 Board members & friends of Family Shield Front (L-R) Gary Pinkard, Ruth Houser, Kay Meyer and Kathryn Crumrine. Back: Curt Wittbracht, Rev. Roger Sonnenberg, Tjaden Meyer, Rev. Phoenix Barnes and Rev. Dr. John Oberdeck. |
Kay L. Meyer is the founder and president of Family Shield Ministries, Inc. and host of the Family Shield radio program. Meyer is a popular speaker on prayer, family life, spiritual growth, and evangelism; columnist of "The Great Commission" for the St. Louis MetroVoice newspaper; and author of hundreds of Christian publications including: Portals of Prayer, Teacher's Interaction, My Devotions, Life in the Sandwich Generation (CPH, 1994), Teaching Your Children Christian Values (CPH, 1995), The Adventures of Billie and Annie: Baby Bison (TLM Publishing, 2003), and Mission Field on Our Doorstep: Jehovah's Witnesses (FSM, 1994). Meyer has an undergraduate degree in early childhood and elementary education and a Masters of Arts in Media Communications from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri.
She has been married to Tjaden Meyer for 40 years. They have three grown children, Kevin, Coreen Jander, and Jeff and three grandchildren. The Meyers are members of Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, MO and asssociate members of Christ in the City. Meyer was recently recommended for Cambridge Who's Who.
 Kay Meyer, President, and Rev. Roger Sonnenberg, Chairman, talk about the ministry and the expansion plan. |
Rev. Roger Sonnenberg - Chairman is the pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Arcadia, California, 2nd Vice President of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District, and author of over ten books of family life, spiritual growth, and witnessing. His books include 501 Ways to Love Your Children, 501 Ways to Love Your Wife, 501 Ways to Love Your Grandparents, and Witnessing to Unchurched Family Members. He is also an adjunct professor for Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska in the Family Ministry Graduate program. He is married and has one son.
Rev. Gaylord Spilker is serving Christ as pastor at Trinity in Edinburg, IL.. He graduated from The University of Illinois with a B.S. in l972, and returned to the family dairy farm in Altamont, IL. Gaylord was a Life Light bible study leader/teacher for l0 years, served on the ALIS (Altamont Lutheran Interparish School) Board, and served Lutheran Care Center, a 96-bed nursing home/assisted living, with villas, as President of the Board. He graduated from the St. Louis Seminary in 2001, and is continuing his studies for a second Masters degree in counseling for Drug/Alcohol abuse at the University of Illinois, Springfield, IL.. Gaylord is married to Pam Spilker. They have 2 grown children and 3 grandchildren.
C. Pam Spilker is very active in the LWML, and works part time still in the National office in the CPH building in St. Louis. She has served the LWML at the local church/society level, Zone and on the Central Illinois District on the By-Laws Committee. Pam has an Associates degree in Business, and lived in Decatur, IL., before moving to Altamont, IL. She served the Effingham County Youth Commission, helping juveniles who were first-time offenders in the courts, as a mentor and later on the Board. She was co-founder of BASH (Bring All Safely Home) the post-graduation alternative, a Charter parent for TREND, both at Altamont High School. She served as Vice-President of the Sem Wives Association, and led bible studies in their apartment, while Gaylord was in seminary. She is married to Rev. Gaylord Spilker. They have 2 grown children and 3 grandchildren.
