New Year, New Leadership
Trinity’s Church Council has a new president and president-elect, Ethan Miller and Liz Fitzgerald. These two people are such familiar faces to Trinity members and have been featured in various Connection newsletters over the years, but just in case you wanted to know more about their backgrounds and more about what the council does, read on…
Ethan Miller, President
Ethan Miller and his wife, Becky, have been married for 13 years and have lived in Mason City since 2004. They are the parents of two daughters, Gretta (12) and Margo (9). Ethan grew up in Humboldt, IA and played baseball at Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. Currently, he is self-employed as a Mental Performance Coach, serving coaches and athletes across the United States. Becky is a middle school science teacher at Central Springs on the Nora Springs campus. She recently earned her master’s degree and administrative license and is pursuing an administrative position in the near future. Both the girls are fully immersed in athletics, the arts, and “all that can be participated in!”
Ethan says he loves the family and community that Trinity brings. “Our girls were baptized here and this is our home. The relationships we have formed at Trinity and in our time at Mason City is very special and uncommon from most places.” He continued, “Trinity has been our church home for nearly 15 years. My wife Becky and I have served on various committees over the years, and after being asked to serve on the church council 3 years ago, I was eager to serve in a different capacity.”
Just in case YOU are ever asked to serve on the church council and wonder what it entails, here is Ethan’s explanation: “The Trinity Lutheran Church Council stewards the mission, health, and direction of the church, making sure that it stays faithful, organized, and effective. The council is a part of the overall ‘big picture’ work of the church, not just the day-to-day
operations of the church. The decisions that we make are based upon the information provided from our various committee leads, and in accordance with our pastoral leadership, we come to a conclusion for what needs to be done. Essentially, we are in a position as representatives of the congregation to ensure that our mission as a church is being fulfilled.”
He added, “As council members, we serve the congregation and the thoughts and/or ideas that members may have. We are open to communication and anything that is brought to us. We will listen, and at the least, point our members in the right direction towards next steps.”
Ethan’s new role as council president includes “meetings with pastoral staff, leading council meetings, and many other areas that I am certain I’m missing and others that will come my way; however, I’m open to it all and honored to be in this position to serve our congregation and the mission we hold at Trinity.”
His goals for the next couple years at Trinity include “improving as a church…especially in the momentum that we have going at Trinity,” he said. “We have SO MANY positives taking place within our walls and beyond. Understanding the ways that we can improve and to seek out best practices within the ever-changing scope of the church, is something I am very passionate about.”
Liz Fitzgerald, President-Elect
Liz Fitzgerald was born and raised here in Mason City. She was also baptized and confirmed here at Trinity. She’s the mother of four and grandmother of six. Her four children (Halena, Holdyn, Hudson, and Sophia) were also baptized and confirmed at Trinity. Liz enjoys spending time with her family and reading (mostly assigned course readings/textbooks right now, but also the occasional mystery, true crime, or romance book). Her favorite genres of music are movie scores and classical renditions of popular music.
In her work life, Liz serves as the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Purdue University Global. Purdue Global is an online element of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. She has been with the university for almost 22 years, starting with the organization when it was Hamilton College located here in Mason City. She explains, “In my current role, I support just under 3,000 faculty and staff with training and support focusing on academic processes, teaching and learning strategies, and academic technology. I am also taking classes to earn my Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation degree. My goal is to graduate in the Spring of 2027.”
Since Liz has been a life-long member at Trinity, she “sincerely appreciates the many ways that this church has and continues to show up for me and others.” This is one of the reasons she wanted to be a part of the council. She wanted to “give back to a community that has served as a foundational and positive influence” not only in her life but also in her family’s.
Her definition of church council consists of the following: “The council provides strategic leadership for our church. We work to set vision, establish and maintain policies, oversee finances, manage property, and ensure accountability to the congregation. The council serves as stewards for our mission and resources. We focus on strategic planning, approving budgets, and providing support and oversight to the pastoral team.”
Of course, the council plays a large part in Trinity’s faith story. Liz says that the church council not only helps to “provide guidance and direction for the church, but also works to serve the interests of the congregation and ensures that the church community acts with care and responsibility in the work that we have been entrusted to carry out.”
Since the council works to serve the needs and interests of the congregation, Liz stresses that “members should feel free to reach out to any council member to share ideas, ask questions, or bring up concerns. If anyone is unsure of who the council members are, church leaders are listed on the church website (TRINITY-MC.ORG) under the “About” menu found at the top of the homepage.”
Her new role as president-elect will allow Liz to work with and support the council president and attend monthly council meetings. This role also assists the personnel committee. Liz said, “Serving as president-elect for one year provides the opportunity to learn from the current council leadership in preparation for serving as the council president the following year.” Her goals in her new role are: “to support the council and congregation in achieving our strategic initiatives, to ensure church leaders actively see, hear, and support the congregation, and to continually seek opportunities to meet the needs of those we serve, both within and beyond our church community as directed by the church mission and vision.”
Welcome, Ethan and Liz, to your new roles on church council!
If you’d like to learn more about serving on one of Trinity’s committees or cabinets, please contact the church office at 641-423-0536! †
Comments