Central District Conference Board calls for independent external investigation, asks MCC and MAST to agree on terms
On March 26, 2025, the Board of the Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA wrote to MCC US leaders and to the MAST steering committee. CDC board members have given MAST permission to post this letter on our website.
The CDC board is the first church entity from among MCC's 14 sponsoring denominations to make a strong and public request for an independent external investigation - one which:
(1) addresses all allegations of bad endings with MCC, by providing “a hearing for all those who separated from MCC under contested or contentious circumstances”;
(2) calls for an external review of MCC policies;
(3) recognizes the need for the investigation to produce a public report, and
(4) insist that both MCC and MAST need to approve of the choice of investigative firm.
MAST responds to MCC’s “monograph” of “apology”
On Feb. 25, 2025, MCC began to circulate a “monograph” which it is calling “an apology.”
To us, this comes across primarily as further damage control, minimization, and denial – a classic “fauxpology.”
In its statement, MCC consistently minimizes the allegations and the harm, referring to workers who “experienced pain” or “left MCC feeling wounded,” while taking responsibility only in a vague way for unspecified occasions when MCC “systems were slow, unresponsive or dismissive,” when policies were not shared properly or communication “devalued or disempowered” workers. MCC falsely claims that “resolution” has occurred in cases of staff separation from MCC.
MCC’s vague apologies for poor communication and unclear policies are offensive in light of the seriousness of the allegations, and look like a way to pacify donors while failing to get to the bottom of what actually occurred.
Read further for reactions by Stephanie Krehbiel, Julene Fast, and Kim Thiessen.