150 Mennonite pastors and others credentialed for ministry signed a letter calling for changes in Mennonite Church USA policies related to inclusion of sexual minorities in the church. The letter urges denominational leaders to “make space for congregations and pastors who welcome and bless LGBTQ Jesus-followers.” The letter was sent on January 24 to executive board members, conference ministers, and other leaders.
The letter comes as denominational leaders consider the future of church policies related to people who are gay and lesbian, churches who welcome them, and pastors who officiate at same-sex weddings. Current policies have largely prevented people in same-sex relationships from having their call to ministry or their marriage blessed by Mennonite pastors.
However, the pastoral letter makes clear that many pastors “feel called by Christ to welcome and bless LGBTQ people who are seeking to follow Jesus” even though that sometimes puts them at variance with denominational guidelines. Other signers to the letter said that while they are not prepared to act at variance to these guidelines, they “respect the discernment of [their] colleagues and seek a denomination where we can engage in the ministry to which God calls us without the threat of having credentials denied or removed or congregations sanctioned.”
The letter was written and circulated by a group of six Mennonite pastors and inspired by a recent article in The Mennonite by Ron Adams, pastor at Madison (WI) Mennonite Church. In his article, Adams tells how his brother, who was born gay, was rejected by a church which valued its theological purity over the love modeled by Jesus. In the wake of his brother’s suicide, Adams states, “If I am asked to choose between adhering to [denominational] guidelines and welcoming and blessing someone, anyone, seeking to follow Jesus, I will welcome and bless.”
The letter begins with the affirmation that Ron is not alone and ends with the call for policy changes. The significantly large number of signers constitutes the biggest collection of Mennonite pastors and credentialed leaders to affirm equal treatment for those in same-sex relationships. The continuing change of attitudes in church and society suggests that this voice will only grow larger in the coming years.
Organizers of the letter are Cynthia Lapp, pastor at Hyattsville Mennonite Church; Karl Shelly, pastor at Assembly Mennonite Church; Megan Ramer, pastor at Chicago Community Church; Joanna Harader, pastor at Peace Mennonite Church of Lawrence, KS; Theda Good, pastor at First Mennonite Church of Denver, and Chad Martin, pastor at Community Mennonite Church of Lancaster.
Organizers had this to say about their witness:
“It’s time the church formally recognizes that whatever consensus once existed around its teaching positions on same-sex relationships is gone,” said Shelly. “The longer we fail to do so, the more the church will stay embroiled in conflict, decrease its relevancy to younger generations, and continue to inflict harm on LGBTQ Christians and itself.”
“Some may ask, ‘Why now?’ for a letter like this,” said Martin. “We feel called to remind the church that treating LBGTQ members and their advocates justly and including them at all levels of church life is not simply the cause of a few fringe pastors or conferences. Many, many pastors across geographic and conference boundaries care deeply about MC USA becoming a more inclusive, hospitable and safe place for LGBTQ people of faith.”
“This letter was written out of love for the church, not defiance,” said Lapp. “We understand the strength of the Mennonite church to be the body of Christ, where all parts are needed and available for service. We affirm this one body with many members; we affirm Christ’s love as our greatest gift; and in raising our concerns, we remain committed to bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, and enduring all things in love.”
“Our congregation would be a spiritually poorer place without the active participation of people who identify as LGBTQ,” said Ramer. “And the same is true of our denomination. An increasing number of congregations have begun to affirm that the Holy Spirit falls on gay and straight alike. Who are we to withhold God’s blessing?”
<Letter Text>
“Denominational guidelines exist regarding the conduct of pastors. Those guidelines include consequences for pastors who bless Jesus-followers whose partners are of the same sex. … But speaking as a pastor, if I am asked to choose between adhering to those guidelines and welcoming and blessing someone, anyone, seeking to follow Jesus, I will welcome and bless.”
— Ron Adams, from his essay “The rule of love” published in the November 1, 2013 issue of The Mennonite
January 24, 2014
Dear sisters and brothers in leadership:
Ron is not alone.
