationprotestantorientati. The Mennonite Church USA MC USA is an Anabaptist Christian denomination in the United States Although the organization is a recent 2002 merger of the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church the body has roots in the Radical Reformation of the 16th century Mennonite Church USAClassificationProtestantOrientationMainline 1 AnabaptistTheologyMennonitePolityCongregationalModeratorDavid BoshartAssociationsMennonite World ConferenceRegionUnited StatesHeadquartersElkhart IN Kansas MO and Harrisonburg VAOriginFebruary 1 2002Merger ofThe General Conference Mennonite Church and the Mennonite ChurchCongregations625 2018 Members69 223 2018 2 Official websitemennoniteusa wbr orgTotal membership in Mennonite Church USA denominations decreased from about 133 000 before the merger in 1998 to a total membership of 120 381 in the Mennonite Church USA in 2001 3 and 78 892 members in 2016 4 In May 2021 the main page of their website stated a membership of about 62 000 5 Contents 1 History 1 1 Mennonite Church MC Mennonite General Conference and Mennonite General Assembly 1 2 General Conference Mennonite Church GCMC 1 3 Merger 1 4 Decline 1 5 Political Involvement 2 Structure 2 1 Convention and delegate assembly 2 2 Area conferences 2 3 Agencies 2 4 Mennonite Education Agency 2 5 Colleges and seminaries 2 6 Secondary schools 3 Faith and practice 3 1 Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective 3 2 Sexuality discussions 3 3 Life issues 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditMennonite Church MC Mennonite General Conference and Mennonite General Assembly Edit Main article Mennonite Church 1683 2002 Dutch and German immigrants from Krefeld Germany settled in Germantown Pennsylvania in 1683 Swiss Mennonites came to North America in the early part of the 18th century Their first settlements were in Pennsylvania then in Virginia and Ohio These Swiss immigrants combined with Dutch and German Mennonites and progressive Amish Mennonites who later united with them until 2002 made up the largest body of Mennonites in North America in the past often referred to as the Old Mennonites They formed regional conferences in the 18th century As early as 1725 delegates from various Pennsylvania Mennonite settlements met to adopt the Dordrecht Confession of Faith as their official statement of faith The Old Mennonite Church was marked by ties of communion pulpit exchange and common confession rather than formal organizational ties Many but not all of the conferences joined the North American conference the Mennonite General Conference in 1898 The Mennonite General Conference was reorganized in 1971 as the Mennonite General Assembly The Mennonite General Assembly merged with the General Conference Mennonite Church in 2002 6 General Conference Mennonite Church GCMC Edit Main article General Conference Mennonite Church The General Conference Mennonite Church was an association of Mennonite congregations based in North America from 1860 to 2002 The conference was formed in 1860 by congregations in Iowa seeking to unite with like minded Mennonites to pursue common goals such as higher education and mission work The conference was especially attractive to recent Mennonite and Amish immigrants to North America and expanded considerably when thousands of Russian Mennonites arrived in North America starting in the 1870s Conference offices were located in Winnipeg Manitoba and North Newton Kansas The conference supported a seminary and several colleges By the 1980s there remained little difference between the General Conference Mennonite Church and many conferences in the Mennonite General Assembly In the 1990s the conference had 64 431 members in 410 congregations in Canada the United States and South America 7 Merger Edit In 1983 the General Assembly of the Mennonite Church met jointly with the General Conference Mennonite Church in Bethlehem Pennsylvania in celebration of 300 years of Mennonite witness in the Americas Beginning in 1989 a series of consultations discussions proposals and sessions and a vote in 1995 in favor of merger led to the unification of these two major North American Mennonite bodies into one denomination organized on two fronts the Mennonite Church USA and the Mennonite Church Canada The merger was finalized at a joint session in St Louis Missouri in 1999 and the Canadian branch moved quickly ahead The United States branch did not complete their organization until the meeting in Nashville Tennessee in 2001 which became effective February 1 2002 The merger of 1999 2002 at least partially fulfilled the desire of the founders of the General Conference Mennonite Church to create an organization under which all Mennonites could unite Yet not all Mennonites favored the merger The Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations represents one expression of the disappointment with the merger and the events that led up to it Decline Edit Since its merger a large number of conservative congregations have left Mennonite Church USA 2013 saw nine congregations leave