Home » Pastors & Leaders Conference

Pastors & Leaders Conference

AMBS’s Pastors & Leaders is an annual gathering of pastors and those who hold leadership roles in local congregations, chaplaincy contexts, regional churches, denominational settings, not-for-profits and community organizations.

We meet together to connect, worship, learn and be inspired for our ministries. Our gatherings reflect AMBS’s Anabaptist orientation but are open to people from any denomination or no denomination.

Jump to a section

Pastors & Leaders 2026 | Resistance, Resilience, Rest
Speakers
Registration
Schedule
Workshops
Additional events
Leadership Clinics
Other information
Want to receive updates about Pastors & Leaders?
Past Pastors & Leaders conferences

Pastors & Leaders 2026 | Resistance, Resilience, Rest

Monday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m., to Thursday, Feb. 26, 12:30 p.m. ET

How can we best prepare ourselves to accompany our communities through challenging times with courage and conviction? We need rested, resilient pastors and leaders who can lead resistance against the many forms of oppression and violence that exist around us.

At the same time, we know that much is asked of church leaders, and research* shows that pastors experience a high rate of burnout, secondary traumatic stress and spiritual distress, which negatively affect their health and well-being.

At this conference, we’ll gain resources to care for ourselves and each other, looking to Scripture for wisdom, strength and inspiration.

Plus, Leadership Clinics will be offered Monday in person before the start of the conference.

_{*Hydinger, Kristen R., Xiaodi Wu, Laura E. Captari, and Steven J. Sandage. 2024. “Burnout, Trauma Impacts, and Well-Being Among Clergy and Chaplains: A Systematic Review and Recommendations to Guide Best Practice.” Pastoral Psychology 73 (5): 587–608. doi:10.1007/s11089-024-01150-x.}

Pastors & Leaders video

Speakers

Drew G.I. Hart, PhD, an author, educator and speaker, is Associate Professor of Theology at Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where he has directed the Thriving Together: Congregations for Racial Justice program since 2021. He co-hosts the InVerse podcast and is the author of Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism (Herald Press, 2016), Who Will Be A Witness?: Igniting Activism for God’s Justice, Love, and Deliverance (Herald Press, 2020) and Making It Plain: Why We Need Anabaptism and the Black Church (Herald Press, 2025). He also co-edited and contributed to Reparations and the Theological Disciplines: Prophetic Voices for Remembrance, Reckoning, and Repair (Bloomsbury, 2023).

Dan White, Jr., MA, and Tonya White are pastors, counselors, authors and co-founders of the Kineo Center in the rainforest of Puerto Rico, where they designed an immersive one-week experience to help weary and wounded leaders recover from burnout. To date, the center has served more than 600 nonprofit and ministry leaders from 14 denominations. The Whites have been pastors for 25 years and hold degrees in marriage and family counseling. Tonya is a certified Enneagram Coach, and Dan is the author of Love over Fear: Facing Monsters, Befriending Enemies, and Healing Our Polarized World (Moody, 2019). Together, they are co-authoring The Mutual Marriage (forthcoming).

Preachers

Kristin Loeks Jackson, MDiv, has served on the pastoral team of Living Water Community Church in Chicago, Illinois, since 2009. She has been a member of the multilingual and multi-ethnic congregation since it began in the 1990s. She holds a Master of Divinity from North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago and a Master of Education from Loyola University Chicago. Before becoming a pastor, she worked for many years as a teacher.

Regina Shands Stoltzfus, PhD, is Professor of Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies at Goshen College. Her courses include Race, Class and Ethnic Relations; Personal Violence and Healing; Peacemaking; and Transforming Conflict and Violence. Regina co-founded the Roots of Justice Anti-Oppression Program and has worked widely in peace education. She holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Ashland (Ohio) Theological Seminary and a PhD in Theology and Ethics from Chicago Theological Seminary. She is co-author of Been in the Struggle: Pursuing an Antiracist Spirituality (Herald, 2021).

Worship leader

Rashard Allen, DWS, is Director of Music and Worship at Neffsville Mennonite Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He has 20+ years of experience in ministry, including in Presbyterian, Methodist and Mennonite congregations. In 2022, he was a member of the International Ensemble for the Mennonite World Conference Assembly in Indonesia. He holds a Doctor of Worship Studies from the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Jacksonville, Florida, and started a Global Worship Training ministry through Faith and Learning International.