Ron Adams, pastor of Madison Mennonite Church, wrote poignantly about how the church rejected his brother who was born gay. He points out that in its quest for theological purity, the church too often places the rule of law over the rule of love, putting itself at odds with Jesus. In the wake of his brother’s suicide, Ron makes clear which rule he will follow.
Ron speaks for a growing number of Mennonite pastors. Many of us feel called by Christ to welcome and bless LGBTQ people who are seeking to follow Jesus, which sometimes puts us at variance with denominational guidelines. Others of us, while not prepared to personally act against the guidelines, respect the discernment of our colleagues and seek a denomination where we can engage in the ministry to which God calls us without the threat of having credentials denied or removed or congregations sanctioned. We believe this openness embraces the heart of the biblical Good News, and furthers our growth as communities of grace, joy and peace.
We tell you this in part because discussions are now under way in various leadership settings about the future of denominational guidelines and polity. We urge you in your role as leaders to change church policies to make space for the rule of love; to make space for congregations and pastors who welcome and bless LGBTQ Jesus-followers. These Jesus-followers are our sisters and brothers. They are us.
Peace of Christ,
Adam Tice, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Amy Epp, pastor at Seattle Mennonite Church, Seattle WA
Anita Amstutz, pastor at Albuquerque Mennonite Church, Albuquerque NM
Anita Rediger, pastor at Emmaus Road Mennonite Fellowship, Berne IN
Arlen W. Epp, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Elkhart IN
Art Smoker, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Mars Hill NC
Barbara Krehbiel Gehring, pastor at Manhattan Mennonite Church, Manhattan KS
Barry Kreider, pastor at Pilgrims Mennonite Church, Akron PA
Ben Wideman, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Harleysville PA
Bert Newton, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Pasadena CA
Beth Ranck Yoder, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Harleysville PA
Betsy Headrick McCrae, pastor at Glennon Heights Mennonite Church, Lakewood CO
Bob Carlson, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Kansas City KS
Bob Smith, pastor at First Mennonite Church in Iowa City, Iowa City IA
Brenda Hostetler Meyer, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Brenda Sawatzky Paetkau, pastor at Eighth Street Mennonite Church, Goshen IN
Brenda Walter, pastor at Fairfield Mennonite Church, Fairfield PA
Brenda J. Yoder, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Eugene OR
Bryce L Miller, pastor at Shalom Mennonite Fellowship, Tucson AZ
Carol Rose, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Chicago IL
Chad Martin, pastor at Community Mennonite Church of Lancaster, Lancaster PA
Charles Shenk, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Columbus OH
Cheri Herrboldt, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Pasadena CA
Chris Nickels, pastor at Spring Mount Mennonite Church, Spring Mount PA
Clare Ann Ruth Heffelbower, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Fresno CA
Cynthia Lapp, pastor at Hyattsville Mennonite Church, Hyattsville MD
Cynthia Neufeld Smith, pastor at Southern Hills Mennonite Church, Topeka KS
Dawn Yoder Harms, pastor at Assembly Mennonite Church, Goshen IN
David Moser, pastor at Southside Fellowship, Elkhart IN
Dayvid Graybill, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Denver CO
Deron B. Bergstresser, pastor at Faith Mennonite Church, Goshen IN
Don Blosser, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Dorothy Nickel Friesen, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Newton KS
Doug Hostetter, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Evanston IL
Duane K. Friesen, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, North Newton KS
Ed Rempel, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Littleton CO
Edward B. Stoltzfus, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Harrisonburg VA
Eldon Epp, pastor at First Mennonite Church, Ransom KS
Elizabeth G. Nissley, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Lancaster PA
Emily North, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Harrisonburg VA
Glenn Balzer, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Denver CO
Gwen Groff, pastor at Bethany Mennonite Church, Bridgewater Corners VT
Gwen Gustafson-Zook, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Hal L. Shrader, pastor at Trinity Mennonite Church, Glendale AZ
Heidi Regier Kreider, pastor at Bethel College Mennonite Church, North Newton KS
Helen Hopson, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Austin TX
Helen Wells O’Brien, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, St. Paul MN
Jaime Lázaro, pastor at Iglesia El Centro, Colorado Springs CO
James M. Branum, minister of Peace and Justice at Joy Mennonite Church, Oklahoma City OK
James Rissler, pastor at Atlanta Mennonite Fellowship, Atlanta GA
Jane L. Dick, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Frederick CO
Jane Thorley Roeschley, pastor at Mennonite Church of Normal, Normal IL
Janet Elaine Guthrie, pastor at First Mennonite Church of Champaign-Urbana IL
Jeni Hiett Umble, pastor at Living Light of Peace, Arvada CO
Jill Gerig, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Denver CO
Jim Miller, pastor at Covenant Mennonite Fellowship, Sarasota FL
Joanna Harader, pastor at Peace Mennonite Church, Lawrence KS
Joe Roos, pastor at Pasadena Mennonite Church, Pasadena CA
Joel Miller, pastor at Columbus Mennonite Church, Columbus OH
Joetta Handrich Schlabach, pastor at Faith Mennonite Church, Minneapolis MN
John A. Esau, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, North Newton KS
John M. Stoltzfus, pastor at East Holbrook Mennonite Church, Cheraw CO
Jonathan Neufeld, pastor at Seattle Mennonite Church, Seattle WA
Joseph K. Katva Jr, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Elkhart IN
Juel Russell, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Salem OR
John Kampen, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Cincinnati OH
Joyce Wyse, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Columbus OH
Karen Cox, pastor at Boulder Mennonite Church, Boulder CO
Karl S. Shelly, pastor at Assembly Mennonite Church, Goshen IN
Kathleen Temple, credentials removed by Virginia Mennonite Conference, Harrisonburg VA
Kathrine Rempel, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Littleton CO
Katy Heinzel, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Lancaster PA
Kay Bontrager-Singer, pastor at Faith Mennonite Church, Goshen IN
Keith Espenshade, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Lancaster PA
Keith Graber Miller, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Kelly Carson, pastor at Mennonite Fellowship of Bloomington, Bloomington IN
Kevin Farmwald, pastor at Eighth Street Mennonite Church, Goshen IN
Klaudia Smucker, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Fleetwood PA
Lee Lever, pastor at Austin Mennonite Church, Austin TX
Lloyd L. Miller, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Lois Harder, pastor at Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church, Wichita KS
Lois Stoltzfus Mast, pastor at Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship, Goshen IN
Lora Nafziger, pastor at Assembly Mennonite Church, Goshen IN
Lorie Hershey, pastor at West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship, Philadelphia PA
Mag Richer Smith, pastor at First Mennonite Church in Iowa City, Iowa City IA
Marc Schlegal, pastor at Hyde Park Mennonite Fellowship, Boise ID
Margaret Sawatsky, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Elkhart IN
Marilyn Miller, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Boulder CO
Marilyn Rudy-Froese, pastor at Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship, Goshen IN
Mark Van Steenwyk, pastor at the Mennonite Worker, Minneapolis MN
Mark Weidner, pastor at Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship, Cincinnati OH
Marlene Kropf, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Port Townsend WA
Marty Troyer, pastor at Houston Mennonite Church, Houston TX
Mary Jane Brenneman, credentials removed by Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference, Albany OR
Mary Lehman Yoder, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Matt Friesen, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Eugene OR
Megan M. Ramer, pastor at Chicago Community Mennonite Church, Chicago IL
Melanie Neufeld, pastor at Seattle Mennonite Church, Seattle WA
Melissa S Roth, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Colorado Springs CO
Melvin D. Schmidt, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Hyattsville MD
Mervin Dick, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Frederick CO
Michael B. Crosby, pastor at First Mennonite Church of Champaign-Urbana, Urbana IL
Michael Schaadt, credentials removed by Franconia Conference, Bethlehem PA
Michelle Burkholder, pastor at Hyattsville Mennonite Church, Hyattsville MD
Myron Schrag, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Nina Lanctot, pastor at Florence Church of the Brethren Mennonite, Bristol IN
