Two students complete Journey Missional Leadership Development Program
Published: December 9, 2024
By Annette Brill Bergstresser
ELKHART, Indiana (Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary) 鈥� In 2024, two participants completed the Journey Missional Leadership Development Program of (bg真人) in Elkhart, Indiana.
The distance-friendly undergraduate-level certificate program develops leaders centered in Jesus Christ for ministries in local churches and communities. It’s designed for pastors, those exploring a call to ministry, church planters and lay leaders. The program consists of online study, biweekly meetings with a mentor, and face-to-face gatherings twice a year.
The program currently has 41 participants in Canada, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Tanzania, Uganda and the United States.
The 2024 graduates include:
Alisha Garber
About a month after beginning the Journey program in the spring of 2022, Alisha Garber was shaken by a major transition. She, her husband, Joshua Garber, and son were placed on sabbatical from their international faith work posting and were recalled to the United States after more than a decade of mission work in Europe. The Garbers are residing in Phoenix, Arizona.
鈥淭he Journey program provided an outlet for my anxious heart and a place for my 鈥榙oer鈥� mentality to put its energy,鈥� she reflected. 鈥淚 was enrobed by the wisdom of so many prophets, pastors, professors and theologians who came before me, and accompanied by two fantastic mentors to guide my path when I felt especially lost.鈥�
Garber鈥檚 mentors in the program were Rev. Karen Sethuraman of the United Kingdom Anabaptist Mennonite Network and Rebecca Kauffman of Bethel Mennonite Church in West Liberty, Ohio 鈥� a congregation of Ohio Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA.
Garber noted that although her path through the Journey program was not what she initially envisioned, she still has found opportunities to partner with the Holy Spirit in the missio Dei.
鈥淚 look back on the 2,600 hours of study, thousands of prayers, countless lectures, mentor meetings and papers 鈥� plus three Moleskine journals filled cover to cover with valuable takeaways 鈥� and know that it was all worth it,鈥� she said. 鈥淎fter all this, I鈥檓 still in the wilderness, and it鈥檚 not clear where God will lead me next. But I feel a little older, a lot wiser and certainly better equipped for the journey ahead.鈥�
Garber and her family currently make their home in Phoenix. Professionally, she serves as Communications and Initiatives Coordinator for Circle of Peace (Church of the Brethren) in Peoria, Arizona.
As a lay leader in her home congregation 鈥� in Glendale, Arizona, a congregation of Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA 鈥� Garber serves as the Children鈥檚 Ministry Assistant, is a member of the Trinity Kids Advisory Team, teaches Sunday school for second- and third-graders and sings on the Worship Team.
Additionally, she and her family are missionaries-in-residence at Hope House Farms, an urban historical homestead in downtown Phoenix 鈥� an arm of , a nonprofit organization in the city. She teaches a discipleship class for second- and third-graders at their Monday Night Kids Club. She also cares for the Garfield Neighborhood as a community chaplain and facilitates Story Time and Crafts at the neighborhood鈥檚 monthly Really Really Free Market. Online, she ministers to the (an initiative of the ) and facilitates their book studies.
Garber reflected on her Journey experience in a column for Anabaptist World, 鈥溾�� (July 26, 2024).
Alysa Short
Alysa Short of Pettisville, Ohio, joined the Journey program in the fall of 2021. She’s involved in preaching, serving on committees, teaching Sunday school for all ages, and planning and leading worship for her home congregation, in Archbold, Ohio 鈥� a congregation of Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA.
Her mentor in the Journey program was Sue Short of Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, Ohio 鈥� a congregation of Ohio Mennonite Conference.
鈥淛ourney was a wonderful program to learn, explore and deepen not only my biblical understanding but also my pastoral leadership skills,鈥� she reflected. 鈥淚 was allowed to question, ponder, doubt and wrestle with new and old concepts while also practicing the skills taught. The Weekend Learning Events provided time for reflection and learning from others. But I will always maintain that the best part of the Journey program is the mentor-mentee relationship. Having someone to walk with me on the journey was so meaningful. This relationship is what really makes the entire Journey program what it is.鈥�
Short is married to Mark Short, and they have two children.
See: ambs.edu/journey
Located in Elkhart, Indiana, on ancestral land of the Potawatomi and Miami peoples, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary is a learning community with an Anabaptist vision, offering theological education for learners both on campus and at a distance as well as a wide array of lifelong learning programs 鈥� all with the goal of educating followers of Jesus Christ to be leaders for God鈥檚 reconciling mission in the world.
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