The office of MPE Interim President is being filled by Robert and Jen Simmons.
Robert and Jennifer Simmons have been married since 2005, living and working in Oklahoma until 2012, when they moved to Kansas City. They have four children: Katherine (12), Hannah (11), Harrison (9), and Kirsten (4). After giving birth to Katherine, Jen went back to work, mainly to see through a project she had started. God was gracious enough to help Robert and Jen realize that their child needed their direct influence and care. As a result, Jen quit her paying job and became a stay-at-home mom.
In considering education options for their growing family, they decided that homeschooling was the best option considering (a) private school was too expensive for a single-income household, (b) public school was not an option given Jen’s personal experience and the growing, unwelcome, deteriorating, out-of-control environment it seemed to be, and (c) homeschooling appeared to give them the best opportunity to continue to fulfill their God-given responsibilities as parents. Their philosophy has been to be careful with whom they might choose to outsource the various responsibilities for raising and influencing their children. This includes spiritual development at church, where they also acknowledge that even that particular aspect is their primary responsibility, not the church’s.
Robert and Jen have been regularly attending Journey Bible Church since August 2015 and became members in April 2017. Since 2017, Robert has served as an inaugural member and Chair of their Finance Committee. Jen has been involved in Sunday School for younger children and women’s ministry, and she was formerly a youth director at First Owasso Presbyterian Church in Owasso, OK. Jen is also active in the local homeschool community including organizing field trips and weekly social events, fostering friendships, and helping homeschool families find connections where needed.
Robert, who was homeschooled himself K-12, is a partner at a local CPA firm, yoked with two other Christian owners doing their best to do business God’s way and helping churches, Christian organizations, and other nonprofits put their best foot forward. Jen and Robert have participated in several MPE-sponsored events including the MPE conference for several years, Women’s Encouragement Day, used curriculum sale, and Trail Life.
The office of MPE Interim Vice President is being filled by Herb and Jenny Albertson.
Herb and Jenny have been homeschooling their children since 1999 (24 years). Four of their six children have graduated already (their fifth in May 2024). They became members of MPE in 2010 before they moved up to KC in 2013. Wanting to serve their homeschool community, they quickly made connections and started volunteering on the conference committee helping with youth volunteers. They became MPE board members several years later.
Herb is Troop Master for MPE’s Trail Life Troop and MPE’s graduation director. Jenny helps with Mentoring Moms and is a member of the Women’s Encouragement Day committee to organize the day’s giveaways. Also, she has helped with MPE’s Used Curriculum Sale and is helping with MPE’s Silent Auction.
Herb has been the Bursar at MidAmerica Nazarene University since 2010 and is helping students navigate paying for a private Christian university education. Since 2016, Jenny has been driving a school bus for Olathe schools. As a family, they love to volunteer/serve in many roles at church from nursery, children, youth, media and greeting/hospitality.
Herb and Jenny have volunteered at the Kauffman Center of Performing Arts and at MNU’s Bell Performing Arts Center as ushers for Fine Arts events. As a family, they love playing disc golf and board games together.
Chad Womble is the Immediate Past President of MPE.
As Chad wrote in a November 2023 email:
“Please pray for all the MPE leadership regularly, but especially these men and their families [Interim President & Vice President]. The task that they have undertaken is no small thing and they deserve our support.
Also, please be in prayer and consideration for new leaders to join the MPE team. MPE desperately needs additional team members to serve in volunteer roles on the Conference Committee and on the Board.
MPE is God’s organization, and He can lead the right people to serve in His organization. Please pray that He will do so.
I cannot express to you the joy and satisfaction that serving with MPE has brought to me over the last 20+ years. And although that season of life is drawing to a close for me, I still have a passion for MPE and the ministry that God has given to us. I am praying that God will lead some young leaders into our midst to carry this ministry into the future.
I love you all. Thank you for allowing me to serve alongside you for all these years.”
Please join us in praying for the Simmons and Albertson families as they serve in these leadership roles at the helm of our organization!
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