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Office of the President
 Rev.
Dr. John G. Brunner, President
716.634.5111, ext. 12
Rev. John Brunner is serving his third term as President
of the Eastern District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
Before becoming Eastern District president,
Rev. Brunner was pastor of Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, Malvern,
Pa. for 13 years.
He
served the Eastern District for two terms as Vice President representing
the
Philadelphia Region and one term as Chairman of the Board for Parish
Services.
Pastor Brunner has also served parishes
in South Dakota and Wisconsin. He has extensive experience in youth
ministry at the
local, regional,
and national level and served for ten years as Spiritual Life
Leader of the Appalachian Servant Event of the LCMS.
John is a 1972
Graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and holds a Doctor of
Ministry degree from Lutheran School of Theology,
Chicago.
Assistants to the President
 Mr.
James Brese, Treasurer
Congregation Ministry
Facilitator
716.634.5111, ext. 15
Jim Brese, a lifelong resident of Western
New York, serves as Treasurer of the Eastern District
and assists our churches as a Congregational
Ministry Facilitator.
He has been certified as a Christian
Coach through Ministry
Coaching International.
He works with professional
church workers as they strive for leadership excellence.
Jim's Personal
Vision Statement: To grow people in His
service.
His Personal Mission
Statement: Affirm others in service
to God. Inspire others for Christian action and hope. Teach areas
of leadership.
Share
the faith with family and others.
 Mr.
Robert Foerster, Schools & Education
Congregation Ministry
Facilitator
716.634.5111, ext. 14
Robert C. Foerster has been blessed to
be able to serve children, families and congregations in Wisconsin,
Maryland, North Carolina and, since early 1999, New York and Pennsylvania.
Through the special people of all of those ministries he has been
nurtured and mentored in many areas of congregational life and planning
as well as early childhood and elementary school ministry and service.
The unfolding potential of new and different ministry to those of
the "GenX" and "millennial" generations excites,
stretches, consumes and scares him. The educational programs of Concordia
(Ann Arbor), Concordia (Seward), Towson University (Maryland) and
the Early Childhood Fellows Program (Univ. of North Carolina) have
provided his formal academic training. The children, adults and colleagues
of the past thirty years of his ministry have provided the majority
of his real learning and growth.
 Rev.
David Weeks, Mission Facilitator
716.634.5111 (Buffalo)
Rev. David L. Weeks serves the Eastern
District as Assistant to the President/Mission
Facilitator. His
specialties include: Mission Opportunities, Transition and Change,
Natural Church Development process, Apostolic Congregation Transformation
Strategy process, Coaching, and exploration in current realities.
He continues to be the District Contact
Person for LCMS World Relief and the District Mission Executive working
with LCMS North American
Missions and Mission Partners. His real claim to fame is helping
congregations explore options in ministry in order to experience
renewed hope.
David’s
Personal Mission Statement: “I believe that I have
been created to help connect God’s people more closely and
passionately to our Lord Jesus Christ for service in His kingdom.” John
10:10B,
Ephesians
2:8-10 through:
- Word and sacrament
- Preaching and teaching
- Facilitation of
a process
- Relationship building
- Coaching
- Prayer partnerships
Specialty Staff
Mr. Richard Porter
LCEF Vice President
 716.634.5111,
ext. 11
As LCEF Vice President, Rick serves
congregations with services and loan resources so they can expand
facilities to carry out their ministries. He promotes investment
opportunities in LCEF to congregations and individuals. Rick came to
the District staff and LCEF after working 26 years in retail management
and several years of volunteer service in the Eastern District.
 Mr.
Richard Paul
Director - Gift Planning Development
LCMS Foundation
716.634.5111, ext. 17
Toll Free: 877.239.6869
The Director of Gift Planning Development (DGDP) is responsible for
coordinating and supervising the gift planning training and mentoring programs of the Foundation
Gift Planning Services. These groups include the Gift Planning Counselors of the various Districts,
the Associate Gift Planning Counselors, Development Directors of various RSO organizations of the LCMS,
and the Congregational Gift Planners of the Transfer the Blessing stewardship process.
Rich joined the LCMS Foundation in 1999,
having previously served five years as district representative & estate
planning specialist for Aid Association
for Lutherans (AAL) in New
York. Rich was the chief executive officer of a large commercial
office products company in the Buffalo area for seventeen years.
Rich is a graduate of Dean
College, Boston, MA and Canisius
College, Buffalo.
 Mr.
Bruce Sutherland
Gift Planning Counselor
LCMS Foundation
716.634.5111, ext. 16
Toll Free: 877.239.6869
Bruce Sutherland joined the LCMS Foundation in
July 2002. As part of a joint venture with the Eastern District, Bruce
is working with individuals and congregations in a new concept called “Developing
A Fully Resourced Church”. He works to raise the visibility and
resources necessary to support both local and national ministries.
Local ministries include Camp
Pioneer & Retreat Center, Lutheran
Schools and others described in the Eastern District "Adopt-A-Mission" catalog.
On the national level Bruce is coordinating development
efforts with the LCMS Foundation staff for World Missions and the “For
the Sake of the Church” campaign. Most recently Bruce is serving
as the Campaign Coordinator for the Eastern District Mission and Ministry
Campaign.
Bruce holds
a BS degree from Penn State University in marketing & economics
and spent 16 years in financial services with AAL and Wells Fargo Financial
before joining the LCMS Foundation.
 Mrs.
Linda Gage,
Executive Director
Pioneer Camp & Retreat Center
716.549.1420
Linda Gage has served as the Executive Director
of Pioneer Camp & Retreat
Center since 1997. Linda joined Pioneer in 1985 and has held a variety
of administrative positions during her tenure on Pioneer’s ministry
team. Linda’s connection to camp encompasses a lifetime.
Being
a lifelong Eastern District member, Linda fondly remembers coming to
Camp Pioneer with her parents and grandparents for picnics and waterfront fun,
and then attending a week of Confirmand’s Camp. As a member of First
Trinity Lutheran Church, Tonawanda, while growing up she was taught by Elmer “Hap” Schroeter,
previous Pioneer Director, in Youth Choir, and attended other retreats hosted
at Pioneer.
Administrative Assistants
Office of the President
Linda Smyth
716.634.5111, Ext. 13 |
Office of the Treasurer
Barbara Sigafoos
716.634.5111, Ext. 18 |
Schools/Missions/CMF
Diane Will
716.634.5111, Ext. 10 |
LCMS Foundation/LCEF
Diana Zubrzycki
716.634.5111, Ext. 19 |
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