UPDATE: Lancaster bishops may ordain women
by Anna GroffPrint Article Email to a Friend
On May 16, the Lancaster (Pa.) Mennonite Conference Board of Bishops approved a credentialing policy that will allow for the ordination of women. The new policy will lodge all LMC credentialing decisions with the Board of Bishops and a recently formed Conference Credentialing Commission. This action follows a Bishop Board proposal that was tested with all credentialed leaders in March and April.
“After a careful review of the feedback received,” wrote LMC moderator Keith Weaver in a May 21 release, “bishops reached a consensus to implement the new policy in the belief that it will respect and honor the variety of ways God’s Spirit works in LMC congregations related to the calling and credentialing of persons for leadership roles.”
In keeping with a 2006 Bishop Board recommendation, the new policy stipulates that the role of bishop and similar conference oversight roles will be reserved for men.
“The board is aware that this decision will be disappointing and painful for some on either side of the issue,” wrote Weaver. “However, after much prayerful discussion, bishops concluded that this approach represents the best way for the conference to move forward from a difficult impasse.”
LMC credentialed leaders had rejected a resolution to ordain women in a January 2007 vote. After the resolution was not passed, Linford King, bishop-overseer for Lancaster City District, ordained Elizabeth Nissley, associate pastor of James Street Mennonite Church, Lancaster, on June 24 (“Lancaster church ordains Elizabeth Nissley,” July 3, 2007). King then ordained Janet Breneman, pastor of Laurel Street Mennonite Church, Lancaster, on Jan. 20 (“Janet Breneman ordained in Lancaster,” Feb. 5).
On Jan. 18, King received a letter from the executive committee of the Lancaster Conference bishop board warning of further action if he ordained Breneman. No further disciplinary action was taken, however.—Anna Groff
Related Resources
Discussion Guides:
Current Stories
Articles
- Poverty in the suburbs
- Living without the answers
- Visualizing nonviolence
- From army ammunition plant to prairie
- Matins: Supplications to find the way through the day
News stories, digests and Meno Acontecer
- WEB EXCLUSIVE: Conscientious objector sentenced to seven months in U.S. military prison
- Mennonites in the News: Worship feels better in a familiar language
- UPDATE: Lancaster bishops may ordain women
- Mennonite ice cream
- Mennonites in the News: Bridgewater woman survives China quake
- Seminary library first with green rating
- 1,145 students in five MC USA schools in commencement exercises by May 4
- MCC launches Myanmar cyclone appeal
- Original fair trade fashions sell in Harrisonburg
- Hesston students build solar-powered golf cart
- Sri Lankan pastor released; not tortured
- First Mennonite Brethren women ordained
- Church building plans included MWC donation
- Paraguay 2009 theme read in eight languages
- Robinson, longtime LMC church leader, dies
- MMA Web site more reader-friendly features
- Churches in Zimbabwe issue warning
- New Mennonite Women USA Timbrel editor
Columns
- The food crisis
- The season for planting is upon us
- Clearly the product of intelligent design
- Release and growth
Readers Say
- Love others but not their sins
- Donors want personal relationship
- Changing congregations OK
- Using hymn number ‘606’
- Using hymn number '606' II
- Loving care at journey’s end
- Appreciates Russian Mennonite connection
- Was Jesus that white?
Subscribe