While topics regarding sexuality have dominated the mainstream headlines in the past several weeks, Mennonite Church Canada and area church leaders have made a move that points to a shift in values regarding sexuality within the denomination.
On May 14, MC Canada general secretary Willard Metzger and chief operating officer Vic Thiessen, and Ken Warkentin, executive director of MC Manitoba, met with members of Harmony: Mennonites for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered) Inclusion. The grassroots initiative within MC Canada desires to create open and loving spaces for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in congregations and area church bodies. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a motion Harmony plans to present at the MC Canada assembly in Waterloo, Ont., in early July.
This motion will ask MC Canada to acknowledge that:
- There are non-heterosexual individuals who are struggling within its congregations, whether or not those individuals have publicly acknowledged their orientation, and whether or not they are in a relationship with another person; and
- That all Christians have a legitimate place in God’s kingdom generally, and in the church specifically.
The motion also calls on MC Canada to:
- Urge its area churches and congregations to take seriously the call to continue in loving dialogue, and to fully embrace—by inviting and welcoming into their midst—all persons, including their non-heterosexual members, adherents and neighbours; and
- Be encouraged to expedite the present “Being a Faithful Church” process, especially as regards to education and discernment on matters of sexuality.
The timing of this motion is especially important to Harmony, since it was 25 years ago that a motion on sexuality—known as the Saskatoon Resolution—was presented and adopted at a national assembly.
That resolution reads in part: “We understand the Bible to teach that sexual intercourse is reserved for a man and a woman united in marriage, and that violation of this teaching is a sin. It is our understanding that this teaching also precludes premarital, extramarital and homosexual sexual activity.”
“In the past, the Saskatoon Resolution has been used as a tool to make non-heterosexual people feel excluded,” said Ben Borne, a coordinator of Harmony and the incoming student council president at Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg. “It is certainly outdated, because of the language and the wording used.” He said the Harmony motion is meant to do what the Saskatoon Resolution could not: include non-heterosexuals in the church.
“This is a resolution to call on congregations to embrace their [non-heterosexual] brothers and sisters,” said Erwin Warkentin, a member of both Harmony and Bethel Mennonite Church, Winnipeg.
Harmony believes that the Saskatoon Resolution, through its outdated language, has led to a deep struggle with unspoken pain, resulting in silence for individuals, their families and communities, and has led to schisms, withdrawals and expulsions of individuals, their families and supporting congregations within MC Canada.
For Borne, being able to meet with senior Mennonite church representatives symbolizes the relationship Harmony hopes to build with the national church. “It shows that Mennonite Church Canada is interested in what their own members are doing,” he said.
According to Metzger, putting forward this motion that would hold the church accountable for “loving dialogue, is a message we always need to hear.”
Looking ahead, Metzger is prepared for difficult discussions regarding sexuality at the conference. (See his From Our Leaders column, “Others are watching closely,”)
“The General Board is committed to walk towards difficult conversations, confident that when God’s people gather, the Spirit of God is in the midst,” he said.
The Harmony motion is scheduled to go through the Resolutions Committee on July 7 at the assembly. It will be given a 20- minute time slot.
“That’s more time than any other resolution,” Thiessen noted.
Comments
The Lord Jesus Christ accepted the worst of sinners. They did not have to change before he would accept them, but the ones that truly accepted Him did change. “When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, 'Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?' She said, 'No man, Lord.' And Jesus said unto her, 'Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.'" John 8:10, 11
Throughout scripture the theme is the same, people changed if the decided to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. You can see the change in the verses I quoted.
It burdens me to see Mennonites holding on to Mennonite more than they do to whom they say they follow (The Lord Jesus). I was born into a Mennonite family did a lot of service in the “Mennonite church” as it would be called. It was not until my wife and I felt so empty of all this service and left the “church” that I was saved. I can now truly say that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour. The Lord part was never spoken about, only after we left that I actually started to read the scripture to see for myself what I should do after I was saved. That’s when I understood that Jesus Christ is not only my Savior but He is my Lord and Saviour! I will forever be grateful for God leading us out of “church” and into His church.
Add new comment
Canadian Mennonite invites comments and encourages constructive discussion about our content. Actual full names (first and last) are required. Comments are moderated and may be edited. They will not appear online until approved and will be posted during business hours. Some comments may be reproduced in print.