Amy Epp - Pastor of Evergreen Mennonite Church, WA

October 8, 2025 

Dear MCC Board Members and Executive Staff, 

I understand that MCC US boards are going to be gathering in the coming week. I trust that this meeting will be a time of re-connection and re-centering and I pray that the Spirit will dwell in among you as you come together to re-orient to the values and mission of MCC locally and globally. Those central values have been so important and formative for me as both a child of MCC and an MCC worker myself. 

This past weekend I attended the Mennonite Country Auction and MCC relief sale in central Washington as I have for 20 years. It is a joy to see God's people sharing work, building community and uniting around relief, development and peacemaking world-wide. However, when the auction opened, drawing attention to those goals, I could only think of the MCC workers who have been pleading for MCC to hear them, who have been abused or mistreated and asked to be silent. 

I will not be silent. I will listen to, believe and support survivors. I long for MCC to do the same. MCC's witness as peacemakers is weakened without a good faith attempt to center survivors, their stories and their needs. 

As a pastor, I am extremely unlikely to recommend MCC as a trustworthy organization with which to seek service opportunities, because I do not have faith in MCC’s ability to care for its workers. Peacemaking and reconciliation in the way of Jesus require vulnerability, trust and courageous willingness to acknowledge wrongdoing. 

I believe MCC can mend its peacemaking witness. Specifically I ask that MCC follow the prompting of MCC Abuse Survivors Together (MAST) in the following ways: 

1) Commit to an independent external investigation that includes all abuse allegations and of MCC’s handling of those allegations. Only an external process can provide the credibility, transparency, and impartiality needed to begin rebuilding trust. 

2) Release survivors from Non-Disclosure Agreements. Those who have been harmed should not be compelled to be silent through NDAs. 

3) Agree to survivor-centered parameters to a non-confidential facilitated conversation with Anicka Fast and John Clark, including the presence of an advocate. 

I look forward with longing to MCC taking action for peace, justice and wholeness. 

In hopeful expectation, 

Amy Marie Epp 

Pastor, Evergreen Mennonite Church 

Kirkland, WA 

Note: I consider this a public letter. Permission has been granted to post this letter publicly on the MCC Abuse Survivors Together (MAST) website.