Western District Synod Elects President
and Executive Board to Serve Through 2008

The Western District of the Moravian Church in North America elected the Rev. Lawrence R. Christianson of Waconia, Minnesota, as its President during the Western District Synod, held in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, on March 25-28, 2004. A synod is an assembly of church delegates, including clergy and lay people, who are called together every four years for discussion, decision, and policy-making regarding church matters. The Western District of the Moravian Church in North America consists of 40 recognized Moravian Congregations throughout Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin as well as growing and emerging churches and fellowships in development in Indiana, Minnesota, and beyond.

The position of Western District President, along with an executive board of elected lay and clergy, has supervisory responsibility for the congregations and clergy of the District, works with congregations in calling pastors, addressing conflict, establishing quotas, managing finances, and determining budgets for the various ministries that congregations do together. The Board and the President are concerned with everything from conflict management to Evangelism. They represent the entire District and not geographic areas.

In order to be elected as Western District President, a person must be ordained clergy and is elected by Synod vote without nomination. A two-thirds majority vote is required for election. On the first ballot, Christianson received 79 out of 113 legally cast votes re-electing him to the position he has served since 1998. Each term is four years long. In his address to the Synod floor, he stated, “I am committed to continue serving Christ in administrative leadership throughout our Western District – in a spirit of partnership with vision and hope.” In an earlier address to the Synod delegates and guests, Christianson reflected on the state of the church, by saying, “The Moravian Church is a Mission Train ready to roll along – dynamic, not static – on the move with spirit flowing, with faith flowering, with hope blooming. On the move with growing as the love of Christ unites and inspires and empowers us for mission.” Upon election as Western District President, Christianson emphasized once again, “Onward aboard the Mission Train!”

Born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Christianson is a 1975 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, and attended United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Minnesota, and graduated in 1980. He was ordained a deacon of the Moravian Church the year he graduated and was consecrated a presbyter in 1982. He has served as the pastoral leader at Lake Auburn Moravian Church, Victoria, Minnesota (1980-1981); Faith Moravian Church, Canton, Michigan (1981-1986); and Waconia Moravian Church, Waconia, Minnesota (1986-1998). Christianson is no stranger to the Western District Executive Board. During his service to the Moravian Church, he has served as an elected member of the board since 1990 and has served as its President from 1998 to present. As President of the Western District Executive Board he also then serves as a Vice President of the Provincial Elders’ Conference, Northern Province, which serves in partnership with the Southern Province Provincial Elders’ Conference, constituting the Moravian Church in North America. The Rev. David Wickmann of the Provincial Elders’ Conference, Northern Province, stated, “Larry Christianson has been a leader in demonstrating by word and deed that we are one in Christ. He is a leader for the 21st Century. He and the Western District Executive Board have been among our finest bodies in elevating the role of pastoral and lay leadership within the congregational setting.”

Also elected to serve on the Western District Executive Board were the Rev. Elizabeth Miller of Lake Mills, Wisconsin; the Rev. Amy Gohdes-Luhman of Northfield, Minnesota; Glen Keller of Hope, Indiana; Kay Wipperfurth of Lake Mills, Wisconsin; Diane Klawikowski of Stevens Point, Wisconsin; and Dan Wilson of Cologne, Minnesota.

The Rev. Elizabeth Miller

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Miller is a 1978 graduate of Middlebury College, Vermont. She attended Moravian Theological Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where she graduated in 1985. Miller was ordained a deacon of the Moravian Church in 1985 and was consecrated a presbyter in 1987. She currently serves as the senior pastor of Lake Mills Moravian Church, Lake Mills, Wisconsin. She has served on the Western District Executive Board since 2000, where she has held the office of secretary. She is also actively involved on the Board of Trustees of the Moravian Theological Seminary where she has served since 1986. She was Chair of that Board from 1997-2000. Her current community services include the Lake Mills Ministerial Association but she has also served her community in the past through coaching little league, serving on the Institutional Review Board for Fort Atkinson Memorial Health Services, and serving as co-chair for the Youth BANC.

Upon being elected, Miller said, “I have served on the Western District Executive Board for the past four years and want to offer back what I have learned about how we can help our congregations, pastors, and lay people be more effective in bearing witness to God’s saving love. I believe God is calling me to offer my gifts in leadership and vision.”

The Rev. Amy Gohdes-Luhman

Born in Daggett, Michigan, Gohdes-Luhman attended the University of Wisconsin where she graduated in 1988. She attended Moravian Theological Seminary, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where she graduated in 1993. She continued with graduate studies at Garrett/Northwestern in Chicago. She received a Masters of Theological Studies in 1995 and is presently working on the final stages of her Ph.D. Gohdes-Luhman was ordained a deacon of the Moravian Church in 1996 and consecrated a presbyter in 1999. She currently serves as pastor at the Main Street Moravian Church in Northfield, Minnesota, where she has been serving since 1996. She continues and has served as a program leader and conference leader at various Moravian Church camps and educational conferences. In the past she has served on the New Church Strategy Committee from1999-2000; District Synod Worship Leader in 1997; District Conference Bible Study leader in 1999 and 2001. Her community services include Healthy Community Initiative Board 2000-present; Dental Health Panel 2003-present; Adjunct Faculty Member at St. Olaf College, Religion Department; and membership in the Northfield Ministerial Association.