Registration

The early registration cost for in-person attendance is $215 USD when you register by Jan. 26, 2026. The in-person registration cost after Jan. 26 is $265 USD.
The early registration cost for online attendance is $150 USD when you register by Jan. 26. The online registration cost after Jan. 26 is $200 USD.
The final registration deadline is Feb. 16.

For details on discounts and refunds, see the “Other information” section below.

Schedule

All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Monday, Feb. 23

7:30 a.m. Leadership Clinic Registration
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Leadership Clinic: Healthy Boundaries 101
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Leadership Clinics: Caring for Immigrants and Congregations in Times of Crisis, Reflections on Blackness and Teaching Peace, Faith Formation for Families in Anxious Times, Your Voice in Worship
12–1 p.m. Lunch (Lambright Center Dining Hall)
4–6 p.m. Registration for Pastors & Leaders 2026 (Library Gallery)
5–6 p.m. Pizza supper for those who have preregistered (Lambright Center Dining Hall);
6:15 p.m. Registration for Pastors & Leaders 2026 (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
7–8:15 p.m. Welcome and Opening Worship* Speaker: Drew Hart, “Resistance in the Mirror of the Fugitive and the Martyr” (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)

Tuesday, Feb. 24

8–8:20 a.m. Morning Prayers (Chapel of the Word)
8:30–9:30 a.m. Workshops A* (locations on reverse)
9:15 a.m. Coffee and snacks (Waltner Hall Lounge and Library Gallery)
10 a.m. Gathering music* (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
10:15 a.m. Teaching Session* Speaker: Drew Hart, “Prophetic Discipleship: Nonviolently Resisting and Organizing from Below” (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
11 a.m. Move into Small Groups
11:10 a.m. Small Groups (location color on your nametag)
11:30 a.m. Lunch A (Lambright Center Dining Hall); Lunch for newcomers (Lambright Center Room H)
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Mindful Movement (Basement of Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
12:30 p.m. Lunch B (Lambright Center Dining Hall)
1:30 p.m. Workshops B* (locations on reverse)
2:30 p.m. Break (Waltner Hall Lounge and Library Gallery)
3 p.m. Worship* Kristin Jackson preaching (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
4:15-5:15 p.m. Orienting With the Word Storyteller’s Circle (Waltner Hall Lounge)
6 p.m. Mapping Our Spiritual Geography for those who RSVP’d to Mennonite Mission Network (Location TBD)

Wednesday, Feb. 25

8–8:20 a.m. Morning Prayers (Chapel of the Word)
8:30–9:30 a.m. Workshops C* (locations on reverse)
9:15 a.m. Coffee and snacks (Waltner Hall Lounge and Library Gallery)
10 a.m. Gathering music* (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
10:15 a.m. Teaching Session* Speakers: Dan and Tonya White, “Facing Our Weariness and Woundedness” (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
11 a.m. Move into Small Groups
11:10 a.m. Small Groups (Location color on your nametag)
11:30 a.m. Lunch A (Lambright Center Dining Hall); Conference/Regional Church Ministers and MDiv/MA students (Lambright Center Room H); Admissions (Lambright Center Room C)
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Mindful Movement (Basement of Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
12:30 p.m. Lunch B (Lambright Center Dining Hall)
1:30 p.m. Workshops D* (locations on reverse)
2:30 p.m. Break (Waltner Hall Lounge and Library Gallery)
3 p.m. Worship*
4 p.m. Free time
4:15–5:15 p.m. Fireside chat with President David Boshart, “Creating a Culture of Call”
6 p.m. Banquet and evening entertainment (Lambright Center Dining Hall) “Ministry Bloopers from Participants” with MC Allan Rudy-Froese

Thursday, Feb. 26

8:30 a.m. Bird Walk (Meet in front of the Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
9–9:20 a.m. Morning Prayers (Chapel of the Word)
9 a.m. Coffee and snacks (Waltner Hall Lounge and Library Gallery)
10 a.m. Gathering music* (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
10:15 a.m. Teaching Session* Speakers: Dan and Tonya White, “Stepping Towards Health and Wholeness” (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
11 a.m. Small Groups (Location color on your nametag)
11:30 a.m. Gather back* Drawing for gifts (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Closing Worship and Sending* (Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)
12:30 p.m. Lunch (Lambright Center Dining Hall)

