The membership of Winnipeg’s River East Church in the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba will end May 31 unless the church decides to return “to an active embrace of MBCM member church expectations” regarding LGBTQ inclusion and same-sex marriage.

That was the resolution approved Jan. 20 by delegates to a special MBCM session in that Manitoba city.

The vote in favor of the resolution to end River East’s membership was 261 for and 52 against (83.3%).

At the same time, delegates said the church is welcome to return to the conference if it decides to live in accordance with the belief that marriage is only between men and women.

Speaking at the start of the session, MBCM assistant moderator Terry Dueck said the meeting was necessitated by River East’s decision not to submit itself to the “wisdom and guidance” of the conference. That included the option of leaving voluntarily — something the church had rejected.

That put the burden of deciding what to do about River East on the conference, he said.

While he acknowledged the conference didn’t always get the process right when dealing with the church, he said it had been a “healthy and relational” discernment.

Reynold Redekopp, chair of the River East Leadership Commission, echoed Dueck’s sentiments, citing “the amazing way” MBCM leadership had entered into open and honest conversation.

He said the reason for the special session was the church’s inclusivity statement, which was created after years of “discussion, study, prayer and practice.”

The statement flowed out of a “desire to show the love of Christ,” he said. “We think that love shouldn’t be limited as we are all on the journey of discipleship . . . we embrace inclusivity as a gift and call of Christ.”

Before the discussion time began, MBCM moderator Dave Ens reminded delegates that the goal was not to decide if River East had broken its commitment to the conference. “That has already been determined,” he said.

The goal, he stated, was “what to do about River East” in light of that broken commitment.

After about 75 minutes of discussion, with most speaking in favor of the resolution, a delegate called for a vote on the question. The vote to proceed directly to voting passed by a margin of 267 to 28.

Following approval of the resolution, MBCM provincial director Cam Priebe expressed his gratitude to River East leadership for the way they worked with the conference in the process.

Although the church officially won’t be removed from membership until May 31, he agreed with the church’s leaders that the vote “feels like the end” and that it would be appropriate to share goodbyes and blessings.

In response, River East Pastor Mary Anne Isaak noted that the church had been nurtured by the conference for six decades and participated in joint ministry with other churches in Manitoba and across Canada during that time.

She said River East has “heard God calling us to move in a new direction. As we part ways, we acknowledge the many blessings” received during the church’s history.

In response, Jason Dyck, director of church ministries for MBCM, said it should not be easy to part ways with a member church.

“We may not be able to walk the way we walked for the last 60 years,” Dyck said of the relationship between River East and MBCM, but he prayed the church “would continue to walk the way of Jesus.”

A reporter from Anabaptist World was not permitted to attend the session. This report was written based on notes provided by people who were there.