Change or Die Conference 2013

• Pastor Mark Jeske, from Time of Grace Ministry and St. Marcus Lutheran Church, facilitated the conference.
   
• Rev. Dr. Jeffery Schrank, Senior Pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Phoenix, Arizona.  Dr. Schrank is an energetic, outspoken leader who has helped Christ Church Lutheran grow from 2,000 souls to almost 3,000 in the last decade.  A former member of the LC-MS Board of Directors, Schrank embraces his church's urban neighborhood and enthusiastically supports Christ Lutheran School and its enrollment of over 480.  His "Best Practices" conference in February draws hundreds of attendees from all over the country.
   
• Rev. Dr. Paul Hill, Executive Director, Vibrant Faith Ministries, Bloomington, Minnesota.  Dr. Hill has more than 35 years of experience in outdoor ministries, lay education, youth and family ministry and congregational development.  He has served as a parish pastor, a camp director and taught for 17 years in theological education.  He is co-author of many books and articles including:  Up the Creek with a Paddle:  Building an Effective Youth and Family Ministry; Frogs Without Legs Can't Hear:  Nurturing Disciples in Home and Congregation; Coming of Age:  Exploring Identity and Spirituality in Younger Men; Operation Fuzzy Squirrel:  Effective Youth Ministry Practices.
   
• Dr. John Bauer, CEO, Bethesda Lutheran Communities, Watertown, Wisconsin.  Dr. Bauer is well-known in the Milwaukee area, having served as Academic Dean at Wisconsin Lutheran College and Executive Director of the CHARiS Foundation.  At present, he is the CEO of Bethesda, leading their wonderful ministries to developmentally disabled people and helping the organization change to meet new regulation and funding realities.  CHARIS was a birth-parent of Church and Change in WELS.
   
• Rev. Dr. Patrick Ferry, President, Concordia University--Wisconsin, Mequon, Wisconsin.  Dr. Ferry has served as Concordia's president since 1997 and overseen tremendous growth in the University's enrollment, campus capacity, and programs.  He oversaw the rebuilding of the magnificent bluffs above Lake Michigan, the opening of the new School of Pharmacy, a community baseball field, and the recent assumption of administration of Concordia Ann Arbor.
   
• Rev. Carl Leyrer, Pastor, Divine Savior Lutheran Church, Doral, Florida.  Rev. Leyrer has quietly led one of the most successful cross-cultural ministries in the Lutheran Church.  The congregation in this Miami suburb draws more than 200 in worship each week and offers a vibrant congregational life in both English and Spanish.  The congregation's school, Divine Savior Lutheran Academy, serves early childhood, primary school, middle school and high school-aged students.
   
• Mr. Frank H. "Dick" Moeller, President, Water to Thrive and Enovate, Austin, Texas.  A Harvard M.B.A. Moeller serves as founding principal of Enovate Enterprises, LLC, a consulting firm focused on assisting entrepreneurs, founders, companies and organizations to achieve their full potential with strategic planning, mentoring/coaching, market strategy, governance design and board services.  In addition, Moeller is the founder and president of Water to Thrive, a faith-based, non-profit organization that works to bring fresh water to rural Africa.  he serves also a chairman of the Board of Directors of Thrivent Financial - Funding Planned Parenthood's abortion business.

I am not going to say it, but you know what I am thinking.