DCEs hold biennial gathering

(From left) Melissa Luepke, Kurt Bickel and Julia Newkirk were honored for their service during the National Association of Directors of Christian Education conference in Boca Raton, Fla., in January. (LeAnn Miller)

By Kayla McGowan

The National Association of Directors of Christian Education (NADCE) held its biennial conference Jan. 21–23 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Boca Raton, Fla. The conference theme, “Rest Assured,” encouraged participants to embrace the truth that they are fully seen by God and lovingly sustained by His grace.

Paul Nelson, DCE at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Buffalo, Minn., prioritizes these conferences because of the holistic impact they have on his ministry. Nelson said, “I know that I will leave feeling refreshed and excited for ministry. It’s also crucial for us as DCEs to have a community where our voice matters and [where] we can have discussions on how to make an impact on the Synod as a whole and in our communities. Each conference has made a special impact on me spiritually, socially, emotionally and physically.”

Keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Chad Lakies, vice-president for Ministry Engagement at Lutheran Hour Ministries, encouraged participants to slow down and recognize that a busy life does not equal a worthy life. Ministry moves at the pace of relationships, and church workers can rest in the promise that God is working through them. In a DCE’s ministry to God’s children of all ages, rest and assurance come from utter dependence on Christ Himself for the sake of sharing Christ with others.

The conference included a banquet with special guest Tanner Olson, a Lutheran poet, providing Christ’s hope via the spoken word to those gathered. The evening celebrated all DCEs and included an award ceremony honoring three DCEs:

Master DCE (15-plus years of service) — Melissa Luepke, DCE at Cornerstone Lutheran Church in Carmel, Ind.;

Dale E. Griffin Master Statesman (for significant impact on DCE ministry) — Kurt Bickel, emeritus DCE in the LCMS Florida-Georgia District; and

Outstanding New DCE (less than three years of service) — Julia Newkirk, director of Student Ministries at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Rocklin, Calif.

The award recipients were nominated and selected by their peers and ministry partners.

The conference was an intergenerational gathering at which both DCE interns starting their ministry and DCEs who have retired from ministry remarked on its positive impact.

Gina Bertaina, a DCE intern from Concordia University Irvine, Irvine, Calif., shared, “It was rejuvenating to see fellow DCEs and encourage one another in the various areas we are serving. Reconnecting with old friends and pouring into each other was a great reminder that we can all rest assured in Christ as one body of believers.”

Dr. Steve Christopher, an emeritus DCE in the LCMS California-Nevada-Hawaii District, expressed, “The NADCE conference was yet another reminder of how God’s kingdom-servants need to seek rest, [how we] can find needed rest from our service, and also [how we can] rest assured in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ as we move forward in ministry. What a joy to see all in one place: DCE friends I’ve known over the years and over the miles of ministry, as well as the current NADCE leaders serving the DCE community in meaningful ways, and also the next generation of DCEs eager to serve their Lord and the church.”

The NADCE looks forward to gathering again in 2028 in Fort Collins, Colo.

Kayla McGowan ( nadce2013@gmail.com ) serves as an NADCE board member at large and DCE at Our Savior Lutheran Church and School in Aiea, Hawaii.

Posted March 12, 2026