Upon being elected, Gohdes-Luhman said, “I have been nurtured and educated by this denomination. I was raised in the church as a pastor’s daughter. My faith grew by way of my home congregations as well as many years spent at Western District Youth Ministry Camps. I love this family of God, the Moravian Church, and am proud to be part of it. I am pleased with the recent direction of the church and am excited about the future. I will serve the church with diligence and enthusiasm.”

Glen Keller

Keller is a member of Hope Moravian Church, Hope Indiana. In the past he has served as a member of the Eastern District Executive Board for 6 years in the 1970’s, as co-director of the Tar Hollow camp for 3 years in the 1970’s, and as the business manager for Tar Hollow for approximately 15 years. In the past he has served his community as secretary of the Hope Kiwanis Club, as President of the Bartholomew County Agriculture Extension Board, as Lions Club President, on the Healthy Communities Council, and on the Bartholomew County United Way. Upon being elected, Keller said, “My visions are for the Church to continue its close working relationship with individuals and churches. We must continually strive to improve and grow in spirit, programs, and numbers. It is important that we work as a team to be a viable, recognized denomination with strong churches and leaders. We have a great heritage and must build on it. All of these goals are possible if we have a strong, solid faith, and provide the dedicated effort to accomplish them.”

Kay Wipperfurth

Wipperfurth is a member of Lake Mills Moravian Church, Lake Mills, Wisconsin. In addition to serving on the Western District Executive Board since 2000, she also serves on the Marquardt Village Board of Directors as Vice President, which she has been doing since 1986. She actively serves the Lake Mills congregation as Greeter Coordinator as well as Co-Chair of the Funding Appeal for the Lake Mills Building project. Wipperfurth has also in the past served as President of the Women’s Fellowship, on the Board of Elders of Lake Mills Moravian Church, on the Christian Education Committee at Lake Mills, on the Marquardt Village Foundation Board, and on the Ordination Review Committee of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in North America. She actively serves her community as an Advisor at the Madison Area Technical College for RN and LPN programs, on the Healthcare Explorers Post, Fort Atkinson; on the Board of Directors of Rainbow Hospice; on the Jerfferson Coalition board, and the Reaching Out Respite Boards of Lake Mills and Fort Atkinson.

Upon being elected, Wipperfurth said, “I feel called to continue on the Western District Executive Board because of my love of this denomination. I believe that it is imperative that we support local congregations and agencies in order to have growing churches grow churches. I love the Moravian Church and will strive to continue to expand the openness of the Executive Board to the needs of local churches in our district.”

Diane Klawikowski

Klawikowski is a member of Wisconsin Rapids Moravian Church, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. In addition to serving on the Western District Executive Board since 2000, she also serves on the Board of Elders and as the treasurer of the Wisconsin Rapids Church. In the past, she has served as Chair of the Diaspora Steering Committee, Vice-chair of the Board of Elders, and as Superintendent of Sunday School. She is actively involved as a volunteer in a local grade school and serves as a host family to foreign students. In the past she has served her community as a 4-H and Cub Scout Leader and has served as co-chair for several fund raisers including one for the Little League and Project Graduation.

Upon being elected, Klawikowski said, “I believe there are great gifts and talents within our existing congregations which they can share with each other to expand their current ministries. We have been called to share the good news. Helping these churches use tools available to them from the district will enable them to assist in spreading the gospel through new church starts. It is also important for me to find ways to care for and nurture our pastors as they care for and nurture their congregations.”

Dan Wilson

Wilson is a member of Waconia Moravian Church, Waconia, Minnesota. In addition to serving on the Western District Executive Board since 2000, he also serves on the Auburn Manor Board. In the past he has served on the Board of Trustees of the Waconia congregation, as President of Auburn Manor, and on other regional and provincial committees. Wilson currently serves on the Chaska Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Board of Realtors Professional Ethics Committee.

Upon being elected, Wilson said, “I am very proud and feel honored to have served and been a part of the Western District Executive Board for two terms. As a team, we have made a difference. I have a strong sense of obligation to the Moravian Church and this is my way of contributing.”

All delegates and guests gathered to install the Rev. Christianson and the other newly elected members of the Western District Executive Board in a special worship service at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, March 28, 2004, at the Wisconsin Rapids Moravian Church, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. The Rt. Rev. C. Hopeton Clennon of Downey Moravian Church, Downey, California, conducted the installation portion of the service.