The Disciples Higher Education and Leadership Ministries (HELM) has named its Leadership Fellows for the 2016-2017 academic year. Among the nine are Mid-America's own Ainsley Anderson of First Christian Church in Jefferson City and Quinlan Pulleyking of Brentwood Christian Church in Springfield.
The Leadership Fellow Program responds to rapidly changing contexts for Christian Leadership. With guidance from expert coaches and mentors, Leadership Fellows directly engage the ministry of emerging and renewing local Christian communities across North America.
Ainsley Anderson will be attending Carthage College in Kenosha, WI this Fall where she plans to major in Japanese. Ainsley graduated from Jefferson City High School in Jefferson City, Missouri where she served in the Student Council, as President of the National Honors Society, and has held many other chairs and leadership positions. In the classroom, Ainsley not only masters the material presented but is entrusted with leading review sessions to help other students succeed as well. Ainsley has planned mission trips and is currently working towards creating an interfaith community of high school students. Rev. Beau Underwood from First Christian Church in Jefferson City, Ainsley’s home congregation, writes that “she is not afraid of responsibility and understands that good leaders do more ‘walking’ than ‘talking.’”
Quinlan Anderson has accepted an admissions offer to Missouri State University. Her at school, church, and community clearly indicates her abilities as a leader. She’s served as Music Director, Cabinet, and Vice President of the Christian Regional Youth in Missouri; has provided leadership in several mission trips across the United States and abroad; coordinates blood drives for Central High School; and, has provided her musical gifts at weddings, funerals, churches, and coffee houses. Quinlan’s pastor, Rev. Phil Snider of Brentwood Christian Church in Springfield, Missouri, speaks highly of her, particularly highlighting Quinlan’s musical talents and welcoming and inclusive nature: Quinlan is someone who “is always interested in persevering the dignity of others,” someone who is “naturally pastoral,” and whose “guitar is always near her.”