Nancy Nickolotsky is retired from over twenty years of service in management at Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM). Nancy is also an active volunteer at her church, school, the community, and the Greater St. Louis Area Council Boy Scouts of America. Her volunteer work at Ascension Lutheran Church has included serving on the PTL Board for Word of Life Lutheran School, as Chairperson of the Board of Education and the Board of Stewardship and as the Sunday School Superintendent. She was also a delegate from Ascension Lutheran Church to the Lutheran Association for Higher Education and served as a Board Trustee from 1986--1992. As a leader with Boy Scouts of America for 25 years, she has served as Den Leader, Den Leader Coach, Committee Chairperson for the Pack and Troop 34,Vice-Chair of the Cub Scout Roundtable, Vice-Chair of Cub Scout Training and as a Unit Commissioner and Assistant District Commissioner. Currently Nancy is the District Commissioner for Thunderbird District. She is the only woman in the Greater St. Louis Area Council holding this leadership position. Nancy and her husband, Terry, have been married for 36 years. They have three children and one son-in-law. Their oldest son was called to be with the Lord almost 14 years ago. They have three grandchildren.
Tim Hetzner has served in Parish ministry for 25 years, 20 of those years as Director of Discipleship at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Palatine IL. During that time at Immanuel, Tim combined Adult Bible Study and Human Care Ministry as intregral ministries in the parish. This lead to the starting of Good Samaritan Ministries, which provided assistance to individuals and families in need. Today Tim serves as President of Lutheran Church Charities in Addison IL where he works with initiating, developing, supporting and promoting a unified effort of Christian Human Care ministry at the Parish, District and Agency level. Tim travels several times each year to the Middle East leading Biblical study tours. Tim is author of an in-depth Bible study program called “Word Among Us” which is being used in parishes across the United States and on the internet. Tim is married to Jackie and has four children, ranging from college to elementary school.
Jens Sorensen is a Computer and Network Analyst in St. Louis, Missouri. Jens earned a B.S. degree in Computer Information Systems from DeVry University in 2 years and 8 months. He was hired as the youngest manager of data center operations for a regional communication company. He spent the last 20 years working with large and small computer networks and solutions. Many of the clients have been with Fortune 500 Companies, Federal Government, Armed Forces, Homeland Security and Aerospace Industry. He donates his talents to mentor others and match volunteers/donations with non-profit organizations in need of technical assistance. Jens is married to Darlene Sorensen. They have 3 children ranging from 9 years old to 6 years old. The oldest is totally deaf but has access to sound from the use of a Cochlear Implant.
Rev. Vern Koehlinger graduated from Concordia Seminary in 1986 and served two parishes over a period of twelve years in the St. Louis area. He also was a member of the Pastoral Staff of Stephen Ministries, a nondenominational, not-for-profit Christian ministry that equips congregations for caring ministries. Now he is a Thrivent Financial for Lutheran Representative. Vern is active in small group, adult educational, and music ministries at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Brentwood, Missouri. He and his wife Marie have three young adult sons.
The Reverend Scott A. Snow. Rev. Snow is a 1979 graduate of Concordia College, St. Paul, Minnesota, and a 1983 graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. A member of the LCMS World Mission—National Team, he served twenty-two years in the Northern IL District—fifteen as a parish pastor and seven years as an executive on the district staff. When asked about his “passion,” Snow commented that he is enthusiastic about assisting districts as they help congregations to “identify ways in which to encourage, equip and inspire George and Martha in the pew to frequently and intentionally share their faith in Jesus with people who do not yet know Him as Lord and Savior!” He began his work as LCMS Director of Outreach in August 2005. He married Debra (Hamppel) in 1990 and the couple has three children, Rebecca, 15; Joshua, 13; and Bethany, 10. Their family lives in Ellisville, MO.
The Reverend David Vaughn. Vaughn retired from Anheiser-Busch and then completed his degree at Concordia Seminary-St. Louis. While employeed by A-B he was the Director of the College of Sales and Marketing. He recently served LCMS World Mission as Director of Ablaze! Connection. He is currently enrolled in the Doctorate of Public Policy program at Saint Louis University. He and his wife Karen are members of Christ Memorial Lutheran Church. The Vaughns have three children and three grandchildren.
