Pastor Andy Ballentine loves being a parish pastor! Ordained since 1979, he completed a Master of Sacred Theology degree in 2001, with a concentration on how monastic spirituality nourishes parish ministry. In the fall of 2007 he completed the program of Spiritual Direction from the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.
In the the Virginia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Pastor Ballentine enjoys staffing youth ministry events for middle school and high school youth. He is also chaplain to the candidates in the Candidacy process, those on the way to being approved for ordained and rostered ministries.
Pastor Ballentine is married to Patty (who is a native of Williamsburg, believe it or not). They have two children: Nathan, married to Renee and living in suburban Richmond; and Emily, married to Sheldon and living in Jersey City, NJ.