In October 2013, SangMin Lee, a young South Korean Mennonite, called the police to announce that he was a conscientious objector and would not fulfill his mandatory military service. Following his trial six months later, Lee was taken from the courtroom directly to prison and subsequently became the first Mennonite conscientious objector in South Korea.
Richards was ordained in 1973 by Illinois Mennonite Conference while serving as co-pastor of Lombard (Ill.) Mennonite Church with her husband, Joe.