2011 Annual Conference

This summer’s annual conference was held in Seward, Nebraska, June 15-18, 2011, with the theme:  Lutheran Spirituality:  The Life of Receptivity. 

All LCMS-rostered deaconesses (and their spouses), women training to be deaconesses, and other interested parties are welcome to attend the annual CDC conferences.  The conferences are self-contained with food and lodging, but participants may use alternate accommodation if desired, and information about accommodation is available.

Please direct any questions about the conferences to the Member-at-Large for Annual Conference Logistics, Deaconess Lorraine Groth: lorraine.groth@cph.org

30^th Anniversary Celebrations
Conference members met at Concordia University Chicago (CUC) on June 23-26, 2010 for a very special annual conference.  With the theme
“Celebrate and Serve,” attendees enjoyed some witty walks down
memory lane in honor of both the 30th anniversary of deaconess
training at CUC and the 30th anniversary of CDC.

Observation of the training program’s 30th anniversary included an early 1980s filmstrip and a collaborative presentation by the three women who have served as directors of the CUC training program – Nancy (Nicol) Nemoyer, 1980-1990; Kristin Wassilak, 1990-2005; and Jennie (Waters) Asher, 2005 to present.  Banquet speaker for this portion of the celebration was Rev. Dr. Gary L. Bertels, Chairman of the CUC Department of Theology.

Highlights on other days of the gathering included a variety of engaging topics.  Rev. Todd Peperkorn presented two sessions titled “Living with Depression” and “Serving those with Depression and Other Mental Illness.” Dr. Andrew Steinmann presented “Proverbs:  Wisdom and the Gospels” and “The Wisdom of Agur.”  Rev. John Berg, CDC Spiritual Conselor, led conference worship services and Bible studies were provided by Rev. Andy Schroeder and Rev. Dr. Jonathan Naumann.  Breakout sessions included “Mission Kenya” presented by Linda Nobili; “A Roundtable Discussion of Ethical Dilemmas” led by Kristin Wassilak, “Grace Place Retreats” given by Mr. John Diefenbach, and “Writing for Newsletters” presented by Jennifer Phillips. 

Of course the conference also included our annual business meeting, a “servant event” for Chicago Urban Ministries, and the collection of a mission offering, this year designated for mercy relief work in Haiti. 

Rev. Paul T. McCain, Executive Director of Editorial Services at Concordia Publishing House, gave an entertaining address at the closing banquet on the theme “Celebrate and Serve.”  As a special surprise, Rev. McCain brought a first edition copy of the Book of Concord for CDC members to enjoy.  The banquet also included the presentation of gifts to women celebrating the anniversaries of their deaconess commissioning, a presentation of the Dr. Paul A. Zimmerman award to Rev. John Berg, and a presentation of the Phoebe Award to Cheryl D. Naumann.