* = livestreamed
Laura Funk, Ordained Spiritual Director from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and member of the Pastors & Leaders 2026 Planning Committee, will be facilitating a Zoom room for small group discussion after morning Teaching Sessions, as well as presenting a virtual-only workshop on Wednesday afternoon. These are optional spaces for virtual participants to connect with each other during the conference.

Workshops

–Click on a title to view the description–

All workshops will take place in Waltner Hall unless otherwise noted. Sessions marked with an asterisk (*) will be livestreamed.

Session A, Tuesday 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Anabaptist Public Faith through Social Media | Amy Marshall (Waltner Hall, Room 121)

What responsibility do Anabaptists have to build resistance through online social media platforms? How are congregants being influenced now in their faith by the narratives present on social media? This workshop will provide an opportunity to ponder these questions and consider how we, as Anabaptist leaders, can engage in online conversations about Christianity and be a presence representing Christians who believe in a Jesus who calls us to stand with the marginalized and to pursue justice and peace.

No Lamp Goes Out: Preparedness as Solidarity | Daniela Lazaro-Manalo, Mahlet Mamo and Becky Teiwes (Waltner Hall, Room 116C)

Using the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids (Matthew 25), this interactive workshop reimagines preparedness as an act of solidarity rather than competition. When scarcity thinking shapes our relationships, doors get shut and people get left out — patterns that echo systemic injustice in our churches and society. Through a guided listening circle, participants will name where their lamps are burning low, offer resources they have to share and make concrete connections for mutual support. This workshop invites pastors and leaders to practice collective care that resists individualism and works toward beloved community. Participants will receive a new resource that connects Gospel parables with racial equity action.

Our Shalom Identity and Today’s Reality: Pastoral Self-Examination and Self-Nurturing | Charles Kwuelum (Waltner Hall, Wadsworth Room)

This workshop offers a space for emancipatory self-reflection on our indispensable mandate to work toward Just Peace. Participants will explore implications of the Anabaptist identity of nonviolence and nonresistance in today’s turbulent world while emphasizing the three pillars of Anabaptism: theology, practice and ministry. We will discuss the pastoral, leadership and congregational call to peace witnessing and examine the integrated reflective advocacy approach of Mennonite Central Committee in transforming systems. Finally, the workshop will offer a self-reflective and self-nurturing platform for building resilience and restorative care.

Overcoming Fear | Marlene Kroeker (Waltner Hall, Witmarsum Room)

Discover how faith can calm the storms of fear and anxiety. In this workshop, you’ll explore spiritual practices that nurture confidence, strengthen trust in God and help you move forward with courage.

Reclaiming the Wisdom of Augurs: The Spirituality of Birding | David Moser (Waltner Hall, Room 119)

What are the birds telling us? The ancient Romans believed birds were messengers from the gods. Priests, known as augurs, were tasked with watching birds and interpreting the messages they were bringing. The relationship between humans and birds is an archetypal story where the natural and spiritual worlds connect. We will take a deeper dive into this story, learning some of its history, a little about birds in the Bible, something about birding, and to listen for what birds might be saying to us today — which we might find both challenging and renewing. Birds are still open to communicating with us — if we will listen.

Sacred Pausing: Resilience and Resistance Grounded in Rest* | Todd Friesen (Waltner Hall, Room 116B)

It’s been said that between every stimulus and response there is a space. We often forget that this space even exists and simply respond to disturbing circumstances (and headlines) with equal reactivity and hostility. In this workshop, we’ll look at how Jesus paused again and again to rest in God (five times in Luke). We’ll then explore some brief ways of going “into our inner room” (Matthew 6:6) in daily life — as individuals and congregations — to ground ourselves in God and choose ways of responding that are brave, loving and creative.

