The following report of the Committee for Convention Nominations (CCN) provides slates of candidates for many of the officer, board and commission positions to be filled by the 2023 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. District membership or origin is also provided. The elections will take place during the convention, July 29–Aug. 3, 2023, in Milwaukee. More information on the candidates will be made available in the Biographical Synopses and Statements of Nominees, to be published along with the Convention Workbook early in May.
The CCN expresses its appreciation to all who submitted names and all nominees who allowed their names to be considered for elected positions. An asterisk indicates incumbency.
John W. Sias
Secretary, LCMS
Secretary
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
Derek Klemm (PSW); *John W. Sias (MO)
Board of Directors
At-Large Ordained Minister (elect 2, 6-year term)
Phillip L. Brandt (NOW); John M. Bussman (SO); Roger B. Gallup (NI); *Josemon T. Hoem (IN); Derek Klemm (PSW); Brent D. Smith (NEB)
At-Large Layperson (elect 1, 6-year term)
Jason Burk (TX); Ryan P. Ermeling (PSW); Paul Techau (SE); K. Allan Voss (SW)
East-Southeast Region Layperson (elect 1, 6-year term)
Jon D. Allen (EA); Michael F. Killian (NE); Leo S. Mackay Jr. (EN)
Great Lakes Region Layperson (elect 1, 6-year term)
John W. Kidwell (MI); *Rick H. Stathakis (MI)
Great Plains Region Layperson (elect 1, 6-year term)
*Larry W. Harrington (WY); Glenn E. Van Velson (NEB)
Board for National Mission
East-Southeast Region Ordained or Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
Adolfo Borges (FG); *Timothy J. Droegemueller (FG)
Great Plains Region Ordained or Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
Richard Boring (NEB); Mark E. Moss (MNS); Craig K. Niemeier (NEB)
Central Region Layperson (elect 1, 6-year term)
Seth Hinz (MO); Shirley A. Jackson (MO); Stephen Weller (KS)
Great Lakes Region Layperson (elect 1, 6-year term)
David R. Meissner (SW); *Crysten Sanchez (IE)
West-Southwest Region Layperson (elect 1, 6-year term)
*Carol A. Hack-Broome (CNH); Noreen L. Linke (RM)
Board for International Mission
Central Region Ordained or Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
Peter J. Brock (IN); *James D. Gier Jr. (IN); Wilfred L. Karsten (CI)
Great Lakes Region Ordained or Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
*David P. Stechholz (EN); Scott Yakimow (MI)
West-Southwest Region Ordained or Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
James D. Bauer (RM); Terrence Chan (CNH); Glen Fluegge (CNH); Mary Scott (PSW)
East-Southeast Region Layperson (elect 1, 6-year term)
Michael P. (Mike) Wind (SO); *James S. (Jim) Wolf (EN)
Great Plains Region Layperson (elect 1, 6-year term)
Jan Bruick (NEB); *John W. Edson (MNS)
Commission on Theology and Church Relations
Ordained Minister (parish pastor) (elect 1, 6-year term)
Kevin Austin (PSW); Jacob Bobby (NEB); Burnell F. Eckardt (CI); David H. Petersen (EN); Timothy Seals (PSW)
Commissioned Minister (parish teacher) (elect 1, 6-year term)
Joseph J. (Joe) Gerth (SI); Timothy Leech (FG); Neil M. Skov (MI)
Layperson (elect 1, 6-year term)
*Jack D. Kilcrease III (MI); Brian L. Peterson (SW); Glenn E. Van Velson (NEB)
Concordia Publishing House
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
Mark Birkholz (NI); Karl F. Fabrizius (SW)
Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
Jennifer L. Knox (SW); Pamela J. Nielsen (MO); Jonathan Wessler (NE)
Layperson (elect 3, 6-year term)
