Clare Ann Ruth-Heffelbower

Clare Ann is Program Director for the Circles of Support and Accountability project of the Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies of Fresno Pacific University (see official page). She is concluding her term as northern California conference minister for Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference. She previously served as pastor of Zion Congregational Church (UCC) in Fresno, CA. At the end of 2001 she completed her term as Country Representative and Program Director of Mennonite Central Committee Indonesia, living in the city of Yogyakarta on the island of Java. She served as Northern California Area Minister for Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference 1994-1999. She has taught at Fresno Pacific University and Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary. Clare Ann was founding co-pastor of Peace Community Church--Mennonite in Clovis, CA.

Her D.Min. project at San Francisco Theological Seminary is titled "A Design for Christian Formation in Mennonite Congregations." For a diagram showing the process of Christian Formation as described in the dissertation click here.

Clare Ann served as a member of the General Board and the Executive Committee of the General Conference Mennonite Church 1989-1999. She currently serves on the boards of West Coast Mennonite Central Committee and Kings View Corporation.

Her husband Duane is a member of the faculty of Fresno Pacific University, where he is Director of Graduate Academic Programs of the Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies and also teaches in the Leadership and Organizational Studies program. He was on leave to Pusat Studi dan Pengembangan Perdamaian (Center for the Study and Promotion of Peace) of Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana in Yogyakarta, Indonesia under Mennonite Central Committee 1999-2001. Their son Andrew, his wife and their three children live in Fresno.