Congregational Ministries Committee Nominees
The Congregational Ministries Committee works to equip and resource congregations to participate in God's mission in their context; collaborates with the Synod Council and churchwide ministries; supports congregational vitality and innovation.
Lindsay Batesmith
Pastor
Sense of Call: Church has always been an energizing experience for me, getting to learn and grow alongside people who feel safe and create Holy spaces helps me connect deeply to God and to how we are called to love in this world. That's also how I describe my pastoral call, to help create those sanctuary spaces where we are loved so well we can risk learning and growing in new ways.
Skills/Experiences: I have been the pastor of Rejoice Lutheran Church in Erie, CO for more than three years now, and my gifts of listening well and getting to the heart of what matters and creates meaning for people has allowed me to create some of those spaces. Each time we create a new space we asses what has worked in the past, what our current congregation and community needs are, and what our capacity is. In that space, my imagination and desire to try new things typically helps us find a new way of learning, growing, and being the Church that follows where the Holy Spirit is taking us.
Service Activities:
Derek Fossey
Pastor
Sense of God's Call: I have felt called to be a pastor for as long as I can remember—truly since kindergarten. That sense of call has guided my life and ministry and continues to shape the way I serve the church today. I previously served as the Senior Pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Palm Desert, California, and since July 2024 I have been serving as Pastor of Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church in Park City, Utah. Throughout these years, my sense of call has been rooted in helping people encounter the grace and love of Jesus Christ in meaningful and life-giving ways.
Skills/Experiences: One of my central passions in ministry is sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in ways that connect with people today. I enjoy thinking creatively about how the church can communicate the gospel in fresh and compelling ways. In an ever-adapting world, I believe the church must continually seek new approaches—not by changing the message, but by making the most compelling message in the world more compelling and accessible to those who need to hear it. I value collaboration and enjoy working with others to develop ideas and resources that can strengthen congregational life.
Service Activities: I have been blessed to serve congregations in a variety of contexts, including many years as Senior Pastor in Palm Desert and now in Park City. These experiences have given me a deep appreciation for the unique mission fields each congregation serves. I have worked with congregational leaders on visioning, outreach, and ministry development, and I value opportunities to create resources and initiatives that can serve the broader church. I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to the committee’s work equipping congregations for ministry in their own unique settings.
Susan Hernandez
Financial Advisor
Sense of God's Call: I've been a member of New Hope in El Paso since 2001. I fulfill my sense of call by helping guide the church into the future, embracing change or challenges in healthy ways, so that we can breathe new life and serve one another in love. As a cradle Lutheran I explored other Christian expressions before choosing to make a home in the ELCA because of its expansive welcome and inclusion. I don't think it matters whether we sing a liturgy or have a praise band; what matters is the clarity of the theology we present. I am passionate about meeting our neighbors and adapting worship and ministry to local context. I think it's ok for the church to keep reforming! I love that the ELCA accompanies you and me on our faith journeys, no matter who you are or where you are on that journey.
Skills/Experiences: I am an organizer and a connector of people who believes that ministry begins with relationships. I'm creative, enthusiastic, analytical, and I value accountability. My roles as a public school music director and a financial advisor have taught me about process and how people learn in different ways. I'm able and willing to think outside the box and seek creative solutions. As a professional musician, I've embraced a life willing to accept criticism and take direction.
Service Activities: At New Hope I chair the worship team and serve on our council. I have served on the Veteran Servant Corps Project board in the Rocky Mountain Synod and have been a voter at the churchwide assembly. I was active in community organizing which led to a change at the 2009 churchwide assembly allowing for the ordination of LGBTQ clergy. I am currently enrolled in the "Excellence in Leadership" course. My favorite quote from the course is: "The church as we know it is calibrated for a world which no longer exists".
Lyle Miller
Lay Minister
Sense of God's Call: I am called to serve the community by increasing the involvement of this congregation in addressing the needs and concerns of the community. I am called to preach the good news and increase the devotion of the members to living a life reflective of Christian values and Lutheran understanding. I am called to minister to this congregation in all aspects of their spiritual journey.
Skills/Experiences: My gifts are consistent with the requirements of the position; patience, compassion, tolerance, understanding and a willingness to learn.
