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Andy Blacksher Headshot

Rev. Dr. Andy Blacksher is the Executive Pastor at Manchester UMC. He and his wife, Kristen, met in college at Missouri State University. They have two children, Zachary & Nathan, who are both excited to be a part of a church community that offers so many opportunities for their family to be involved.

Nearly 15 years of ministry in the United Methodist Church have taken the Blacksher’s on a journey to serve with congregations in Lee’s Summit, Festus, Lake of the Ozarks, and now here at Manchester.

Andy received a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication from Missouri State, a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, and was ordained an Elder in the UMC in 2016.  He recently received his Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership Excellence from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC.  He is also certified through the International Coaching Federation.

Andy serves the United Methodist Church across Missouri as a mentor to new clergy in the ordination process and as a coach for churches who are changing their leadership model to the Board governance model. As a creative outlet, he recently started a podcast called “Standing Shoeless: Finding God in the Ordinary.”

Other
Staff

Melanie Knipping

As the Director of Circle of Friends Preschool, I have a passion for helping children and families enjoy a great start to life-long learning! I have an Associate’s degree in Child Development and a Bachelor’s degree in Business. I have been involved in the early childhood education field as both

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Mary Pettit

As Finance Director, I am responsible for all accounting functions, and providing financial information and resources to support ministry leaders.  Our department processes all church receipts and disbursements, maintains donor records, and prepares monthly reports for the Leadership Board.  We assist with budgeting, special analysis projects, and account for the

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James Mettrick

Production Manager James Mettrick brings over four years of church production experience from Calvary Church in St. Peters, Missouri. With more than 20 years of experience as a drummer and percussionist, he is an active musician in the St. Louis area. James is a graduate of Greenville College (now Greenville

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Weather Update- January 24, 2026

Due to Weather Conditions, Manchester UMC will not be conducting services this weekend. 

All services have been canceled.