Mennonite Church USA Executive Director Glen Guyton to Complete Term December 31, Will Lead Cincinnati Freedom Center in 2027
Elkhart, Indiana: The Mennonite Church USA Executive Board announced on October 22 that Executive Director Glen Guyton will complete his current term on December 31, 2026, concluding almost nine years of service, and will not seek renewal for a fourth term. Guyton will begin a new role on January 1, 2027, as president and chief operating officer of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“The Executive Board is grateful for Glen's many years of service to the church,” said Marty Lehman, MC USA moderator. “His leadership has been both enterprising and visionary. His dedication and commitment to the church have been a blessing, which we will continue to benefit from in the future.” The denomination said Guyton's tenure was characterized by dedication to the core Anabaptist values of following Jesus, peace, and justice, and that under his leadership MC USA has advanced inclusivity, embraced diversity within the faith community and strengthened its commitment to Christ-centered justice.
Guyton's path to the role was an unusual one: a former U.S. Air Force officer, he initially mistook Anabaptist for Anti-Baptist, became a conscientious objector, and grew into a leader within the Mennonite community. “I am profoundly grateful for this experience and the warmth and acceptance I've received from the people of Mennonite Church USA,” he said. “My journey from a Black Presbyterian military officer in Texas to a leader in this Anabaptist faith community has brought immense growth and joy. Thirty years ago, I could not have imagined the path that led me here, but I am thankful for every step that brought us together. God is always full of surprises.”
Guyton joined the MC USA Executive Leadership staff in 2009, held roles in intercultural relations, finance and convention planning, became chief operating officer and director of Convention Planning in 2014, and was appointed executive director in 2018, the third person to hold the post. He is the author of Reawakened: How Your Congregation Can Spark Lasting Change and Navigating Microaggressions at Work, and guided the denomination through the Journey Forward and Reimagining MC USA processes. He said he will immediately begin working with the MC USA transition team to support an orderly leadership transition, and remains committed to the success of the 2027 biennial convention, which will bring 1,500 visitors to Cincinnati on July 6-10, 2027. Mennonite Church USA is an Anabaptist Christian denomination founded in 2002 by the merger of the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church, whose members seek to follow Jesus by rejecting violence and resisting injustice.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：门诺会美国教会执行主任 Glen Guyton 官方肖像。门诺会美国教会（Mennonite Church USA）官方发布照片。Photo: Official portrait of Glen Guyton, executive director of Mennonite Church USA. Photo released by Mennonite Church USA.
