The annual congregational meeting was held Sunday, November 11th, and the following councilpersons were elected for Church Council positions for 2008.

CHURCH COUNCIL NEW MEMBERS

Craig Bluemlein – I have been a member of the church since its inception.  I was there when it was “Faith” and “Zion” and “Gloria Dei”.  Some activities I participate in are Lay Assist, Property Committee and Ushering.  My vision is to make Gloria Dei a better place to worship and the property more inviting to all the community.  I have an extensive background in sales and marketing of the following trades:  roofing, structural, civil, geo-technical, and environmental engineering/construction (commercial and residential).  Craig and his wife Toni are proud parents of two daughters and one son.

Walda Helvie - I have been a member of Gloria Dei for six years.  I have been involved in the ELCA Lutheran Church through our congregation, the East Kentucky Conference, the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, Region 6 and Churchwide.  I will not tell how I have served because it is not about me but it is about what God is doing in His Church.  If elected to Gloria Dei’s Church Council, I will always try to discern and do what God is calling Gloria Dei to do within His Church; our congregation, our community and our world.  

Amy Honnerlaw - It is an exciting time to be a member of Gloria Dei. I feel so blessed to be part of such a loving church family! I feel as though God is encouraging me to serve on Council in order to use my gifts of empathy and consensus building. I am a “big-picture” person who can often see many sides of a situation. I am willing to speak the truth with love as is often necessary in working with a group.

                My husband Shawn and I have attended Gloria Dei since 2003 and were married by Pastor Vicki in September of that year. I am a busy mother-at-home to two toddlers and a teenager: Samara (2), Brandon (18 mos.), and Henry (14). We have two other sons who have flown the nest, Dylan (25) and Patrick (17 and a freshman at UC). Our babies came to our family through fostering, and we pray that we might be allowed to adopt them. Above all, we just want God to use us to fulfill His plans for all our children.

                In the past I have worked in pharmaceutical sales and banking. At Gloria Dei I have served on the Spiritual Gifts Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Renovation Task Force (2005), as a nursery helper and visitor host. I’m also a member of Ruth Circle. My degree is from Boston University (BS Finance).

                Please call me if you have questions for me, or if we haven’t met yet! (578-0293) Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

Hansel Ramathal - My name is Hansel Ramathal and I moved to Northern Kentucky area in December 2004. I have been a member of Gloria-Dei since spring 2005. Prior to that I lived in New Jersey for six years. While in New Jersey, I was a member of St. Matthew Trinity Lutheran Church in Hoboken. This was a much smaller congregation than Gloria Dei. While at St. Matthews, I served on the Evangelism committee and later became the Vice-President of the Church Council. I have served on the New Jersey Synod Committee for Evangelism.

                At Gloria Dei, I serve on the Communications Committee and have also served as a delegate from the IK Synod to the ELCA national Assembly in August 2007.

                My connection with the Lutheran Church began when I was growing up in Tanzania, East Africa. At the age of 18, I moved to India for an undergraduate degree. There, I became an active member of the Church of South India (CSI), which is a collection of Protestant Churches. From my various Church memberships, I have truly learned a lot from the large and diverse group of believers in Christ, who exist in this world and move it with their prayers and ministry.

                I hold a Bachelor’s in Polymer Engineering and a Master’s in Chemical Engineering. I am also a recent MBA graduate from the University of Cincinnati. I work as a Product Development Engineer in Florence with Ticona, a global supplier of Engineering Plastics.

                I have two younger brothers in USA and loving parents that live in India. In my spare time I like to read, learn new languages and stay focused on staying fit through running, playing sports and practicing martial arts. I also enjoy traveling and learning about new cultures.

                I find in Gloria-Dei, a group of believers that I enjoy worshiping with. I have felt very welcomed and blessed to worship amongst this congregation. I believe that the Church does not just live under the steeple and within our beautiful wooden doors and stained glass windows. Ours is a Church that belongs on the streets of our communities, in the pathways of communication and relationships at home and among our colleagues and most importantly, in the windows through which we can reach out to less fortunate members of our community, nation and world. It is my hope and prayer that Gloria-Dei can continue to be this Church, local, national and international.

GLORIA DEI LUTHERAN CHURCH                         SYNOD DELEGATES NOMINEES:

Chris Mehling - Presently serving as Kenton Circuit Court Judge, Family Division and practicing attorney since 1978.  Former church council member and lay Vice President (several terms); charter member of the congregation.  Former Synod Council member and two terms as Synod Secretary.  Former member of the ELCA Nominating Committee; attended 3 ELCA churchwide assemblies.  Served on Boards or as a volunteer for Welcome House, Food and Clothing Drive, Covington Business Council, Girl Scouts, Redwood, American Cancer Society, Northern Kentucky Chamber, Leadership Northern Kentucky. Married to Pat; daughter Jenny and son in law Thom Bunnell; son Josh and daughter in law Jenny Mehling; grandson Elijah.  Love to play golf and read American history books.

Debby Rieselman - Debby Rieselman is a founding member of Gloria Dei and served on the interim church council, formed after the merger of two churches, one of which her mother, Gail Cato, had been a founding member. She currently serves as a lay assistant, an instructor for new-member classes, a storyteller for Vacation Bible School, a substitute Sunday School teacher, the synod's WELCA Triennial Gathering promoter and the upcoming delegate for the WELCA Triennial Convention. She has also been a church council member several times, chairman of evangelism, chairman of stewardship, a member of the Indiana-Kentucky Synodical WELCA board, president of Martha Circle, president of the Gloria Dei WELCA board, secretary for Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Cincinnati, the worship leader for a weekly Taize service for several years, a member of several Mutual Ministry Teams, a member of two committees that called new pastors, the PR chair for a five-synod spiritual gathering for WELCA, a presenter at WELCA biennial conferences and a retreat leader. Professionally, she is the editor of UC Magazine, has won more than 100 awards for publications and presents at conferences. She has a married son and lives in a Victorian home in Erlanger with three cats (and several ghosts, others claim). Despite her varied activities, she has never been a synod representative and feels called to devote herself to that next.

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