Meet the Staff and Volunteers

Joe and Esther Keim, Staff
Executive Director

Joe Keim was born and raised in an Old Order Amish community in Ashland, Ohio.  At the age of 16, one of Joe’s close Amish friends secretly shared that he had accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. After a season of confusion, Joe followed tradition and joined the Amish church. However, he was unhappy soon after joining the church and decided to leave the Amish. While living in a world outside the Amish culture, Joe’s friend shared the gospel with him again, and this time, it made sense. With tears running down his face, he invited Jesus to become his Savior. Joe shared his faith with Esther Yoder, and she accepted the Lord into her life. Soon after that, they decided to return to their Amish community.

Upon returning to their Amish roots, Joe and Esther got married. As time passed, they read their Bibles and concluded they would have to leave their friends, family, and the Amish community to serve the Lord in freedom and grace.  In 1987, they loaded up their belongings and moved into town, where they started attending Bethel Baptist Church and using their God-given abilities to serve wherever they could. In 1999, God called Joe into full-time ministry to the Amish people. Today, he serves as founder and executive director of Mission to Amish People, a ministry that has reached out to tens of thousands of Amish people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jennifer, Staff

Office Manager

Hi, my name is Jennifer, and I’d like to take a few minutes to introduce myself.  I am the office manager at Mission to Amish People (MAP).  My dear husband and I have been married for over 30 years and have 4 daughters ranging in ages from 17 – 27.  I previously worked in banking for 20 years and “retired” at age 39.  Balancing a 45 to 50-hour work week was an impossible task when my heart desired to focus on our family. 

I grew up attending Sunday School and church services, and gave my life to Christ at nine years old.  In more recent years, my husband and I have taught Sunday School to children,  teenagers, and young adults.  We are also active in our church service  in various roles.

When I entered the workforce for the second time, I wanted my position to be at a Christ-centered place.  My path to becoming the MAP office manager began when I started as a cashier at Beyond Measure Market.  I later assisted in managing the deli and café staff, where busyness was common and friendships were forged.  I was then asked to temporarily step into the office manager role at MAP. When I began to witness the Lord’s hand in this ministry, I truly felt at home. 

I work alongside our staff and the precious volunteers who freely give of their time and talents to the SonLight Club.  New lessons reach precious little ones every-other week, and I am in awe to be a part of the process! What an awesome God we serve! What an honor to be a small part of making sure these students receive Bible lessons and encouragement! 

If you would like Amish or Mennonite children to become part of the SonLight Club, please email their name, address, and age to: Jennifer@mapministry.org 

Jennifer Gleckler, Staff

Administrative Assistant

Steve Flannery, Staff
Grant Writer

Steve grew up in Mansfield, Ohio, and married his high school sweetheart (Joyce) in 1989. Steve and Joyce have three kids and one grandson. After high school, Steve joined the Army and retired in 2013. He then worked in manufacturing for seven years after retirement. Steve assisted his church with bookkeeping and applied to MAP, hoping to further the Kingdom of God.

As a child, Steve went to church with his grandmother and was saved by the Lord in 1999. He served as the Council President of Clay Memorial Lutheran Church for four years and still helps where needed. Steve coaches wrestling at Lucas High School and seasonally runs a voting location for the Richland County Board of Elections. He spends his spare time with his family and mountain biking.

Michal Nutt, Staff
Publications

Michal grew up in rural Ohio listening to her parents relate conversations they had about Christ with their Amish neighbors. After homeschooling her three daughters, Michal found Mission to Amish People an easy fit for ministry during her “retirement” years. Michal oversees MAP’s publications, including The Amish Voice, the Ministry Update, tracts, booklets, and flyers. Michal is also involved in event planning and coordinating.

Michal is thankful for God’s gift of family…her biological family, church family, work family, and her family of friends!

Laina Garrison, Staff
SonLight Club Data Entry

I grew up in a Christian home and attended Awana as a child. At five, I prayed with my mom to accept Jesus after hearing about hell. At seven, I was baptized, but fear of not being saved led me to repeatedly re-invite Jesus into my heart and even baptize myself for reassurance. As I grew older, I became legalistic and punished myself for sin. I served in church activities and missions but lived in constant fear of not being good enough for God. In college, I judged others for not being strict and eventually felt that God hated me. I became angry, rebellious, and spiritually broken before serving as a missionary in East Asia, where I faced deep spiritual oppression and eventually returned home early after a breakdown.

