Melissa Florer-Bixler was called to be pastor of Raleigh Mennonite Church in 2016.
Melissa is a “convinced” Mennonite. As an adult she found herself drawn to Anabaptism’s emphasis on consensus decision-making, the priesthood of all believers, peace building, and potlucks. She is a sucker for four-part harmony.
Her formal education occurred at Gordon College, Duke University, and Princeton Theological Seminary. She was nurtured into pastoral ministry over the past decade by the spacious welcome of Portland Mennonite, Oxford Circle Mennonite, and Chapel Hill Mennonite. She was the recipient of the gentleness and shared life of L’Arche Portland (OR) and works to extend that beloved community as a board member of Friends of L’Arche North Carolina.
With her time she defends her snap peas from insects, attends to the words of Elena Ferrante, Karl Barth, and Li-Young Lee, and cultivates the will to learn Spanish by listening to Ana Tijoux. Sometimes she writes things that other people read in The Mennonite and Christian Century. She expends the most time, energy, tears, laughter, fear and patience co-parenting her three children with her spouse, Jacob.
Alan Reberg (Minister of Community Development): His special hot button is Economic Justice and the resolution of issues that oppress the poor.