At least 10 congregations have left Mennonite Church USA this year, many as a result of disagreements over LGBT inclusion. Clinton Brick Mennonite Church, in Goshen, Ind., recently added to that number by formalizing its departure from Indiana-Michigan Conference starting Oct. 1.

The 150-year-old church voted to leave MC USA July 13 and announced the decision Oct. 11.

“There are a number of issues where our differences in understanding are too great,” said Pastor Dave Hathaway and four others in a statement. “The largest rift may be the latest one having to do with how to view sexual behavior and what has become acceptable to many in the nation but also now with a number of leaders and congregants in the Mennonite Church.

“We believe that God created and ordained marriage to be between one man and one woman and sexual relations to be only between male and female in that married state. . . .

“It is our belief that those who promote, bless and involve themselves in same-sex unions are not followers of Jesus but rather of the secular world that we live in. . . .

“We cannot claim to be followers of [God] and expect to spend eternity with him if we are not willing to let him be the authority on what acceptable behavior is and what is not.”