Kyle Rodgers
Pastor of Outreach and Youth
Kyle primarily oversees our youth ministries which consist of Jr High (6th-8th grade) and Sr High (9th-12th grade). In addition, he also gives pastoral oversight to our Outreach Ministry Team.
Kyle’s passion for youth ministry grew out of a desire to make our church a safe place where youth want to come to discover and grow in their relationship with Christ. Kyle hopes to inspire and challenge the youth to share their faith and to not be held back by fear. The outreach team, which Kyle gives pastoral oversight to, has a deep passion for wanting to spread the Word of God, and helping others commit their lives to Jesus. In his spare time Kyle enjoys running, snowboarding, reading, and spending time with family.
Alicia, Kyle’s wife, works at the University of Pennsylvania in the Wharton Business School where she is the Admissions and Events Coordinator for the Executive MBA Program. When Alicia is not working, she enjoys directing children’s theater, singing, reading, and performing in community theater productions. Kyle and Alicia joyfully welcomed their first child, Owen, on August 30, 2018.
Education:
Master of Divinity, Biblical Theological Seminary, 2022
Bachelor of Arts, Penn State University, 2017
Rob Presthus
Pastor of Administration and Care
Rob’s areas of pastoral responsibility relate to administration, pastoral care, and the leadership team. By extension, Rob serves as the pastoral representative to the Administration and Community Life ministry teams, as well as to Church Board and the Spiritual Gifts Discernment Committee.
From an early age, Rob benefited from a vibrant and caring church family, whom he credits for his love of and commitment to congregational life and community discipleship. Rob is passionate about Jesus and seeks to devote himself to encouraging, equipping, and challenging the Church in her vocation as both the body (Rom. 12:5) and bride (Rev. 19:7) of Christ. For Rob, the resources, talents, and relationships entrusted to us by God, require our utmost dedication, creativity, and integrity—our good and godly administration is an expression of Christian stewardship and a sign of trust in God’s caring provision for His people.
Rob met his wife, Emilie, during their undergraduate years at Pepperdine University where they both served as campus ministry interns for worship. They both love singing, cooking, and a good DIY project around the house. Prior to entering full-time pastoral ministry, Rob was a professor of American politics at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA. Relocating to southeastern PA, Rob and Emilie lived and worked in Marseille, France (where Emilie grew us as a missionary kid).
Rob’s favorite passage in the New Testament is Colossians 1:15-16:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Education:
Ph.D., Political Science: Secularism, Religion, and Democracy. Aix-Marseille Université, Aix-en-Provence, France. 2022.
M.A., Institut D’Études Politiques. Aix-en-Provence, France. 2016.
B.A., Political Science, French. Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. 2014.
Bronwen Leister
Director of Children’s Ministries
Bronwen provides leadership for ministries involving children, infants through 5th grade, within the congregation and connecting with children in the surrounding community.
Bronwen has a passion for children and wants to see all of them come to know Jesus. She brings her gifts of organization and planning to the ministries by helping coordinate and engage the children on Sunday morning and also throughout the week with creative activities in sharing God’s Love. Bronwen has a strong desire to help strengthen the family unit.
Bronwen grew up here at Franconia and married her high school sweetheart Nate. Nate is employed at Penn Valley Gas in the transport department. They also help manage their local family farm. Nate & Bronwen have 4 children Alyssa, Emma, Blaine & Eli. As a family they enjoy weekend trips to the mountains.
Bronwen has a teaching degree in Early Childhood Education and taught for 12 years prior to becoming a homeschool mother. When not teaching Bronwen enjoys planning events, hikes in the woods, or catching up with friends over a cup of coffee. But her favorite time is spent with her family!
Rodgers
Pastor of Outreach, Youth and Young Adults
Email Kyle Discover Kyle’s Sermons
Kyle primarily oversees our youth ministries which consist of Jr High (6th-8th grade) and Sr High (9th-12th grade) and Young Adults (College Age). In addition, he also gives pastoral oversight to our Outreach Ministry Team.
Kyle’s passion for youth ministry grew out of a desire to make our church a safe place where youth want to come to discover and grow in their relationship with Christ. Kyle hopes to inspire and challenge the youth to share their faith and to not be held back by fear. The outreach team, which Kyle gives pastoral oversight to, has a deep passion for wanting to spread the Word of God, and helping others commit their lives to Jesus. In his spare time Kyle enjoys running, snowboarding, reading, and spending time with family.
