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

Rev. Dr. Mary Beth Hartenstein

Rev. Dr. Mary Beth Hartenstein is the Pastor of Justice and Compassion at Manchester UMC. She is responsible for developing, organizing, and managing the Congregational Care Ministry of Manchester UMC in collaboration with key stakeholders. She also supports the congregation and community through her presence, prayers, and coordination of resources.

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Ethan Massey

Ethan Massey currently lives in South City with his husband, Kurtis, and their two dogs, Bailey and Bella. He is an avid reader and when he is not relaxing with a good book, you will find him cheering on St. Louis CITY SC. They love to get out and spend

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Julie Weitzel

Julie Weitzel is the SonShine Singers Director at Manchester UMC. Julie was a member of Manchester UMC’s Children’s Choirs when she was in elementary school and is currently a Spanish Teacher and choreographer at Eureka High School. Julie enjoys musical theater, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. She

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