In the years since, God has healed my heart. I stopped trying to earn His favor and finally understood that Christ bore my punishment and cleansed me completely. A documentary about a family leaving the Amish and coming to Christ reignited my lifelong interest in the Amish. Later, I discovered the MAP Ministry website, prayed for guidance, and knew God was leading me to apply. Today, I’m grateful to serve with MAP Ministry and share the Gospel with the Amish and others.

Rachel Garwood, Staff
Website/Social Media

Rachel and her husband, David, are parents to four children, and they love spending time together as a family.

Rachel started working at MAP Ministry by helping in the office during her high school and college years. After getting married and moving to the Columbus, Ohio area in May 2013, she took over managing the ministry's website and social media from home. As Joe Keim's daughter, Rachel enjoys being able to contribute to the ministry's work every day.

David Garwood, Staff
Video/Graphic Designer

David began his internship with Mission to Amish People in August 2011 while attending Malone University. After graduating, he continued assisting the ministry by offering his graphic design and video production expertise.

David is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a meaningful organization centered on spreading the Gospel.

Rachel Arnold, Staff

GED Manager

Rachel Arnold began volunteering at MAP in 2012. Shortly after, she started her college journey studying Christian Counseling and Psychology. In 2014, she tackled an internship helping with the needs of those who left the Amish. This began the journey of G.E.D. education. The G.E.D. program was birthed in 2014. Rachel has been helping those who leave their Amish communities as well as those in the area!

Jerry and Carol Gess, Volunteer
Lesson Graders 

Jerry retired from working at General Motors and now works as chaplain of a large nursing home in Ashland. In 1987, both Jerry and his wife, Carol, gave Joe and Esther a home until they were able to get on their own feet.

Jerry and Carol have three daughters, three sons, and many grand children as well as great grand children; two sons have gone home to be with the Lord.

Jerry and Carol both have always been very involved in the MAP ministry and are very enthusiastic to be able to be used by the Lord to reach the Amish for Christ.

Jerry and Carol volunteer 1-2 days a week.

Linda Echelberger, Volunteer
Floater

Linda has four children and four grandchildren. She had always been curious about the Amish culture. After hearing about MAP Ministry through her church, she felt a desire to volunteer to do what she could. She says it is such a blessing to see the many lives being changed through the Bible Club.

Linda works one to two days a week grading lessons or putting them together getting them ready to mail.

Linda volunteers 1-2 days a week.

Rhoda Brubaker, Volunteer
Lesson Grader 

I grew up “black car” Mennonite in northwestern Wayne County, Ohio. Both of my grandfathers were ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have always walked with God, however I had to learn the true meaning of the grace of God. I left my Mennonite roots in 1970.

 hen I was 17, my life was impacted by an Amish girl who was about 15 years of age. God placed a burden in my heart for the Amish that never left. After retiring from a career as an LPN, I found MAP. I knew this was the call God had placed in my heart some 50 years previously.

 When I am not busy at MAP, I drive for the horse and buggy Mennonites in the area, some of which are my distant relatives.

Rhoda volunteers 1-2 days a week. 

Diane Paulson, Volunteer
Lesson Grader 

While growing up in Santa Clara, California, Diane Pifferetti attended a church but never heard about how she could have a personal relationship with God. In 1969, while attending San Jose State University, two people from Campus Crusade for Christ came up to her to tell her about being born again. They became her friends, and in 1970, she came to know Christ as her personal Savior.

Some years later, Diane began to be curious about the Amish. While reading a book about them, she saw MAP mentioned in the back of the book. That began a prayer journey that led her and her husband, John Paulson, upon retirement, to make the big move from California to Ohio so she could volunteer with MAP. Diane considers it a wonderful privilege to correct papers for the SonLight Club, become friends with the former Amish, and is thrilled to be living in beautiful Ohio.

Diane volunteers 1-2 days a week. 

Larry Lepard, Volunteer
Lesson Grader 

Larry is a retired English and reading teacher.  As he was about to retire for the third time, he came across Joe Keim's book on Kindle.  Reading it, he realized that grading Bible studies would be an ideal volunteer job in which he could serve the Lord in retirement.

Larry loves to research history, genealogy, and the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith.  He started and administers several Facebook groups.  He and his wife Joanne have a daughter and a son, five grandchildren, a great-grandchild, and a second one expected. 

Larry volunteers 1-2 days a week.