Walking the Labyrinth in the Quest for Rest | Kevin Ladd (Waltner Hall, Room 214)

Labyrinths are ancient tools frequently used in the context of spiritual discipline. In particular, the walking of a labyrinth is symbolic of life’s journey. As part of the process, it offers time for reflection on where we have come from, where we are, and where we are going in our spiritual lives as well as in our relationships along the way. In this workshop, participants will learn some of the history of labyrinths and how to make labyrinths. They’ll have the opportunity to walk and reflect upon this ancient spiritual discipline.

Session B, Tuesday 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Advocacy for Immigrants: Tools for Resistance | Abraham Díaz Alonso, Galen Fitzkee and Alicia McLeod (Waltner Hall, Wadsworth Room)

Advocacy is one way in which congregations and communities can put resistance into action. But what is advocacy, and why is it important? What are practical ways that members of your congregations can engage in it? In this workshop, Galen Fitzkee, Legislative Associate with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) U.S., will talk through the biblical basis for advocacy; MCC resources available to new advocates; and strategies that people of faith can use to affect change in Washington, D.C., and beyond. Explore the topic of immigration policy as a case study for the importance of advocacy on many topics that affect our congregations and the most vulnerable among us.

Centering Prayer: Beginning with Rest | Gay Kauffman and Naomi Wenger (Waltner Hall, Room 119)

Prayer, in all of its forms, has as its object and its source the presence of God. Simply “be-ing” in the presence of God is one experience of prayer that has the power to recenter our devotion (rest), sustain our faith (resilience) and inform our call to action (resistance). Spend an hour with us learning some tips and practicing the prayer of presence known as Centering Prayer.

Courage to Enter the Song: Moving Congregations from Quietism to Active Resistance* | David Cramer (Waltner Hall, Room 116B)

In this facilitated Bible study, we will use the new resource “Courage to Enter the Song: A Mennonite Action Guide to Grassroots Organizing” to reflect on how Anabaptist congregations can move from being the “quiet in the land” to being activated for resistance to injustice. Drawing from the study guide section of the book, we will read from Psalm 27, Matthew 22 and the essay “Give Us Courage to Enter the Song”; discuss these texts’ implications for (non)resistance; and participate in a brief role-play action based on the reading.

Practicing the Radical Welcome of Open Communion | Rena LeBlanc (Waltner Hall, Room 121)

The practice of the Lord’s Supper has been debated throughout Christian history. Different churches have different rules about who can participate and who is excluded. What if we threw away those rules? Throughout his ministry, Jesus didn’t limit his table fellowship based on a person’s status or worthiness. What would it look like for churches to follow his example and offer open communion for all with no qualifications? Come hear the story of Emmaus Road Mennonite Fellowship’s journey with this question, and discuss how this radical welcome offers an alternative to the pervasive “us versus them” narrative of society.

Seeing with the Heart | Ruth Boehm (Waltner Hall, Witmarsum Room)

After a brief introduction to the spiritual practice of “Seeing with the Heart,” we will go for a walk outside. Slow down and notice what catches your eye. Record what you see with your camera. Together we will review the images we have received and look for Scripture that connects with the photos. Bring a camera, a Bible, and an open heart.

Spiritual Practices that Build Resilience in Children | Joyce Peachey Lind (Waltner Hall, Room 116C)

In a world of uncertainty and change, how can our ministries help children stay grounded in God’s love and presence? This workshop invites ministry leaders to explore spiritual practices that cultivate resilience and hope in the lives of children. Through practical examples and shared reflection, we’ll look at how to read the Bible with children in life-giving ways, introduce prayer practices that engage both children and families, and practice holy listening — attending to the Spirit’s presence in and through children’s stories. Participants will have opportunities to discuss and share ideas for integrating these practices into congregational life and for equipping parents and caregivers to nurture faith at home. Join us as we rediscover sacred rhythms that help children — and our faith communities — find strength, peace and belonging in God’s story, even in the midst of challenging times.

