I have been mourning the disintegration of our denomination. How could this be happening to a peace church?

I remember the way a bishop saved a mission church from dissolution. Earlier he had sent a letter denying membership to an applicant. If he followed this up publicly, many in the congregation were prepared to leave for other churches. 

When the crucial Sunday morning service came, however, he simply said to the applicant, in front of the congregation, “I don’t agree with you, but I accept you as a sister in the Lord.”

After a moment of silence, a man stood up. He had attended services for quite some time but never joined. He announced that, after hearing the bishop’s action, he, too, wanted to become a member. Soon others were on their feet, as one after another of those who had been attenders but not members announced their wish to be members. The atmosphere was joyful as it became clear that this was now a congregation that would accept people who were honest about their spiritual journey. It remains a vibrant church.

Many of us hold strong views. All of us can quote Scripture to support our convictions. Does that mean we cannot regard one another as companions following Jesus? Have we forgotten Jesus’ words: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12)? And: “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged” (Matthew 7:1)?

I see groups among us living out the teachings of Jesus together: our educational institutions, Mennonite Disaster Service, Mennonite Central Committee and the relief sales and thrift stores that support it, Mennonite Economic Development Associates, Mennonite Mission Network.

If we are serious about being the light on the hill as peacemakers following Jesus, we need to begin the hard work of finding healing, coming back together, loving one another, refusing to allow our differences to divide us.

In light of the divisions in our denomination now, I would find it difficult to represent my beloved church as a group  of Jesus’ peacemaking, peace-living disciples.

Nancy V. Lee, Madison, Wis.