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2007 Southeastern Minnesota Synod Assembly
Called Into God's Marvelous Light...To tell the story!

Nominations

Augsburg College Corporation Board
Committee on Discipline
Committee on the Election of a Bishop
Synod Vice President

Augsburg College Corporation Board
(2-year term, vote for 9)

Rev. John Malm

Congregation: Hayward Lutheran, Hayward, and Trondhjem, Austin
Conference: Blue Earth River
Occupation: Pastor
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Taylor Pagel
Conference: Cannon River
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Richard Johnson
Congregation: United, Red Wing
Conference: Cannon River
Occupation: Retired U.S. Marine Corps Officer - MS Degree Management
Service to congregation:
• Congregational council president
• Congregational councils (16 years)
• Call committee
• Sunday School teacher (17 years)
• Men in Mission Bible study (14 years)
• Men’s Cooking Team (11 years)
• Boy Scout troop committee (10 years)
• Confirmation class teacher (2 years)
• Usher and lector (20+ years)
Service to synod:
• Synod Call/Appointment Committee
• Stewardship Committee
Other experience and/or service to community:

• Lions Club (20 years)
• Goodhue County Historical Society
• Goodhue County Parks & Recreation
• Cannon Falls Township Planning
• Past Commander - Marine Corps League, “Toys for Tots” program
• Past Commander - Military Order of the Purple Heart
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Nancy Johnson
Conference: Root River
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Pastor Jeff Franko
Congregation: Central, Winona
Conference: Root River
Occupation: Pastor
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Theodore Bottem
Congregation: Bethel, Rochester
Conference:
Zumbro River
Occupation:
Retired
Service to congregation:
• Usher
• Planning committee for new church building
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Rev. John Heille
Congregation: Zion, Stewartville
Conference: Zumbro River
Occupation: Pastor
Service to congregation:
• Preach
• Teach young and old
• Preside over the Sacraments
• Visit the sick
• Work to help those in need in cooperation with my brothers and sisters in Christ
Service to synod:
• Synod Assembly Team (East Central Synod of Wisconsin)
• Augsburg College Corporation Board (Southeastern Minnesota Synod)
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Rev. Norman Wahl
Congregation:
Bethel, Rochester
Conference:
Zumbro River
Occupation:
Pastor
Service to congregation:

• As a pastor, served on virtually every committee/team in the church
• Volunteer on mission trips through Lutheran Disaster Response
• Choir member
• Capital fund raising
Service to synod:

• Candidacy Committee and Initial Interviewer
• Augsburg Board of Regents
• Lutheran Episcopal Coordinating Committee
• Consecration Sunday leader and preacher
Other experience and/or service to community:

• Member of Lions Club since 1991, held nearly every office
• Actor in and supporter of “The Promise”
• Helped to host Augsburg College's Rochester program
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Committee on Discipline
(6-year term, vote for 4)
Mark Behrends
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Rev. Dan Doerring
Congregation: Grace, Waseca
Conference: Minnesota River
Occupation: Pastor
Service to congregation:
• Associate pastor
• Congregational council
• Primary areas of responsibility include education, evangelism, and stewardship and oversight of Grace Garden Childecare Center
Service to synod:

• Youth Servant Leader Institute board
• Voting Member to 2007 churchwide assembly
Other experience and/or service to community:

• Discipline committee at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago • Involvement with different fundraising & community events in Waseca
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Rev. Justin Boeding
Congregation: Faith, Dodge Center
Conference: Zumbro River
Occupation: Pastor
Service to synod:
• Credentials Committee
• Lay School of Theology Board
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Committee on the Election of a Bishop
(6-year term, vote for 7)
Rev. Mark Boorsma
Congregation: Ascension, Albert Lea
Conference: Blue Earth River
Occupation: Pastor
Service to congregation:
• Pastor (preaching, teaching, pastoral care, etc.
Service to synod:

• Committee on Reference and Counsel
• Committee on Candidacy
• Committee on the Election of a Bishop
Other experience and/or service to community:

• Past president of the Netherlands-American Association of Minnesota, a social and educational non-profit organization
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Rev. Kathleen Lowery
Congregation: Stordahl, Zumbrota
Conference: Cannon River
Occupation: Pastor
Service to congregation:
• Pastored through building project
Service to synod:
• Cannon River Conference Education Committee
Other experience and/or service to community:

• Girl Scout leader (7 years)
• Spiritual Director for Via de Cristo
• Past president of Kenyon/Wanamingo Area Ministerial Association
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Rev. Steve Kidder
Congregation: Christ the King, Mankato
Conference: Minnesota River
Occupation: Pastor
Service to synod:
• Church in Society committee
• Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota board member
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

James Hunzeker
Congregation: Trinity, Spring Grove
Conference: Root River
Occupation: Self-employed turf establishment/erosion control, native grass & wildflower Counselor/Mediator/Life Coach
Service to congregation:
• Choir
• Various committees
• Congregational council
• Chaperone to youth gathering
Service to synod:

• Committee on the Election of a Bishop
• Voting member for synod assembly
• Voting member for churchwide assembly (Orlando, 2005)
Other experience and/or service to community:
• School board
• Minnesota Crop Improvement Association board
• Play golf
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Rev. Marie Anderson
Congregation: St. John’s, Kasson
Conference: Zumbro River
Occupation: Pastor
Service to congregation:
• Pastor of Discipleship and Family Ministry
Service to synod:

• Mutual Ministry (since 2002)
• Volunteer at synod assembly
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Earl Branum
Congregation: Chatfield Lutheran, Chatfield
Conference: Root River
Occupation: Retired Clinical Laboratory Supervisor
Service to congregation:
• Congregational president
• Committees (business management, stewardship, etc.)
• Congregational council member
• Call committee chair
• Sunday School teacher
Service to synod:

• Synod council member
• Synod executive committee member
• Churchwide assembly voter
• Minnesota Council of Churches board, including one term as chair
• Committee on the Election of a Bishop
Other experience and/or service to community:
• Chair of the Chatfield Area Community Foundation (a group that provides grants & support to various community projects along with recruitment of funds for continued support)
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Rev. Margaret Sander
Congregation: Good Shepherd, Wells
Conference: Blue Earth River
Occupation: Pastor
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Synod Vice President
(4-year term, vote for 1)
Shirley Gangstad
Congregation: Our Savior’s, Spring Valley
Conference: Root River
Occupation: Retired high school teacher
Service to congregation:

• Worship Committee
• Congregational president
• Senior choir director
• Handbell choir director
• Confirmation mentor
Service to synod:
• Root River Conference dean
• Vice president
• Churchwide voting member
• Various synod committees
• Two mission trips to Tanzania
Other experience and/or service to community:
• Walks of Boldness: Journeys of Biblical Women (dramatic portrayals of women of the Bible)
• Pulpit supply
• Kingsland Story Theater Group
• Volunteer work in Rochester Public Schools, including leadership role on Rochester Public School Foundation
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee

Jan Weness
Congregation: Little Cedar, Adams
Conference: Zumbro River
Service to congregation:
• Congregational council
• Congregational president
• Several committees
• Women of the ELCA
• President of Women of the ELCA
• Choir
• Other offices
Service to synod:
• Mission Planning and Action Committee
• Synodical Women of the ELCA board, president (2 years)
• ELCA churchwide Division for Outreach board (6 years)
Other experience and/or service to community:
• American Red Cross Instructor and board member
• Adams Health Care Center auxiliary president and member
Nominated by the Synod Nominating Committee