Service Activities: I served 20 years on active duty in the Army, attaining the rank of First Sergeant. I managed a retail electronics store for 22 years and served as parish administrator before being installed as SAM. I completed our synod's EiL course and the Lay Pastor's Assistance course through the Montana Synod before being installed. I am entering my fourth year as SAM in my congregation.
Amy Schmuck
Deacon
Sense of God's Call: I live into the call to Word and Service in my ministry with the people of God “as they are sent”. Deacons are called to be a bridge between the church and the world, and I envision the future of the wider church and its congregations to be found outside the church walls. My call is to help equip the people of God as they “are sent” for this shift in vision and mission and to also bring to them avenues by which they may cross that divide through education, opportunity, and accompaniment in service to Jesus’ mission of love for the sake of the world together. I am so blessed lean into this call with Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Los Alamos, NM!
Skills/Experiences: Gifts: relationship, connection, teaching, preaching, servant-leader/accompaniment models of leadership, and chaplaincy Experience: *20 years as a special education teacher in rural Illinois *MA Leadership and Innovation in Ministry at Luther Seminary- St. Paul, MN (2023) *Chaplain Resident (4 CPE units) at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood CO (2022-2023) *
Service Activities: Serving as Deacon for Welcome and Lifelong Learning- Bethlehem (BELC) in Los Alamos, NM (2024-present) *Currently serving on the Open Table Connection- Lutheran Campus Ministry -UNM/CNM Board * Recently began serving as a member of the on-call Chaplain Corps for the Los Alamos Police Dept. and emergency services
Garrett Struessel
Pastor
Sense of God's Call: The Congregational Ministries Committee/Board works to equip and resource congregations to participate in God's mission in their context; collaborates with the Synod Council and churchwide ministries; supports congregational vitality and innovation. It's a privilege, joy, and challenge to sense God's call into ministry, but in these latest times, the call to be creative, think "different", and collaborate seems all the more important. When I heard from Pastor Travis Norton, that the focus in the Congregational Ministry Committee had additional focus on creating practical, faithful resources for congregational ministry, I was hooked. It seems to me that we sometimes do ministry in isolation, and find ourselves creating or writing materials that could be of great benefit to others sharing in the ministry of Christ. For example, the Congregational Ministries Committee created the Lenten resource, "Why Church", a couple of years ago, and we found it to be thoughtful and inspiring. I sense God's call to mission through the Congregational Ministries Committee in the Rocky Mountain Synod as part of our shared ministry in the gospel, and from enriching experiences of collaboration, prayer, and shared worship.
Skills/Experiences: I have served on the Rocky Mountain Synod Campus Ministry Committee, the New Beginnings Worshipping steering committee, and as a conference dean. I have been experimenting with AI, to create Bible studies, Children's Christmas pageants, and to research church policies and constitutions. These are only tools, and will not replace collaborating with friends, but the spirit is calling us to creativity in our expressions of faith, hope, love, and grace. I look forward to this process of creativity for the sake of the gospel, and the unconditional love in Christ Jesus. I have served as Senior Pastor at First Ev. Lutheran Church in Longmont, since April 2017.
Service Activities: In addition to the synod committee leadership, I have served in communion preparation for Synod Assemblies, served on the Board of the Seniors' Resource Center in Denver, and on the board of the OUR Center in Longmont.
Rita Thompson
Pastor
Sense of God's Call: I feel called to help people worship and encounter a God who loves us, build relationships within community, empower and equip future leaders, and inspire action and service in response to the needs of the world.
Skills/Experiences: I have a deep love for congregational ministry as I see it as God's hands and feet in the world. I have served in a variety of congregational contexts with diverse populations, which gives me a unique, creative perspective on developing practical resources for effective ministry. Additionally, I have inspired congregations and communities to think creatively about ministry through ecumenical and community partnerships. These collaborations have not only brought renewed vitality but also deepened commitments to love, inclusivity, and care for marginalized populations. Finally, I have walked alongside congregations and communities as they engage in the work of renewal and navigate difficult conversations about their future. My love for and gifts in congregational ministry will help me serve as a beneficial member of the Congregational Ministries Committee.
Service Activities:
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