Amish Mennonite - Conservative Amish Mennonite Conference

Conservative Amish Mennonite Conference

The Conservative Mennonite Conference was born several decades after the original Amish Mennonite movement. In 1910, leaders from three unaffiliated Amish Mennonite congregations met in Michigan to discuss the formation of a conference that allowed for congregational autonomy yet would be able to assist individual churches with problems. This conference was to be more conservative than the aforementioned Amish Mennonite conferences. During its almost 100-year history, the church has moved closer to mainstream Mennonite groups. In 1954, a majority vote called for the removal of the “Amish” part of the Conservative Amish Mennonite Conference (CMC) name, which was implemented in the 1957 constitution revision. Proponents suggested that “Amish Mennonite” conferences were obsolete. Beginning in the mid 1950s concern rose among some about the lax practice on issues such as the women’s head veiling and cut hair, television, and clothing items. Individual churches began to differ greatly in practice. A number of individuals withdrew and formed the Conservative Mennonite Fellowship (see Conservative Mennonites). Since the concerns in the 1960s, conference has abandoned a stand on the aforementioned practices. Today, the conference has 113 churches with about 11,000 members.