Mennonite Church USA executive director Glen Guyton will conclude his role at the end of the year and not seek renewal for a fourth term. The MC USA Executive Board made the announcement about the conclusion of his nine years of service in the position on Oct. 22.

Guyton will begin Jan. 1 as president and chief operating officer of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati.

“The Executive Board is grateful for Glen’s many years of service to the church,” said MC USA moderator Marty Lehman. “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.”

Guyton’s tenure has been characterized by his dedication to the Anabaptist values of following Jesus, peace and justice. Under his leadership, MC USA advanced inclusivity, embraced diversity within the faith community and strengthened the church’s commitment to Christ-centered justice.

According to Guyton, who admitted that he initially mistook Anabaptist for Anti-Baptist, his path from a U.S. Air Force officer to a conscientious objector and leader within the Mennonite community is a story of transformation, learning and God’s grace.

“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 as director of intercultural relations and held various staff roles for the next five years in finance and convention planning. In 2014, he became the chief operating officer and director of convention planning. He was appointed executive director in 2018.

He encouraged authentic cultural identity in leadership, championed the use of the Intercultural Development Inventory, publicly advocated against tokenism, modeled high-energy, inclusive planning for MC USA’s biennial conventions, and consistently mentored and elevated young people and leaders of color.

Guyton equipped congregations and leaders by penning resources, such as his books Reawakened: How Your Congregation Can Spark Lasting Change and Navigating Microaggressions at Work.

As executive director, he guided MC USA through the Journey Forward and Reimagining MC USA processes, helping congregations face 21st-century cultural shifts, structural changes and shifting membership with a Christ-centered focus.

“Serving MC USA has deepened my understanding of what it means to follow Jesus in community,” Guyton said. “I am grateful for the people who have helped carry this work and for the faithfulness of our congregations and conferences. In the weeks ahead, I remain committed to supporting the Executive Board and staff as we prepare for this transition and continue discerning the church’s future together.”

Guyton is working with an MC USA transition team to support an orderly leadership transition in coordination with the Executive Board and staff. He also is committed to ensuring the success of the 2027 biennial convention July 6-10 in Cincinnati. The Executive Board will oversee the transition process and keep the church informed as plans develop.

Guyton is the third executive director of MC USA. James Schrag, who served as the project leader for the team that merged the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church, was MC USA’s first executive director from 2001 to 2009. He was succeeded by Ron Byler, who served as interim executive director for six months, and then by Ervin Stutzman, who served MC USA from 2010 to 2018.

While preparing for a leadership transition, the denomination continues discerning how best to support congregations and conferences in a changing world through the Reimagining MC USA initiative, exploring fresh possibilities for shared ministry and how its structures can serve that calling.