Two new delegates have been appointed to represent U.S. Mennonite Brethren to Mennonite World Conference. The USMB Leadership Board affirmed Jordan and Tristan Ringhofer as Mennonite World Conference delegates, sharing the decision at the USMB National Convention (Gathering 2026) in Salt Lake City, Utah, in July.
The Ringhofers join Gertrud Geddert as USMB representatives to the General Council, which is the primary decision-making body for Mennonite World Conference.
“The Ringhofers and Gertrud are official conduits through whom we can share our wishes and hopes and convictions with the larger Anabaptist world,” says Tim Geddert, chair of Mennonite World Conference’s Faith and Life Commission. “They, along with others of us also engaged with Mennonite World Conference, are encouraged to bring the richness of the worldwide Anabaptist movement around the world into our USMB circles as they have opportunity.”
USMB is permitted to appoint three delegates to the General Council, who attend meetings every three years alongside other representatives. Prior to the Ringhofers’ appointment, Tim and Gertrud Geddert represented USMB beginning in 2022. Aaron Box, USMB national director, joined the Gedderts as a representative in 2025. The Gedderts and Box attended the last Mennonite World Conference meeting in Schönblick, Germany, in May 2025, which aligned with the organization’s 100th anniversary and the 500-year celebration of the Anabaptist movement.
Following the 2025 meetings in Germany, Box decided to step down as a General Council member. With Geddert’s appointment to chair Mennonite World Conference’s Faith and Life Commission, USMB needed to fill two vacant positions.
Geddert says USMB was fortunate to have the Ringhofers express interest in the roles. Tristan Ringhofer, elementary vice principal at Immanuel Schools in Reedley, California, and Jordan Ringhofer, district minister of the Pacific District Conference, possess unique qualifications and positions to support and serve both USMB and Mennonite World Conference.
“Both know and love Mennonite Brethren,” Geddert says. “Both serve in places where they can represent Mennonite World Conference to us, and us to MWC. I am so delighted that they are willing to serve in this very rewarding and important capacity.”
Jordan Ringhofer shares excitement for the opportunity to represent USMB.
“It’s a privilege to step into this role at such a pivotal time for relationships within the broader Anabaptist family,” Ringhofer says. “The opportunity to hear and learn from our global family of Anabaptists, while faithfully representing USMB’s commitment to living out God’s Word in the way of Jesus, is a privilege.
“Our hope is that we, along with Gertrud Geddert, can build upon the work of Aaron Box and Tim Geddert to continue bringing a deepened and renewed understanding of what it looks like for USMB to be part of this global Kingdom partnership.”
Lacey joined the Christian Leader staff as editor in July 2025. She has more than two decades of experience in editorial writing and strategic communications, creating and editing content for newspaper, magazines, websites and email campaigns. Lacey, her husband and their two girls live in Wichita, Kansas, and attend Ridgepoint Church.