and in 2014 at least 12 did so 8 In November 2015 the Lancaster Conference Mennonite Church USA s largest conference with 13 838 members in 163 congregations in six states plus the District of Columbia voted overwhelmingly to leave the denomination by the end of 2017 9 By early 2016 the membership had decreased to 78 892 members 4 mainly because of the denomination s increasingly liberal position towards same sex marriage which caused many congregations to leave Mennonite Church USA 9 In April 2016 the Franklin Mennonite Conference a conference with 14 congregations and about 1 000 members in Pennsylvania and Maryland voted to withdraw from the Mennonite Church USA 10 In 2018 the number of baptized members had fallen to 69 223 and the number congregations to 625 2 Political Involvement Edit For most of its history the Mennonite Church has stayed away from political involvement This came from a desire to separate the church from the culture of the world 11 In 1968 Mennonite Central Committee the governing body for the Mennonite Church created an advocacy office in Washington DC 12 This was a drastic shift in how the church approached politics and was not appreciated by many members at the time Since then the church has become more politically involved as this became more normalized Structure EditConvention and delegate assembly Edit Every other year Mennonite Church USA holds a week long church wide convention The convention includes gatherings for adults youth junior youth and children K 5 Preschool and Infants Toddlers During the convention there are worship sessions seminars alumni gatherings and special dinners Also taking place during the convention is the Delegate Assembly Delegates from local congregations regional area conferences and constituency groups gather to develop vision and direction for the national denomination Previous conventions have been held in Nashville Tennessee 2001 Atlanta Georgia 2003 Charlotte North Carolina 2005 San Jose California 2007 Columbus Ohio 2009 13 Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 2011 Phoenix Arizona 2013 Kansas City Missouri 2015 2019 2021 14 and Orlando Florida 2017 15 Area conferences Edit Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church a Western District Conference congregation All congregations in the denomination belong to an area conference and it is the area conference that is the component part of Mennonite Church USA There are currently 21 area conferences with many of them overlapping geographically due to conference structures prior to the merger Recently some divisions have occurred and the Lancaster Conference not included here voted in 2015 to leave the Mennonite Church U S A by 2017 9 Allegheny Mennonite Conference 16 Atlantic Coast Conference Central District Conference 17 Central Plains Mennonite Conference 18 Eastern District Conference 19 Franconia Mennonite Conference Franklin Mennonite Conference 20 Gulf States Mennonite Conference 21 Illinois Mennonite Conference Indiana Michigan Mennonite Conference 22 Prairie Street Mennonite Church Mountain States Mennonite Conference 23 New York Mennonite Conference 24 North Central Conference of the Mennonite Church 25 Ohio Conference of the Mennonite Church 26 Oak Grove Mennonite Church Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference 27 Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference 28 South Central Mennonite Conference 29 Southeast Mennonite Conference 30 Virginia Mennonite Conference Western District Conference 31 Alexanderwohl Mennonite ChurchAgencies Edit Mennonite Church USA maintains five church wide ministry agencies Mennonite Mission Network 32 Mennonite Education Agency 33 MennoMedia formerly Mennonite Publishing Network 34 Mennonite Health Services 35 and Everence formerly Mennonite Mutual Aid 36 Mennonite Education Agency Edit The mission of Mennonite Education Agency MEA 33 is to strengthen the life witness and identity of Mennonite Church USA through education MEA helps provide leadership to Mennonite Schools Council 37 elementary and secondary schools throughout the United States Puerto Rico and Canada MEA also helps bring support and leadership to Mennonite colleges universities and seminaries located throughout the United States It also works with various people and groups within Mennonite Church USA to help involve them and show the unique qualities of Mennonite education MEA works with Mennonite Church USA to provide leadership to church educational programs Colleges and seminaries Edit The Goshen College Music Center in Goshen Indiana Mennonite Church USA provides denominational oversight through Mennonite Education Agency to five colleges and universities and two seminaries in the United States Goshen College in Goshen Indiana Bluffton University in Bluffton Ohio Bethel College in North Newton Kansas Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg Virginia Hesston College in Hesston Kansas Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart Indiana Eastern Mennonite Seminary on the campus of Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg