District Staff

President's Office

Team Members

Rev. Michael Newman

President

Team Members

Gwendolyn Hohle

Executive Assistant

Team Members

Cindy Hilewitz

Executive Assistant

Office Management

Team Members

Meredith Sterling

Office Manager

Communications

Team Members

Lisa Candido

Director of External Relations

Team Members

Jill Meyer

Data Specialist

Catalyst Team

Team Members

Mr. Martin Schardt

Congregation Support Specialist Area B

817-851-6100

Rev. Yohannes Mengsteab

Mission Strategist Area B, Circuits 8-19 & Evangelist Development

Team Members

Rev. Yohannes Mengsteab

Mission Strategist Area B, Circuits 8-19 & Evangelist Development

260-458-4825

Office: Deployed 5012 Glen Springs Trail Fort Worth, Texas 76137 Yohannesfamily

Yohannes Mengsteab joined the Texas District to serve as the mission and ministry facilitator of Area B in October of 2015. Before coming to the Texas District, he served the church and its missional leadership in various capacities since 1991: as a parish pastor; missionary at-large to African immigrants in the DC area; counselor for African Immigrant Ministry of North American Missions; director of the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (Concordia Seminary); director of Urban and Specialty Ministries; and as the director of New Mission Development (Church Planting) of the LCMS. Most recently, he worked with The Lutheran Foundation of Ft. Wayne, IN, as the director of ministry programs. He holds a PhD in Missiology and serves as adjunct professor of missiology at Concordia Theological Seminary. He and his wife live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and are blessed with three boys. He enjoys being with his family, reading, traveling and meeting new people.

Yohannes’ personal mission is “to know Christ and to use every opportunity he has to introduce Him to as many as it is possible.” Yohannes considers it a high privilege to serve in and with the Area B congregations to reach to “as many as possible” with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Soli Deo Gloria!

Rev. Peter Mueller

Mission Strategist Area C, Circuit 20-30

Team Members

Rev. Peter Mueller

Mission Strategist Area C, Circuit 20-30

512-623-9867

Pete is pastor of ACTS Church in Lakeway and has been serving as a Community Mission Catalyst with the Texas District for several years. Along with serving his current congregation, he will spend about half of his time helping congregations and ministries to plant new churches throughout Area C. Pete is an insightful, gentle, and passionate leader who will bless Area C with mission zeal and Christ’s love.

Rev. Rick Pfaff

Mission Support Specialist Area C, Circuit 20-30

Team Members

Rev. Rick Pfaff

Mission Support Specialist Area C, Circuit 20-30

281-380-4737

Rick recently retired as pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Boerne. He has experience as an LCMS Mission Support Administrator for LCMS World Missions in Korea. Rick will use his parish and international mission experience to serve as the liaison to the Board of Mission Administration and Texas District mission budget planner. He’ll also be handling some special projects for Area C congregations.

Mr. Larry Rietz

Congregation Support Specialist Area C, Circuit 20-30

Team Members

Mr. Larry Rietz

Congregation Support Specialist Area C, Circuit 20-30

512-954-2104

Larry is a retired Senior Executive of a Fortune 100 company, an active lay-leader for many years in LCMS congregations, and a Texas District church planter coach. He will use his leadership experience and love for the church to assist congregations in the call process in Area C and to help congregations with strategic planning. Larry will also coordinate Texas District church planter coach logistics and training.

Rev. Dr. Jon Braunersreuther

Mission & Ministry Facilitator Area D, Circuit 31-43 & Director of Districtwide Strategy

Team Members

Rev. Dr. Jon Braunersreuther

Mission & Ministry Facilitator Area D, Circuit 31-43 & Director of Districtwide Strategy

314-471-1072

Office: Deployed
23334 East Pine Ivy Lane
Tomball, Texas 77375
F:888-506-0838

Area D Connections

Jon serves as mission and ministry facilitator for area D (the greater Houston metropolitan area and surrounding counties) of the Texas District, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

A native of Clearwater, Nebraska, Jon graduated from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska with the highest honors in 1985. He received the degree of Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in 1989, having served his internship at Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas in 1987-1988, and is currently pursuing doctoral studies through Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Prior to serving in his current position, he served as associate pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Brighton, Colorado, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Amarillo, Texas, as mission and ministry facilitator for area A of the Texas District, and as senior assistant to former President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick.

Jon and his wife, Rachel, are the parents of two children, Erin Lahue (Alex) and Andrew.

Jon’s service areas include strategic planning and the district’s participation in the Church Planters Leadership Forum.