Weaving Spirit and Justice | Nekeisha Alayna Alexis and Jamie Pitts (Waltner Hall, Room 214)

As Anabaptism has evolved over its 500-year-old global history, there has been an inclination in some streams of the movement — particularly in some of its U.S. and Canadian expressions — to focus on human action and ethics to the exclusion of God’s Spirit, and/or to focus on passionate and faithful witness, sometimes over and against considerations of longevity and effectiveness. With this background in mind, Nekeisha Alayna Alexis and Jamie Pitts will explore ways of weaving across these gaps. How might we practice Anabaptist faith, especially in this historical moment? How might we mobilize for justice amidst the demands of everyday church life? With Anabaptist history and theology, intercultural competence and undoing racism as our tools, this workshop will help build your capacity and vision to advocate for systemic and interpersonal transformation and repair in your community.

Session C, Wednesday 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Empires: An Exploration of Destructive Systems and Transformative Alternatives | Eric Frey Martin and Nathan Toews (Waltner Hall, Room 214)

This workshop will serve as an introduction to a curriculum by the same name to be released in 2026 and also as an interactive time of thinking about how our Anabaptist peace witness interacts with the powers and principalities of our day. We will use the curriculum’s videos and discussion guide to look at how the empire co-opts our practices and how Jesus’ example leads us in a different direction. We will also discuss what kind of resistance to empire we are being called to as we seek to be faithful followers of Christ.

Faith in Action: Building Prepared Churches | Abraham Díaz Alonso and Alicia McLeod (Waltner Hall, Room 116C)

As immigration enforcement expands into spaces once considered “sensitive locations,” many congregations are asking how to faithfully respond when fear and uncertainty reach their doors. This interactive workshop invites pastors and church leaders to explore how faith communities can embody resistance through preparation, resilience through solidarity, and rest through trust in God’s peace. Participants will learn practical tools for developing an immigration response plan and discover how preparedness itself can be an act of faithful resistance rooted in hospitality and peace.

Jesus the Strategist | Nathan Graber-McCrae (Waltner Hall, Room 121)

Join former pastor Nathan Graber-McCrae to explore a radical re-membering of Jesus’ final week. How can Jesus’ nonviolent anti-imperial social movement empower Anabaptists confronting fascism?

Peaceful Practices: A Guide to Healthy Communication in Conflict | Adriana Ortiz and Nathan Toews (Waltner Hall, Wadsworth Room)

Conflict is a normal part of life, but not everyone has had the same opportunity or time to develop the ability to adapt to hardship, adversity and stress. Resilience can be developed throughout life by building skills such as self-awareness, coping strategies and connecting with others. This workshop provides an opportunity to follow Jesus’ call to peacemaking through dialogue with each other, drawing from an adult Sunday school curriculum produced by Mennonite Central Committee U.S., “Peaceful Practices: A Guide to Healthy Communication in Conflict.”

Renewed for the Work: Mental Health and Well-Being in Ministry* | Kristin Overstreet and Rosalind Young (Waltner Hall, Room 116B)

Ministry leaders are called to hold space for others’ pain, joy and transformation — but in doing so, they often overlook their own emotional and spiritual health. This workshop invites clergy, chaplains and formation leaders to explore how anxiety and depression can manifest in ministry life; how to recognize early warning signs; and how to respond with faith, compassion and wisdom. We will combine theological reflection with practical strategies for self-care, balance and renewal. Through guided reflection, small-group interaction and embodied practices, participants will leave equipped with tools to sustain well-being and a personal plan for continued resilience in ministry.

The Peaceful Resilience of Jacob Hochstetler: Short Film Analysis | Eric Miller (Waltner Hall, Room 119)

“Under the Peach Trees,” directed by Eric Alan Miller, is a documentary short that explores the legacy and bravery of the 1738 Amish immigrant Jacob Hochstetler. After viewing the film, we will discuss the impossible, fatal choice that Jacob faced, and how we can use his teachings of peace to build our own resilience in the face of increasing violence.

Wrestling with Scripture as Peers | Bill Seymour (Waltner Hall, Witmarsum Room)

In this workshop, we will practice resistance, resilience and rest by sitting in Scripture together. This is not a Bible study; it is a wrestling match where we — as peers — will interact with a text together and learn from each other and from the text as we do.

Session D, Wednesday 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Building Resilience through Remembrance, Lament and Transformation | Alaina Dobkowski (Waltner Hall, Room 121)

As the most vulnerable people groups in our community are being targeted by violence, how are we holding the histories and collective memory that have led us to today’s events? Drawing from the pilgrimage along the Trail of Death, this workshop will explore how acts of remembrance, re-story-ation and the spiritual practice of lament can build our resilience and commitment to the work of resistance and transformation today.

