The Presbyterian Church takes its name from the New Testament Greek word for "Elder": presbuteros. It describes the way the church is governed, with oversight resting on elected bodies at the congregational, regional and national levels.
The governing group in each congregation is called the Session, a body made up of men and women known as "Elders" who have been "set apart" by election and ordination into a supervisory role. The Session meets monthly to conduct the business of the church. "Teaching Elders" are the name for installed pastors in a congregation. They are also members of the Session with equal rights to the other Elders.
Lay Elders generally serve for staggered three-year terms, with a third of the Session elected each year. Ordination is a for-life designation. Past Elders are part of a group called - colloquially - the College of Elders.
The Elders for 2023
Class of 2023
Jennifer Day, Nancy Fox, Kate Kraft, Steve McKenny, Keith Molin, Len Rezmierski, Jean Song, Deanne Woodruff
Class of 2024
Jim Cameron, Callie Feyen, Steve Gerhardt, Gail Grady, Rick Ingram, Chris King, Lynne Lande, Marti Wendler
Class of 2025
Jane Dutton, Mel Kesterson, Mark Lindley, Betsy McCallister, Tom McKarns, Jim Schaafsma, Diane Tamblyn, Susan Whitlock, Aidan Majorprice (one-year term)
Committees chaired by elders (or in a few cases, co-chaired by elders) oversee many aspects of church life. Co-Opted committee chairs are not currently elders.
Committees and Special Assignments
Clerk of Session - Linda Rex
Congregational Life Committee
- Gail Grady - Chair
- Marti Wendler - Vice-Chair
- Jill Binkley*
- Mary Jane Chase*
- Barbara Mueller*
- Maurine Nelson*
- Marita Servais*
- Nicki Sorter*
- Rev. Melissa Anne Rogers - Staff Liaison
Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Accountability (DIAA) Work Group
- Marti Wendler - Chair
- Barb Carlisle*
- Mary Jane Chase*
- Nancy Fox
- Peregrine Gerety*
- Beth Gerwig*
- Brent Ivey*
- Henry Johnson*
- Toniya Kwiatkowski*
- Michele Madden*
- Hank McQueen*
- Beth Nissen*
- Tracy Short*
- Jean Song
- Sara Vadervoort*
- Susan Whitlock*
Faith Formation Committee
- Kate Kraft - Co-Chair
- Chris Wahl - Co-Chair
- Rev. Mark Mares - Staff Liaison
Children & Families Work Group
- Kate Kraft - Chair
- Becky Gaffney*
- Delena Harrison*
- Betsy Meade*
- Charlotte Sawtell*
- Susan Zink*
Youth & Family Ministries Work Group
- Tim Wendler* - Chair
- Holly Majorprice*
- Betsy McCallister*
- Pauline McLaughlin*
- Keith Phillips*
- Brian Schneidewind*
Adult Formation Work Group
- Callie Feyen - Co-Chair
- Beth Gerwig* - Co-Chair
- Diane Hockett*
- Carole Pawloski*
- Chris Wahl
Campus Ministry Work Group
Finance Committee
- Bruce Thomson - Chair
- Steve McKenny - Vice-Chair
- Bill Austin*
- Bruce Clyde*
- Doug Gottliebsen*
- Chris Larson*
- Keith Molin
- Zach Monsma*
- Rebecca Pagels*
- Pat Tamblyn*
- Bill Upton*
- Susan Washabaugh*
- Deanne Woodruff
Endowments & Special Gifts Work Group