FORMER BOARD MEMBERS AND ADVISORS
Ken Tobler is the Teaching Director for the St. Louis Teen Community Bible Study class, where he has taught the past three years. Ken served on the Deacon Board for Kirkwood Road Christian Church for 12 years and headed up their Resource Center. He also teaches Sunday School regularly. Ken graduated from Connecticut College with a B.A. in Economics and Anthropology and worked in the Fine Watch Industry for Rolex and later Maurice Lacroix in sales and marketing and as a Vice President of Sales.
Ken came to faith in 1991 through Christian Radio and currently serves as an advisor for Family Shield Ministries and attends First Evangelical Free Church in Manchester with his wife Missy and their daughters Britteny and Kelsey.
Rev. Timothy Knapp has served Christ as a pastor in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod for 18 years. He has pastored congregations in Connecticut, St. Louis, and currently serves as pastor at First Lutheran Church and school in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He has been there for 13 years. In addition to parish ministry, Pastor Knapp has served the New England District as a vice-president for the last four years. Prior to that he was a member of the Board of Regents at Concordia, Bronxville, NY. He has been a member of the Holyoke Hospital ethics committee for five years and has served as an adjunct professor at Springfield college in the area of marriage and family therapy.
Pastor Knapp has received training as an LCMS Reconciler using the Peacemaker model of Biblical resolution. He has served as a consultant to both LCMS and ELCA congregations struggling with conflict and has taught Biblical conflict resolution skills at confirmation retreats, pastoral gatherings, LWML zone rallies, congregational meetings and in counseling settings.
Most importantly, Pastor Knapp gets to practice what he preaches with Gayle, his wife of 25 years, and teenage children Hannah and Aaron.
Rev. Dr. John Oberdeck - Rev. Dr. John Oberdeck, M.S., M.Div., Ph. D., is the Assistant Director of Lay Ministry for Concordia University, Mequon, Wisconsin. Prior to taking this position he was the Director of Continuing Education and Parish Services, and Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO. He received a Masters of Science in Education from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, in 1976. In 1979 he graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. In 1989 Oberdeck accepted a call to Concordia Seminary as Director of Residential Field Education, a position he held until 1995, when he became Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and Director of Continuing Education and Parish Services. In 1997 he left the Doctor of Ministry Program in order to devote time toward the completion of a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Missouri—Columbia. Professor Oberdeck is married to Virginia, a Lutheran teacher. They have: Andrew, Debbie, and Christy.
Curt Wittbracht. Curt is a CPA and is the Chief Financial Officer of Lutheran Hour Ministries. He graduated with a BS Degree in Accounting in 1973 from Southern Illinois University, Carbandale. For seven years he was in charge of corporate accounting at Horace Mann Education Corp. in Springfield, IL. He has also worked at General American Life as the Internal Control Administrator and Manager of all Security and Real Estate Accounting. In 1990 he went to work for Lutheran Hour Ministries. Curt and his wife, Linda, are members of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo, IL. They have 3 daughters.
Steve Subracko has over twenty-five years of experience in the Human Resources field, including compensation, recruiting, benefits, workforce planning and employee relations. He is currently employed at BJC HealthCare in St. Louis, Missouri as Director, Compensation and Employee Relations. His degrees include a Bachelor of Arts, Business Management, Tarkio College. Masters of Arts, Business Administration, Webster University. He is currently a member of Central Presbyterian Church in Clayton, Missouri. Steve is married to Janice. They have two grown children.
David J. Siscel is an attorney in St. Louis County, Missouri. He and his wife, Becky, are members of Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, along with their children, Heather and Jordan. David has earned a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering, an M.B.A. and his law degree. He spent over 7 years working as an engineer in the electric utility industry, followed by 5 years with a defense contractor doing estimating and cost/financial analysis. David now has his own general practice law office where he emphasizes in family law, bankruptcy and general business matters.
(Additional information about the ministry is available by called (314) 772-6070 or (866) 370-6070)
Email: familyshield@familyshieldministries.com
Write: Family Shield Ministries, Inc., P. O. Box 230015, St. Louis, MO 63123