Napping with God | Melissa Atchison (Basement of Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount)

Napping with God: a spiritual practice that invites us to be a child of God — in need of comfort, rest and guidance. We’ll explore images for God that include a soft lap where you are safe and cared for.

Resistance and Resilience from the Margins* | Madeline Maldonado (Waltner Hall, Room 116B)

What can we learn from minority groups about resistance and resilience? Why do they sing and dance during difficult times? What is their understanding of Scripture, and how do they live it out in the midst of oppression? This workshop will focus on storytelling by Madeline Maldonado, Pastor at College Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana, about her experiences of working with Latino congregations, as well as by others who have stories to share about the resources that help sustain minority congregations during tumultuous times.

Selah Soak: Resting in the Sacred Rhythm | Rosalind Young (Waltner Hall, Wadsworth Room)

Selah Soak invites pastors and ministry leaders to pause — to breathe, listen and be renewed in the presence of God. Drawing from the biblical word “selah” — a sacred pause woven throughout the Psalms — this workshop explores how intentional stillness can become a source of rest, a wellspring of resilience and a quiet act of resistance in the life of ministry. Through Scripture reflection, gentle guidance and sensory engagement with water imagery, participants will learn to reclaim the sacred rhythm that sustains body, soul and calling.

Shame Resilience | Janeen Bertsche Johnson (Waltner Hall, Room 119)

Ministry leaders can face shame from a variety of sources — their own wounds, public criticism, congregational struggles and more. Drawing on her Doctor of Ministry research and dissertation, AMBS Campus Pastor Janeen Bertsche Johnson will describe how shame can affect us and offer suggestions for healing old shame and becoming more resilient in the face of ongoing shaming situations. Together, we will share ideas and practice ways to “shed shame.”

The Priesthood of All: Negotiating the Scope of Shared Ministry | Rachel Ringenberg Miller (Waltner Hall, Room 116C)

This workshop integrates the Anabaptist commitment to the priesthood of all believers with the practical challenges of ministerial life by addressing the role ambiguities and high demands that can lead to pastor burnout.

Transformative Tools: How Churches Can Be Toolboxes When the World Offers Violence | Mike Martin and Becky Teiwes (Waltner Hall, Room 214)

We’ll explore curriculums co-written by RAWtools and Mennonite Central Committee as well as RAWtools programming that is available to churches to help address the intersection of gun violence and church safety and to learn how engaging in this work can create a prophetic resistance to empire in your community. We’ll discuss how the “Fear Not” and “Loaded Conversation” curriculums and “Guns to Gardens” programming can help you develop meaningful relationships and resistance to violence within your church and your neighborhood. Participants will learn how to access these free resources and other similar ones.

Additional events

Banquet entertainment

Join us on Wednesday evening for a night of food, fellowship and humorous stories. This year, you are invited to share your own stories of ministry “bloopers.” This could be a story of something comical that happened in your ministry or an outlandish experience you never thought would happen in ministry. Professor Allan Rudy-Froese will MC, and we will listen to each others’ stories and spend time in laughter.

Orienting With the Word Storyteller’s Circle

Join us on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 4:15 p.m. at the fireside in the Lounge for a time of storytelling. Participants in Orienting With the Word will recount tales of how Confessional Bible Study is impacting their lives and congregations. Whet your appetite for both dinner and a biblical engagement by enjoying hors d’oeuvres and warm drinks as you listen to stories of renewal, outreach, connection and excitement from reading the Bible “as if our lives depend on it.” Learn how your congregation can be part of a growing community of practice.

Orienting With the Word is a program of AMBS’s Faith Formation Collaborative.

MMN dinner: “Mapping our spiritual geography”

Wherever you are, you live in the world, which is just waiting for you to notice the holiness in it.”
― Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith

In her book, An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith, Barbara Brown Taylor recognizes that God shows up everywhere in our lives and that we can build altars — not in the physical sense, but in the sense of heightening our awareness of the way God has acted in those places in our lives. Join us around the table in the AMBS Dining Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m. for a time of “building altars” as we enjoy dinner and a time of sharing hosted by Mennonite Mission Network!

