Lancaster bishops may ordain women
by Anna GroffPrint Article Email to a Friend
LANCASTER, Pa.—On May 16, the Lancaster 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,” LMC moderator Keith Weaver said 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,” said 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
- God empowers—we serve
- Joining the Anabaptist conspirators
- Radical ecumenism digs in the dirt
- My ensemble experience
- Search, click, give
News stories, digests and Meno Acontecer
- Shake up at MMA
- Goshen College student dies in automobile accident
- The sermons heard ’round the world
- Mennonite colleges, universities lead in ‘legacy’ students and alumni loyalty
- Quilting needles ‘powerful as hammers’
- MC USA churches buy some new wheels
- New fund helps with Gulf coast recovery
- Mennonite agencies provide aid to China
- Course offers EMS students context in Israel/Palestine
- MCC seeks $500,000 for cyclone response
- Mennonite history essential books announced
- New Mennonite Your Way directory compiled
- Lancaster bishops may ordain women
- Más sobre el trabajo de la Agencia Menonita de Educación
- Padres y Jóvenes, ¡la educación menonita es accesible!
- IBA visita las iglesias del Cauco Hispano de Nueva York
- ¿Sabía usted que ...
- Reflexión Pastoral: 3ª Parte
- Sitios Hispanos Menonitas en el Internet
- ¡Asamblea Bienal !!!
- Testimonio ...
- Retiro Anual de estudiantes de IBA
Columns
- Doing less smudging
- When prayer doesn’t work
- What is emergent?
- All stakeholders should be at the table
Readers Say
- Is summit being publicized?
- Avoiding controversy?
- Mental illness
- Lederach wrong about Joseph
- Muslims are today’s Samaritans
- Wants voices of younger women
- A gift of love amidst the sadness
- Jesus died for our sins
Subscribe