Special Congregational Meeting - 2 Votes

You are invited to attend St Mary’s Lutheran Church’s special congregational meeting on Sunday June 1^st, 2025, following the worship service.  Grab a cup of coffee, a piece of Kringle and come back to the sanctuary.

The purpose of the meeting is to vote on two Pastoral Calls.  Full time Lead Pastor and Part-time Associate Pastor.  A quorum of 66 people is required.  Two separate votes will be taken by written ballot and will require a two-thirds majority.

I am pleased to announce the Call Committee is recommending the Reverend Dr. Jordan Miller-Stubbendick for call to be full time lead pastor at St Mary’s Lutheran Church Kenosha, WI.  The Church council has overwhelmingly accepted the recommendation from the Call Committee.

When I introduced Pastor Jordan as St Mary’s transition pastor in January, I indicated this would allow her to discern the possibility of being interviewed for the permanent call. 

I found this quote online, it really resonates with me, from Pastor Jordan when I was researching her prior to calling her as our transition pastor.  It comes from her faith journey on bearing witness.

“My hope is that as I listen, people will feel they are accepted, they matter and that I care about their story. More than that I hope they walk away from our time together knowing their hearts and stories are heard and held by my God.”

Hopefully over the last 4 months you have been able to witness this in her.

Pastor Jordan was ordained on July 26^th, 2008.  She has been a parish pastor, a hospital and hospice chaplain, and writer. Prior to joining St Mary’s as our transition pastor, her and her husband Adam served as a co-country coordinator of the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program in Jerusalem and the West Bank.  In October 2023, they were evacuated due to Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.

On April 22^nd, 2023, St Mary’s called Pastor Debbie to a 2-year term part-time call.  It is hard to believe the 2-years have already passed. 

St Mary’s has been blessed to have Pastor Debbie sharing her gifts with us.  When she was called, we indicated the intent was to allow there to be a transition period when the new lead pastor was called.  We have been blessed that transition period has happen over the last 4 months with Pastors Jordan and Debbie. 

I am pleased to announce the Church Council is recommending the Reverend Debbie Hartfield for call to be part-time associate pastor at St Mary’s Lutheran Church Kenosha, WI.  The call is a permanent call. 

A quote from Pastor Debbie’s minister profile

“As a servant leader, baptized into Christ, I openly share the gifts given to me through the Holy Spirit.  With deep love for God, I feel called to accompany and equip God’s people for living as followers of Jesus Christ, sharing life’s joys and sorrows, while helping them grow in faith.”

Pastor Debbie was ordained at St Mary’s on June 12^th, 2023.  She had a split internship serving as a Vicar at Living Faith Lutheran Church a two-point congregation in Racine WI and as the Chaplain Intern at the Village at Manor Park (a residential care facility associated with the United Methodist Church).  Before being ordained she worked in the healthcare industry specializing in training, learning and development which carries over very well into ministry in helping individuals grow in their faith journey.  Pastor Debbie has provided valuable support both internally and externally to St Mary’s over the years.  Most recently as our Minister of Pastoral Care.

This has been a long journey for St Mary’s.  Thank you for your patience, faith, understanding and support. I hope to see you on Sunday, June 1^st after the service to vote on these two important pastoral calls.

Contact me if you have any questions.

Remember to look to the Future with Hope.

Go Pray, Go Love, Go Serve – Thanks be to God.

Keith Richter

Council President