We want to hear the stories of those who have served in another country for a time. We will share how these experiences shaped who we are and how they have informed our faith and worldview. We will also take time to reflect on how we stay connected to these places and process the feelings we may have toward those places. Come join us for a time of mapping our spiritual geographies as we reminisce about the places we have been led, acknowledge what God has done, and discern how we are being called now.

Please RSVP by emailing EricFM@MMNWorld.net.

Fireside chat: “Creating a culture of call”

Join us on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 4:15 p.m. for a Fireside Chat with AMBS President David Boshart about creating a “culture of call” in congregations and conferences. What are some ways to address the seeming shortage of pastors and other ministry leaders? How can the church identify, recognize, nurture and mentor the ministry gifts of its members — both for involvement in the local congregation and potentially beyond? What are the fears/challenges and hopes/opportunities in this work? How can AMBS and the church serve as a resource for one another? David will share observations and examples from his ministry experience, followed by a time for discussion and sharing.

Leadership Clinics

Leadership Clinics will take place in person on Monday, Feb. 23, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. ET (unless otherwise noted), prior to the start of Pastors & Leaders 2026. You can register for a Leadership Clinic by itself or in addition to Pastors & Leaders.

Caring for Immigrants and Congregations in Times of Crisis | Instructor: John Garland
Faith Formation for Families in Anxious Times | Instructors: Malinda Elizabeth Berry, Joyce Peachey Lind, Lisa Weaver
Healthy Boundaries 101 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Instructor: Ed Kauffman
Reflections on Blackness and Teaching Peace | Instructor: Regina Shands Stoltzfus
Your Voice in Worship | Instructor: Allan Rudy-Froese

Learn more

Other information

Registration fees and discounts

In-person registration is limited to the first 200 paid registrants.

Register before Jan. 26, 2026, to save $50!

Individual in-person: $215
Individual virtual: $150
Married couple in-person: $330
AMBS student: $10

Registration after Jan. 26:

Individual in-person: $265
Individual virtual: $200
Married couple in-person: $410
AMBS student: $10

Registration closes on Feb. 16, 2026.

Discounts – save money!

First-time attender’s discount: If this is your first time attending an AMBS Pastors & Leaders conference, not including times you may have attended as an AMBS student, you are eligible for a 25% registration discount. (Not applicable with other discounts.)
Shoulder-tapping discount: Bring a friend who has never attended an AMBS Pastors & Leaders conference and receive a 25% registration discount. (Not applicable with other discounts.)
Scholarships: Financial assistance is limited to registration costs. If you need financial assistance, please include with your registration form a paragraph explaining your need. Costs for meals, housing and transportation are the responsibility of the registrant. Deadline for requests: Jan. 26.

Meals (nonrefundable)

Lunches: $12 (Monday–Thursday)
Monday supper: $12
Wednesday banquet: $20

Meal registration closes on Feb. 16.

Transportation

Transportation requests must be made by Jan. 26.

South Bend Airport (to or from AMBS): $53
Elkhart Amtrak Station (to or from AMBS): $18

Lodging

AMBS guest houses

Lodging at the AMBS guest houses is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

You can also find lodging at the local hotels listed below.

Local hotels

Refunds

Event registration fees will be refunded, less $25, for cancellations prior to Jan. 26, 2026. After this date, registration cancellations will be granted credit, less $25, toward Pastors & Leaders 2027 registration fees. Refund credits should be requested within 24 hours of the event. Registration cancellations after Jan. 26 due to emergencies will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Meals are nonrefundable.

Before Jan. 26, campus lodging fees are refundable, less $25. After Jan. 26, campus lodging fees are nonrefundable. Lodging cancellations after Jan. 26, due to emergencies will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Before Jan. 26, transportation fees are refundable, less $25. After Jan. 26, transportation fees are nonrefundable. Transportation cancellations after Jan. 26 due to emergencies will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Continuing Education Units

Participants attending all Pastors & Leaders plenary and workshop sessions can obtain 1.2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for $15. Please indicate if you would like to receive CEUs when you register, and pick up your CEU certificate when leaving the final session on Thursday afternoon.