Mennonite Weekly Review

Nearly 70 youth and young adults in Franconia Conference of Mennonite Church USA have signed an open letter asking the conference to be more inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

“We dream of a church that affirms the gifts, blesses the committed relationships and recognizes the call to leadership of LGBT people,” the letter states. “And we dream of a church that chooses dialogue over discipline when faced with conflict, disagreement and hermeneutical differences.”

The open letter signers are between 15 and 29 years old and attend Franconia Conference churches and affiliated schools.

Members of the open letter Leadership Team asked to meet with Noel Santiago, Franconia’s executive minister, before publishing the letter online. The meeting took place Aug. 20.

Santiago, Ertell Whigham and Jessica Walter, Franconia conference staff, as well as Randy Heacock, assistant conference moderator, met with several open letter leaders.

“We were a little intimidated, but immediately they made us feel really welcome,” said Emma Ruth, 17, an open letter writer from Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville, Pa. “We sensed that they were really ready to talk, so that made it easier for us as younger people.”

Other open letter leaders who attended were Amanda Yoder of Blooming Glen (Pa.) Mennonite Church, Christian Allebach from Souderton (Pa.) Mennonite Church and Maddie Ruth and Justin Yoder from Salford.

“I believe we were able to hear and understand what these young persons wanted to communicate and commend them for the approach and grace in which they communicated it,” Santiago said in a statement.

“While it is evidently clear that we’re at very different places of understanding and practice, nonetheless, this gathering was one expression of the resolution on following Christ and growing together even as communities in conflict.”

The resolution, passed at the MC USA Columbus, Ohio, convention in July, acknowledged the denomination’s stance that marriage is between one man and one woman for life, as well as dissent to that stance.