Elected
Executive Committee
Council President – Mark Burgess
Mark was born and raised in Indiana. After graduating from college in 1979, Mark took a job with Boeing in Wichita, Kansas. In 1982, following an educational leave of absence, Mark and his wife Laurie moved to Washington State to continue his career at Boeing. Mark retired from Boeing in 2014 completing nearly 35 years of service with the company. Mark holds a BS and MS in Aeronautical Engineering and a MS in Industrial Administration, all from Purdue University. Mark and Laurie joined Kent Lutheran in the 1980’s which has been their church home ever since. Mark and Laurie have two adult children, Jennifer and Kelly whose families are also members of KLC. Mark has served previously on church council and as a member of the Mission Support/Stewardship Committees.
Council Vice President – Lavina Brennecke
Lavina is a lifelong Lutheran, new to Washington since 2010. She is an accountant by trade, with an undergraduate degree in Accounting, an MBA, and she recently passed the CPA exam and will be receiving that certificate in January 2018. Lavina is the Accounting Manager for the City of Kent and loves her work with the City.
In 2012 Lavina married Robb and they have three children, Daniel, Mary and Danny, and one granddaughter Kallan. Lavina is an avid sewist and also likes to spend as much time as possible hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Council Secretary – Rhonda Gleason
Rhonda Gleason and her husband, Lanny, have been members of KLC for sixteen years. Rhonda served on council from Adult Ministries for two terms. As second service attendees, she has been a reader and assistant pastor for years. She has been privileged to do speaking parts for several of our church’s cantatas. Rhonda has prayerfully accepted this leadership role and is excited to work with this executive team. She asks for the congregations prayers for this year of service
Standing Committees
Adult Ministries – Lisa Kurth
Property Management – Robin Downs
Robin came to Washington in 1981 after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She worked in the food industry (Krusteaz products) for several years, then moved into social work with seniors at Catholic Community Services, where she still is after 23 years of service. In her spare time, she loves to foster ‘Oldie Goldie’ cats from the King County Animal Shelter, work and play outside, and enjoy the Pacific Northwest in general. She grew up in central California in an ‘unchurched’ environment for the most part, but felt with time a nudging to ‘accept God’s Love”. Around 2007, she ‘wandered into Kent Lutheran Church’, and felt welcome fairly quickly. She was baptized the same day she became a member, and that day will always be memorable for her as a ‘coming home’ time. Robin loves facilitating projects around the church, indoors and out, and enjoys meeting people that wander our way, as she did not so long ago.
Worship & Music – Joy Miller
Youth & Family – Kathy Myers
Kathy has lived in Washington State since 1991, having lived in Bellingham until moving to Kent in 2014. Her father was born in Bellingham, so she calls herself “a native once removed.” She is currently in her third career, as a school nurse for the Highline School District. Her previous careers were being a stay-at-home Mom, and prior to that she was a veterinary technician. Kathy felt some sort of calling a couple of years ago to work with the youth, and has been one of the adult leaders for a mission trip to California and also the Vacation Bible School Camp. She is looking forward to being the adult leader for the high school group for the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston. Kathy believes that today’s youth are the church of tomorrow.
Mission Support – Rick Vandermay
Outreach – Debbie Hunt
Debbie is a transplant from California, Idaho and Eastern Washington. Joining Kent Lutheran originally over 35 years ago she is active in the choir, briefly taught Sunday School, is a member of the Social Concerns Committee, is past council secretary and past council president, and she is currently serving as council representative for Outreach. She also volunteers to help with Chancel Arts. Debbie originally became a Lutheran and was confirmed as a high school student in Spokane (Calvary Lutheran) having participated in several other churches growing up. For her “day job”, Debbie is a database administrator at The Boeing Company.
Social Concerns – Tess Shearer
Auditors
Matt Lanier
Darlene Beck
Third position OPEN
Ministries
Acclamation Ringers – Jane Wilson
Children’s and Youth Choir – Nicole Hansen
Pretty Awesome Cluster – Neil and Roxi Nunan