Response to open letter
by Heidi Regier Kreider, pastor, and Ruth R. Harder, associate pastor, Bethel College Mennonite Church, North Newton, Kan.
We are writing in response to the "Open Letter to Mennonite Church USA" that calls for the denomination to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. We affirm the call for a church that, in the words of the letter, "offers Christ's radical hospitality and extravagant love to everyone." In this spirit, our congregation adopted a welcoming statement in 2002 that affirms hospitality in a variety of areas: "Bethel College Mennonite Church welcomes into fellowship and membership all persons who confess faith in Jesus Christ, without regard to their race, ethnic background, gender, age, sexual orientation, education, ability and other factors which give rise to discrimination and marginalization."
We recognize that letters or statements such as these can be interpreted in different ways and can result in unintended consequences and assumptions. For that reason, we welcome ongoing dialogue in the spirit of love as we seek to follow Jesus as a community of faith.
Associated Issue: Green shoots rising - April 7, 2009
Associated Article: Open letter calls for 'radical hospitality'
Current Stories
Articles
- Wrestling at Peniel
- At once
- Learning to pray without words
- Prayer changes things
- New life in the present and hope for the future
News stories, digests and Meno Acontecer
- WEB EXCLUSIVE: Homecoming
- Book tells of stained glass at Hopewell Mennonite
- Executive Board addresses antiracism, plans for transition
- What to expect of Millennial pastors
- Mennos in the News: Alpha Mennonite Church faces removal from membership
- Mennonite churches discern if and how to minister to convicted sex offenders
- WEB EXCLUSIVE: Here comes the argument
- What would your church do?
- Integration pioneer dies Easter evening
- Mennonite pastor presides at mass worship
- CPTer faces prison, Israeli settlers attack women and children
- CLC proposes new Leaders Forum event
- Bethel to reduce budget by $1 million
- Mission Network must reduce spending
- ¡Bienvenidos al Meno Acontecer de mayo, 2009!
- La Educación Superior, una inversión que da excelentes retornos
- Reflexiones Pastorales
- De nuestros lectores y colaboradores ...
- ¿Material de estudio anabautista??
Columns
- Giving and receiving
- April film and book reviews
- Sex offenders in the church
- A step toward greater justice
- John Updike: a good neighbor
Reader Comments
Add Comments