Meet Our Newest Staff Member!
As LCMC’s Service Coordinator, I am delighted to announce a new addition to our national staff. I have asked Pastor Julie Smith to join our team as the Coordinator for Districts and Fellowship Groups. Adding this position to our team will enable us to be more effective in connecting, equipping, and caring for all congregations and leaders throughout the association.
We believe that developing a healthy and robust district and fellowship group structure will help LCMC congregations deepen their ties to one another for the sake of strengthening their witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It will also increase our effectiveness in implementing a strategic-operational plan that is being designed to more effectively serve and support all the congregations and leaders in our association.
Julie Smith is a life-long Lutheran and became a pastor in 1998. She has served congregations in Clarkfield, Bock, and Springfield (all in Minnesota). In addition, she served for several years as a Bible camp director. She is also a co-founder of St. Paul Lutheran Seminary.
Julie's main hobby is running around to whatever activities her seven nieces and nephews are involved in. She is a sports fan, and while high school football is a favorite, NBA games featuring any former Minnesota Timberwolves are a close second. Like all Minnesotans, Julie believes as many summer days as possible should be spent at the lake, with the Twins on the radio. Please don't ask her about the Vikings.
Julie is a graduate of Luther Seminary and loves any opportunity to teach, whether that's leading silly Bible skits with first graders or giving seminary students some pointers in preaching. She has previously served on the LCMC Board of Trustees and has worked with the Augustana and Epiphany Districts of LCMC.
Julie's last Sunday in her congregation in Springfield, MN will be on Easter Sunday and she will begin work with us on the LCMC staff shortly thereafter.
As Service Coordinator, I am very excited about what Julie is going to add to our team in terms of her skills and experience, and who she is as a person. I’m looking forward to having her join our staff.
Welcome aboard, Julie!
Author
Mike brings 40 plus years of leadership and ministry experience, having served in Lutheran congregations in Nebraska (Christ Lutheran Church) and South Dakota (Trinity Lutheran Church) as a youth pastor, worship leader, associate pastor, and senior pastor. He also served as President for The Master’s Institute Seminary for ten years and most recently, as Director for the Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC). Mike is passionate about helping leaders and congregations create an atmosphere that is a safe place for developing healthy leaders and disciples in the church, and equipping God’s people for lives of effective witness and ministry in the world. He is the author of the book, Being a Safe Place for the Dangerous Kind, in which he articulates the essential connection between solid theology and healthy practice in mission and ministry.
Mike enjoys sports of all kinds, having served as a high school basketball and baseball coach while serving Trinity Lutheran Church in Rapid City, South Dakota. He and his wife of forty-two years, Debi, enjoy reading, hiking, and swimming, and Mike enjoys the occasional golf outing. They have five adult children – Andrew Michael, Joseph Ross, Rachel Christine, Stephen Daniel and Benjamin John, and three grandsons – Michael, Isaac, and Lucas. Mike and Debi live in Gilbert, Arizona with their three-year old white Labrador, Maggie Mae.
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Comments (1)
Congrats Pastor Julie Smith.
April 15, 2021 at 12:00am