July 28, 2009

Huebner new first vice president

Filed Under: Conference of Presidents, Convention, COP, Synod Convention, Synodical Council, vice president

Rev. James Huebner, pastor at Grace, Milwaukee, Wis., this morning accepted the call to serve as the synod's first vice president, a part-time position.

"It's certainly a humble privilege and it gives one pause to consider how you can best use your gifts and skills to serve the Lord," says Huebner, who had been serving as WELS' second vice president. "In consultation with Pres. Schroeder and with the staff at our congregation it seems that shifting from second vice president to first president would be somewhat of a natural fit in carrying on some of the same duties I've been doing." 

Huebner will be working closely with synod president, Rev. Mark Schroeder, who he says he has known for 40 years.

"I believe that Pres. Schroeder and I have a very good working relationship," he says. "We've had some good conversations. . . . I don't want to be the person who seconds every idea he has. I want to be able to feed back to him from my heart and my experiences what I believe are going to be important issues for him to consider for our church body."

Responsibilities for the part-time positions of first and second vice president include

  • meeting with the Conference of Presidents and the Synodical Council,
  • attending president's Advisory Council meetings,
  • serving in advisory and consultative roles on several committees and boards, and
  • overseeing a proposed new pastor mentoring program.

Huebner will be serving with the synod's new second vice president, Rev. Joel Voss, who was elected by delegates today to a two-year term to replace Huebner.

"I want to thank you for expressing your confidence in my abilities and for giving me the awesome opportunity to consider this call," says Voss, pastor at Resurrection, Centerville, Ohio. "I am accepting my call and I ask for your prayers for myself and our synod as we carry on the work we do together."

Rev. Robert Pasbrig, director of mission advancement of Wisconsin Lutheran Institutional Ministries, Inc., was re-elected to serve another four years as the synod's secretary.

Elections will continue over the next few days to fill various vacant positions in boards and commissions.