The Executive Board of Mennonite Church USA is meeting this weekend. They will be discussing the denominational response to Mountain States Mennonite Conference (since they licensed Theda Good) and talking more generally about issues of denominational structure and maintaining unity in the midst of theological disagreements–particularly related to our varied understandings of faithful sexuality. If…
On February 17, 2014, the Executive Board of Mennonite Church USA released a statement entitled “Moving Forward.” (I’m pretty sure the irony is unintentional.)This statement is a response to the recent licensing of Theda Good by Mountain States Mennonite Conference. I grieved when I read this statement and realized that once again LGBTQ people are…
In one of my Mennonite Facebook groups the other day, someone asked who would be the first to blog about the “elephant in the room.” That elephant would be the recent licensing toward ordination of my friend and colleague Theda Good. Theda is called by God and gifted by the Spirit to serve a church…
Gathering Hymns: Bwana Awabariki 32 The love of God 33 Scripture Reading: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8, 10-11 Call to Worship: You who are poor, why have you come? To hear good news. You who are brokenhearted, why have you come? To heal our hearts. You who are captive, why have you come? To hear words of…
True to form, I haven’t packed yet for the national Mennonite convention in Phoenix. I have, however, been avoiding pink clothes this week to make sure they are clean when I do pack. Because once again I will be joining with other Pink Mennos to bear witness to our denomination–witness to the hurt and exclusion…
This is another phrase that can be heard coming from all sides of the conversation. I personally heard it a lot at the Western District Conference assembly. Problematic phrase #4: It’s not personal. The bottom line is that this phrase is problematic because it is simply not true. For more detailed reflections, see the blog…
Several people have asked how I feel about being “at variance.” I think that having the note on my Ministerial Leadership Information form is a reasonable consequence of the choice I made. And for some of the people in Western District Conference, all they wanted was for me to have some sort of consequence for…
Here’s the much-anticipated run-down of Saturday’s fun–Western District Conference style: We had “learning communities” (a.k.a. workshops) in the morning. I managed to avoid the communities about sexuality and the church, thus giving myself about three hours this weekend where I did not have to talk or hear about “the issue” (a.k.a. people I love who…
So far this conference is filled with Scripture and hugs and laughter . . . lots of laughter (“The devil called and he wants his heat back.” –Peace Mennonite folks have been subsequently informed that they are not to indicate–even in a joke–that the devil talks to us. Some people here would believe it.) and…
Almost two years ago now, I received a tentative email from a young woman asking if she could have her upcoming wedding at our church. She and her fiance were Christian. They wanted a church wedding, and a friend had told her that she might be able to get married at Peace Mennonite in Lawrence.…
Spacious Faith 