Colorado River Conference

Colorado River Conference

Our synod is divided into conferences that establish new opportunities for our deans to lead and serve. Conferences meet for mission purposes, working together on mission, leadership development, campus ministry, stewardship, and global and local mission.

Colorado River Conference Dean: Rev. Marcia Kifer

The congregations of the Colorado River Conference are the western-most congregations in our synod.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Round Top

412 S. White St., Round Top, TX, USA
[email protected]
Office: 979.249.3686

St. John Lutheran Church of Rutersville

5743 State Hwy 159, La Grange, TX, USA
[email protected]
Office: 979.249.3633
Website: http://sharedlutheranministry.org/

St. John Lutheran Church, Cat Spring

480 Ross St., Cat Spring, TX, USA
[email protected]
Office: 979.865.5444
Website: http://www.stjohncatspring.org/

St. John Lutheran Church, Ellinger

Hwy 71 N at Grover, Ellinger, TX, USA
[email protected]
Office: 979.249.3155
Website: http://sharedlutheranministry.org/

St. John Lutheran Church, New Ulm

211 Hickory St., New Ulm, TX, USA
Office: 979.992.3629

St. John’s Lutheran Church of Warrenton

4446 S. St. Hwy 237, Round Top, TX, USA
[email protected]
Office: 979.249.3155
Website: http://sharedlutheranministry.org/

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, La Grange

427 S. Washington St., La Grange, TX, USA
[email protected]
Office: 979.968.5657
Website: http://www.stpaullg.org/

St. Paul Lutheran Church of Shelby

6814 Skull Creek Rd, Fayetteville, TX, USA
[email protected]
Office: 979.836.8972
Website: http://stpaulshelby.org/

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Columbus

201 Veterans Dr., Columbus, TX, USA
[email protected]
Office: 979.732.2423
Website: http://www.splctx.com/

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Fayetteville

201 North Rusk Street, Fayetteville, TX, USA
[email protected]
Office: 979.249.3155
Website: http://sharedlutheranministry.org/

Trinity Lutheran Church of Frelsburg

2309 FM 1291, New Ulm, TX, USA
[email protected]
Office: 979.732.3987

United Evangelical Lutheran Church-Swiss Alp

2038 FM 3171, Schulenburg, TX, USA
Office: 979.247.4151

Waldeck Lutheran Church

6915 Waldeck Church Ln., Ledbetter, TX, USA
Office: 979.249.3802

“

As it is, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you.”

~ 1 Corinthians 12:20-22a

“

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Contact Pastor Ele Clay:

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Born and raised in Taiwan, moved to Houston in 2014, Evangeline speaks Mandarin, Taiwanese, and English. She joined Faith Lutheran Church in Bellaire in 2015, moved to Berkeley for seminary in 2018, and recently returned to Houston after one year internship in Torrance and obtained her MDiv degree with Evangelism and Justice concentration. She had multiple work experiences for administrative tasks, including part-time assistant in TEEM office at PLTS. She embraces diversity, has passion for justice and service work, and commits to support the ministries of the Church.

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Chris is passionate about networking and identifying new ways to support individuals and congregations as they grow a deeper, bolder, more consequential faith. Chris maintains the LEAD website, supports LEAD's signature coaching, and collaborates on the 10 Minute Toolbox.

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Peggy Hahn serves as the Executive Director for LEAD, aligning passionate leaders, resources, and practices to grow Christian leaders who grow faith communities in our world. Peggy is a frequent speaker and author who is never without a pile of books to read and seeks coaches and mentors for herself in an ongoing quest to learn and grow. Peggy is committed to listening to pastors and leaders of all ages for insight into the ways they are growing in their own faith and what LEAD can do to support them in their development as leaders.

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John Roalson began his work in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod in May of 2023 as the gift planner with Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest.

John received his undergraduate degree from Texas Lutheran University. Prior to coming to the foundation, John worked in the financial services industry for 20 years. He resides in Katy with his wife, Paula and has two daughters, Hannah & Abigail – all of whom also graduated from Texas Lutheran. John is a member of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Houston.

John is available to meet with individuals and couples to help them plan legacy gifts that will bless family and loved ones, the ministries of our church, and other non-profit organizations that are important to them. He also works with congregations to assist them in being prepared to receive, celebrate, and steward legacy gifts from members and friends of the congregation. Low-cost, professionally managed investment options for congregations and other ministries are available through Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest and the ELCA Foundation.

I have been an office administrator for 15+ years, with a great amount of time in the health industry. I love making organizations organized and running smoothly.

I have lived in Texas most of my life. My husband Ernie and I have 3 grown daughters and 2 grandchildren. Outside of work I love to work on our small farm, crochet, cook and spend time with family and friends.

A native Houstonian, Chris graduated from Concordia University in Austin and went to seminary in Berkeley. His first call was in Philadelphia. In 2003, he moved to New Orleans to serve as Mission Redeveloper for House of Prayer in Harvey. Following Hurricane Katrina, Chris relocated to Houston where he was called as Mission Developer and founding pastor of Celebration in Cypress, where he served for over 7 years. Chris is a member of the Order of Lutheran Franciscans. He enjoys traveling and joining friends for trivia at local venues.

Contact The Rev. Chris Markert:

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Prior to serving on Synod Staff, Tracey Breashears Schultz served Zion Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas. Prior to that, she served at MacArthur Park Lutheran Church in San Antonio. A graduate of The University of Arkansas, Tracey received her Masters of Divinity from Wartburg Theological Seminary, and her Doctor of Ministry from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Before her journey toward ordained ministry, Tracey was a Spanish teacher and a trainer for a medical software company.

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Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Serving as bishop of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America since 2007 is an honor, a challenge, and a joy. It has given me the opportunity to work with many gifted pastors and committed people of faith. We’re creating communities that make disciples who serve the world in Jesus’ name.

For information updated weekly (sometimes daily) on news, events, ideas, books, schedules, and so on, visit my blog.

Evangelism is one of my passions, and our synod’s highest priority. Evangelism is making fully devoted followers of Christ, who taught love of God and neighbor as the greatest commandments. Every congregation is a mission, and every pastor is a missionary.

Together we plant new congregations, send missionaries, prepare rostered leaders, support companion synods, camps, campus ministries, and more. Our vision is to be a network of growing, Christ-centered, outwardly-focused congregations passing the faith to the next generation.

Biographical Information

Born: August 2, 1961, Columbus, Ohio

Wife: Susan

Children: John and Yuliana

Parents: Warren and Patricia Rinehart

Undergraduate studies: Bachelor of Music in organ performance from Valparaiso University, a Lutheran university in northern Indiana, 1983

Seminary: Masters of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, 1988.

Calls:

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa (1988-1994)
Christ Lutheran Church, Charlotte, North Carolina (1994-1997)
Grace Lutheran Church, Conroe, Texas (1997-2007)
Bishop, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod (2007-present)

Currently Serving:

Texas Lutheran University Corporation Board
Houston Coalition for Immigration Reform
Board of the Houston Coalition for Mutual Respect

Contact Bishop Michael Rinehart:

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