Four Synod commissions and one board with members appointed by Synod President Gerald B. Kieschnick have held their first meetings of the 2007-10 triennium, electing their chairmen and other officers for the next three years.
Kieschnick appointed all 13 members of the Commission on Ministerial Growth and Support, the seven members of the Commission on Worship, six of the nine members of the Board for Black Ministry Services, and three of the 20 who serve on the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) — all to three-year terms.
In addition, Kieschnick appointed three of the five individuals who serve on the Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM), in line with the Bylaw-defined process of the Synod.
That process –- revised by the 2007 Synod convention (2007 Handbook, Bylaw 3.9.2.1.1) –- stipulates that candidates for the CCM “shall be nominated by the district boards of directors and shall be presented to the Council of Presidents through the Office of the Secretary. The Council of Presidents shall select five candidates for each vacant position and present them through the Office of Secretary of the Synod to the President of the Synod.” Kieschnick selected the three members of the CCM from the list presented by the COP.
Those “appointments become effective upon ratification by a majority vote of the members of the Council of Presidents,” the Bylaw continues. The COP ratified the newly appointed CCM members by unanimous vote during its meeting in September.
CCM members are appointed to six-year terms. Appointments of the other two CCM members will take place again in 2010.
Dr. Albert M. Marcis of Parma, Ohio, is chairman of the CCM, whose members appointed by the president this year are Dr. Wilbert J. Sohns, Gatesville, Texas; Daniel C. Lorenz, Portland, Ore.; and Rev. Philip J. Esala, Centerville, Ohio.
The Commission on Ministerial Growth and Support elected Dr. David Peter of St. Louis to be its new chairman. The other members of this commission — again, all appointed by Kieschnick — are Rev. Keith Kohlmeier, Topeka, Kan.; Rev. Richard Koehneke, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Rev. Samuel Gomez, Escondido, Calif.; Rev. Richard Goodwill, Cedar Park, Texas; Judith Anderson, Chicago; Lois Peacock, San Francisco; Phil Morrow, Fairfax, Va.; Rev. Timothy Puls, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Margaret Hinchey, Englewood, Colo.; Dr. John Oberdeck, Milwaukee; Kim Marxhausen, Lincoln, Neb.; and Harvey Schmit, Canton, Mich.
Serving as chairman of the Commission on Worship is Dr. Gregory Wismar, Newtown, Conn. Also appointed are Linda Stoterau, Orange, Calif.; Mary Mountford, Pearland, Texas; Rev. Tom Van Duzer, Indio, Calif.; Gary Juhl, San Antonio; Rev. William Utech, Ballwin, Mo.; and Bobby Schroeder, Ellisville, Mo.
The president’s appointees to the CTCR are Dr. Loren Kramer, chairman, Dana Point, Calif.; Dr. Michael Middendorf, Trabuco Canyon, Calif.; and Dr. Orville Walz, Bennington, Neb.
Appointed by Kieschnick to the Board for Black Ministry Services are Rev. Donald Anthony, chairman, Concord, N.C.; Rev. Michael Johnson, Memphis, Tenn.; Rev. Aaron Dickerson, Douglasville, Ga.; Lillian Biddle, Westbury, N.Y.; Nikki Rochester, Baltimore; and Janis McDaniels, Greensboro, N.C.
Posted Dec. 19, 2007
