
USMB boards convened Oct. 9-12, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona. The Board of Faith and Life met Oct. 9, the National Strategy Team gathered Oct. 10 and the Leadership Board and Council met Oct. 11. The Leadership Board met the morning of Oct. 12.
The Leadership Board approved the 2025 USMB budget of $892,725, a decrease of 15 percent from the 2024 budget. Some of the 2024 budget increase was due to the overlap of staff in preparation for the retirement of several USMB staff members following Gathering 2024 in July.
In presenting the budget, treasurer Gaven Banik noted that a portion of the First Fruits gift from MB Foundation is designated for a fund to be used by district ministers to assist pastors in their districts. District ministers were encouraged to use this fund.
The approved budget includes a decrease in the MB Historical Commission subsidy for 2025 from $12,000 to $5,000, at the commission’s request. The commission, supported by USMB and the Canadian Conference of MB Churches, currently has a financial surplus and is currently reviewing its purpose and structure.
The International Community of Mennonite Brethren will continue to receive 2 percent of the USMB annual budget. The request from Mennonite World Conference for an additional $2,000 contribution to offset the costs of the 500th Anabaptist anniversary event in Zurich was not approved.
The Leadership Council discussed concerns raised by delegates at the 2024 National Convention regarding revisions to Article IV, Section 1 of USMB by-laws concerning the reversion clause. Delegates did not approve the recommended revisions. Per the minutes, the council concluded that while the revision was not “fundamentally flawed,” wording would be adjusted, the proposed revisions would be widely circulated prior to the 2026 convention and that time will be given at Gathering 2026 for delegates to discuss the proposed revision in a workshop.
The Leadership Council affirmed a request from Multiply, the North American MB mission agency, to create a task force to develop an effective bi-national structure for Multiply. The task force will look at staffing and structure to provide better U.S. engagement and U.S.-based training opportunities. USMB national director Aaron Box and Canadian national director Cam Stewart will be part of the task force as will Bruce Enns, Multiply general director, and two additional Americans and one Canadian.
Box reported on staff activities related to the USMB three core commitments (discipleship, leadership development and church planting), fundraising and communication.
Because of a steady decline in church giving, Box outlined steps he plans to take to increase church giving as well as giving by individuals. He noted the ultimate goal is to increase church engagement. Developing a cohesive USMB communication strategy is one way to improve church engagement and the Council discussed ways to enhance communication share with churches and online.
The council heard an update on plans for Gathering 2026; an emerging partnership with Tabor College in the CDC and SDC; and plans to pause the Church Planting Council for six months to assess how best to move forward in national church planting efforts. The group also discussed making USMB resources available in all languages used by the conference and incorporating non-English speakers into planning events.
In his update to the Leadership Council, Board of Faith and Life chair Jesse Swiers reported on the board’s ongoing work developing a document on transgender issues, discussions about ordination and licensing procedures for pastors and church staff, a new process for adding Leadership Fuel resources and plans for the March 20205 National Pastors’ Orientation to be held in San Diego, Calif.
The Leadership Council also heard updates from Stephen Humber of Multiply and Jon Wiebe of MB Foundation.

Connie Faber joined the magazine staff in 1994 and assumed the duties of editor in 2004. She has won awards from the Evangelical Press Association for her writing and editing. Faber is the co-author of Family Matters: Discovering the Mennonite Brethren. She and her husband, David, have two daughters, one son, one daughter-in-law, one son-in-law and three grandchildren. They are members of Ebenfeld MB Church in Hillsboro, Kansas.