CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL

The Congregation Council consists of partners in mission (members) who are elected by the congregation to serve as its leaders. Each Council member is elected to a three-year term and may serve no more than two consecutive terms.


Current members of the Congregation Council are: 

Mark Hearn, President (2020)

Karen Ball, Vice-President (2019)

Sherry Whitmarsh, Secretary (2020)

Bill Stark, Chief Financial Officer (2019)

Frank Anders (2021), Gail Dutcher (2021), Art Fabsits (2019), Gary Klintworth (2020), Therese Long (2020), Donna Noonan (2019), and Dave Rower (2021), members-at-large. 


All pastors serving under call to the congregation are ex-officio members of the Council.


Questions or comments can be submitted to: council@saintmatthew.org.

*Parentheses indicate when term ends


Minutes of Congregational Council Meetings:

January 15, 2019

February 19, 2019

March 19, 2019

April 16, 2019

May 21, 2019

June 18, 2019

July 23, 2019

August 20, 2019

LEAD PASTOR CALL COMMITTEE

There has been lots of momentum in our church as we prepare for the calling of our next lead pastor:


  • Transition team completed the ministry site profile
  • Call committee nominated, commissioned, and blessed by the congregation
  • Council created and approved the job description
  • Prayer vigil for our congregation, community, and call committee
  • Call committee has convened multiple times to prayerfully review the Ministry Site Profile
  • Ministry Site Profile shared with Bishop Holmerud
  • Ministry Site Profile will be posted in ECLA website within the next few weeks
  • Family meeting on the call process

Update 8/8:


  • We are hard at work reviewing and praying about each of the candidates presented to us at our most recent meeting with Bishop Holmerud. We are in the process of setting up the first round of interviews with them via Zoom (Skype). Prayers for discernment are appreciated!  

Update 7/24:

  • Bishop Mark will be coming up for our meeting on July 31st to share our first round of candidates! Woo-hoo! God is good!


The call committee is thankful for the prayers, support, and questions we have received thus far. God has a mighty plan for Saint Matthew. We are honored to be servants in that process!

  • katie lechner

    Chairperson

  • gail dutcher


  • Dan fassio


  • marty campbell


  • john goetz


  • phil gomez