Will MC USA see a drop in membership?

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This is a response to the Sept. 15 editorial request to hear from readers regarding the moratorium on the church's teaching on sexuality ("The Dangers of Dialogue"). You are truly between a rock and a hard place, as Mennonite Church USA is pushing dialogue yet your experience has been that an attempt at dialogue significantly decreased your circulation. A few observations:

Mennos are probably not very good at open dialogue. Most of us still see it as an attempt by others to influence our thinking or get us to change our minds. Most of us in the trenches do not see the homosexuality issue as being on par with other traditional issues (dress or modern conveniences) that seemed to pass with time, and therefore one could simply wait until the old generation died off to solve the conflicts. We see it as a basic biblical principle.

If The Mennonite experienced a 25 percent drop in readership, partially due to letters regarding sexuality, will a similar phenomena occur if Mennonite Church USA softens its official statement on sexuality?

There is a good chance that may occur. We are not a people that care to dialogue with the vocal minority but instead vote with our affiliation, whether to a magazine or a denomination. Can Mennonite Church USA survive such a reduction of membership? This is not a threat but a real possibility, as it seems to be one of the major issues that determines conference and congregational affiliation with Mennonite Church USA.

As a longtime reader of The Mennonite, I prefer not to be bombarded with letters on sexuality on a weekly basis. May you experience God's blessing in your decisions.

Associated Issue: Out of the rocking chair - Sept. 15, 2009

Associated Article: The dangers of dialogue

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