VirginiaSecondary schools Edit Bethany Christian Schools Goshen Indiana Central Christian School Kidron Ohio Christopher Dock Mennonite High School Montgomery County Pennsylvania Eastern Mennonite High School Harrisonburg Virginia Freeman Academy Freeman South Dakota Lancaster Mennonite High School Lancaster Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mennonite High School Philadelphia Pennsylvania Iowa Mennonite School Kalona IowaFaith and practice EditConfession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective Edit A Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective 38 provides a guide to the beliefs and practices of Mennonite Church USA This confession was adopted in 1995 at a joint session of the Mennonite Church and General Conference Mennonite Church in Wichita Kansas It contains 24 articles ranging from the more general Christian theologies of God Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to the more distinct Foot Washing Truth and the Avoidance of Oaths Peace Justice and Nonresistance and The Church s Relation to Government and Society Sexuality discussions Edit The Brethren Mennonite Council has been active since 1976 to encourage full inclusion for lesbian gay bisexual and transgender persons in the church citation needed In 1986 the General Conference Mennonite Church one of the predecessors of Mennonite Church USA meeting in Saskatoon 39 adopted a statement on sexuality establishing heterosexuality as the only legitimate form of sexual expression In 1987 the Mennonite Church another predecessor of MC USA issued the Purdue Statement with similar language 40 At the 2009 convention in Columbus some protested for the further discussion of human sexuality 41 In 2015 discussions revolved around the decision by multiple conferences to license openly LGBT members for church ministry Two districts within the denomination had licensed pastors openly in committed same sex relationships 42 Due to the denomination s increasingly liberal position the Lancaster Conference voted in November 2015 to leave the Mennonite Church USA 9 At the same time toward the end of 2015 the Western District Conference voted to allow ordained ministers to officiate at and perform same gender marriages 43 On 29 May 2022 the church repealed the Membership Guidelines that forbids pastors to officiate same sex marriages Most area conferences already allowed pastors to solemnize same sex marriages The church also voted in favor of an apology to the LGBTQ community 44 Life issues Edit Mennonites have a commitment to pacifism 45 and members of Mennonite Church USA have a history of being conscientious objectors in wars as a way to uphold a commitment to nonviolence 46 They also oppose abortion and capital punishment 47 MC USA has passed a resolution committing to creation care 2013 as developed by Mennonite Creation Care Network MCCN which in 2013 had a membership directory of 650 individuals 48 to advance the commitment of congregations and members in caring for creation as part of the good news of Jesus Christ and a resolution on Seeking Peace in Israel and Palestine 2017 49 50 MC USA released a Churchwide Statement on Immigration in 2014 that states We advocate for just and humane immigration policies for immigrants and refugees and we empower congregations area conferences and denominational staff to serve as advocates for these vulnerable groups of peoples and resolutions pertaining to immigration 51 MC USA s Churchwide Statement on Sexual Abuse 2015 states We resolve to tell the truth about sexual abuse hold abusers accountable acknowledge the seriousness of their sin listen with care to those who have been wounded protect vulnerable persons from injury work restoratively for justice and hold out hope that wounds will be healed forgiveness offered and relationships established or reestablished in healthy ways 52 See also EditChristian Peacemaker Teams Mennonite Central Committee Mennonite Church USA Archives Mennonite Disaster Service Schowalter FoundationNotes Edit Reporting on Protestant Christianity religionlink com Religion Link Retrieved December 11 2015 a b U S Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches at World Directory of the Mennonite World Conference North America PDF Mennonite World Conference 2006 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 06 06 Retrieved 2009 12 03 a b Huber Tim Jan 26 2016 Lancaster s distancing shrinks roll A few churches want to stay with MC USA others are dropped from denomination s membership number Mennonite World Review Mennonite World Review Retrieved August 24 2016 MC USA s new lower membership total is based on only 1 091 members from LMC Lancaster Mennonite Conference Main Page at mennoniteusa org Mennonite Church MC GAMEO gameo org Retrieved 2018 08 08 Mennonite Directory p 16 Mennonite World Review Ohio Conference loses more churches a b c d Huber Tim 19 November 2015 Lancaster Conference to leave the Mennonite Church USA mennworld org Mennonite World Review Retrieved December 11 2015 