Kurt A. Battles (MNN); Scott D. W. Gercken (NI); *Elaine Graff (RM); Jill Johnson (NEB); Kent M. Warneke (NEB); Stephen Weller (KS)
Lutheran Church Extension Fund
Ordained or Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Jason M. Braaten (CI); Blaise C. Sedney (SE)
Layperson (elect 2, 3-year term)
Julie Johnson (SI); *Jonathan H. Kramer (MO); Jason A. Paradis (ND); Jaime Peters (MO)
Concordia University System
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
*Mark P. Braden (EN); Timothy D. (Tim) Runtsch (RM); Luke R. Schnake (NEB)
Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
Steven (Steve) Buuck (PSW); *Jonathon Giordano (SI); Phillip L. Johnson (MNS)
Layperson (elect 2, 6-year term)
Jonathan Busarow (EN); *Ellen R. Lange (PSW); James J. Munden (SI); Gary R. Thompson (SW)
Board of Regents, Fort Wayne
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
Steven C. Briel (MNS); Joshua C. (Josh) Miller (MNS); *Matthew W. Rueger (IE)
Layperson (elect 2, 6-year term)
Kaibo Feng (NE); Michael D. Lange (EN); Troy N. Prehar (TX); *Beverly K. Yahnke (SW)
Board of Regents, St. Louis
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 6-year term)
*Tyler C. Arnold (MO); Jon C. Furgeson (MO); Warren W. Graff (RM); Adam C. Koontz (RM); Jeffrey E. Skopak (FG)
Layperson (elect 2, 6-year term)
*Paul P. Edmon (NE); Henry Hardt (IW); Matthew R. Kenitzer (IE); Jeffrey J. Reuer (RM)
Board of Regents, River Forest
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Eric R. Andrae (EN); Paul Dare (MNN); David P. Ramirez (SW)
Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Carol R. Johnson (NJ); Jennifer (Jen) Siukola (IN)
Layperson (elect 2, 3-year term)
Jeffrey E. Elbert (IE); *John Thoelke (TX); *Alison C. Witte (OH); Mark D. Wolfrum (NI)
Board of Regents, Irvine
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Scott C. Klemsz (CNH); Nathan E. Schaus (PSW)
Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Jeffrey S. Beavers (PSW); Kate E. Thoelke (TX)
Layperson (elect 2, 3-year term)
Mark L. Biermann (IN); *Laura G. Hemminger (NOW); Michael C. McThrow (CNH); Linda Stoterau (PSW)
Board of Regents, Seward
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Brad E. Birtell (NEB); Kenneth Mars (WY)
Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Craig A. Ernstmeyer (MO); Wendy L. McCarty (NEB); David J. Pratt (PSW)
Layperson (elect 2, 3-year term)
Joseph L. Cook (WY); *Timothy Hu (WY); Mark J. Smith (RM); Douglas Tewes (NEB)
Board of Regents, St. Paul
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
Jeffrey P. Cloeter (MO); Donald J. Fondow (MNN); *Brent L. Parrish (MNS)
Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
John Chilman (PSW); *Mark J. L’Heureux (NEB)
Layperson (elect 2, 3-year term)
Karl J. Abbott (SE); *Paul C. Hinz (MNS); Richard Liedtke (KS); Robert P. Wurl (ND)
Board of Regents, Austin
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
Michael P. Dorn (TX); Nathaniel W. Hill (TX); Yohannes A. Mengsteab (TX)
Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Mary Beth Gaertner (TX); Miguel A. Ruiz (TX)
Layperson (elect 2, 3-year term)
Michelle H. Abrego (TX); William (Bill) Brandt (TX); Kristy M. Carr (TX); *Bob Ssekyanzi (TX)
Board of Regents, Mequon
Ordained Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
*David C. Fleming (MI); David P. E. Maier (MI); Mark Nuckols (SW)
Commissioned Minister (elect 1, 3-year term)
Jonathan D. Eifert (MI); Jennifer L. Knox (SW); *Gary W. Petersen (SW)
Layperson (elect 2, 3-year term)
Michael Bartel (NW); Leah Bromen (OH); Ronald Harmeyer (SW); David Lambert (EN); Stephen Saunders (SW)
Posted Feb. 17, 2023