Before his appointment in July to Glenn Dale United Methodist Church, the Rev. John M. Blanchard, Jr. was senior pastor at Ebenezer United Methodist Church on Capitol Hill for four years. During his time at Ebenezer, Pastor Blanchard focused on small group bible studies, intercessory prayer, and evangelism. Additionally, he strengthened community relations through service on the board of Capitol Hill Group Ministries, establishing and maintaining relations with neighborhood schools, reaching out in ministry to and with the marginalized on “the Hill,” and fostering ecumenism within the faith community.

During his pastorate, Ebenezer, an historic African-American congregation, worked diligently to define the scope of its relationship with its sister congregation, Capitol Hill United Methodist Church, as a cooperative parish. In this context and with the help of a grant from the denomination, Ebenezer and Capitol Hill struggled faithfully and intentionally on issues of racial healing and reconciliation.

Before beginning full-time ministry at Ebenezer in Washington, Pastor Blanchard was an associate minister at Linden-Linthicum United Methodist Church in Clarkesville, Md. Before coming to the Baltimore-Washington conference, he served as local pastor in the New Jersey conference at two churches, St. Paul in Willingboro and Broadway in Camden.

Before going into pastoral ministry, Pastor Blanchard held positions in accounting and financial management at several Fortune 100 companies. He took his financial and administrative skills from the corporate environment to the not-for-profit world and served as Chief Financial and Investment Officer for more than ten years at The American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker service and relief organization. It was here that Pastor Blanchard developed an interest in social investing and corporate responsibility as a part of his commitment to social and economic justice.

Pastor Blanchard is a strong believer in the need for the church to embrace “scriptural holiness” in order to evangelize the world for Jesus Christ. He is convinced that Christ calls all baptized believers to a life of faithful discipleship and service to our neighbors.

Pastor Blanchard is a native of Philadelphia, Penn., where he was educated in the public school system. He received his undergraduate degree from Delaware State University and the Master of Divinity Degree from Wesley Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Joan, of Lawnside, N.J., have two daughters, Joy and Stephanie, both college students.

The Blanchards reside in Glenn Dale, Md.