The work and leaders of the Denominational Ministry Team include:
Denominational Ministers
Lee Lever, Moundridge, Kan., provides overall leadership for the Denominational Ministry Team and is one of three denominational ministers, along with Nancy Kauffmann and Linford King, who relate directly to area conferences. The 10 area conferences Lever relates to are Atlantic Coast, Central Plains, Eastern District, Gulf States, Indiana-Michigan, North Central, Pacific Northwest, Pacific Southwest, South Central and Western District. He also works with the Youth Ministry Leadership Team and with ministerial issues such as salary guidelines, ministerial polity and misconduct issues.
Nancy Kauffmann, Goshen, Ind., serves as a denominational minister. She relates to six area conferences: Central District, Illinois, Lancaster, Mountain States, Ohio and Southeast. She also manages the call system for Mennonite Church USA, nurtures area conference ministers and serves as staff for the denomination’s Leadership Discernment Committee, which finds individuals to serve on boards and committees.
Linford King, Lancaster, Pa., serves half-time as a denominational minister. He relates to five area conferences: Allegheny, Franconia, Franklin, New York and Virginia. He oversees the Ministry Inquiry Program, connects to the Mennonite Camping Association and the Anabaptist Disabilities Network and is a resource person for the Institute for Anabaptist Leaders.
The Mennonite Church USA Denominational Ministry Team gathers in front of La Casa de Maria y Marta (The Mary and Martha House) in San Antonio, Texas, Dec. 9. Denominational ministers pictured include (from left) Glen Guyton, Lee Lever, Shelley Buller, Nancy Kauffmann, Glenn Balzer, Hugo Saucedo, Linford King, Susan Mark Landis and Mauricio Chenlo. Not pictured: Kuaying Teng, Deb Ratzlaff. (Photo/Kauffmann)
Specialist denominational ministers and their areas of work include:
Intercultural Relations Ministries
Glen Alexander Guyton, Yorktown, Va., denominational minister for intercultural relations, relates to the three constituency groups for intercultural relations: African-American Mennonite Association, Iglesia Menonita Hispana and Native Mennonite Ministries. He supervises Kuaying Teng of Asian Ministries. Intercultural Relations helps Mennonite Church USA to minister to, include and receive the ministry gifts of racial/ethnic people. Guyton facilitates communication among and between racial/ethnic people and others and ensures all churches in the constituency groups have equal access and opportunity in Mennonite Church USA.
Kuaying Teng, St. Catherines, Ont., is denominational minister of Asian ministries. He builds relationships among and resources Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Indonesian, Lao, Korean, Indian and Vietnamese Mennonite churches in 13 U.S. states. Teng also travels twice each year to Southeast Asia to strengthen church planting there.
Church Planting Ministries
Mauricio Chenlo, Raleigh, N.C., denominational minister for church planting, relates to area conferences and leaders in initiating new churches. He is currently leading a church planting research project that will help the denomination to collaborate strategically on church planting and leadership development. He also partners with Iglesia Menonita Hispana in planting new churches. He encourages church planters, conference ministers and missional leaders to learn from each other and identify resources and practices that enhance the denomination’s capacity.
Peace and Justice Ministries
Susan Mark Landis, Orrville, Ohio, serves as denominational minister for peace and justice. She consults with congregations, area conferences, racial/ethnic associations and staff to develop and enhance the peace and justice witness of Mennonite Church USA within a missional church context. She also represents Mennonite Church USA peace and justice concerns beyond the Mennonite Church and within public and governmental spheres.
Urban Ministries
Hugo Saucedo and Glenn Balzer have begun work to lead an urban ministry study project for 2010. Saucedo of San Antonio, Texas, is Mennonite Voluntary Service director. Balzer of Denver, Colo., is national director for Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection (DOOR). Their plans for this year include a listening tour of major metropolitan areas in 14 states, meeting urban pastors, conference ministers and other urban leaders.
Administrative Support
Shelley Buller and Deb Ratzlaff work out of the Newton offices of Mennonite Church USA. As executive assistant for the Denominational Ministry Team, Buller coordinates meeting plans, prepares reports and takes minutes. (She also is executive assistant for the denomination’s executive director and works with the Executive Board and Constituency Leaders Council).
Ratzlaff, administrative assistant, provides support for Lever, Kauffmann and King. She assists pastoral candidates in preparing their Ministry Leadership Information forms, sends for references, keeps the database for area conference ministers and pastors, and assists conference ministers in obtaining resources on the Web site.