Frank Epp

Canadian Mennonite minister and church leader posthumously found guilty of sexual misconduct

In 2021, Frank H. Epp (1929–1986) was found guilty of ministerial sexual misconduct and sexual harassment after an independent investigation by two church organizations — Mennonite Central Committee Canada (MCC) and Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC), a regional conference of Mennonite Church Canada (MC Canada).

The allegations concerned events under the jurisdiction of both institutions. The MCEC announcement said that the finding “relates to the time period when Epp was an ordained Mennonite minister,” and the MCC Canada statement added that “at the time of the events subject to investigation, Mr. Epp was serving as chair of MCC’s Peace Section and was a member of the MCC Canada board and executive committee.”

Both organizations reported that a complaint had originally been brought forward in the 1990s. MCEC said their records indicate that “while MCEC responded to the complainant at the time of the initial disclosure, the MCEC policies at the time were restrictive to both the complainant and MCEC’s potential action.” MCC said, “We acknowledge that our policies and response at the time did not meet our current standards.”

MCEC stated:

“Though the investigators acknowledge that lacking Epp’s version of events creates a deficit in information gathering, through many interviews and historical documents they found sufficient and compelling corroboration for the allegation of ministerial sexual misconduct. MCEC’s Leadership Council accepted the findings of the investigation report which determined that the allegation of ministerial sexual misconduct was founded. The nature of the misconduct was in the form of sexual advances and sexual touch, which included hugging, kissing and sexual intercourse.”

“Were Epp alive today, this finding of ministerial sexual misconduct would result in the removal of his ordination credential. MCEC’s practice is to announce founded allegations of ministerial sexual misconduct so that the truth of the harm can be uncovered and named in the hopes of healing the harms of the past within the Church, supporting victim-survivors, creating space where other stories of harm can be told and believed and seeking to move toward a culture where there will one day be no more victims. We are grateful for the courage of those who come forward to share their stories of pain and abuse; we lament with you the harm that you endured.”