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Mennonite World Review Franklin Conference votes to leave Mennonite Church USA mennworld org Mennonite World Review Retrieved June 5 2016 Miller Keith Graber Wise as Serpents Innocent as Doves American Mennonites Engage Washington Knoxville University of Tennessee Press 1996 jamesstuckeyweber 2014 04 17 Washington Office Mennonite Central Committee U S Retrieved 2020 11 06 Mennonite Church USA Convention Records 2003 2009 Mennonite Church USA Archives mac libraryhost com Retrieved 2019 04 19 MWR MC USA picks KC for 19 convention www mennoworld org Retrieved 2019 04 19 Mennonite Church USA convention comes to Orlando July 4 8 Mennonite Church USA 2017 06 07 Retrieved 2019 04 19 Allegheny Mennonite Conference Archived from the original on 2015 03 25 Retrieved 2019 01 25 Central District Conference Archived from the original on 2016 03 16 Retrieved 2019 01 25 Central Plains Mennonite Conference Archived from the original on 2016 03 11 Retrieved 2019 01 25 Eastern District Conference Franklin Mennonite Conference Archived from the original on 2009 03 01 Retrieved 2019 01 25 Gulf States Mennonite Conference Archived from the original on 2009 03 01 Retrieved 2019 01 25 Indiana Michigan Mennonite Conference a community of congregations joyfully following Jesus engaging the world God loves Retrieved 15 June 2019 Mountain States Mennonite Conference An area conference of Mennonite Church USA mountainstatesmc org Retrieved 15 June 2019 New York Mennonite Conference www nymennonite org Retrieved 15 June 2019 North Central Conference of the Mennonite Church Archived from the original on 2009 03 02 Retrieved 2019 01 25 Ohio Conference of the Mennonite Church Archived from the original on 2016 04 05 Retrieved 2019 01 25 Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference A conference of the Mennonite Church USA pnmc org Retrieved 15 June 2019 Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference Retrieved 15 June 2019 South Central Mennonite Conference Archived from the original on 2009 03 02 Retrieved 2019 01 25 Southeast Mennonite Conference Archived from the original on 2009 03 02 Retrieved 2019 01 25 Western District Conference An area conference of Mennonite Church USA Western District Conference Retrieved 15 June 2019 Mennonite Mission Network official website Accessed 2006 03 14 a b Mennonite Education Agency official website Accessed 2006 03 14 MennoMedia official website Accessed 2015 01 19 Mennonite Health Services official website Everence official website Accessed 2006 03 14 Mennonite Schools Council official website Archived 2012 09 18 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 2011 03 01 Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective 1995 Herald Press ISBN 0 8361 9043 2 Online copy accessed 2006 03 14 Resolution on Human Sexuality 1986 General Conference Mennonite Church Archived from the original on 2012 09 05 Retrieved 2018 12 24 Johns Loren Homosexuality and the Mennonite Church http www ambs edu LJohns H amp MC htm Archived 2008 10 05 at the Wayback Machine Barr Meghan Mennonites in Ohio protest exclusion of gays http www guardian co uk world feedarticle 8589237 Yoder Kelli Central District Licenses Pastor in same sex relationship mennworld org Mennonite World Review Retrieved October 13 2015 Schrag Paul WDC Same sex marriage won t bring censure mennoworld org Mennonite World Retrieved February 23 2016 Schrag Paul 2022 05 29 Delegates repeal Membership Guidelines pass LGBTQ affirming resolution Anabaptist World Retrieved 2022 05 31 Historic Peace Churches Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online Retrieved Jan 12 2013 Conscientious Objection ThirdWay com Retrieved 2018 12 08 Mennonite Church USA 1995 Article 22 Peace Justice and Nonresistance MennoniteUSA org Retrieved December 29 2018 Creation Care Resolution for Mennonite Church USA PDF Mennonite Church USA July 5 2013 Retrieved June 17 2019 Seeking Peace in Israel and Palestine PDF Delegate Assembly at Orlando 2017 Mennonite Church USA Retrieved June 17 2019 Israel Palestine Initiatives Mennonite Church USA Retrieved June 17 2019 Churchwide Statement on Immigration 2014 Revision of 2003 Statement PDF Mennonite Church USA February 15 2014 Retrieved June 17 2019 Churchwide Statement on Sexual Abuse Passed by the Mennonite Church USA Delegate Assembly at Kansas City Missouri PDF Mennonite Church USA July 3 2015 Retrieved June 17 2019 References EditEncyclopedia of American Religions J Gordon Melton editor Handbook of Denominations in the United States by Frank S Mead Samuel S Hill and Craig D Atwood Mennonite Church USA 2003 Directory Mennonite Directory 1999 Herald Press ISBN 0 8361 9454 3 Mennonite Encyclopedia Cornelius J Dyck Dennis D Martin et al editorsExternal links EditMennonite Church USA official website Mennonite Church USA History and Archives Third Way Cafe Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mennonite Church USA amp oldid 1135622591, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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