MC USA announces that registration for the Follow Jesus ’25 convention will open Jan. 6, 2025, in addition to sharing prices and other convention details.
By Jessica Griggs for Mennonite Church USA
Lea la versión en inglés aquí. ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Church USA) — Registration for Mennonite Church USA’s Follow Jesus ’25 convention will open Jan. 6, 2025, for early-bird pricing. The denomination’s biennial faith formation gathering will take place at Koury Convention Center, in Greensboro, North Carolina, July 8-12, 2025.
Follow Jesus ’25 affirms MC USA’s Renewed Commitments, which is a call to follow Jesus, witness to God’s peace and experience the transformation of the Holy Spirit. The event schedule includes worship, fellowship, educational seminars, the 2025 delegate assembly, an exhibit hall, an Anabaptism at 500 celebration and youth activities. People of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Language interpretation will be available for the worship services and delegate assembly for those who indicate this need on their registration form.
“Convention is a great place to renew our unity in Jesus and our commitment to be his disciples,” said Shé Langley, MC USA’s director of event planning. “It’s a place to meet up with old friends and make new ones. It’s a place where you can learn more about Jesus and engage with the church. And convention offers great opportunities to connect with the ministries within MC USA, to find out more about how you can get involved in actively following Jesus every day.”
Registration
Convention attendees are encouraged to register early and receive an early bird discount to incur the greatest cost savings.
Registration rates are:
- Early bird registration (Jan. 6-March 31, 2025): $415.
- Standard registration (April 1-May 31, 2025): $460.
- Late registration (June 1-30, 2025): $560.
- Daily registration is $185 per day.
All registrants will receive admittance, a convention t-shirt and lunch each day of the event.
Scholarships
Individuals, families and groups who wish to attend convention, but who may need help covering the cost of registration, may apply for convention mutual aid scholarships. Scholarship applications must be submitted by April 30, 2025, with scholarships being awarded by May 31. Applications are available in English and Spanish.
As scholarships do not cover the cost of travel or lodging, people who need additional support to cover these costs are encouraged to contact their congregation or area conference to see if any additional options are available.
Volunteering
Convention runs on the support of volunteers. Volunteers fall into three categories: coordinators, associate volunteers and daily volunteers. Each category offers different levels of expectations and time commitments, with some positions beginning months prior to convention.
Most volunteers will be daily volunteers, who donate some portion of their convention time to carry out tasks assigned to them, such as ushering or ticket taking. Daily volunteers who donate 20+ hours throughout the convention week will receive a 50% refund on their registration cost after convention.
Anyone interested in applying to become a volunteer should fill out this form (en español), to help organizers determine where their skills will be most useful.
Women in Leadership summit
MC USA’s Women in Leadership will be hosting a one-day summit July 8, 2025, at the Koury Convention Center, ending directly before the first Follow Jesus ’25 worship session begins. This is the first in-person Women in Leadership gathering since the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme of the summit is “Beholding it Together.” This will be an opportunity for Anabaptist women to network and deepen their support systems, while also offering a space of rest and community care. Discussions will be focused on power and the diverse struggles women face as leaders.
Women interested in attending this pre-convention event can register through the convention registration page. The fee for this event is $125 for those also attending convention and $175 for anyone wishing to only attend the summit. The summit registration fee covers the cost of the event and dinner.
Hotel and travel arrangements
MC USA has secured hotel arrangements at the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons, which is connected to the convention center where Follow Jesus ’25 will take place. This allows attendees to move to and from convention activities and their hotel rooms without ever leaving the building. Rooms will cost $149 per night, and a link to create a room reservation will be sent in the registration confirmation email.
Convention-goers traveling via airplane should fly into Piedmont Triad International Airport. A complementary shuttle service will take attendees to and from the hotel and this airport.
Childcare and children’s programming
Childcare is available for infants and toddlers until 5 p.m. throughout the convention. Infant and toddler registration is $60 for the whole event, or $30 per day.
Children’s programming will be offered for elementary children, pre-k through 5th grade, until 5:00 p.m. throughout the convention. Children’s programming will include biblical storytelling and lessons, crafts, music, and various play and recreational activities, with older children attending all or part of the worship service. Children’s programing is $160 for the whole event, or $60 per day. Registration for children’s programing ends June 15.
All childcare and children’s programing volunteers will be required to complete anti-racism training and pass background checks.
Children of all ages will join their caregivers for the lunch break.
Junior youth
Junior youth programming will make its return at Follow Jesus ’25. From Wednesday to Friday of convention, junior youth will be able to engage in community-focused, relationship-building faith formation activities and worship together during the morning seminar slots. After these daily youth activities have concluded, junior youth are encouraged to participate in the larger convention by joining their parents or youth groups during worship, special events and the remaining seminar slots.
Delegate assembly
The delegate assembly will hold its biennial meeting during the day on Friday, July 11, 2025, and will conclude before the evening worship session. Isaac Villegas will lead a Bible study for delegates during the assembly.
The delegate assembly is made up of representatives from MC USA churches, conferences, constituency groups and executive board members, who will discuss and vote on resolutions pertaining to the denomination. Find more information and resources about the 2025 delegate assembly here.
Delegates are encouraged to register for the full convention, but any delegates wishing to attend only attend Friday’s delegate assembly will pay a registration fee of $150, which includes lunch and dinner.
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