Virginia Mennonite Conference reaffirmed its membership in Mennonite Church USA while also extending space for three more years for VMC congregations to choose not to be considered part of the denomination at its July 18-20 summer delegate assembly at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church.
The 75% affirmation of MC USA membership comes one year after delegates voted to examine the implications of the conference potentially leaving the denomination and to recommend decisive action.
Delegates passed a motion with 94% affirmation from VMC’s Denomination Affiliation Work Group reiterating the 1995 Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective as the conference’s “teaching position.” The motion directs all credentialed leaders to “know the content” of the Confession, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman, and to “commend the Confession as the positions held” by the conference.
Craig Maven, minister of administration and church relations, acknowledged to Anabaptist World some of the conference’s conservative and progressive congregations have left.
“It is clear from the feedback [the VMC Denomination Affiliation Work Group] received that a significant portion of VMC is ready to move on from the debate around sexuality, which is the strongest driver for examining the relationship with MC USA, and into a ministry/missional calling,” he said.
Affirmation of MC USA membership clarified a desire to remain with the denomination, though VMC interim Conference Leadership Team member Caleb Schrock-Hurst said the 25% delegate vote against the motion indicates many churches hold continuing concern about MC USA.
Delegates approved a motion with 91% affirmation that instructs VMC leadership to work on a resolution for MC USA delegates to consider changing bylaws that say all members of an MC USA conference are also members of MC USA. Multiple other conferences recognize a congregational choice to “opt out” of the denomination, although MC USA does not. Two VMC congregations chose to opt out of MC USA ahead of the assembly.
Michael Danner, MC USA associate executive director for church vitality, told AW the denomination is open to resolutions that redefine membership, but allowing congregations to opt out creates more problems than it fixes.
“It appears to solve one problem — keeping congregations who do not support same-sex marriage or the credentialing of queer married persons connected to the conference — but this is ultimately short-sighted and misses the larger missional challenges facing congregations, conferences and, by extension, the denomination,” Danner said. “Such a move fundamentally changes the nature of the denomination and calls for a re-evaluation of membership in MC USA, including discussions about direct membership, conference accountability and national credentialing options, for example.”
After delegate actions recognizing the release of 10 congregations and the addition of Iglesia Shalom-Nuevo Comienzo in Waynesboro, Va., VMC now counts 49 congregations.
Six churches have left since January to affiliate with LMC, the Pennsylvania-based denomination formerly known as Lancaster Mennonite Conference. Three others are considering affiliation with Rosedale Network, formerly known as Conservative Mennonite Conference. Knoxville Mennonite Church in Tennessee took action last fall to transfer to Central District Conference of MC USA. Two churches have closed: Signs of Life in Staunton, Va., and Asheville Mennonite Church in North Carolina.
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