The BCMB conference has called for a special April 3 meeting of the Cedar Park Church congregation.
In so doing, BCMB Moderator Sharon Simpson invoked bylaws that permit the Conference to call a special meeting of a member church and to assist a church “that is experiencing difficulty and/or is operating/teaching contrary to the Bible and the Confession of Faith.”
In her note, Simpson said the Conference is aware all three of the church’s pastors have resigned, along with all but one Elder.
“We are concerned about the future of Cedar Park Church as it moves forward without leadership,” she said.
“We recognize that there are difficulties within your congregation, which directly involve concerns about convictions that relate to the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith, particularly with respect to the articles that refer to sexuality”
It is BCMB’s goal at the meeting, she said, “to ascertain the facts, speak to questions and provide
assistance as Cedar Park Church moves forward.”
It is BMB’s “sincere desire” that CPC continue as a member of the Conference, she added, and that it “adhere to and uphold all aspects of the MB Confession of Faith."
In response to the call for the meeting, one CPC member said: “I think they have made a significant miscalculation if they think there is an eager and cohesive group of congregants who are just waiting to come together to rally under the BCMB banner in order to revitalize the church.
“They may be fairly out of touch with the actual congregation,” the member said, adding “some will certainly stay and try to rebuild, many are dreaming about something new, some are simply exhausted, and others have been turned off by the harm they have witnessed.”
Said another member: “We are heartbroken. Grieving. No heart to start a new church. Maybe we won’t attend any church. Artisan is too far away. Maybe a satellite of Artisan. Right now, I’m very angry at the BCMB and how they and Rob Thiessen handled the situation. It could have been so different.
On March 22, five of the six members of the board of elders resigned, citing various reasons.
Said one in a resignation letter: “The elder board had hoped to facilitate our pastors leading us in healthy and open discussion [about LGBTQ+ welcome] and had also hoped to rebuild a trusting relationship with the conference. We have not been able to fulfill those hopes, since the forces that stand against these are many and varied.
Said another: “My sense is that the desire that I felt, and many people feel in our congregation, to explore how Christ’s way shows us to love and accept all people, even the marginalized, has basically been kidnapped.
“This saddens me. I feel some of the actions of the BCMB Conference actually run contrary to the gospel, God, and the Jesus that I know. The heavy-handed demeaning treatment and scrutiny of our pastoral staff go beyond anything that I could ever imagine would have happened. I have no ability left to support the Conference.”
Said a third: “When I first attended CPC, I was so pleased that I could attend an MB church and worship in a way that fit so well for me. Sadly, the actions of the BCMB this last year show that I was mistaken.”
Earlier in March all three pastors resigned due to disagreement over the nature of the Confession, especially as it applied to sexuality and marriage.
At issue for the pastors was whether the BCMB viewed the Confession as a document open to change or with “legalistic rigidity,” said former lead pastor Lee Kosa.
The pastors were unable in good conscience to meet the conditions of BCMB leadership that asked for evidence of their “unequivocal commitment to the Confession of Faith.”
BCMB has been invited to share additional comments on this situation.
Read more comments by CPC members about the situation at their church.
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