Moravian Church Western District Elects President and Executive Board To Serve Through 2012
The Western District of the Moravian Church in North America re-elected the Rev. James Thomson Hicks of Green Bay, Wisconsin, as President of the Western District Executive Board (WDEB) during the 28th Synod of the Moravian Church Western District held in Appleton, Wisconsin on April 3-6, 2008. The District Synod is an assembly of church delegates, including clergy and lay people, who are called together every four years for discussion, decision, and policy-making regarding church matters. The Western District of the Moravian Church in North America consists of 40 recognized Moravian Congregations throughout California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, as well as growing and emerging churches and fellowships in development in Indiana, Minnesota, California, and beyond. Hicks will complete the term which ends in 2012.
The Western District Executive Board consists of the President, two clergy members, and four lay members. Their mission is to: “Together we serve Christ through leading, supporting and empowering the clergy and congregations of the Western District.” They represent the entire District and not geographic areas.
Born in Staten Island, New York, Hicks is a 1975 graduate of Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and attended the Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, California, where he received his Master of Divinity Degree in 1979. He was ordained a Deacon of the Moravian Church in North America in 1980 and was consecrated a Presbyter in 1989. He has served the Moravian Church as the pastoral leader of Fargo Moravian Church, Fargo, North Dakota from 1980-1986. From 1986-1987, the Rev. Hicks served as Clinical Pastoral Education Chaplain Resident II at Methodist Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota. From 1988-1997, he was released for service to Central United Methodist Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and served as an Intentional Interim Pastor at Brookfield Presbyterian Church, Brookfield, Wisconsin from 1999-2000 before returning to the Moravian Church where he currently serves West Side Moravian Church, Green Bay, Wisconsin. In addition to his pastoral duties, the Rev. Hicks has served as the Chairperson of the Building Committee of Mt. Morris Camp and Conference Center of the Moravian Church from 1997-2001 and currently serves his community as the Chairperson of the Religious Leaders Caucus of JOSHUA (Justice Organization Sharing Hope United for Action). JOSHUA is engaged in building relationships with a broad spectrum of persons to address the need of neighbors for affordable housing, and to offer Treatment Instead of Prison (TIP) to non-violent drug offenders. In 2005, Hicks was elected to be a clergy member of the Western District Executive Board through a special election to fill a vacancy left open by the Rev. Elizabeth Miller.
Hicks, and his wife, Joy, reside in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are the parents of two adult daughters, Emily and Hilary.
Also elected to serve on the Western District Executive Board include the Rev. Jason Andersen of Appleton, Wisconsin; the Rev. Bruce Nelson of Lake Mills, Wisconsin; Bruce Loppnow of St. Charles, Minnesota; Jeff Bradley of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; Diane Klawikowski of Stevens Point, Wisconsin; and Kay Wipperfurth of Lake Mills, Wisconsin.
The Rev. Jason O. Andersen
Rev. Andersen graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, in December 1999 and received his Master’s of Divinity in May 2003 from Moravian Theological Seminary, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He was ordained a deacon of the Moravian Church, North America, in 2003 and currently serves Freedom Moravian Church. He and his wife, Amy, reside in Appleton, Wisconsin.
The Rev. Bruce J. Nelson
Born in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Nelson is a 1984 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and attended the Moravian Theological Seminary, where he received his Master of Divinity Degree in 1991. He was ordained a Deacon of the Moravian Church in North America in 1991 and was consecrated a Presbyter in 1996. He has served the Moravian Church as the pastoral leader of Saratoga Moravian Church, Wisconsin Rapids from 1991-1993. From 1993-2000, the Rev. Nelson served as Pastor at West Salem Moravian Church, West Salem, Illinois. From 2000-2002, he served as Pastor at Gnadenhutten Moravian Church, Gnadenhutten, Ohio before moving back to Wisconsin to serve Ebenezer Moravian Church, Watertown, and currently serves in team ministry at Lake Mills Moravian Church, Lake Mills, Wisconsin with the Rev. Beth Rohn. Nelson and his wife, Nancy, currently reside in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. They are the parents of four children, Kristi, Megan, Brian, and Alyssa.In being elected for the position, the Rev. Nelson stated, “It is with a deep sense of humility that I look forward to serving on the Western District Executive Board for the next four years. I appreciate the vote of confidence bestowed upon me by the members of the Western District Synod. I would ask for continued prayer support for myself and my colleagues on the Western District Executive Board."
Dr. Bruce Loppnow
Dr. Loppnow is a member of Berea Moravian Church, St. Charles, Minnesota. He is an assistant professor at the College of Business and Management at Cardinal Stritch University, where he teaches in an adult accelerated degree program. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Loppnow serves as Director of Faculty Development.
Jeff Bradley
Jeff Bradley, self-employed member of Sturgeon Bay Moravian Church, Wisconsin, has served as a Trustee of Sturgeon Bay for 4 years, acting as President for two of those years, and was a delegate at the 2006 Northern Provincial Synod. Bradley has been President of Door County Habitat for Humanity and currently chairs the Stewardship Committee at Sturgeon Bay and serves as a member on the Mt. Morris Fund Development Implementation Committee.
Diane Klawikowski
Diane Klawikowski is a member of Wisconsin Rapids Moravian Church, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. In addition to serving on the Western District Executive Board since 2000, she also serves on the Board of Elders and as the treasurer of the Wisconsin Rapids Church. In the past, she has served as Chair of the Diaspora Steering Committee, Vice-chair of the Board of Elders, and as Superintendent of Sunday School. She is actively involved as a volunteer in a local grade school and serves as a host family to foreign students. In the past she has served her community as a 4-H and Cub Scout Leader and has served as co-chair for several fund raisers including one for the Little League and Project Graduation.
Kay Wipperfurth
Kay Wipperfurth is a member of Lake Mills Moravian Church, Lake Mills, Wisconsin. In addition to serving on the Western District Executive Board since 2000, she also serves on the Marquardt Village Board of Directors as Vice President, which she has been doing since 1986. She actively serves the Lake Mills congregation as Greeter Coordinator as well as Co-Chair of the Funding Appeal for the Lake Mills Building project. Wipperfurth has also in the past served as President of the Women’s Fellowship, on the Board of Elders of Lake Mills Moravian Church, on the Christian Education Committee at Lake Mills, on the Marquardt Village Foundation Board, and on the Ordination Review Committee of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in North America. She actively serves her community as an Advisor at the Madison Area Technical College for RN and LPN programs, on the Healthcare Explorers Post, Fort Atkinson; on the Board of Directors of Rainbow Hospice; on the Jerfferson Coalition board, and the Reaching Out Respite Boards of Lake Mills and Fort Atkinson.
All delegates and guests gathered to install Hicks and the other newly elected members of the Western District Executive Board in a special worship service at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, April 6, 2008, in Appleton, Wisconsin. The Rev. David Wickmann, President of the Northern Province, conducted the installation portion of the service.
