Church Structure

Mennonite Church USA Organizational Structure

The individual follower of Jesus Christ 

It starts where it starts: the individual follower of Jesus Christ. Mennonite Church USA wouldn’t exist without the individual people who respond to God’s call.  

Local congregations  

Local congregations are communities in which individuals can find support for their efforts to live out their faith, share their joys and sorrows with each other, learn about and discuss biblical teachings, and discern together what it means to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. In local congregations, individuals can pool their resources of time, abilities and money to join in God’s work in the world in ways they could not do alone. Likewise, through participating in area conferences, congregations can connect with each other and pool their resources so that they are able to do more than they would be able to do alone. Search local congregations. 

Area conferences 

All Mennonite Church USA congregations belong to one of 16 area conferences, each of which has a distinct culture. Some conferences are organized as regional districts, while others are organized based on historical ties or theological similarities. Conferences help congregations share resources for Christian nurture and worship, pastoral and lay leadership, witness and evangelism, justice-making, peace–building and church planting. Conference gatherings offer opportunities for individuals representing congregations to hear from each other and see the bigger picture of God’s activity in the wider church, as well as to discern together ways to be engaged in what God is doing. Visit the map and list of area conferences.  

Denominational body: Mennonite Church USA 

Mennonite Church USA is the denominational body made up of area conferences. We provide congregations with a direct link to the larger ministries and constituency groups of the denomination, which exist to help local faith communities embody the message of Christ’s love, peace and reconciliation.  

Global faith family 

Mennonite Church USA is part of Mennonite World Conference, a global faith family that includes more than 2.13 million baptized believers in 86 countries.  

Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA share a written agreement to maintain intentional partnerships in areas of mutual interest. The Joint Executive Committee reviews this covenant annually. Click here to read the Joint Executive Committee Covenant 

Leadership in Mennonite Church USA   

Executive Board (EB) 

Mennonite Church USA organizational structures are relatively “flat” compared to many other denominations. A 12-member volunteer Executive Board guides the denomination and is accountable to congregational and area conference delegates, who meet every two years at a national assembly. The Executive Board supervises the executive director and the Executive Board staff.  

Delegate Assembly 

Delegates are representatives from Mennonite congregations, area conferences and racial/ethnic groups who attend the national Delegate Assembly. Their role includes processing statements and resolutions related to Mennonite belief and practice, reviewing and offering feedback on the programs and priorities of the Executive Board, and giving guidance to general organizational policies and programs. Learn more about the Delegate Assembly. 

Constituency Leaders Council (CLC) 

The Constituency Leaders Council, a group consisting of Executive Board representatives, area conference leaders, constituency group representatives and agency and Executive Board staff, meets semiannually to listen, discern and advise the denomination on issues facing the church. It is the primary forum for conversation among area conferences in Mennonite Church USA. Each conference is invited to send up to three representatives.  

Executive Board staff 

Executive Board staff members work at carrying out the priorities identified by the delegates and board. They also support interconference connections and collaboration, coordinate the denomination’s biennial conventions, provide communication services for the denomination, and oversee the denominational archives. The executive director is the job title for the staff leader of MC USA Executive Board.  

Racial/Ethnic Council 

The Racial/Ethnic Council is a leadership body formed by representatives from each of the racial/ethnic groups across MC USA. The council works together to voice common concerns and ideas that advance equitable access to church programs and resources. Racial/ethnic groups and constituency groups are able to appoint representatives to the Constituency Leadership Council and Delegate Assembly. 

Constituency groups  

Constituency groups work to serve the needs of their members across Mennonite Church USA and connect them to the larger vision and mission of the church. Constituency groups are able to send representatives to Constituency Leaders Council meetings. The Executive Board may, in its discretion, identify new constituency groups and determine the number of representatives to the Constituency Leaders Council. The current constituency groups are Mennonite Women USA, Mennonite Men and the Queer Constituency Council.

Leadership Discernment Committee (LDC) 

The Leadership Discernment Committee prepares slates of nominees for the boards of churchwide program agencies, the Executive Board and any other standing committees. The committee has eight members, four of whom are appointed by the Executive Board and four of whom are nominated by the Constituency Leaders Council and elected/affirmed by the Delegate Assembly. Members may serve one four-year term, with possible reappointment or re-election for one additional four-year term. 

Churchwide agencies and ministry partners

The three agencies and two ministry partners Mennonite Church USA have their own boards but also collaborate with the Executive Board in carrying out the vision and collective mission of the denomination.

MennoMedia

MennoMedia produces faith-based print, video, radio and web materials with ideas for living out your faith from an Anabaptist perspective. They publish resources about Christian discipleship, spirituality, reconciliation, justice and theology. Herald Press is the trade book imprint of MennoMedia.

Mennonite Education Agency

Mennonite Education Agency works to strengthen the life, witness and identity of Mennonite Church USA through the support and advocacy of Anabaptist-Mennonite educational programs, events, organizations and schools. 

Mennonite Mission Network

Mennonite Mission Network’s goal as the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA is that every congregation and all parts of the church would be engaged in God’s mission across the street and around the world. Mission Network partners with others to equip missional congregations and their leaders to share the whole gospel of Jesus Christ in their culture. 

Ministry Partners

MHS

MHS (Mennonite Health Services Alliance) strengthens and extends Mennonite and other Anabaptist health and human service organizations with resources to enhance organizational performance in relationship to their values. 

Everence

Everence helps individuals, organizations and congregations integrate their faith and values into their financial decisions to accomplish their stewardship goals. Everence offers banking, insurance and financial services with community benefits and stewardship education through a national team of advisors and representatives.

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