Contrary to our hope that the national boards of Mennonite Central Committee would remove language that marginalizes the exquisite gifts and denies full participation of LGBTQ+ Anabaptist Mennonites, we are saddened by their re-entrenchment of exclusion and the expansion of policy No. 152 [“MCC requires sexual celibacy for personnel outside of a heterosexual marriage relationship”] to include board members. The decision has caused harm to members of our beloved community.

At Seattle Mennonite Church, we are passionate in our support of MCC. As pastors, we offer a hearty “Amen!” to the assessment voiced by Carol Wise that “MCC has a beautiful mission that includes sharing God’s love and compassion and working for peace and justice.” We want to wholeheartedly continue to support MCC. We cherish the mission and work of MCC too much to stand by as MCC board decisions wound and marginalize LGBTQ+ members of the Anabaptist community.

We acknowledge the diversity in MCC’s constituency and global partnerships, yet we do not support the sacrifice of LGBTQ+ people in order to preserve a false sense of peace and consensus among constituent groups. We call on MCC to prophetically claim its “big tent” identity by refusing to police its own borders through exclusionary policies and to instead joyously celebrate its center — the shared and important work around which a diverse Anabaptist body coalesces.

This letter was signed by the pastoral team of Seattle Mennonite Church: Megan Ramer, Amy Epp, Jonathan Neufeld and Melanie Neufeld.