Photo: Ervin Stutzman speaks at the 2015 Mennonite Church USA convention in Kansas City. Photo by Vada Snider. 

On Tuesday Jan. 26, Mennonite Church USA’s Executive Board unanimously reaffirmed Ervin Stutzman for a third three-year term as Executive Director for Mennonite Church USA.

The conference call meeting followed a several-month review process that invited feedback from Mennonite Church USA Executive Board staff leaders, area conference ministers and moderators, Executive Board members and CEO’s of churchwide agencies.

“We sought broad input from the people with whom Ervin works most directly,” said Patricia Shelly, North Newton, Kan., who led the review process in her role as Mennonite Church USA moderator. “Even in the midst of stressful conversations across the church, we heard overwhelming support for Ervin’s leadership these past three years and affirmation for his continued service.”

The Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA is called to “lead Mennonite Church USA toward a Christ-centered spirituality and missional calling.”

Stutzman was named Executive Director in August 2009 and began work in early 2010. Prior to his work with Mennonite Church USA, Stutzman served as vice president and seminary dean, as well as professor of church ministries, at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg, Va. He served on the Executive Board of Mennonite Church USA from 1999 to 2005 and as denominational moderator from 2001 to 2003.

“I’m honored to be reappointed for another term,” wrote Stutzman in a Jan. 29 e-mail. “This is the most challenging task I’ve ever faced, yet I receive the board’s call as an echo of God’s call. By God’s grace and the support of many around me, I pledge to lead the church in pursuit of the vision of healing and hope to which God has called us.”

Stutzman has identified three primary goals for this term of service: to help the church develop a “visionary learning stance” as it adapts to a “rapidly changing world,” to lead leaders of churchwide agencies, board and staff members in significant long-term denominational planning, and to update the denomination’s Purposeful Plan for engagement by delegates the 2017 Mennonite Church USA Convention in Orlando.