The Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba (MBCM) has released a statement in response to the decision by Jubilee Mennonite Church to welcome people in the LGBTQ+ community to become full members of the congregation.
Jubilee is a dual conference church, part of both Mennonite Church Manitoba and MBCM.
The decision, which the church made in June, affirms that “all people are made in the image of God and are equally loved by God” and that everyone is welcome to join “regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, social or economic status or ability.”
Through membership, everyone is welcome to participate in the full life of the church, including communion, baptism and marriage, the statement goes on to say.
The statement was approved by the congregation on June 12. It is now up on the church’s website.
The decision was welcomed by Michael Pahl, Executive Minister for MC Manitoba, who noted MC Manitoba is “committed to creating space for congregations to discern how the Spirit is leading them with regard to LGBTQ+ inclusion.”
A total of ten of MC Manitoba’s 37 congregations are now “fully affirming” of LGBTQ+ welcome and affirmation, he said.
In a statement released August 2, the Leadership Board of the MBCM said it is working on a response to Jubilee’s new statement of inclusion.
“The MBCM Board and Provincial Faith and Life Team recognize that LGBTQ+ persons, along with their friends and families, have experienced exclusion and rejection in churches,” the statement said.
“While this is not everyone’s story, we understand that it is the story of many. We are committed to a future where better stories are experienced.”
The statement went on to say that “each MBCM church is invited to join in this journey, where LGBTQ+ persons and their families experience inclusion and care.”
It added “we recognize that some of the implications of working to include and care for LGBTQ+ persons can bump up against our shared confession. The MBCM board and PFLT continue to affirm our shared confession, in all of its aspects.”
The Board applauded Jubilee for the way it “has been at work to enhance the care and inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in an intentional manner over the past year,” even when “we experience disagreement with aspects of their current statement.”
“While we affirm much of what is contained in the statement, we recognize that there are elements in sharp disagreement with our shared confession of faith,” the Board said, adding it is “working with Jubilee to resolve this matter.”
A decision by MBCM on how to proceed is expected by September.
Jubilee Mennonite Church, which
is located in northeast Winnipeg, was founded in 1995
as a dual-conference congregation through the merger of the Northgate Mennonite
Fellowship of Mennonite Church Manitoba and the Valley Gardens Community Church
of the Mennonite Brethren Churches of Manitoba.
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