Photos by Cami Dager.
A spirit of hope and shared purpose marked the opening of MC USA’s biennial Delegate Assembly on July 11, 2025, as more than 350 delegates gathered in Greensboro, North Carolina, to reimagine the denomination’s future and approve four key measures to strengthen and equip the church.
Glen Guyton (Photo by Cami Dager.)
Executive Director Glen Guyton set the tone by celebrating MC USA’s “flavorful identity,” noting that “our diversity — from climate justice initiatives and youth summits to intercultural worship — is our greatest strength.” He then challenged leaders to break down silos, empower and equip leaders, focus on mission, and to reimagine denominational life with greater transparency, unity and agility.
“We must allow hope, joy and faith to have a place in our hearts and in this wonderful body of believers,” he said.
Introducing MC USA’s two-year Reimagination Project, Guyton invited delegates and their congregations to study the project charter and contribute ideas for reshaping the denomination’s national structures, bylaws and relationships. Associate Executive Director Iris de León-Hartshorn then led a table group exercise asking delegates to envision what MC USA might look like if it was started from scratch — no buildings, budgets or agencies — only a commitment to follow Jesus in a fractured world.
Moving from discussion to action, delegates effected immediate change by approving three forward-looking organizational resolutions. The resolutions implement consistent practices for addressing sexual abuse, draw Mennonite educational institutions and programs closer to the denomination, and ensure alignment between agency leadership and the broader mission and values of MC USA. Delegates also reaffirmed MC USA’s decades-long commitment to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
Establishing a churchwide abuse prevention and response policy
Delegates adopted (339 yes, 8 no, 8 abstentions) a new “Abuse Prevention and Response in Mennonite Church USA” resolution to ensure every conference and congregation shares the same definitions, ethical standards and accountability processes. This move replaces the former opt-in approach with one uniform policy across MC USA.
“MC USA is committed to ensuring that its churches are safe places for children, youth, vulnerable adults, families and all people,” said Michael Danner, MC USA’s associate executive director of Church Vitality.
Jon Carlson (Photo by Cami Dager.)
“This [resolution] is a request from our area conferences – primarily from conference ministers and those most directly involved in responding to allegations of misconduct,” said MC USA Moderator Jon Carlson. “It is also at the recommendation of the outside experts with whom we consulted,” he added. The resolution was accompanied by a letter of support signed by 27 conference ministers/moderators and 12 area conferences.
The policy is detailed in MC USA’s new Prevention and Accountability Resource, a centralized, comprehensive guidebook that addresses prevention of abuse by credentialed and lay leaders, as well as leadership accountability. The Prevention and Accountability Resource was developed over three years by a volunteer reference team in collaboration with MC USA’s Safe Church ministry.
Delegate Rolando Sosa, bivocational pastor and child and adolescent therapist, praised leadership for bringing this resolution forward, saying, “I am glad to see this initiative, and I fully support this initiative as a therapist.”
Integrating Mennonite education
By a wide margin, delegates approved (334 yes, 9 no, 9 abstentions) bylaw changes that bring the Mennonite Education Agency fully into MC USA’s staff, structure and governance. This integration will streamline operations and is expected to free up resources.
“We look to the future with optimism,” said Carlson, “asking how Anabaptist values can inspire learning in every context.”
The vote formalizes the integration plan initiated by MEA in 2024 and approved by the MEA board of directors and the MC USA Executive Board this past spring. The integration will be effective August 1, 2025.
Strengthening executive oversight
Delegates passed (321 yes, 11 no, 17 abstentions) a third resolution that clarifies and strengthens the Executive Board’s authority in hiring, evaluating, and — if necessary — recommending the termination of the executive directors of churchwide program agencies (MennoMedia, Mennonite Mission Network), ensuring clear accountability and protecting the integrity of MC USA’s shared mission.
MC USA Delegate Assembly 2025. (Photo by Juan Moya, Anabaptist World.)
Renewing our commitment to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers
The updated Churchwide Statement on Immigration passed with strong delegate support (353 yes, 1 no, 0 abstain). The update was inspired by a similarly focused resolution submitted by North Baltimore (Maryland) Mennonite Church. Building on the 2003 and 2014 statements, the 2025 version adds asylum seekers to the call, encourages an annual congregational focus to deepen understanding of the challenges and realities of immigrants and asylum seekers, and provides an expanded resource list.
“Mennonites have a strong commitment to caring for our neighbors, regardless of their documentation status. This is not new for Mennonite Church USA,” said Carlson, to a round of applause.
Delegate Erica Lea-Simka, Southwest regional representative for Mennonite Women USA, reminded delegates that undocumented people are part of our families, congregations and communities. “This is for our shared collective liberation, which is all of us,” she said.
Marty Lehman (Photo by Cami Dager.)
Throughout the day, participants worshipped, led by worship leaders Joanne Gallardo and Randy Spaulding; and studied Mark 8:34‑9:1 in a Bible study about discipleship led by Isaac Villegas.
Marty Lehman, moderator for the 2025-2027 biennium, closed the Delegate Assembly by inviting everyone to carry this hope into the next biennium: “Let’s bring hope into our communities and congregations,” she encouraged.
The Delegate Assembly will meet again in July 2027 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mennonite Church USA is an Anabaptist Christian denomination, founded in 2002 by the merger of the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church. Members of this historic peace church 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. Mennoniteusa.org
Written by Cami Dager.
Special Offering: Safe Church
A ministry of MC USA’s Church Vitality, Safe Church assists faith communities in abuse awareness, prevention and response