Mennonite Church Canada and USA meet jointly

Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA met jointly July 4 to 9, in Charlotte, N.C., for the first time since they divided into national bodies. The assembly, with “Can’t Keep Quiet!” as its theme, attracted approximately 8,600 people, 6,000 of them youth for the youth convention.

Quorum for the Canadian meetings was just barely reached, however, with 207 congregational delegates (200 were required), in the lowest delegate attendance of the last 34 years. The adult worship sessions, as well as the entire youth assembly, were bi-national, but delegates faced quite different agendas and so met separately for all business sessions, except one in which they discussed their relationship.

Mennonite Church Canada delegates unanimously approved the formation of a Faith and Life Committee of five people to discern and give leadership in areas of theology, ethics, polity and practice in the church. They also approved a new Statement of Identity and Purpose, and discussed church membership. No resolutions were presented on the latter issue, but discussion, conducted in table groups, was supportive of more flexibility. Current bylaws make membership in MC Canada automatic when a local church joins its area conference; some churches have asked to belong only to area conferences.

General secretary Dan Nighswander, who is leaving the position after six years, reflected on the past years, especially the transformation of several denominational groups into one body that then separated along national lines. He said “the separated twins have not only survived, they are thriving.” He spoke of high hopes for MC Canada.

In the Mennonite Church USA sessions, delegates approved statements on equal access to health care and opposing the war in Iraq, and heard presentations on antiracism and speaking to government.

A joint session of the two bodies expressed the wish to maintain the binational relationship and to pursue partnerships such as academic and pastoral exchanges, church relationships, and continued joint gatherings held in both countries. There is still a sense of loss because of the division along national lines, but MC Canada moderator Henry Krause also spoke of “significant joy in becoming a truly Canadian church that can work on issues of mission and theology in an equal partnership with Mennonite Church USA.”

—from reports in Canadian Mennonite and Mennonite Weekly Review