This is my third year on Council.
I was encouraged to join the council early on when we joined GFLC, and while I was new to being on any church council, I was very excited for the chance to be part of such a great group of folks who live out their Christian faith.
What I love about Grace First Lutheran Church: The truly welcoming and inclusive culture of the people here. We’ve made lifelong friends here.
I joined Council January 2018.
I chose to join the Council at Grace because I firmly believe in the role that God wants GFLC to play in the growing Bend community. It is also a great opportunity to learn from others who care about serving our church.
I love that Grace is a volunteer driven church. Our programs are led by dedicated volunteers, each bringing their own time and unique talents. This grassroots spirit fosters deeper relationships and a feeling of the church as a home.
I have served as the Worship Committee liaison for 6 years and as Council Secretary for 6 years.
I chose to serve on Council because it helps me understand so much more about how my church operates, how decisions are made, how I can be of assistance to others in our community.
What I love about Grace First Lutheran Church is the group of giving, caring people who are fun and interesting to be around and worship with.
I am the Worship Committee Liason on the Council.
I have served 3 years on Council (started Jan 2016).
I chose to join Council since I believe it’s important to use the capabilities God has given me in service to the church.
I love that GFLC is a multi-generational congregation with people from a variety of backgrounds coming together to worship and serve as children of God and to express the love of Jesus.
Pastor Ex-officio
I have served on Council for five years and held the position of President, President-Elect, as well as, on the Call committee.
I chose to serve on Council because of my love for the Lutheran Church.
What I love about Grace First Lutheran Church is the enthusiasm, friendliness, caring, and the diversity of the members.
I’ve been a member of G.F.L.C. since 2011. I became active helping with the Christmas Giving campaign shortly after I joined and have taken on coordinating it the last few years. I served on the Education Team for 7 years and just transitioned on the Youth Committee.
I’ve participated on the Call Committee for a year. I chose to join Council in order to support my church and learn more about how it functions.
I love the amazing people that make up our church family. So many are dedicated to supporting G.F.L.C. and serving the community. It’s such a special place.
2019 is my first year on the Council. My wife Ann and I have been members of GFLC for three years, having retired to Bend after careers in the New York Metropolitan area. We also sit on the Church’s Social Concerns Committee.
We are blessed to have a welcoming and engaged Congregation and I look forward to contributing my effort and talents toward its future growth.
I joined the Council in February 2019.
I chose to serve on the Council because I understand the importance of volunteers to a nonprofit organization and wanted to learn more about how the church operates.
What I love about Grace First is the generational diversity of the congregation and the welcoming and inclusive attitude of everyone. My family and I have been members for four years and the church has become an irreplaceable part of our lives. Kryste and I were married there in 2015 by Pastor Joel in one of our fondest memories. I look forward to giving back to the church as much as it has given my family.
I am new to the Council, and looking forward to meeting with the rest of the group. I will be serving in the capacity of member-at-large.
I joined Council because I wanted to find out how the church functions at the administrative level. There is a spiritual movement gathering in our church, and it will be exciting to be a part of that movement!!
I love Grace First Lutheran Church because of the caring people that took us in, it felt like a spiritual family from the get-go. A decade ago, we were visiting churches to see where we should attend. Grace First welcomed us, then helped to raise our family, and now we would like to help carry that feeling forward to other families joining our church.