District Staff

President's Office

Team Members

Rev. Michael Newman

President

Team Members

Cindy Hilewitz

Executive Assistant

Team Members

Rev. Andrew Walker

Executive Assistant

Rev. Andrew Walker was previously the hospitality coordinator at the Texas District, LCMS and now serves as an executive assistant in the Texas District Office of President. He graduated from Concordia University Texas in 2009 and Concordia Seminary St. Louis in 2013 when he received his first call to St. Peter’s Lutheran in La Grange, MO. In 2016, he received the call to plant ACTS Church Kyle. Since then, he has received diversity and leadership training through Be the Bridge and co-founded Allied Services of Kyle, a multiethnic, multi-economic, local effort to serve children with incarcerated parents and children experiencing homelessness. He currently lives in Kyle with his wife, Audrey, and three kids.

Chelsey Doering

Hospitality Coordinator

Team Members

Chelsey Doering

Hospitality Coordinator

Lisa Candido

Director of External Relations

Team Members

Lisa Candido

Director of External Relations

Jill Meyer

Data Specialist

Team Members

Jill Meyer

Data Specialist

Catalyst Team

Rev. Lincon Guerra

Mission and Ministry Facilitator Area A, Circuits 1-7

Team Members

Rev. Lincon Guerra

Mission and Ministry Facilitator Area A, Circuits 1-7

515-528-0025

Rev. Ben Gonzales

Mission Strategist Area B, Circuits 8-19

Team Members

Rev. Ben Gonzales

Mission Strategist Area B, Circuits 8-19

Pastor Ben Gonzales grew up in Houston Texas, graduating from Lutheran High North and then attending Concordia University in Austin Texas where he met his wife Katherine Joy Gonzales (KJ). After graduating from Concordia University, Pastor Ben attended Concordia Seminary St. Louis and joined a church planting team in St Louis MO after graduating. He then was called as a missionary at large, planting a church in Houston Texas. After 14 years of church planting Pastor Ben was called to TheAlley Church in Minnesota and served there for almost four years before returning to Texas. Pastor Ben has four children, Evelyn, Tobias, Genesis, and Cross. The Gonzales family now resides in Hutto, Texas.

Martin Schardt

Congregation Support Specialist Area B

Team Members

Martin Schardt

Congregation Support Specialist Area B

817-851-6100

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.

Larry Rietz

Congregation Support Specialist Area C, Circuit 20-30

Team Members

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 Strategist Area D, Circuit 31-43 & Director of Districtwide Strategy

Team Members

Rev. Dr. Jon Braunersreuther

Mission Strategist 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.

Rev. Dr. David Bahn

Congregation Support Specialist Area D

Team Members

Rev. Dr. David Bahn

Congregation Support Specialist Area D

David Bahn has served churches of all sizes in Utah, Colorado, Arkansas, and Texas. He is passionate about missional leadership and helping congregations make strategic decisions for the sake of the gracious reign and rule of Jesus in people’s hearts. He has significant experience teaching and training pastors, church leaders and their spouses. He has joined his wife, Diane, for presentations in missional leadership, dealing with change, and marriage and ministry partnership. They have taught internationally in Kenya, Tanzania, and the Philippines. His personal mission is Helping people realize Jesus’ purpose and plans for their lives.