Introduction

We come late...
But we come
- Eugene Carson Blake

Purpose:

• To assist the Mennonite Church to reflect on her attitudes towards our gay brothers and lesbian sisters.
• To encourage the church to consider the ENTIRE statements adopted at Saskatoon (1986) and Purdue (1987), but not to elevate them or any portion thereof above scripture.
• To provide and highlight resources that will encourage further discernment through study, dialogue, prayer, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• To enable the stories and voices of our lesbian sisters and gay brothers to be heard.
• To advocate on behalf of our lesbian sisters and gay brothers.

Origin:

An ad hoc committee (later named Welcome Committee) was formed during an informal meeting of parents and friends early in 1998. The Welcome Committee regularly seeks and receives counsel from others within the Mennonite Church.

Projects:

• Open Welcome letter. More than a year was spent in preparation of the letter that appeared as a paid ad in the February 17, 2000 issue of Mennonite Weekly Review. A copy of this ad is available on the web site.
• A resource book. This book will argue the case for inclusion by the church of non-heterosexual persons. As chapters of the book become available many of them will be posted here.

Why are we doing this?

The Welcome Committee and the many others who support this work bear witness because for us to do otherwise, given our journeys, would be to hide. Many of us confess that we have been hiding. In the movement for justice for gay men and lesbians we have to say what Blake had to say about the freedom movement: "We have come late, but we have come." To paraphrase Bob Dylan: "How many times can we turn our heads, pretending we just didn't see?"

Welcome Committee:

Titus Bender, Lindale Mennonite Church
Ft. Defiance, Virginia ([email protected] )

Willis L. Breckbill (chair), Waterford Mennonite Church
Goshen, Indiana ([email protected] )

Douglas Brunk (webmaster), Germantown Mennonite Church
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Victor and Rebecca Fast, Valleyview Mennonite Church
London, Ontario ([email protected] )

Lois Kenagy (vice-chair), Salem (OR) Mennonite Church
Albany, Oregon ([email protected] )

Ruth Conrad Liechty, Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship
Goshen, Indiana

John Stoner, Akron Mennonite Church
Akron, Pennsylvania ([email protected] )

Larry Miller, Hyattsville Mennonite Church
Hyattsville, MD

Advisory Group:

Lin Garber, Mennonite Congregation of Boston
Somerville, MA ([email protected] )

Carl Keener, University Mennonite Church
State College, PA ([email protected] )

Richard Lichty, Germantown Mennonite Church
Lansdale, PA ([email protected] )

Ted Grimsrud
Harrisonburg, VA

Clif Kenagy, Salem (OR) Mennonite Church
Albany, Oregon