Willow Avenue Mennonite Church (Clovis, California, USA)

Willow Avenue Mennonite Church, Clovis, California.
Source: Church website

Willow Avenue Mennonite Church in Clovis, California was organized in 1963 as the Clovis Mennonite Brethren Fellowship. It adopted the name College Community Church shortly thereafter. Several different rented facilities were utilized as meeting places until December 1965 when the congregation moved into its present facilities on the corner of Willow and San Gabriel in Clovis, east of Fresno.

The congregation changed its name to Willow Avenue Mennonite Church on 1 April 2018.

On 24 May 2021, the church council recommended that the congregation "resolve to welcome, accept and affirm LGBTQIA+ people without reservation, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, where all are equally eligible for membership, baptism, marriage, volunteer leadership, employment and pastoral ministry." On 11 October 2021 the Pacific District Conference of the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches suspended the congregation's membership for considering this proposal. In January 2022, the congregation voted 94% in favor of being a welcoming and affirming church. At a special convention of the Pacific District Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches on 24 March 2022, bylaws were changed to allow for the removal of the congregation. The Executive Board of the Pacific District Conference terminated Willow Avenue's membership on 23 August 2022.

On 29 November 2022, Willow Avenue Mennonite Church became a member of Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference, a conference of Mennonite Church USA.

Bibliography

Huber, Tim. "Calif. MB congregation suspended over LGBTQ-affirming proposal." Anabaptist World. 19 November 2021. Web. 20 November 2021. https://anabaptistworld.org/calif-mb-congregation-suspended-over-lgbtq-affirming-proposal/.

Huber, Tim. "Former MB Church Joins MC USA." Anabaptist World 7 December 2022. Web. 13 December 2022. https://anabaptistworld.org/former-mb-church-joins-mc-usa/.

"Inclusivity Vote Triggers Separation." Anabaptist World. 3 February 2022. Web. 30 November 2022. https://anabaptistworld.org/inclusivity-vote-triggers-separation/.

Longhurst, John. "Fresno Church Leaders Say Leaving MB Denomination is Liberating." Anabaptist World. 6 April 2022. Web. 30 November 2022. https://anabaptistworld.org/fresno-church-leaders-say-leaving-mb-denomination-is-liberating/.

Rempel, Janae. "PDC Holds Convention: Delegates Process Nominations, Pass Budget." Christian Leader. 7 January 2022. Web. 30 November 2022. https://christianleadermag.com/6064-2/.

Archival Records

Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies, Fresno, CA: Record Group CB506.

Additional Information

Address: 2529 Willow Avenue, Clovis CA 93612

Phone: 559-291-3344

Website Willow Avenue Mennonite Church

Denominational Affiliation:

Pacific District Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1963-2022)

U. S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1963-2022)

General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference (2022-present)

Mennonite Church USA (2022-present)

Map

Map:College Community Church, Clovis, California

Author(s)	Richard D Thiessen
Date Published	December 2022

Cite This Article

MLA style

Thiessen, Richard D. "Willow Avenue Mennonite Church (Clovis, California, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. December 2022. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Willow_Avenue_Mennonite_Church_(Clovis,_California,_USA)&oldid=174401.

APA style

Thiessen, Richard D. (December 2022). Willow Avenue Mennonite Church (Clovis, California, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Willow_Avenue_Mennonite_Church_(Clovis,_California,_USA)&oldid=174401.

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