Delegate Assembly Leaders

Moderator: Sharon Waltner

Sharon is a health educator/mediator and is self-employed on the family farm operated by Sharon and her husband, Keith. They are members of Salem Mennonite Church in Freeman, S.D. Sharon has served on the Executive Board since 2001 and previously served as co-moderator of Central Plains Mennonite Conference and president of Northern District Conference.

Moderator-elect: Ed Diller

Ed is a partner in a law firm in Cincinnati where he and his wife, Karen, are members of Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship. Ed served on the Mennonite Education Agency board from 2001to 2007 and previously chaired the Bluffton University Board and was a member of the Higher Education Council.

Executive Board:

Addie Banks, Bronx, N.Y.; James E. Beitler, Berne, Ind.; Brian Boettger, Harrisonburg, Va.; David Boshart, Parnell, Iowa; Ed Diller, Cincinnati, Ohio; Kim Vu Friesen, Minneapolis, Minn.; Glen Guyton, Yorktown, Va.; Charlotte Hardt, Mount Vernon, Wash.; Janeen Bertsche Johnson, Goshen, Ind.; Edith Landis, Telford, Pa.; Samuel Lopez, Lancaster, Pa.; Olivette McGhee, Atmore, Ala.; Sue E. Miller, Middlebury, Ind.; Merrill Moyer, Souderton, Pa.; Patricia Shelly, Newton, Kan.; Terry Shue, Dalton, Ohio; David Sutter, South Bend, Ind.; Sharon Waltner, Parker, S.D.

Executive Director: Jim Schrag

Jim was a pastor for 23 years in congregations in Kansas and Ohio. Prior to becoming executive director, he served as general secretary of the General Conference Mennonite Church and director of the churchwide transformation team. Jim is a member of First Mennonite Church, Newton, Kan.

Assembly Secretary: Bill Zuercher

Bill is a volunteer for Western District and South Central conferences, serving as ministry coordinator for the latter. Bill has served as recording secretary for five churchwide assemblies and continues in the same capacity for the Constituency Leaders Council. He is a member of Whitestone Mennonite Church, Hesston, Kan.

Parliamentarian: Jim Beitler, Jr.

Jim is a partner in Baumgartner & Beitler law firm and a member of the Executive Board. He presently serves as a board member for Mennonite Trust Company and previously was a board member of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. He is a member of Emmaus Road Mennonite Fellowship in Berne, Ind.

Worship leader: Janeen Bertsche Johnson

Janeen is campus pastor for Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary and a member of the Executive Board. She is former vice chair of the Constituency Leaders Council, a worship planner for several previous conventions and a member of Eighth Street Mennonite Church, Goshen, Ind.

Resolutions Committee:

Terry Shue (chair), Dalton, Ohio; Anita Amstutz, Albuquerque, N.M.; Addie Banks, Bronx, N.Y.; Dorothy Nickel Friesen, Newton, Kan.; David Sutter, South Bend, Ind.

The Resolutions Committee clarifies the intent and focus of proposed resolutions and ensures that resolutions proposed by delegates have sufficient support to be presented to the floor.

Listening Committee:

Dave Boshart (chair), Parnell, Iowa; Brian Boettger, Harrisonburg, Va.; Kim Vu Friesen, Minneapolis, Minn.; Gay Brunt Miller, Souderton, Pa.; Olufemi Fatunmbi, Los Angeles, CA

The Listening Committee functions as representative eyes and ears for the assembly and listens for things that remain unspoken or for prophetic voices that tend to be overlooked.