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Meet your new Conference Minister for Christian Formation

2/21/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
Photo by Stan Harder
Amanda Bleichty
Conference Minister for Christian Formation
 
Hello Central Plains Mennonite Conference! I’m so glad to be settling into my new position of Conference Minister for Christian Formation and Communications Director here at CPMC!

I believe that story plays an important role in faith formation. We learn so much about ourselves and one another and God when we tell our stories and hear the stories of others. And so as we get to know each other, I’d like to begin by telling you a bit of my own story.

I was born on a Kalona, Iowa pig farm to a farmer and a Family and Consumer Science teacher. Both farming and “home-ec” have informed some of my life-long passions and hobbies.

Through most of my school years, it was common knowledge that I was going to be a fashion designer when I grew up. I sewed, I drew, I dreamed of fashion. But those plans began to crumble during my senior year of high school when I began to sense a strange calling to something different. Something very unexpected.

During a year off between high school and college, I spent time both as a youth worker at a Catholic retreat center near London, England, and also as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant at a local nursing home. That year taught me that I loved working with both youth and the elderly and that I loved hearing people’s stories, especially their stories of faith.

The next fall, I began at Goshen College, majoring in Bible/Religion/Philosophy, with a minor in Anabaptist Studies. During my time at Goshen, I had several internships; one at a camp, one in a congregation, and another as a chaplain in a nursing home. Each of these experiences helped to shape my unexpected calling as a pastor. A calling that took some time to get used to.

Even as I knew I was called to pastoral work, I was prepared to wait a few years before attending seminary. But finally, I took the advice of a good friend, who had said, “Why wait? You’d just be waiting around for what you know you should do.”  The next fall I began at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. At AMBS, I learned a lot and had even more internships, including one at Washington Mennonite Church in Washington, Iowa, which led to a pastoral position 15 months later.

For the next 7 years, I pastored at Washington Mennonite, for a time as co-, then as lead, and finally as solo-pastor. I learned a great deal about myself, about the church, and certainly about God.  I am forever thankful to WMC for encouraging my preaching, for being open to try new things, and for helping me to explore what Christian Formation within a congregation could look like. I loved my time at WMC.

Even so, after a time, I again felt a call to move into something new and unexpected. And again, it took some prompting--and some courage. The rest, as they say, is history—here I am.

Somewhere along the way, I preached a fateful sermon at Pleasant View Mennonite Church, and 3 years later, ended up with a husband. Jon and I live on a dairy farm near Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, with a herd of cows, 12 laying hens, and two hyper puppies. One of my pastoral passions includes finding ways to be a bridge between the urban/academic Mennonites of my school days and more rural Mennonite communities, like the one I grew up in—and so, I’m happy to be living where I never thought I’d be, back on a farm in rural Iowa.

I am excited to be here, getting started in this new role, looking ahead to the ways that Christian Formation can grow as our world and the church are changing. I hope to be and to provide valuable faith formation resources for children, youth and adults in this conference of diverse congregations and to continue the work of communicating the mission of CPMC effectively. As we get to know one another, I hope to hear many of your stories, and to tell you more of my own. If you find yourself in Kalona, feel free to stop by the office and chat, or send me an email or give me a call. I’d love to hear from you!
​
1 Comment

    Author

    Read articles from our latest issue of Scattered Seeds, the Central Plains Mennonite Conference bi-monthly print newsletter.

    Scattered Seeds is edited by Amanda Bleichty.

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Office Manager: P.O. Box 101, Freeman, SD 57029  office@centralplainsmc.org  phone: 605-929-3325
Ministry Staff Office: P.O. Box 352, Kalona, IA 52247
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Central Plains Structure
    • Staff >
      • Executive Conference Minister
      • Ministerial Leadership
      • Formation Minister
      • Hispanic Ministries
    • Map of Conference
    • Congregations >
      • Illinois
      • Iowa
      • Minnesota
      • Montana
      • Nebraska
      • South Dakota
      • Wisconsin
    • Board
    • Committees >
      • Christian Formation
      • Outreach and Service >
        • Church Planting
        • Peace and Justice Task Group
        • Practicing Offering and Receiving Hospitality
      • Pastoral Leadership
    • Partners in Mission >
      • Agape Peace Center
      • Philip Friesen
    • Camps & Schools
    • Who are the Mennonites?
  • CPMC at Work
    • MC USA Delegate Resources
    • Publications >
      • Scattered Seeds
      • The Sower
    • Events >
      • Annual Meeting 2022
      • Annual Leaders Retreat 2022
    • CPMC Covenant
    • New Ministries Fund >
      • Reports of Past Grant Recipients
    • Counsel on variance
  • Congregational Leaders
    • Pastors
    • Elders & Deacons
    • Church Council
    • Support for Conflict >
      • Facilitation Services and Donations
    • Pastor Openings
  • Mission Leaders
    • Racism webinar videos
    • Ecuador/Venezuela Partnership >
      • Latest News from Ecuador/Venezuela
      • Story of the Ecuador Partnership >
        • Timeline & Resources
      • Personnel and Partnership Members >
        • Ross Richers
        • Wigginton Bravo
      • Quito Property Fund
    • Church Planting >
      • Developing Congregations
    • Travel Like Dave
    • Missional Discipleship Initiative
    • Islam and the Gospel
  • Formation Leaders
    • Formation in Worship
    • Formation Resource Library
    • Children and Families >
      • Faith at Home
      • Curriculum for Children
      • Shine
      • Resources for Parents
      • Protecting Children
    • Youth >
      • Youth Mission Together
      • Youth Sponsors
      • Youth Curriculum
      • Youth SS Teachers
      • Mentor Coordinator
      • CO Resources
      • Helpful sites for YM
    • Adults >
      • Adult Faith at Home
      • Adult Curriculum
      • Teaching resources
      • Adult Spirituality
    • Shalom Readers
    • Curriculum Evaluation Tool
  • Resources
    • Anti Racism Resources
    • Bible study Webinars >
      • Bible Study Webinars 2016
      • Bible Study Webinars 2017
    • Conference Documents
    • Christian Discernment
    • En Espanol
    • Immigration
    • Mennonite Links
    • Spiritual Deliverance
    • Archives
  • Contact Us
    • Contact form
    • Church contact info form
    • Donate
    • COVID Relief
    • Discerning Future Leaders
    • Sunday Speaking Information Sheet