Center: Caleb McClendon, Melissa Florer-Bixler and Glen Guyton; Clockwise from top left: SaeJin Lee; Lerone A. Martin; Laura Pauls-Thomas, Sarah Wenger Shenk, Daniela Lázaro-Manalo and Cyneatha Millsaps; Lesley Francisco McClendon; Shannon Dycus; Joanne Gallardo and Hyacinth Stevens; Wilma Bailey; Sue Park-Hur; Marisa Smucker; Frank. (Photos by Juan Moya and MacKenzie Miller, Anabaptist World for MC USA.)
MC USA’s 2025 convention in Greensboro, North Carolina, July 8–12, set records for attendance and racial diversity. Of the 1,640 registrants — the highest turnout in three conventions — a record 17.2 percent (282 attendees) identified as Black, Indigenous or people of color. More importantly, BIPOC voices filled prominent leadership roles at the national convention.
“Something shifted. This convention felt different,” said Sue Park-Hur, MC USA’s director of racial/ethnic engagement. “Our intention to become more diverse became embodied in everything we did.”
First-time attendee Larry Ruffin III, a constituent engagement intern with Mennonite Mission Network and rising junior at Canadian Mennonite University, praised the focus on inclusion. “I had never been to an event like Follow Jesus ‘25 where ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ was a celebrated idea rather than an idea too controversial and uncomfortable for the Church.”
Park-Hur emphasized that diversity alone isn’t the goal — it’s about building authentic relationships. “Being intentional means creating spaces where people feel seen and heard,” she said.
Seminars and worship reflected that commitment. Angel Fuentes of New Life Christian Center in San Benito, Texas, and a rising junior at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, noted that small-group discussions, such as Eric Frey Martin’s seminar, “What are we doing here anyway?” allowed him to share real world concerns with peers in his faith. “I was able to meet and talk with people about the issues surrounding ICE raids,” said Fuentes.
One of the ways that MC USA is intentional about increasing the participation and engagement of BIPOC members at convention is through the anti-racism team that monitors the event and reports to the Delegate Assembly on access and presentation.
“These efforts did not feel forced; rather, our denomination is embodying and celebrating its commitment to anti-racism,” the team wrote.
Ruffin, who was a member of the diverse, seven-person anti-racism team, said, “The biggest signs of intentionality that stood out to me most were the worship services. Multiple songs were in Spanish; one song was sung and signed in ASL [American Sign Language]; and a song that centered women in the Bible was played frequently.” He also commended the mix of contemporary Christian music with “traditional” hymns.
Fifty BIPOC leaders – the most ever — attended MC USA’s annual Hope for the Future dinner reception at the Follow Jesus ‘25 convention. They celebrated She Langley’s leadership in organizing the convention. Pastor Dianne Garcia shared about the impact of ICE raids on her congregants, and Lesley Francisco McClendon prayed for Dianne on behalf of all. Photo by Sue Park-Hur.
Representation was strong across all convention-week events. Three of the four keynote worship speakers were BIPOC. At MC USA’s Women’s Summit, which immediately preceded the convention, the keynote speaker, worship leader and half of the panelists were people of color. At the Delegate Assembly, the Bible study leader and one of the two worship leaders were BIPOC. There was also BIPOC representation on the planning teams for all events, including MC USA Convention Director Shé Langley.
In addition, almost 20% of the seminar presenters were BIPOC. These leaders covered topics, such as climate justice, partnering with immigrant communities, religious identity, Afrocentric Mennonites and peace theology, to name a few.
Drew Matthews, a Bluffton University student and a recipient of an African American Mennonite Association convention scholarship, said, “I had a great time at the convention. I got a chance to interact with a lot of people in the Mennonite community. I also spoke to [worship speaker] Dr. Lerone Martin. It was fulfilling to have the opportunity to speak to a prominent Black figure at the convention.” AAMA provided several scholarships to BIPOC students from MC USA-affiliated schools to build stronger connections with young adults.
Despite these positive strides, the antiracism team acknowledged that there were challenges limiting BIPOC participation.
Sergio Nava, board member of Iglesia Menonita Hispana (Hispanic Mennonite Church), said, “BIPOC and immigrant congregations face significant hurdles in attending national events. These communities often navigate fear and vulnerability, particularly for undocumented members wary of travel due to aggressive immigration policies, alongside the emotional and spiritual toll of advocating for justice in spaces where they’re the minority. Yet, their presence and voices continue to transform the church toward greater equity and hope.”
The anti-racism report encouraged leaders to continue to cultivate a growth culture that offers grace when mistakes are made.
Nava offered specific suggestions for improvement, such as subsidies for travel expenses, expanded multi-lingual resources and pre-convention gatherings where BIPOC and immigrant leaders can share challenges and strategize solutions without fear of marginalization.
“I draw hope from the resilience and vibrant contributions of BIPOC and immigrant congregations within MC USA,” said Nava, “…and the leadership of figures like Reverends Sue Park-Hur and Iris de León-Hartshorn, who advocate for intercultural churches.”
“Convention helps us discover the wider, more colorful body of Christ,” Park-Hur said. “It deepens our joy of belonging.”
The next MC USA biennial convention will be held in Cincinnati in 2027. Appropriately, its theme is “Rising in Hope.”
Anti-racism Team Members
- Sue Park-Hur, staff liaison, MC USA director of racial ethnic engagement.
- Wilma Bailey, professor of Hebrew and Aramaic Scripture, Emerita, at Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, Indiana.
- Margie Mejia Caraballo, two-term MC USA Executive Board member, representing Iglesia Menonita Hispana.
- Yujin Kim, communications associate at Mennonite Central Committee (East Coast region).
- Charlotte Tsuyuki Lehman, co-pastor at Reba Place Church, Evanston, Illinois.
- Eric Frey Martin, director of constituent engagement for Mennonite Mission Network.
- Larry Ruffin III, constituent engagement intern with Mennonite Mission Network and junior at Canadian Mennonite University.
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.