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"...Mutually
encouraged by each other's faith..."
Romans 1:12 |
Interchurch Relations in Mennonite Church USA
Why and How
Recent Developments
- Mennonite-Pentecostal Consultation on Mission -- One priority of Mennonite Church USA Interchurch Relations work is engaging in dialogue with Pentecostals. In the past two years, there have been two meetings with representatives of the Church of God, Cleveland, most recently a consultation on mission hosted by Reba Place Church in Evanston, Illinois, Sept. 8-10, 2006.
- Mennonite-Lutheran dialogue -- Between February, 2002 and March, 2004, four persons appointed by the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board (Tom Finger, Jim Juhnke, Gayle Gerber Koontz and John Roth) engaged in five dialogue sessions with a team appointed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The two years of conversations were concluded in March 2004, and the final report has been issued under the title, "Right Remembering in Anabaptist-Lutheran Relations" (PDF 150K)
A "Declaration of the Evangelical Lutheran church in America on the Condemnation of Anabaptists"
(PDF) was adopted in October, 2006 by the ELCA Conference of Bishops and then unanimously in November, 2006 by the ELCA Church Council. In January, 2007 the Executive Board of Mennonite Church USA received "Right Remembering" and asked Executive Leadership staff to send a letter to the ELCA conveying appreciation for the ELCA Declaration. - Christian Churches Together and Mennonite Church USA: Frequently Asked Questions
-- Strong affirmation for further exploring membership in Christian Churches Together was expressed by delegates at the Mennonite Church USA Delegate Assembly in Charlotte in July 2005. This FAQ was prepared in response to questions raised by delegate table groups there. A Mennonite Church USA representative attended the February 2006 CCT meeting as an observer (see report). After receiving counsel from area conferences, the Constituency Leaders Council, meeting in October 2006, recommended to the Executive Board that Mennonite Church USA move forward towards membership in Christian Churches Together. The Delegate Assembly, meeting in San Jose in July 2007, will likely consider this matter.
- "Christian Churches Together in the U.S.A." -- (website) Church leaders of many denominations are participating in conversations about the possibility of starting a new interchurch association that would be more inclusive than existing councils and associations.
Mennonite boards, agencies, congregations, and pastors have long had local and churchwide contacts with Christian friends and workers in other traditions.
Now the Executive Board is making arrangements for facilitating and coordinating relationships of the new Mennonite Church USA with other Christians that can provide for mutual counsel and strengthen our witness.
Contact
Andre Gingerich Stoner
Interchurch Relations
Mennonite Church USA
18211 Kern Road
South Bend, Indiana 46614
Telephone: 1-866-866-2872 Fax: 574/291-9437
E-mail: AndreGS@MennoniteUSA.org