Pamela Dintaman, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Tucson AZ
Pat Hostetter Martin, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Harrisonburg VA
Patricia Lázaro, pastor at Iglesia El Centro, Colorado Springs CO
Paul Versluis, pastor at Shalom Community Church, Ann Arbor MI
Phil Mininger, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Paoli IN
Rachel Epp Miller, pastor at San Antonio Mennonite Church, San Antonio TX
Randall Spaulding, credentials removed by Southeast Mennonite Conference, New Haven CT
Regina Shands Stoltzfus, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Richard L. Gehring, pastor at Manhattan Mennonite Church, Manhattan KS
Robert Kaufman, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Kansas City KS
Robin Walton, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Cincinnati OH
Roger Neufeld Smith, pastor at Southern Hills Mennonite Church, Topeka KS
Ron Adams, pastor at Madison Mennonite Church, Madison WI
Rose Marie Zook Barber, pastor at Eugene Mennonite Church, Eugene OR
Ruth Harder, pastor at Rainbow Mennonite Church, Kansas City KS
Ruth Penner, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Newton KS
Ryan Ahlgrim, pastor at First Mennonite Church, Indianapolis IN
Ryan Koch, pastor at Peace Mennonite Church, Dallas TX
Samantha Lioi, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Allentown PA
Sandra Wiens, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Guilford CT
Sheri Hostetler, pastor at First Mennonite Church of San Francisco CA
Stephen Penner, pastor at First Mennonite Church, Reedley CA
Steve Goering, pastor at Sojourn Mennonite Church, Fort Collins CO
Steve Ramer, pastor at Fort Collins Mennonite Fellowship, Fort Collins CO
Steve Ratzlaff, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Fresno CA
Suella Gerber, pastor at Fellowship of Hope, Elkhart IN
Susan Gascho-Cooke, pastor at Community Mennonite Church of Lancaster, Lancaster PA
Susan Ortman Goering, pastor at Sojourn Mennonite Church, Fort Collins CO
Sylvia E Shirk, pastor at Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship, New York NY
Ted Grimsrud, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Harrisonburg VA
Teresa Dutchersmith, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Theda Good, pastor at First Mennonite Church of Denver, Denver CO
Tim Schrag, pastor at Mennonite Church of Normal, Normal IL
Tim Stair, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Elkhart IN
Tina Schlabach, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Tucson AZ
Tom Harder, pastor at Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church, Wichita KS
Tory Doerksen, pastor at First Mennonite Church of Denver, Denver CO
Trevor Bechtel, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Ann Arbor MI
Vern Rempel, pastor at First Mennonite Church of Denver, Denver CO
Vicki Penner, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Lawrence KS
Wayne A. Nitzsche, pastor at Perkasie Mennonite Church, Perkasie PA
Weldon Nisly, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Seattle WA
Wesley Bergen, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, North Newton KS
Willard Roth, credentialed for ministry in MC USA, Goshen IN
Zachary Gleason, pastor at Joy Mennonite Church, Oklahoma City OK
(organizational listing for identification purposes only)
Responses can be sent to the Inclusive Mennonite Pastors leadership team* at [email protected].
*Chad Martin, Cynthia Lapp, Joanna Harader, Karl Shelly, Megan Ramer, Theda Good
I’m thinking of going to seminary and getting credentialed just so I can sign this letter! JK, but as a bi-national citizen (Elkhart seminary brat turned Canadian), I am so glad to see this issue being aired so fully on both sides of the border. I’m proud that my father supported full inclusion and acceptance of not only gay Christians in the church, but also of the right of alternative sexuality people to pursue pastoral ministry within the Mennonite church. I sincerely hope that we are not headed toward a 21st century schism, but if that happens so be it. I would find it difficult to remain part of a conference that restricts the acceptance of all brothers and sisters and their right to live and love. Also, this entire issue includes a broader framework: what it means (or does not mean) to be male and female in our society. It’s time to tear down the walls of stereotypical constructs!
I cannot access the website, [email protected], so let me comment here. My credentials have been removed from Mennonite Church USA (Germantown 1997, 2001), so I’m unsure if or how my voice is to be heard. I wish I could have been one of the signers, and also declare my strong support of this call for change in the denomination.