by Patricia Burdette
Ruth Lapp Guengerich, Goshen, Ind., assumed the board presidency of Mennonite Women USA during the Mennonite Church USA Assembly in Columbus, Ohio, in July. She replaces outgoing president, Rebecca Sommers, longtime resident of Sarasota, Fla., now living in Goshen.
At the Mennonite Women dinner, Sommers presented Guengerich with a shawl she had made for the occasion to symbolize the leadership change.
“I have felt called to work with women’s issues within the church,” Guengerich says. “I desire to see women in Mennonite Church USA overcome the hurdles that may have limited them in finding their niche within church structures or that prevented them from finding fulfillment in their daily lives. It is my goal that Mennonite Women will be a means of empowering women to use their energy in positive ways to serve God, empower others through friendship and challenge the church to reflect the diversity that we bring.”
Having recently moved to the Goshen area from Archbold, Ohio, and Zion Mennonite Church, Guengerich attends Silverwood Mennonite Church where her husband, Ron, pastors. A professional clinical counselor for 25 years, she works as the international personnel counselor and recruiter for Mennonite Mission Network.
During her tenure as president, Sommers led the redesign of Timbrel: Women in Conversation Together with God, the organization’s bi-monthly magazine. She also gave leadership to the creation of the Miriam Group giving circles and the development of the Sister-Care Seminars, a new program of Mennonite Women USA. Sister-Care is designed to train women in the church to reach out and offer healing and hope to other women.
“I have been blessed by the women who have given energy and service on our board. What a great group of women!” Sommers says. “I have also been blessed by the many women I have met across the United States as I heard their stories and encouraged and affirmed them in the ways they serve the church.”
Sommers and her husband, Merle, are members of College Mennonite Church. Rebecca is a fabric artist and retreat leader.
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.