David Chow, a Mennonite Brethren pastor from Calgary, Alberta, has been appointed Mennonite World Conference regional representative for North America.

Chow’s appointment completes a process that stalled last fall. MWC had been set to appoint Stanley Green of Mennonite Church USA to the role until concerns were raised by three of MWC’s five member denominations in the United States. The three unnamed groups were not comfortable having an MWC representative who is a member of MC USA due to a 2022 denominational statement viewed as judgmental of churches with more conservative views on LGBTQ inclusion.

Green is executive conference minister of Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference and former executive director of Mennonite Mission Network.

Regional representatives function as two-way ambassadors for member churches and MWC, helping with information sharing and communication both to the churches from MWC and to MWC from the churches.

MWC’s previous North American representative was Gerald Hilde­brand — like Chow, a member of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. He served from 2018 until retiring in June.

Chow felt a call to ministry from an early age and as a young adult found his spiritual home among Anabaptists. He earned a master of divinity degree at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary.

Chow and his wife, Charlene, served with the MB church in Japan for two years. He has served as pastor for some 22 years with a focus on building intercultural congregations.

“I love the church — local and the global fellowship,” he said in an MWC release. “Over the course of my theological studies, I firmly embraced Anabaptist beliefs and committed my life to embodying and living them out.”

He began his MWC role April 1 and connects with the 10 North American MWC member churches.

“David is known as a natural networker and deep listener,” said Danisa Ndlovu, a former MWC president who was recently appointed MWC manager of church relations. “We are confident he will apply his skills and love for the mission of God in the world to connect with our member churches in North America.”