Hyattsville Mennonites Could Appoint First Openly Lesbian Assoc. Pastor

Correction - This article has been edited to more accurately reflect the status of Michelle Burkholder's candidacy for the associate pastor position at Hyattsville Mennonite Church. The press release and documents upon which this article was based were sent to members of the local media without the knowledge or approval of the leadership and congregation of Hyattsville Mennonite Church.

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The Hyattsville Menonnite Church could become the first Mennonite church to appoint an openly lesbian woman as its associate pastor, according to Rebecca Walawender, congregational chair for the church.

Michelle Burkholder, a candidate for associate pastor, was unanimously recommended by the church council for the position. But the final decision still must be approved by the congregation at large.

"The Hyattsville Mennonite Church Council has recommended burkholder to fill the post, the recommendation is just one part of the process and the process is ongoing," said Walawender in a brief interview. "The final decision is up to the congregation. We will not comment further at this time out of respect for the congregational process."

According to internal church documents sent to area media outlets on Tuesday, Burkholder has a masters in theology and arts from the United Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN, and is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite High School and Eastern Mennonite University. 

Burkholder lives with her wife Rebecca Haas in Catonsville. The two were married by Lapp at the Hyattsville church on Feb. 10, 2013. Burkholder is an active member of the congregation. If her candidacy is successful, according to the documents, then this would be the third time in 12 years that the church has elevated one of its members to associate pastor.

"I am quite excited about the prospect of working with Michelle as a colleague and associate," read a note from Lapp read to the Hyattsville church's congregation on Sunday. "Michelle has already offered her considerable gifts to the congregation in preaching and the arts. Now I am eager to work with her in pastoral care and spiritual formation of children and youth."

If Burkholder's candidacy for the position is successful it could put the church at odds with regional and national Mennonite leadership in the Allegheney Mennonite Conference (AMC) and Mennonite Church USA (MCUSA), according to the documents

In November 2005, delegates to the AMC voted to discipline Hyattsville Mennonite Church (HMC) for receiving gay and lesbian Christians in committed relationships, according to the documents. As a result, the church became a non-voting member of the AMC. 

A list of questions and answers provided in the documents raised the specter that the Hyattsville church could be separated from the AMC and MCUSA as a result of the move. 

"No one can predict such an outcome with certainty," reads the documents. "The country and church are at a different place than even 10 years ago. With that, the path ahead with conference could be rocky. However, AMC and HMC are starting a reconciliation process in fall 2013 related to the sanctions imposed on HMC in 2005, and this process will continue.

If the Hyattsville church does become separated from its regional conferences, there is the possibility it could join another which might be more friendly towards LGBT issues. 

"About four years ago, HMC inquired about joining another regional conference in MCUSA," read the documents. "The official response was that no church could leave one conference and join another until an attempt at reconciliation was made. Even without an official conference affiliation, HMC could send representatives to any meeting of conference delegates and remain engaged as it has been doing while under sanction for the past 7 years."

A separation from AMC and MCUSA could have effects outside of the Hyattsville church as well. The Mennonite International Guest House in Washington, DC is owned by the AMC, but HMC members are heavily involved in the organization as board members and volunteers. Another member of the Hyattsville church is heavily involved in Mennonite Health Services, an affiliate of MCUSA. Also, a separation from regional and national Mennonite conferences would mean that pastoral credentials would be held by the congregation itself, as opposed to a larger conference.

While there are other LGBT pastors working within the Mennonite Church already, "these pastors and congregations have chosen to be very private about this," reads the documents.

Burkholder will go before the congregation on Sunday, July 14, as part of her candidacy. Afterwards, the congregation will have the chance to ask questions of Burkholder.