Content deleted Content added
Better citation added |
mNo edit summary |
||
| (One intermediate revision by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 1:
{{More citations needed|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox Christian denomination|name=Lancaster Mennonite Conference|image=Lancaster_Mennonite_Conference_logo.svg|imagewidth=|main_classification=[[Protestant]]|orientation=[[Mennonite]]|theology=|polity=[[Presbyterian polity|Presbyterian]]|leader_title=|leader_name=|fellowships_type=|fellowships=[[Mennonite Church USA]] (2002-2015)|associations=[[Mennonite World Conference]]<br />[[Eastern Mennonite Missions]]|area=North America|headquarters=|founded_date=1711|founded_place=[[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster County]], [[Province of Pennsylvania]]|merger=|congregations=179 (2018)|members=15,357 (2018)|website=https://lmcchurches.org/|logo=}}
'''Lancaster Mennonite Conference''' ('''LMC''') is a historic body of [[Mennonite]] churches mainly concentrated in the [[Mid-Atlantic (United States)|Mid-Atlantic region]] of the [[United States]]. While including churches in other regions of the United States, it also has congregations in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Directory |url=https://lmcchurches.org/directory/ |access-date=August 2, 2024 |website=LMC Churches}}</ref> The conference was briefly (2002-2015) associated with the newly formed [[Mennonite Church USA]] (MC USA).<ref>Mylin, Christa. "Right Fellowship: Reactions to Lancaster Mennonite Conference’s Withdrawal from Mennonite Church USA." ''Journal of Mennonite Studies'' 38 (2020): 85-110.</ref> The LMC has been a member of the [[Mennonite World Conference]] since 2018.
Line 28:
In 1971, after repeated invitations, the Lancaster Mennonite Conference joined the Mennonite Church (MC), sometimes known as the "Old" Mennonite Church. The conference reorganized to more closely follow the structure of the Mennonite Church in 1977.<ref name=GAMEO-LancConf1990>{{cite web|author1=Wenger, Carolyn C.|title=Lancaster Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|url=http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Lancaster_Mennonite_Conference_(Mennonite_Church_USA)|website=Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online|publisher=GAMEO|accessdate=September 2, 2016|date=1990}}</ref>
After five years of provisional membership, Lancaster Mennonite Conference joined [[Mennonite Church USA]] (MC USA) as a full member in 2006. MC USA was a merger of the (Old) Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church, which occurred in 2001.<ref
On November 19, 2015, citing a "cultural and theological divide" over MC USA's increasing support for same-sex marriage and LGBTQ relationships, a proposal by the Board of Bishops to leave MC USA was ratified by 82.3% of those voting.<ref name="LancasterLeaves">{{cite web|last1=Huber|first1=Tim|date=19 November 2015|title=Lancaster Conference to leave the Mennonite Church USA|url=https://anabaptistworld.org/lancaster-mennonite-conference-leaders-vote-to-leave-mcusa/|access-date=December 11, 2015|website=mennworld.org|publisher=Mennonite World Review}}</ref> The withdrawal was effective immediately and to be finalized by congregations on or before the end of 2017, but allowed individual congregations an option of continued participation with MC USA, if so desired. At the time, the conference had 13,838 members in 163 congregations. Most congregations opted to exit the Mennonite Church USA, leaving only 1,091 members from Lancaster Mennonite Conference remaining with the MC USA.<ref name="GAMEO-LancConf2016">{{cite web |author1=Rutherford, Brinton |date=2016 |title=Lancaster Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA) |url=http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Lancaster_Mennonite_Conference_(Mennonite_Church_USA) |accessdate=September 2, 2016 |website=Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online |publisher=GAMEO}}</ref>
| |||