A meeting representing 24 churches from four states was convened on February 12, 2000, at Smoketown, Pennsylvania. Representatives concluded that "in light of the formation of the new Mennonite Church USA and its departure from Biblical orthodoxy, we believe God is calling us to form a new affiliation of evangelical Anabaptist congregations." The EAF Board of Directors appointed a committee to make recommendations on how to proceed. Early in 2000, "Association of Evangelical Mennonite Congregations" was adopted as the tentative name of the organization, and the move toward organization was affirmed. On September 30, 2000, at a meeting in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the first congregation committed to affiliate with the proposed organization. Soon after this, seven other congregations also committed to affiliate with the association. On June 19, 2002, bylaws were drafted. They were adopted on September 28, 2002. The name was changed to Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations.