Welcome to Bethlehem Lutheran Church

 

Bethlehem Church Council

Suzanne Warner

President

Suzanne has been part of the Bethlehem family for 22 years.  She and her husband Brian, a lifelong Bethlehem disciple, have 3 children,  Sarah (19), Anna (17), and Scott (14).  She is on staff as the Business Manager at Rejoice Lutheran Church in Geneva and enjoys the chance to learn and serve in both congregations.  At Bethlehem, she has served in various areas including Confirmation, mission trips to Camp Noah and inner city San Francisco, Congregation Council, and Call Team.  She has also served on the Outreach team of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, which works with funding new and ethnic-specific congregations in the Chicago area.  She is excited to be part of Bethlehem’s vision for growing in discipleship and for serving the wider community.

Michelle Kovar

Vice President

Greetings! I am Michelle Kovar. I have been a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church since the fall of 2001.  When I was looking for a church family, what drew me to Bethlehem was their onsite Daycare and Preschool Center. At the time, I did not have children. Today, I celebrate that my twin boys have had an opportunity to learn and to grow at the Preschool the last two years. I have also had the pleasure to serve on the Preschool Ministry Team. Along with my sons, Joshua and Jake, I live in St. Charles with my husband, Mike, and my step-son Wyatt. I have really enjoyed growing at Bethlehem. I have also been part of the Welcome and Connection Team and helped with the Trunk Sale and the creation of the Professional Business Directory.  I am also helping plan the 2009 Vacation Bible School program – Discovery Canyon. Thank you for allowing me to have the opportunity to serve on Church Council. I look forward to working with the amazing individuals that are already part of the team.

Sandy Klinkey
Secretary

I have been married to Rob Klinkey since 1998 and we live in St. Charles, where Rob was born and raised. We have been members of Bethlehem since 2001 with my involvement growing as the years go by. Our two daughters, Madde and Gwen, attend school at Wasco. Both of the girls attended Bethlehem Preschool. We also have two West Highland White Terriers Daisy and Elvis, and two horses Cali and Carl. I enjoy horseback riding, gardening, reading, sewing and crafts. During my years at Bethlehem I have taught Sunday school for the three and four year old classes, and served as a Choir Mom for the Cherub Choir. Most recently I served on the Bethlehem Preschool Ministry Team (part time as the team leader) for five years with a wonderful group of people. I have also enjoyed being a member of Priscilla circle for the last three years. Prior to being a full time mom, I was a professional College Recruiter, Corporate Trainer and Human Resources Manager. I look forward to making a positive difference through my involvement on the Council Team and helping others see how they can make the difference, too!

John Swenby

Treasurer

John and his wife Aimee have attended Bethlehem for the last five years. John has been involved with Faithful Stewards, Helping Hands, the adult choir, and many other special events. John and his partners own a number of pallet recycling facilities throughout the Midwest. In his spare time, John enjoys woodworking and sailing.

In the last few years, with the help of fellow Bethlehem Disciples, John has grown in faith and his understanding of how to use our earthly rewards to help others grow in their faith in God.

 

Judy Hanson

Judy has been a disciple at Bethlehem Lutheran for about 13 years. She has served on various committees including education (both adult and youth) and WELCA and has served as a confirmation small group leader and with the homebound and church communion ministry.  Judy is a licensed clinical social worker.  She is a contractual therapist with Communities in Schools of Aurora and adjunct staff with the School of Social Work at Aurora University.  She also maintains a small private practice. Judy is on the board of directors for the National Alliance for Grieving Children, a national organization that provides support for children who have experienced a death loss, their families and other support systems.

 

Janet Hosler

Since moving to St. Charles nine years ago with my husbandSteve and our sons Brian and Jonathan, I have been actively involved in the life here at Bethlehem. I served as a confirmation leader and enjoyed the experience so much that we were able to keep our small group together beyond confirmation and through most of high school. I love the adventure, challenge and joy of serving others, whether it is on mission trips, helping hands, or planning teams. I love to learn, stretch and grow my faith. I have also served on the Youth and Family Life Ministry Team, the Interim Transition Team, the Congregational Care Team and Kaleidoscope. It is a rich blessing to experience the power and the beauty of community at work for the greater good of serving Christ. As God calls us and leads us on our discipleship journey, my prayer is that we are listening and responding to His voice.

Ernie Klapmeier

Ernie Klapmeier and his wife, Debby have been members of Bethlehem since 1980. They have two grown children, Tiffany and Erik. Erik is married and serving in the US Army. Ernie is owner of Castle Keep Militaria in Aurora.  He also teaches at Naper Settlement in Naperville and sings with the St. Charles Singers.  Ernie served on the church council in the early 1990s and has since had the opportunity to help with Worship, Music and Fine Arts, as well as choir and liturgy.

 

Jim Elsner

I have lived in the Fox River Valley my entire life.  I was raised in Aurora where I belonged to Our Savior Lutheran Church.  Nancy and I were married by my brother, Pastor Robert Elsner, at Our Savior in 1968.  I graduated from the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy in 1969.  After graduation, we moved to Geneva and attended the Geneva Lutheran Church.  I started a 40 year career in healthcare with Community Hospital in Geneva and subsequently with the Delnor-Community Health System, retiring this last November.  During that period, I received an MBA from Aurora University in 1990.

In 1979, we moved to St. Charles where we continue to reside.  We joined Bethlehem at that time.  Bethlehem had and continues to have a strong program for youth.  Both of our daughters, Jean Ellberg and Barb Jensen, were confirmed at Bethlehem.  Our daughters are raising their families in Geneva and also belong to Bethlehem. During my membership with Bethlehem, I have assisted with several stewardship initiatives and the BBO initiative, as well as participating in Mutual Ministry as a member and also as the chair.  I feel blessed to have an opportunity to serve on the council.  I am committed to nurturing my faith as I join other council members in discipleship.

Greg Andrews

I was confirmed here at Bethlehem in 1972.  Francie and I were married here in 1986.  I Graduated from Luther College in 1980 with a degree in biology and then received a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology from University of Illinois.  I found that long hours alone in the laboratory with the rats was not exactly to my liking and I returned to school for a law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law.  For the past eighteen years, I have worked as a labor and employment lawyer.  In 2007, I joined the law firm  of Dykema Gossett PLLC in the firm’s Chicago office.  For the past  five years, I have volunteered as the organizer and director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness - DeKalb Kane and Kendall County Chapter’s 5K Run for Mental Health, to be held this year on October 9th in Batavia. An occasional singer in the Christmas cantatas, I would like to find more time to sing in a venue that does not cause too much embarrassment to my children, Asa (14) and Abigail (12). When not working as a labor and employment lawyer, I enjoy bicycling, running with our dogs, Reba and Fletcher, cross-country skiing, kayaking, landscaping, gardening, playing the piano and singing.My wife of 24 years, Francie, is a graduate of Georgetown University and is a nurse with Central DuPage Hospital where she is presently employed as a Home Health I.V. Therapy Nurse. My sister Andrea, is a professional musician and plays the flute in the U.S. Army Concert Band in Washington, D.C.  My brother, Jeff, the former owner of the City Meat Market in Naperville, recently retired and moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. My parents, Clark and Anita Andrews, are also members of Bethlehem.