ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) Administration has named Jolene VonGunten as executive administrative assistant, effective Nov. 27, 2023. VonGunten serves the Executive Board and staff, the Constituency Leaders Council, the Governance Council, the Joint Executive Committee, and Human Resources. VonGunten works out of the Elkhart, Indiana, office and reports to Executive Director Glen Guyton and Associate Executive Director Iris de León-Hartshorn.
In addition to her new part-time role, VonGunten also continues to serve part-time as executive assistant and communications coordinator for Mennonite Education Agency, the education agency of MC USA, where she has worked for the past four years.
“MC USA’s executive board staff is excited to have Jolene VonGunten join us. Jolene comes with a wealth of experience,” said de León-Hartshorn. “This position will be a partnership with MEA and MC USA and will help to continue to move toward better alignment of our values and goals.”
Prior to joining MEA, VonGunten provided administrative support for Mennonite Mission Network’s Christian Service and Human Resources for Programs for six years. VonGunten has a background in restorative justice and victim-offender mediation and volunteers for the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery and on the Board of Anabaptist Communicators. VonGunten holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Indiana University, South Bend.
“I am grateful to serve Mennonite Church USA and work with the denominational leaders, Glen Guyton, Iris de-León Hartshorn, Michael Danner, and the rest of the Executive Board staff. The opportunity to work with people I respect deeply is truly an honor,” said VonGunten. “Shelley Buller has set a high standard, and I am excited and committed to learning everything I can from her in the coming weeks before her well-deserved retirement.”
“I am also pleased to continue serving Mennonite Education Agency, a role I have enjoyed over the last four years. I appreciate this creative staffing agreement and look forward to supporting the mission and work of both MEA and MC USA,” said VonGunten.
VonGunten currently holds a membership at Walnut Hill Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana, in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference.
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Mennonite Church USA is an Anabaptist Christian denomination, founded in 2002, and a recognized peace church. Members seek to follow Jesus by rejecting violence and resisting injustice. MC USA’s Renewed Commitments state the following shared commitments among its diverse body of believers: to follow Jesus, witness to God’s peace and experience the transformation of the Holy Spirit. MC USA is comprised of 15 area conferences and more than 470 congregations across the United States. MC USA is part of Mennonite World Conference, a global faith family that includes churches in 60 countries. Mennoniteusa.org.
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