The Follow Jesus ’25 worship planning committee has announced the worship speakers for MC USA’s national convention in Greensboro, North Carolina, July 8-12, 2025. The convention’s overall theme, “Follow Jesus,” is rooted in MC USA’s Renewed Commitments, which call for the denomination to follow Jesus, witness to God’s peace and to be transformed by the Holy Spirit.
Each day of the conference, attendees at Follow Jesus ’25 will gather for a worship service featuring inspiring speakers, uplifting music and meaningful spiritual practices. The worship services will focus on Luke 4, in which Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaims God’s vision for the world. Each speaker will approach the scripture from their own unique viewpoint.
“In Luke 4, Jesus expresses the purpose of his ministry by reading from the prophet Isaiah,” explains Rachel Ringenberg Miller, MC USA denominational minister for Ministerial Leadership and staff coordinator for the worship committee. “Jesus has come to proclaim the Good News of God’s love, a message that reaches far beyond his home community to embrace the entire world!”
Tuesday, July 8 – Rachel Ringenberg Miller
Ringenberg Miller will be the opening night speaker. Her message, titled “Follow Jesus: Expectations for followers of Jesus” will explore questions such as: What does it truly mean to follow Jesus today? How do we respond—not just in belief, but in action—to bring hope and justice to our communities?
As denominational minister for Ministerial Leadership, Ringenberg Miller focuses on engaging conferences and congregations, providing resources and services to meet the diverse demands facing congregations today. She graduated from Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana, and Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Harrisonburg, Virginia, with an MDiv. Ringenberg Miller served as associate pastor for Portland Mennonite Church, Portland, Oregon, and as pastor of Shalom Mennonite Church in Newton, Kansas. She is a member of Eighth Street Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana.
Wednesday, July 9 – Lerone A. Martin
Lerone Martin
Lerone A. Martin – historian, religious scholar and cultural commentator – will be the worship speaker for Day 2 of the Follow Jesus ’25 national convention. His message is titled, “Preach: What does it mean to preach good news?”
Martin is the faculty director for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University and a leading voice on the intersection of religion, politics and race. He has been featured on The Today Show, PBS and The New York Times and was a keynote speaker at MC USA’s Hope for the Future conference! Read more here.
Thursday, July 10 – Panel discussion, featuring Katherine Dickson, Jon-Erik (J.E.) Misz and Sarah Werner
Day 3 will feature a panel discussion facilitated by Melissa Florer-Bixler, pastor of Raleigh (North Carolina) Mennonite Church, and Caleb McClendon, assistant pastor at C3 Hampton (Virginia) on the topic, “Recover and Release: What does healing look like?”
The panelists are:
Katherine Dickson, a passionate advocate for individuals with disabilities and for accessibility and disability rights. Living with a family member with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities opened Dickson’s eyes to the experience of disability in a sometimes-inaccessible world from an early age. She has served as a disability advocate, family caregiver, camp counselor, care assistant, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator in both professional and volunteer capacities and leans on her own disability wisdom as well. She has an MDiv from Methodist Theological School, Ohio, where she serves on staff in a variety of capacities, including ADA coordinator, and on the national core council for the Institute on Theology and Disability the last five years, and with Anabaptist Disabilities Network as a volunteer field associate for the last 15 years.
Jon-Erik (J.E.) Misz, a former youth pastor and current mental health therapist. Most of his career as a therapist has been serving in community mental health. In his current role, Misz is the team leader for the Adult Outpatient Services and Amish Services Teams at Oaklawn Psychiatric Center in Goshen, Indiana. He earned a Master of Divinity from Duke University, a Master of Social Work from the University of North Carolina. Misz serves as a board member for the Anabaptist Disabilities Network. He attends Waterford Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana.
Sarah Werner, communications coordinator for MC USA’s Central District Conference and the leader of Olentangy Wild Church in Columbus, Ohio. She is the author of Rooted Faith: Practices for Living Well on a Fragile Planet (Herald Press, 2023). Werner teaches biblical studies and environmental justice courses at PATHWAYS, an online theological education program affiliated with the United Church of Christ. She experiences life in the body of someone with rheumatoid arthritis and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, an inherited connective tissue disorder that affects her mobility. Werner is a passionate advocate for dismantling ableism and for outdoor access for people of all abilities. She attends Columbus (Ohio) Mennonite Church.
Friday, July 11 – Frank
On Day 4, Frank will deliver a thought-provoking message rooted in Luke 4:16-19 and Mark 8-34, titled “Liberate: How do we join the ministry of liberation?”
A familiar face in MC USA Circles, Frank is a Guatemalan living on occupied Tongva/Chumash territory. He studied philosophy at Wheaton College and theology at Fuller Seminary. His full-time job and passion is organizing with grassroots social movements across borders. He and his family are members of Pasadena Mennonite Church, and he has been a speaker at MC USA’s Hope for the Future conference.
Saturday, July 12 – Lesley Francisco McClendon
Lesley Francisco McClendon, senior pastor of C3 Hampton in Hampton, Virginia, will wrap up the convention experience during the closing worship with a message, titled “Let’s celebrate God’s love for us and the world!”
Francisco McClendon teaches with vigor and passion, delivering life-altering messages with a simple yet profound approach. She has a heart for bridging generational gaps and speaking to diverse audiences, ensuring that faith remains both rooted and relevant. Francisco McClendon holds a Bachelor of Arts from Oral Roberts University, a Master of Divinity from Regent University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Duke University. She serves as an instructor at Duke Divinity School and an adjunct professor of preaching at multiple seminaries, equipping the next generation of faith leaders in effective communication and ministry. Francisco McClendon is also the founder of Herstoric, Inc., a leadership network dedicated to empowering individuals to discover their voice, lead with confidence, and leave a lasting impact.
Register for Follow Jesus 25 before May 31 to save $100. Register here: https://convention.mennoniteusa.org/registration/
Scholarships are available to make sure financial challenges don’t stand in the way of this life-giving experience. Application deadline is April 30, 2025. Apply here: https://mcusa.formstack.com/forms/follow_jesus_scholarships
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 MC USA staff.