Three churches have departed from a community of Mennonite congregations.

The Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) announced earlier this spring that three churches had withdrawn from the covenanted partnership, Canadian Mennonite reports.

The withdrawn churches include Kingsfield-Clinton and Kingsfield-Zurich Mennonite Church, Living Water Christian Fellowship and Maple View Mennonite Church.

"After healthy conversation with leadership from each congregation, we mourn their leaving, and we bless and pray God’s best for each of them in their future ministry," MCEC released upon announcing the church departures.

ersations and meetings, a formal two-part vote was held in January of this year that resulted in 80 per cent affirmation to end formal membership with MCEC.

The Kingsfield congregations say they had concerns "regarding the Mennonite church landscape," particularly focuses on main beliefs around salvation and mission. The church family says they want their evangelical mission to see everyone invited to follow Christ, which Jantzi says isn't a departure from the Mennonite church throughout history but is a shift in the landscape of the Mennonite Church.

Jantzi says the church's decision also came from differing perspectives on sexuality.

tter of appreciation to MCEC and MC Canada.

"We have been greatly blessed by followers of Jesus in MC Canada, continue to appreciate them, and joyfully count them our brothers and sisters in Christ," Kipfer says.

MCEC executive minister David Martin says the regional church is grateful to have these formal relationship changes with churches take place on good terms.

Martin also added that MCEC "respects the various decisions that each congregation has made in terms of how they desire to follow their call to ministry. Even though our formal affiliations are changing, we have taken the time to pray together and bless each other.

"We will continue to pray for each other and ask for God’s blessing on our respective ministries."

MCEC is one of several covenanted partnerships of Mennonite churches across Canada under MC Canada, among MC Manitoba, MC Saskatchewan, MC Alberta, and MC British Columbia.