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2007-05-15 issue:

Lancaster Conference not unfaithful

by E. Daniel Martin, Harrisburg, Pa.

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I write this letter in defense of Lancaster (Pa.) Mennonite Conference in light of recent letters that imply LMC has failed to live up to the 1995 Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective by not permitting the ordination of women.

Although actively involved with the (old) Mennonite Church, LMC never officially joined the Mennonite denomination prior to the organization of Mennonite Church USA. Joining Mennonite Church USA involved the decision as to whether the Board of Bishops would, for the first time in its history, bring its ultimate spiritual authority under another body (i.e. Mennonite Church USA). This created a dilemma for many in the conference; some were eager to join Mennonite Church USA, and others were reluctant.

To resolve the dilemma, conference leaders— with the support of denominational leaders—encouraged congregations and credentialed leaders to vote for LMC to join Mennonite Church USA as a conference but to understand that credentialed leaders and congregations could choose their level of participation. If they chose “no participation,” they did not have to subscribe to the 1995 confession of faith but could embrace an earlier confession. “No participation” also meant that they did not have to send any financial support to Mennonite Church USA. A significant number of LMC congregations chose the category of “non-participation with MC USA.”

When LMC considered the ordination of women, the bishops decided to honor those who felt it was unscriptural to ordain women and at the same time honor those who felt it was not only scriptural but mandatory to ordain women. In light of this reality, LMC has not been unfaithful in living out the 1995 Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective because not all credentialed leaders embraced or were expected to embrace this confession.