The General Council is the decision-making body of Mennonite World Conference. Using consensus decision making, they discern strategy, policy and statements that guide the global Anabaptist family.
Out of 106 General Council delegates who were present at the triennial meetings in Germany in 2025, more than 60 were representing their church for the first time.
(As of June 2025, MWC has a total of 111 national member churches from 61 countries. Some delegates were not able to attend due to challenges with the visa process.)
We asked new General Council delegates for their impressions. What did they “take home” with them from the meetings?
- “Nice memories of lovely brothers and sisters: I learned to know a little closer the GC delegates from Myanmar, South Korea, Nigeria, Hong Kong, Canada, Japan, and the General Secretary of the Quaker communion. Also the workshops were inspiring.”—Andreas Ortner, deputy board chair and delegate for Mennonitische Freikirche Österreich, Austria.
- “I have gained a much greater appreciation and awareness of our larger Anabaptist world-wide community.”—Cam Stuart, national director and delegate for Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.
- “I felt blessed by how my regional caucus discussed diversity and unity…. There was a lot of kindness despite differences.”—Jen Kornelsen, delegate for the Evangelical Mennonite Conference, Canada.
- “It was wonderful to share with brothers and sisters from different countries. They inspired us with their experiences and the processes they use in their local communities, and it encouraged us to continue our own work at home. These processes from other communities are good examples of forgiveness and reconciliation.” —Carlos Arturo Moreno, president and delegate for Iglesia Cristiana Menonita de Colombia.
- “It really was a wonderful that (using consensus agreement) no one was left behind if they do not agree with the rest.”—Brian Maphosa, national overseer and delegate for Brethren in Christ Church South Africa.
“As Anabaptists, we believe we hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches as we pray, study the Scriptures, listen together and learn from each other. We thank each church leader who commits to these meetings to listen and discern together across barriers of distance, both geographical and theological. We trust God’s kingdom is built as we worship together,” says César García, MWC general secretary.
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