- Zach Monsma* - Co-Chair
- Rebecca Pagels*
Investment Liaison
- Zach Monsma*
Technology Work Group
- Jennifer Day - Chair
- Steve Holden*
- Sean Hoskins*
- Rol Kibler*
- Bryan Magnuson*
- Mark Newton*
Archiving Work Group
- Steve Holden* - Chair
Mission Committee
- Jim Schaafsma - Chair
- Rev. Jay Sanderford - Staff Liaison
Personnel Committee
- Jim Cameron - Chair
- Nancy Fox - Vice-Chair
- Sue Cares*
- Dick Carlisle*
- Chris Dahl*
- Tim Dickinson*
- Dallas Dort*
- Pru Heikkinen*
- Keith Molin
- Jean Song
- Rev. Jay Sanderford - Staff Liaison
Resident Ministry Work Group
- Lynne Lande - Chair
- Bill Austin*
- Sue Cares*
- Chris Dahl*
- John DeLancey*
- Pru Heikkinen*
- Diane Hockett*
- Charlie Koopman*
- Pat Liljestrand*
- Mark Lindley*
- Brian Meade*
- Lisa Pasbjerg*
- Kate Silbert*
- Carol Smith*
- Laura Stahl*
- Bruce Thomson
Pastoral Transition Work Group
- Mark Lindley* (PNC)
- Carol Gottliebsen* (Deacons)
- Chris Dahl* (Personnel)
- Ashley Bowles*
- Haley Brown*
- Maverick Musser*
- Margie Perrett*
Property Committee
- Chris King - Co-Chair
- Ken Westfall* - Co-Chair
- Bill Austin*
- Keith Bilby*
- Steve Gerhardt
- Charlie Gott*
- Barry Johnson*
- Len Rezmierski
- Paul Smith
- Rev. Jay Sanderford - Staff Liaison
- Adrian Prundeneau - Staff Liaison
Safety Work Group and Re-Opening Communications Team
- Len Rezmierski - Co-Chair
- Sandy Talbott* - Co-Chair
- J.P. DiMaggio*
- Greta Krapohl*
- Jim Peggs*
- Paul Smith
Worship & Fine Arts Committee
- Rick Ingram - Chair
- Sheryl Powell* - Vice-Chair
- Haley Brown*
- Nancy Fox
- Jeanette Kibler*
- Lynne Lande
- Katie Parker
- Mary Smith*
- Gayle Stevens*
- Jeanette Swartz*
- Marti Wendler
- Rev. David Prentice-Hyers - Staff Liaison
- David VanderMeer - Staff Liaison
- David Hufford - Staff Liaison
Liturgical/Visual Arts Work Group
- Cyndy Colton* - Chair
- Gail Grady - Co-Vice-Chair
- Callie Feyen - Co-Vice-Chair
- Betty Anderson*
- Lois Bryant*
- Susan Dempsey*
- Becky Donally*
- Carol Downton*
- Pam Ehrhart*
- Susan Froelich*
- Pat Gilbreath*
- Kyle Hall*
- Angie Miller*
- Marita Servais*
- Mary Smith*
Open Doors Creative Art Series Work Group
- Brad Taylor* - Chair
- Marilyn Meeker* - Vice-Chair
- Jeff Colton*
- Lisa Danielson*
- Heidi Hess-Willis*
- Brent Ivey*
- Henry Johnson*
Congregational Nominations & Session Appointments
- Bill McPherson - Chair
- Becky Gaffney*
- Sara Glinka*
- Downs Herold*
- Debbie MacVey*
- Jay Pflasterer*
- Jeff Teucke*
- Elisabeth VanVliet*
- Rev. Jay Sanderford - Staff Liaison
Strategic Plan Guiding Group
- Sue Gott - Chair
- Rev. Jay Sanderford - Staff Liaison
Capital Project Steering Committee (Cap Com)
- Dan Mitas* - Co-Chair
- Deanne Woodruff - Co-Chair
- Sue Gott
- Kelsey King Kaercher*
- Rol Kibler*
- Keith Molin
- Pat Tamblyn*
Building/Design Work Group
- Bill Upton* - Chair
- Rick Ingram - Vice-Chair
- Sue Gott
Fundraising Work Group
- Bruce Clyde* - Co-Chair
- Sarah Phillips* - Co-Chair
*Non-session member