Alicia, Kyle’s wife, works at the University of Pennsylvania in the Wharton Business School where she is the Admissions and Events Coordinator for the Executive MBA Program. When Alicia is not working, she enjoys directing children’s theater, singing, reading, and performing in community theater productions.
Kyle and Alicia have two children, Owen-3 and Quinn-1.
Education:
Master of Divinity, Biblical Theological Seminary, June of 2022
Bachelor of Arts, Penn State University, 2017
Rob Presthus
Pastor of Administration and Care
Email Rob Discover Rob’s Sermons
Rob’s areas of pastoral responsibility relate to administration, pastoral care, and the leadership team. By extension, Rob serves as the pastoral representative to the Administration and Community Life ministry teams, as well as to Church Board and the Spiritual Gifts Discernment Committee.
From an early age, Rob benefited from a vibrant and caring church family, whom he credits for his love of and commitment to congregational life and community discipleship. Rob is passionate about Jesus and seeks to devote himself to encouraging, equipping, and challenging the Church in her vocation as both the body (Rom. 12:5) and bride (Rev. 19:7) of Christ. For Rob, the resources, talents, and relationships entrusted to us by God, require our utmost dedication, creativity, and integrity—our good and godly administration is an expression of Christian stewardship and a sign of trust in God’s caring provision for His people.
Rob met his wife, Emilie, during their undergraduate years at Pepperdine University where they both served as campus ministry interns for worship. They both love singing, cooking, and a good DIY project around the house. Prior to entering full-time pastoral ministry, Rob was a professor of American politics at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA. Relocating to southeastern PA, Rob and Emilie lived and worked in Marseille, France (where Emilie grew us as a missionary kid).
Rob’s favorite passage in the New Testament is Colossians 1:15-16:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Education:
Ph.D., Political Science: Secularism, Religion, and Democracy. Aix-Marseille Université, Aix-en-Provence, France. 2022.
M.A., Institut D’Études Politiques. Aix-en-Provence, France. 2016.
B.A., Political Science, French. Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. 2014.
Bronwen Leister
Director of Children’s Ministries
Bronwen provides leadership for ministries involving children, infants through 5th grade, within the congregation and connecting with children in the surrounding community.
Bronwen has a passion for children and wants to see all of them come to know Jesus. She brings her gifts of organization and planning to the ministries by helping coordinate and engage the children on Sunday morning and also throughout the week with creative activities in sharing God’s Love. Bronwen has a strong desire to help strengthen the family unit.
Bronwen grew up here at Franconia and married her high school sweetheart Nate. Nate is employed at Penn Valley Gas in the transport department. They also help manage their local family farm. Nate & Bronwen have 4 children Alyssa, Emma, Blaine & Eli. As a family they enjoy weekend trips to the mountains.
Bronwen has a teaching degree in Early Childhood Education and taught for 12 years prior to becoming a homeschool mother. When not teaching Bronwen enjoys planning events, hikes in the woods, or catching up with friends over a cup of coffee. But her favorite time is spent with her family!
Helen Eastburn
Director of Music and Worship
Helen gives oversight to the various pieces of Sunday morning worship services at Franconia Mennonite Church. In addition to leading music teams, she organizes preludes, special music, and leadership for children’s singing. She also serves as a representative on the Worship Ministry Team. She has a deep desire to bring God centered music into our church and homes, rooting Biblical truths in our hearts as we sing and worship our Lord as a unified body.
Helen attended Messiah College where she earned a degree in Church Music. While at Messiah, she met her husband, Jon, who was also a music major.
Jon is currently a manager and co-owner of Gro ‘N Sell Inc. – a family owned wholesale greenhouse establishment in Chalfont, PA. He also uses his musical gifts regularly at Franconia Mennonite Church.
Before coming to Franconia Mennonite Church, Jon and Helen served as music teachers at Santiago Christian School in the Dominican Republic for several years. They also served as co-directors of music at Titusville Presbyterian Church in New Jersey for 4 years. They have two daughters, Selah and Norah.
In her spare time, Helen loves the outdoors, and being in nature with her family. She loves spending time playing guitar, piano and violin. She also enjoys crafts and baking.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Colossians 3:16