South Central Mennonite Conference delegates will consider a proposal to withdraw from Mennonite Church USA at the conference’s assembly July 21-23 at Pleasant Valley Mennonite Church in Harper, Kan.

Two years ago, a similar proposal received 53% support, less than the two-thirds majority needed to pass.

The conference’s Network Leadership Team hosted four regional discernment meetings in January.

The team reported that “it seems clear that the majority of SCMC congregations no longer find affiliation with Mennonite Church USA to be helpful, desired or consistent with our core beliefs and practices.”

If adopted by two-thirds of delegates, the team’s proposed resolution would begin a process of disassociating from the denomination by Oct. 31, 2024, and complete the process of joining another Anabaptist conference, network or organization by the same date.

SCMC network chair Phil Rosenberger said in an announcement to the conference that the leadership team has had preliminary conversations with several other Anabaptist organizations.

“We anticipate that those conversations will continue and expand in the coming months,” he said. “. . . It is our hope and prayer that most of our churches will find agreement regarding a common future affiliation.”