About Kendra L. Balliet
Kendra Balliet’s calling to ministry was not her first vocation. For the first 20 years of employment, Kendra was a teacher. She knew she would not always stay in the classroom, but she anticipated she would remain in education, probably moving to administration. She has remained in both, just a different context. Kendra was an ordained elder in full connection at the 2021 annual conference. She is a graduate of United Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity and concentration in leadership and revitalization. She also graduated from Clarion University of PA with a BS in elementary education and a MS in special education. Kendra was raised in Brockway and DuBois.
Kendra is currently serving at the West Bedford Cooperative Parish consisting of Alum Bank, Buffalo Mills, Helixville, Mt. Union, New Paris, Pine Grove, Point, and Sloans Hollow United Methodist Churches. She brings the message to Buffalo Mills UMC, Alum Bank UMC, and Point UMC weekly. She has served the Mahaffey Area Larger Parish, the Clymer Charge, the Luthersburg Charge, the Shawnee Charge and has served as an interim supply associate pastor for Moorhead UMC, and the Luthersburg Charge.
Kendra’s husband, John, serves as the co-pastor of the West Bedford Cooperative Parish in western Bedford County. John has attended Pittsburgh Theological Seminary with graduation and commissioning in 2022. Kendra’s three children and John’s two children are all grown leaving them empty nesters. They also have two teenage grandchildren who are adults-in-training.
Kendra and John enjoy doing ministry together through joint worship services, visitation, and a whole host of other activities as their gifts blend well for serving.
About Meadville: Stone/Bethany Charge
About Bethany
Bethany UMC in Meadville is a small neighborhood congregation in the 5th ward of Meadville. Its building originally housed an Episcopal chapel. In time that congregation disbanded and the Church was acquired by Stone Methodist Episcopal Church for use as a satellite Sunday School site. In the mid 1930’s the congregation was chartered as a separate congregation from Stone.
Today there is an active adult Sunday School class and Bible study during the week. The church building is also being used by Meadville H.O.P.E. Initiative, in partnership with Women's Services, to provide support for the children and adults of the Fifth Ward. This small and vital congregation partners with this initiative to accomplish significant ministry in its neighborhood.
About Stone United Methodist Church
Stone UMC has rich history in the story of the Methodist movement in the Northwestern Pennsylvania region. It has been and remains an important institution in the city of Meadville. It has also enjoyed many helpful connections to Allegheny College, a United Methodist related institution. Many prominent ministers and lay persons have served Christ and community through its ministries. Today, a vital child care center and a soup kitchen are housed in its newly renovated building. Community ministry remains a hallmark of this congregation’s mission. In order to develop its outreach into the community, the congregation recently invested in state of the art technology in order to expand its online presence. Worship is also broadcast each week over the local television cable network. The mission statement of Stone UMC states their approach to ministry well. "Compelled by God's love, Stone UMC is an inclusive community of faith, meeting people where they are, connecting them with Christ and one another, helping them live as disciples of Jesus Christ".
Rev. Balliet’s has a passion for teaching the gospel in ways that lead others into community engagement. These gifts should benefit the congregations of Bethany and Stone as they seek to serve their community for Christ.
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