Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba announces timeline, special resolution to remove River East Church from membership over LGBTQ+

 

Saying it is “the conclusion of the MBCM board, following consultation with the MBCM Provincial Faith and Life Team (PFLT) . . . that River East Church (REC) is failing to uphold the commitment to the Confession of Faith expected of MBCM member churches,” the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba has informed the church it will hold a special meeting on January 20 where delegates will vote on a special resolution to remove REC’s membership in MBCM effective May 31, 2024. 

The full letter about the Special Resolution is below. 

Notice of Special Resolution to River East Church, October 19, 2023 

Greetings to you, River East Church. You are a valued part of our Manitoba community. 

You have been at work to enhance the care and inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in an intentional manner for many years now, in particular the last four years. We recognize this effort, even when we experience disagreement with aspects of your approach and conclusions. 

It is our wish to convey gratitude to the leadership of REC in so much that you have invited MBCM leadership to observe your work these past years. In particular, thank you to Rennie Redekopp, for his consistent willingness to proactively engage in conversation. 

A personal note from Jason Dyck, “Thank you Rennie, you’ve been a friend.” 

The MBCM Board recognizes that LGBTQ+ persons, along with their friends and families, have experienced exclusion and rejection in churches. While this is not everyone’s story, we know and have experienced that it is the story of many. We are committed to a future where better stories are experienced. Each MBCM church is invited to join in this journey, where LGBTQ+ persons and their families experience inclusion and care. 

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 continues to affirm our shared confession, in all of its aspects. 

We also recognize that we operate from a place of perceived and actual power. Power is often experienced as force, and there are ample examples of church institutions applying power in ways that fail. Our shared confession states that “The church is a covenant community in which members are mutually accountable in matters of faith and life.” 

We recognize that we serve from a position of authority and remain determined to function from a place of humility and kindness as members of that covenant community. 

As you are aware, River East Church was suspended from active membership in Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba on May 10, 2023. Per MBCM’s constitutional process, the Provincial Faith and Life Team conducted a review of the circumstances of this suspension. The MBCM board has received that review and has subsequently decided to submit the following special resolution to MBCM churches on or before November 3, 2023. 

Special Resolution Preamble 

The Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba recognizes the marginalization that LGBTQ+ persons and families have experienced in churches. We remain committed to our ongoing work to reduce marginalization and the resulting harm, while remaining committed to our Confession of Faith, in all of its aspects. 

As a condition of their participation and membership in the MBCM, every MBCM congregation explicitly commits to an “acceptance of the Confession of Faith of the Canadian Conference” and to not “pass[ing] or accept[ing] resolutions or practices which are in conflict with this [MB] Confession of Faith.” In their sincere effort to offer welcome to LGBTQ+ persons, River East Church (REC) has made statements and decisions (e.g. A Response from River East Church to MBCM Board and PFLT, January 2023) that are substantively in conflict with the Confession of Faith. In so doing, REC has broken their commitment to not pass resolutions or practises which are in conflict with the Confession of Faith. REC has stated their affirmation of the Confession of Faith as well as affirm same sex marriage. MBCM leadership believes this approach to be incompatible with the intent and common understanding of the convictions described in our shared Confession of Faith. 

While our MB Confession of Faith is an expression of what we believe to be truth discerned from Scripture and is therefore changeable by our national MB conference of churches, a local congregation cannot legitimately make changes (actual or interpretive) on its own and then pursue practices in conflict with these nationally shared convictions. 

The conclusion of the MBCM board, following consultation with the MBCM Provincial Faith and Life Team (PFLT), is that REC is failing to uphold the commitment to the Confession of Faith expected of MBCM member churches. 

Special Resolution Explanation 

This special resolution is presented to the Assembly of Congregations at a Special Assembly on January 20, 2024. 

We invite River East Church to join the MBCM and CCMBC community in embracing a posture of commitment to the Confession of Faith. As a part of this return, it is the desire of the MBCM leadership board that River East Church would join us in this important and ongoing work of reducing marginalization and harm. If River East Church cannot respond to this invitation, and actively return to the shared membership expectations of the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba by May 30, 2024, we regretfully acknowledge that River East Church has chosen a path that will end their membership with MBCM as of May 31, 2024. 

Should this ending of membership become a reality as of May 31, 2024, MBCM will continue to extend an ongoing invitation for River East Church to re-apply for MBCM membership if, at that time, they are able to commit themselves to the theological and practical expectations involved in being an MBCM member church. 

With this special resolution, the Assembly of Congregations of MBCM in no way preclude the agency of River East Church. River East Church has the option, at a time of their choosing before May 31, 2024, to withdraw from membership with MBCM. 

Special Resolution 

We, the Assembly of Congregations of the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba, do resolve that, unless River East Church returns to an active embrace of MBCM member church expectations by May 30, 2024, River East Church’s official membership in the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba will end effective May 31, 2024. 

We finally resolve that should River East Church’s MBCM membership end as of May 31, 2024, MBCM extends an ongoing invitation for REC to return to MBCM if they choose to embrace and live in accordance with our shared member church expectations. 

Kind regards, Dave Ens, MBCM Board Moderator, Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba