Conference Minister for Christian Formation

Amanda Bleichty is the Conference Minister for Christian Formation and the Director of Communications for Central Plains Mennonite Conference. She began her role in 2018. Following her graduation from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Amanda pastored at Washington Mennonite Church for 7 years. During that time she encouraged biblical literacy, creativity, inter-generational story-telling and fun within the congregation.
 
Amanda believes that people with vibrant faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ have the power to change the world. Further, everything we do in congregations (whether purposefully or not) is forming the faith of those who have gathered. Amanda is committed to helping congregations find creative ways to encourage dynamic faith exploration and understanding for all ages, from the youngest children to the oldest adults. She is especially interested in finding ways of talking about, embodying and practicing faith in a changing church and world.

Amanda is available to Central Plains congregations for training events, preaching, consultation and resourcing. Recognizing that congregational needs and resources vary across our diverse conference, Amanda is committed to helping congregations find their best way forward as we all work together toward vigorous and vital faith development for all ages.  Call Amanda to discuss faith formation and to suggest what might be helpful for your congregation. Amanda is also a trained administrator of the IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory). If you or your congregation is looking for ways to engage with intercultural development and inclusion or anti-racism, Amanda is available to consult with and/or administer the IDI and subsequent debriefs. 
 
Amanda is also the curator of CPMC’s Formation Resource Library which has a wide variety of books and resources for teachers, parents, youth leaders, pastors, etc. Contact Amanda to borrow resources from the library. 

---

Call or email Amanda anytime about:

• Faith formation resources for children, youth and adults
• Christian practice resources for individuals or congregations
• Ideas for conference faith formation activities
• Suggestions for new studies or faith formation helps
• Conversation about faith formation changes
• Support for faith formation leaders
• Article suggestions for Scattered Seeds or announcements for The Sower
• Devotions or formation practices within the family
• Creating and implementing a child safety policy
• Starting a Shalom Readers or midweek kids club
• Intercultural Development and Anti-racism work

Amanda would be happy to…

• Suggest resources
• Help plan a retreat
• Meet with formation leaders in the congregation
• Meet with pastors
• Preach a sermon
• Help formulate a formation plan
• Teach about Christian practices
• Lead an experiential workshop or church service
• Talk about faith formation and worship
• Lead a workshop for leaders/teachers
• Talk about family faith formation

Amanda’s activities in Central Plains include:

• Equipping formation leaders with training and tools
• Promoting Mennonite (and other appropriate) formation resources
• Curating the Formation Resources Library
• Planning conference-wide youth events
• Working with youth delegates at Annual Meeting
• Providing Conscientious Objection materials to pastors and leaders
• Maintaining the website centralplainsmc.org 
• Editing The Sower and Scattered Seeds
• Leading intercultural development and anti-racism work (with the Executive Conference Minister, Nathan Luitjens)