On April 26, Clinton Frame Mennonite Church in Goshen, Ind., voted to leave Mennonite Church USA and join the Evana Network when it forms in the fall.
Clinton Frame will be an independent congregation until Evana officially forms, said Terry Diener, lead pastor, on April 28.
John Troyer, former pastor of youth and young adults at Clinton Frame, leads Evana as the transitional administrator.
The official date to leave the denomination is June 30.
The vote passed by 82 percent, with 221 votes.
The average Sunday morning attendance is 400 people.
“The central goal was to come through the process and vote with the most unity possible as a congregation,” said Diener. “That is still our goal as we work at moving forward together.”
On June 4, 2014, members passed a recommendation from the congregation’s oversight board to leave Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference, with 95 percent support of the 204 votes cast.
The church will not temporarily join South Central Conference, part of Mennonite Church USA, as discussed earlier.
Clinton Frame is one of Indiana-Michigan’s oldest and largest churches.
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