Josh wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 11:07 pm
Who’s the current executive director of MC USA?
i expect you know the answer.
2020 / Glen Guyton reflects on first two years as MC USA executive director
https://anabaptistworld.org/glen-guyton ... -director/
.. Guyton often acknowledges he is part of Generation X and a non-ethnic Mennonite, which means that he did not come from the European heritage historically associated with Mennonites. This is true for many who are now Mennonites and Anabaptists. A study found that from 2002 to 2007, 25% of new MC USA members were from non-white racial/ethnic groups. As of 2018, North Americans made up only 30.5% of Mennonite World Conference membership, with about two-thirds of the global membership located in Africa, Asia and Latin America, according to MWC statistics.
There seems to be a generational shift in MC USA that values greater transparency, Guyton says, and he feels this relieves some of the church’s focus on traditional Mennonite ethnic identity.
“I have the benefit of having an outsider’s perspective,” Guyton says. “I see the value of our theology and the sense of belonging. People want to belong to this denomination, so we need to be open to that and see the growth potential that we have.”
Guyton started working for MC USA in 2009 to promote intercultural relations and became the first African American executive director of MC USA in 2018. He says he does not feel he needs to represent all black people or all younger people. “But it is something that I do have to keep in mind, and I want to do my best to break down negative stereotypes and bias,” says Guyton.
Guyton referred to the “glass cliff,” a trend that happens when organizations that are experiencing challenging circumstances and high risk are more open to promote women or people of color into leadership. If the organization succeeds, Guyton says, it tends to return to its more traditional leadership.
“That’s always in my mind: what’s next for MC USA,” says Guyton. “Often times, when you have the first of any group, there’s a response by institutions. And so, I wonder, will my non-traditional approach propel the institution to greater growth and openness, or will it lead to a snap-back into more traditionalism?”
“We always want to romanticize people of color, that they’re the growing edge of the church,” Guyton says.
“I don’t like that narrative.
If we live into who we are as Anabaptists, there are opportunities for all of us to live into our communities, to make a difference.
That’s not limited to a racial identity.”
Guyton says he has noticed that sometimes Mennonite leaders attempt to set aside their identities to be leaders, but he encourages people to bring who they are into their roles. “I think we should all be able to incorporate our identity into our leadership role, which is something we often miss in the Mennonite church,” he says. ..
.. He relates this theme to his own experience, which includes becoming part of the Mennonite church in 1993.
This led him to leave his position in the United States Air Force as a conscientious objector.
Now, after two years as executive director of Mennonite Church USA (MC USA), Guyton reflects on his experience and how Mennonites are uniquely positioned to speak prophetically to the issues of today. ..
Former Air Force.
This makes me wonder (again) about my observations of unnoticed aspects of the U.S. military, particularly the military way of demanding all sorts of recruits be forced to live together, work together, live+eat together, etc., under one set of common rules.
i don’t know Mr Guyton, but, i will venture to guess, he benefited from his military experience, as well as converting to become a committed CO.
not being military, i guess i just became interested after witnessing “the remains” of a clearly culturally mixed community that was formerly a military base. there were surprising aspects, possibly the one that impressed me most was a common sense of (values?) no matter socio-economic status, most humble to wealthiest. i believe the military influence “did that” - to recruits and in extension to family members and overall community.
unfortunately, that community has deterioted, since being inundated with non-military-influenced residents, crime+violent crime have relocated there, the former “profile” hangs on, but .. changed+changing. [The State of Chicago rules, not the U.S. military.]
Now we enjoy crime+violent crime while pretending everything’s fine.
Mr Guyton has his hands full. i pray for wisdom and leadership in his ministry.
for his sanity. 
MCUSA Executive Board Members
https://www.mennoniteusa.org/who-are-me ... ard-staff/