Janine grew up in Mitchell, South Dakota getting to know Jesus at her LCMS Wednesday school, Saturday school and Sunday school in the 60's and 70's. She graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls with majors in English and Journalism.
Jesus called this unlikely disciple while she was working for Citibank doing New Projects in the Marketing department. She went to seminary with the dream of becoming a Youth/Family Counselor thinking that seminary would "offset" the secular PhD in Psychology she hoped to achieve. Jesus had other ideas. She was at Princeton Seminary for two years and went on internship in Wykcoff, NJ. She loved parish ministry. She headed to LSTC in Chicago for her final "Lutheran" year and fell head over heels in love with Craig Werling and they thought it was a good idea to get engaged after 6 weeks of dating. They graduated, got married and set off to tackle a new idea in parish ministry: serving 4 rural congregations together. They had so much fun, they thought having 3 kids would only make it more fun! They were called to Milbank, SD thirteen years later to serve in a larger congregation together.
In August of 2010, she left parish ministry to serve as Director of Development and Marketing for Volunteers of America, Dakotas. She was sure that her days in the parish were over. Jesus had other ideas. In February of 2011, a small mission start asked her to supply preach. In September of 2011, they called her part time and two weeks later made it full time! The congregation is now over 420 people and just moved into a new building in March of 2016. They are in the process of adding a second pastor so that she can remember if she has any hobbies.
She serves on the Board for Theology and Ministry of the LCMC Augustana District, and on the board of the Institute for Lutheran Theology (ILT). She and her husband are also on the NALC clergy roster. Her professional interests include: Youth and Family Ministries, Bible Study, Strategic Planning for Churches, Christian Counseling, Deaf Ministries, and Stewardship.
Janine and Craig have three children: the oldest is married and a school counselor and is teaching in Bangkok, Thailand with her husband. The middle one is graduated from college and is off in the workforce. The baby is a freshman at Hillsdale College in Michigan. Jesus has another idea about life and ministry as she is called with her husband to an "empty nest" and looks forward to the new adventure ahead!
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Bible Study #2
October 4, 2016 • Pr. Janine Rew-Werling
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2016 Annual Gathering