The Story of Who We Are

Who We Are

Mennonite Church Eastern Canada is a diverse community of 108 congregations and 12,500 members and active participants across Eastern Canada. A Regional Church of Mennonite Church Canada, we are transformed by the love of God, inspired by the hope we find in Jesus and called to action by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our Identity and Purpose

Mennonite Church Eastern Canada is a diverse community
Transformed by the love of God
Inspired by the hope we find in Jesus
Called to action by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We come together as a Regional Church to:
Energize congregations in worship, discipleship and mission
Encourage leaders of hope, vision and transformation
Embody God's reconciling ministry for all creation

Our Priorities

  • Navigating Change
    Fostering a culture of learning, innovation and adaptability to equip the church to navigate a season of change.
  • Developing Leaders
    Strengthening leadership and equipping individuals to pursue their vocation of church planting, pastoral ministry and lay leadership.
  • Intergenerational Discipleship
    Collaborating with congregations and partners in support of intergenerational discipleship and faith formation.
  • Embracing Diversity
    Inviting and challenging the church to explore the variety and richness of God's people.
  • Seeking Peace and Justice
    Supporting and resourcing congregations to engage peace and justice issues, grounded in Anabaptist-Mennonite theology.

Our Values

  • Beloved-ness – All people before God are equal and have dignity, created in God’s image.
  • Spirituality – Worship and prayer ground us in God's love and connect us to the Spirit’s movement.
  • Transformation – We are curious to see what God is doing in our lives and in the world. We are open to change.
  • Community – We grow, learn and serve best in relationship with others, listening for God together.
  • Hospitality – Everyone is welcome at God’s table of grace.
  • Peace and justice – We are living into God’s Shalom for all creation.

Download MCEC Identity Statement and Priorities
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MCEC Statement Regarding MCEC Credentialing Persons Who Identify as LGBTQ+

Within our church body there is a diversity of beliefs regarding same-sex marriage and the role of persons who identify as LGBTQ+ in church leadership. Based on the Being a Faithful Church discernment process that led to the resolution passed at the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly in Saskatoon in July 2016, each MCEC congregation is invited to discern how God is calling them.

For some MCEC congregations and their MCEC credentialed pastors this will mean that a traditional understanding of marriage as between one man and one woman is maintained. For other MCEC congregations and their MCEC credentialed pastors this will mean an openness to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies and to call individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ to full participation in the life of the congregation, including all levels of paid and unpaid leadership.

MCEC will respect and support pastors and congregations in their discernment in the spirit of the MC Canada BFC resolution

 

Statement Regarding MCEC CredentialingPersons Who Identify as LGBTQ+

Being a Faithful Church

The MC Canada Being a Faithful Church discernment process was a seven-year process calling on congregations across MC Canada to enter into spiritual discernment with the specific challenge of issues related to sexuality in the life of the church. A resolution was passed by delegates at the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly in Saskatoon in July 2016 as follows:

  • One of our foundations of unity has been the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective. We recommend that it continue to serve the church in the ways suggested in the Introduction of the Confession itself.
  • We call upon our family of Christ to respectfully acknowledge that there are those among us (congregations and individuals) whose careful study of Scripture and prayerful journey of discernment lead them to a different understanding on committed same-sex relationships than is commonly understood by readings of Article 19 in our Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective.
  • We recommend that we create space/leave room within our Body to test alternative understandings from that of the larger Body to see if they are a prophetic nudging of the Spirit of God.
  • Since continued discernment will be required after Assembly 2016, we recommend that Mennonite Church Canada and Area Churches develop ways of to hear one another around the implementation of this recommendation.

Passed Resolution 2016

Being a Faithful Church Documents

LGBTQ+ Affirming MCEC Congregations
In This Together

Confession of Faith

This Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective takes its place in this rich confessional history. The historic creeds of the early Christian church, which were assumed as foundational for Mennonite confessions from the beginning, are basic to this confession as well.

This confession is the work of two Mennonite groups in North America, the Mennonite Church (MC) and the General Conference Mennonite Church (GC).

Read our Confession of Faith

Shared Convictions

In these shared convictions we draw inspiration from Anabaptist forebears of the 16th century, who modelled radical discipleship to Jesus Christ. We seek to walk in his name by the power of the Holy Spirit, as we confidently await Christ's return and the final fulfillment of God's kingdom.

Adopted by Mennonite World Conference General Council March 15, 2006


Read our Shared Convictions

Mennonite Church Canada Covenant

God calls us to be followers of Jesus Christ and, by the power of the Holy Spirit to grow as communities of grace, joy and peace so that God's healing and hope flow through us to the world.

Download Covenant

Mennonite Church Canada is a covenanted partnership among: MC Eastern Canada MC Manitoba MC Saskatchewan MC Alberta MC British Columbia