Central Conference

After Pastor Chris Stienstra accepted the position of Assistant to the Bishop, I was appointed to serve as dean pro tem of the Central Conference in her place.  It has been both an honor and a privilege to serve in this role.

The pastors and interns of the Central Conference meet on the second Wednesday of each month. This year, St. John Lutheran Church, Sterling has graciously hosted our meetings. We typically begin to gather at 8:30 a.m. and are led in worship with Holy Communion by one of our colleagues at 9:00. After worship, we enjoy refreshments and fellowship. We discuss business as necessary and share our mutual joys and concerns. Occasionally we have a guest speaker at one of our meetings. After the meeting, those who are available, have lunch together.

There is a weekly pericope study at 9:00 each Tuesday morning at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Dixon. We have welcomed pastors from other conferences and even other denominations to this study.

The churches of our Conference participated in two Lenten preaching round robins.

We have also had occasional social gatherings in our conference. Collegiality and fellowship are the hallmarks of the Central Conference.

In the past year, we have welcomed the following new pastors into our conference: Pastor Susie Hill, Faith, Forreston; Pastor Steve Dow, Faith, Rochelle; and Pastor Steve Erickson, Trinity Mt. Morris. We look forward to the installations of Pastor Judi Huseth at St. Paul, Sterling and Pastor Gary Blobaum at St. Paul, Oregon.

We said a reluctant goodbye to Pastor Amy Nyman who served Emmanuel, Payne’s Point (rural Oregon). Pastor Susan Davenport resigned from her call at Bethesda, Morrison, to pursue further education, but has continued to be active in the conference and serves as our secretary and treasurer.

The Central Conference has been blessed to have Pastor Joanne Adrian serving as interim at Emmanuel, Payne’s Point; Pastor John Leaf as interim at St. Paul, Sterling; Pastor Kathy Burkheimer as interim at First, Jordan (rural Sterling); and Pastor Myron Bartell as interim at St. Paul, Franklin Grove.

We have also been delighted to have two interns in our conference: Robert Franek who serves with Pastor Ron Ferrel at Immanuel, Dixon, and Linda Winkelman who serves with Pastor Hank Milner at Immanuel, Rock Falls.

We have discussed and will be moving ahead with several projects in the Central Conference. Watch for them to bear fruit.

Respectfully submitted.
Brant Clements
Dean pro tem