Convention elects ordained, commissioned, lay nominees to boards, CTCR

By Gretchen Roberts

The Rev. Dan Gilbert, chairman of the Committee for Registration, Credentials and Elections, facilitates board and commission elections for the convention. (LCMS Communications)
The Rev. Dan Gilbert, chairman of the Committee for Registration, Credentials and Elections, facilitates board and commission elections for the convention. (LCMS Communications)

ST. LOUIS (July 23, 2013) — Delegates to the 65th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod elected today 60 ordained, commissioned and laypeople to numerous boards and the Commission on Theology and Church Relations.

  • LCMS Board of Directors (at-large): Commissioned — Kurt M. Senske, Austin, Texas. Layperson — Christian A. Preus, Plymouth, Minn.
  • Commission on Theology and Church Relations: Ordained — Robert A. Dargatz, Orange, Calif. Layperson — Andrea Pitkus, Buffalo Grove, Ill.
  • Concordia Historical Institute Board of Governors: Ordained — Cameron A. MacKenzie, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Frederic W. Baue, St. Louis. Layperson — Christopher Matthew Phillips, Lincoln, Neb.
  • Concordia Publishing House Board of Directors: Laypersons — Robert E. Beumer, St. Louis; Stephanie A. Egger, Galva, Iowa; Angela Hill, Casper, Wyo.; Joseph L. Olson, Whitefish Bay, Wis.
  • Lutheran Church Extension Fund Board of Directors: Ordained or Commissioned — David L. Bahn, Cypress, Texas. Laypersons — Susan J. Elsholz, Birmingham, Mich.; Richard T. Peltier, Houston.
  • LCMS Foundation Board of Trustees: Ordained — Richard T. Drews, Libertyville, Ill. Layperson — Gregory J. Miller, St. Louis.
  • Concordia University System Board of Directors: Ordained — Orville C. Walz, Bennington, Neb.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia University Texas, Austin: Ordained — Michael P. Dorn, Houston. Commissioned — Stephen F. Eggold, San Antonio. Laypersons — Noreen l. Linke, Sugar Land, Texas; Mark K. DeYoung, Austin, Texas.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia College—New York, Bronxville: Ordained — Jon T. Diefenthaler, Columbia, Md. Commissioned — Mary E. Hilgendorf, Grafton, Wis. Laypersons — Heidi J. Fields, Atlanta; James T. Jahnke, Bronxville, N.Y.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.: Ordained  — William M. Cwirla, Hacienda Heights, Calif.; Dean M. Bell, Hendrum, Minn. Commissioned — David P. Held, Seward, Neb. Layperson — Mani Vang, Oakdale, Minn.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia University, Irvine, Calif.: Ordained — Michael A. Morehouse, Tucson, Ariz. Commissioned  — Heather Wyneken-Manning, Orange, Calif. Laypersons — Sandra Ostapowich, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Peter K.S. Lee, Newberry Park, Calif.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon: Ordained — Klemet Preus, Plymouth, Minn. Commissioned — Lynette A. Fredericksen, Casper, Wyo. Laypersons — Kenneth B. Bowman, Oro Valley, Ariz.; Janice M. Wendorf, Grafton, Wis.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia University, Portland, Ore.: Ordained — Michael D. Scheer, Slippery Rock, Pa. Commissioned — Keith E. Brosz, Fallbrook, Calif. Laypersons — Scott L. Diekmann, Puyallup, Wash.; Andrew T. White, Boise, Idaho.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill.: Ordained — Roger B. Gallup, River Grove, Ill. Commissioned — Mark P. Muehl, Fort Wayne, Ind. Laypersons — Debra Grime, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Mark O. Stern, Chicago.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia Seminary, St. Louis: Ordained — Ulmer Marshall, Spanish Fort, Ala.; Shawn L. Kumm, Laramie, Wyo. Commissioned — LeRoy Wilke, Woodbury, Minn. Layperson — Walter Dissen, Chesapeake, Va.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia University, St. Paul, Minn.: Ordained — Karl A. Weber, Ottertail, Minn. Commissioned — Angela Hublick, Elizabethtown, Ky. Laypersons — Gregg Hein, Billings, Mont.; Carol M. Fehrmann, Brooklyn Park, Minn.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia College Alabama, Selma: Ordained — Douglas M. Shamburger, Chula Vista, Calif. Commissioned — Lawrence E. Sohn, Milwaukee. Laypersons — Dennis P. Gorski, Batavia, Ill.; Janis G. McDaniels, Greensboro, N.C.
  • Board of Regents — Concordia University Nebraska, Seward: Ordained — Keith H. Grimm, Omaha, Neb. Commissioned — Robert L. Cooksey, Kirkwood, Mo. Laypersons — Timothy L. Moll, Seward, Neb.; Jill Johnson, Seward, Neb.

Tuesday, June 23, delegates elected John Klinger to the layperson position on the board, but owing to a Bylaw that precludes an employee of an LCMS entity from serving on certain boards, Klinger is not eligible to serve due to his employment at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Nominations for the position were taken from the floor on Wednesday and elections completed Thursday.

Elected earlier this week to the LCMS Board of Directors regional positions were Kathy A. Schulz from the Central Region and Dr. Gloria S. Edwards from the West-Southwest Region.

Also elected earlier this week were the LCMS first vice-president,  the LCMS secretary  and the LCMS vice-presidents.

The 65th Regular Convention of the LCMS is meeting July 20-25 at the America’s Center Convention Complex under the theme “Baptized for This Moment.” Among convention participants are some 1,200 clergy and lay voting delegates.