2022 Annual Gathering
Following Christ in a Complicated World
2022 Service Coordinator's Report
October 3, 2022 • Mike Bradley
Mike Bradley is the service coordinator for LCMC. 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; three grandsons, Michael, Isaac, and Lucas; and two granddaughters, Violet and Ferrah. Mike and Debi live in Gilbert, AZ with their three-year-old white Labrador, Maggie Mae.
Keynote Speaker #1 - Ebassa Berhanu
October 3, 2022 • Ebassa Berhanu
Ebassa is a child of God redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. He is the lead pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Torrance, CA. Ebassa and his beautiful wife, Hana have 4 children together. Ebassa is passionate in seeing people fall in love with Jesus and investing in the next generation.
Keynote Speaker #3 - Graeme Sellers
October 4, 2022 • Graeme Sellers
Graeme started out for the road to Hollywood, determined to write and direct with his friend and collaborator, Bruce, whom he met at Tri-City Mall, where they both worked—Bruce making sandwiches and Graeme selling t-shirts. Bruce went on to win numerous local Emmys and released his first independent feature length film, “Raising Buchanan,” in 2019. Graeme’s life turned in a different direction. A graduate of Fuller Seminary, he was awarded fellowships to pursue theological studies in Aberdeen, Scotland, and Dunedin, New Zealand. The lead pastor at Wonderful Mercy since 1994, Graeme served for 20 years on the National Leadership Team of the Alliance of Renewal Churches and 12 years on the pastoral advisory board for PrayerQuake. When not hanging out with his wife of 30 years and four children, Graeme enjoys deep sea fishing, single malt scotch, Americana roots music, and the poetry of W. H. Auden and e.e. cummings. He and Bruce are in talks (sadly, just with each other) to resume work on a screenplay they began in 1987, an adventure thriller set against the backdrop of World War I.
Breakout Session #1 - Dave Wollan
October 3, 2022 • Dave Wollan
In this breakout, Dave Wollan will address the dying and rising theology of discipleship. “Discipleship” is both a simple and complex doctrine. At its simplest, it simply means “follow Jesus.” Different theological traditions interpret this in different ways. The Lutheran tradition involves a radical understanding of what baptism means for daily living, and the awesome power of the Holy Spirit working through sinners. In this session we’ll explore our “talk” about faith: the radicalness of the Lutheran understanding that produces the true “walk” of following Jesus.
Breakout Session #2 - Jeff Gufstason
October 4, 2022 • Jeff Gufstason
How do we teach discipleship? Why don’t most of the people who come to worship, and listen to our teaching, exhibit life transformation? This breakout will tell the story of one church that has wrestled with these questions and share the discipleship development initiative that resulted. Discipleship is more than instruction and curriculum, it requires the God who transforms, people living in authentic relationships, experiences that challenge us, and a church body engaged in prayer and growth.
Breakout Session #3 - Steve King
October 4, 2022 • Steve King
Lutherans often refer to the Sacraments as God’s “means of grace,” recognizing how God communicates the Gospel of Jesus through ordinary means. What if we were to use this as a framework to understand our lives as disciples of Christ? How does God use us as earthen vessels – his living means of grace – to carry out his will and communicate his promise through us? In this breakout, Steve will help us look at discipleship in a way that honors the key distinction between Law and Gospel in God’s work of sanctification. We will explore how to incorporate themes from the Lutheran tradition that are not often addressed in many discipleship materials, including a foundation in the Theology of the Cross, an understanding of the Means of Grace, and a recognition of the Christian as one who is both “Saint and Sinner.”
Bible Study #1 - Wendy Poch
October 3, 2022 • Wendy Poch
Wendy grew up on an apple orchard and lived in both northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin before moving to Parker, Colorado in 2008. She is a cradle Lutheran who took a journey through the LCA, ELCA, LCMS and is now home in her much beloved LCMC (talk about alphabet soup!). When asked about this journey, she describes herself as a theological Goldilocks: moving from a denomination that was too hot, then too cold, and now is in an association of churches that is just right! Of course, God did a considerable amount of stretching and growing her in the process! She has been a member of Spirit of Hope Lutheran Church in Parker, CO since 2011. She served as the congregation’s youth leader, pastoral intern, associate pastor, and is now the solo pastor of the congregation. Wendy received her MDiv from the Institute of Lutheran Theology (ILT) and serves as the chair of ILT’s new Alumni & Graduate Association. In October of 2021, Wendy also answered a call to serve on the LCMC Ministry Board.
Bible Study #2 - Wendy Poch
October 4, 2022 • Wendy Poch
Wendy grew up on an apple orchard and lived in both northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin before moving to Parker, Colorado in 2008. She is a cradle Lutheran who took a journey through the LCA, ELCA, LCMS and is now home in her much beloved LCMC (talk about alphabet soup!). When asked about this journey, she describes herself as a theological Goldilocks: moving from a denomination that was too hot, then too cold, and now is in an association of churches that is just right! Of course, God did a considerable amount of stretching and growing her in the process! She has been a member of Spirit of Hope Lutheran Church in Parker, CO since 2011. She served as the congregation’s youth leader, pastoral intern, associate pastor, and is now the solo pastor of the congregation. Wendy received her MDiv from the Institute of Lutheran Theology (ILT) and serves as the chair of ILT’s new Alumni & Graduate Association. In October of 2021, Wendy also answered a call to serve on the LCMC Ministry Board.
Bible Study #3 - Wendy Poch
October 5, 2022 • Wendy Poch
Wendy grew up on an apple orchard and lived in both northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin before moving to Parker, Colorado in 2008. She is a cradle Lutheran who took a journey through the LCA, ELCA, LCMS and is now home in her much beloved LCMC (talk about alphabet soup!). When asked about this journey, she describes herself as a theological Goldilocks: moving from a denomination that was too hot, then too cold, and now is in an association of churches that is just right! Of course, God did a considerable amount of stretching and growing her in the process! She has been a member of Spirit of Hope Lutheran Church in Parker, CO since 2011. She served as the congregation’s youth leader, pastoral intern, associate pastor, and is now the solo pastor of the congregation. Wendy received her MDiv from the Institute of Lutheran Theology (ILT) and serves as the chair of ILT’s new Alumni & Graduate Association. In October of 2021, Wendy also answered a call to serve on the LCMC Ministry Board.