Greater Milwaukee Synod

Synod staff

The Greater Milwaukee Synod is lead by a staff of eight professionals called together in Christ to serve, connect and lead.

The synod staff is guided by this mission statement: “Called together in Christ, we serve, connect and lead the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.”

Bishop of the Greater Milwaukee Synod

The Rev. Jeff Barrow

The Rev. Jeff Barrow was elected as bishop of the Greater Milwaukee Synod Dec. 5, 2009 to a six-year term. His first day as bishop was Feb. 1, 2010, succeeding Interim Bishop David Olson. Rev. Barrow was the senior pastor at Holy Communion Lutheran Church in Racine since 1991 and served the synod office as assistant to the bishop since 2007.

Raised in Billings, Montana, Bishop Barrow was a 1973 graduate of Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. and earned his master of divinity degree from Luther Northwestern Seminary — now Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. in 1979.

He was first called to Zion Lutheran in Cuero, Texas before taking a call to Ascension Lutheran, an urban and multicultural congregation in downtown Milwaukee in 1981. Jeff served on the synod’s candidacy committee since 1996 before working with candidacy as an assistant to the bishop.

Email Bishop Jeff: jeff@milwaukeesynod.org

Bishop’s Associates

The Rev. Chuck Brummond – Director of Rostered Leadership

The Rev. Chuck Brummond has begun a 1-year term call as Director of Rostered Leadership. Pastor Brummond has been an excellent leader in interim ministry for the synod and will bring his many gifts to the synod staff. The Director of Rostered Leadership is called to oversee candidates and active/on leave/retired rostered leaders, AIMs, ELCA chaplains, and interim ministry leaders. Pastor Chuck is the primary contact for coordination of mobility for congregations and rostered leaders in transition.

Email Chuck: chuck@milwaukeesynod.org

Rhonda Hill – Director of Discipleship

Rhonda Hill has been called as the Director of Discipleship for the Greater Milwaukee Synod Staff. Rhonda brings her gifts of building partnerships as she is called as the synod liaison to partnership ministries both locally and globally and works to help identify and establish new partnerships in the synod. She is also responsible as the coordinator of leadership training opportunities, strengthening and equipping lay and rostered congregational leaders. Rhonda coordinates and strategizes urban ministry events and opportunities.

Email Rhonda: rhonda@milwaukeesynod.org

The Rev. Sandra Chrostowski – Director of Evangelical Mission

The Rev. Dr. Sandy Chrostowski serves as Director for Evangelical Mission and coordinates new mission starts, renewing ministry strategies, mission support, and stewardship ministries. She convenes teams of leaders throughout the synod including the Evangelism/Outreach Team (synod mission strategy team), Stewardship Team, and local area mission strategies. Pastor Sandy joins the synod staff after faithfully serving at Galilee LC, Pewaukee for 16 years.

Email Sandy: sandy@milwaukeesynod.org

Professional Staff

The Rev. Jim Bickel – Executive Director of Outreach for Hope, Inc

Outreach for Hope supports churches and ministries of the Greater Milwaukee Synod that are striving in the midst of poverty to be a word and sacrament presence. Jim builds relationships between those ministries and the individuals, organizations, and churches who provide financial resources to support them.

Email Jim: jim.bickel@milwaukeesynod.org

Dave Groenewold – Director of Finance

Dave is responsible for managing the finances of the synod, including congregational mission support, churchwide and global partnerships. He supplies monthly results to the Bishop, Synod Treasurer, Director of Evangelical Mission and to the Finance Committee which meets quarterly. Dave is also responsible for the financial record keeping of Outreach for Hope, Lutheran Campus Ministry of Greater Milwaukee and Lutheran Planned Giving of Wisconsin. He gives monthly results to the board of those organizations.

Email Dave: dave@milwaukeesynod.org

Kate Mattson – Director of Youth and Family Ministry

Kate facilitates conversation and cooperation among the youth workers of our synod. She also leads the teams of people who plan synod-wide youth and family events and who attend Youth Ministry Certification School. Kate served at Galilee Lutheran Church in Pewaukee for 3.5 years. Prior to that, she worked on the East Coast with St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church and the Southeast Pennsylvania and New Jersey synods.

Email Kate: kate@milwaukeesynod.org

Tracy Apps – Director of Communication

Tracy is in charge of the synod communications and technology education. With her background in web development, design and marketing, she strives to bring the synod’s use of technology and communication up-to-date.

Tracy’s other hat in life is one of a business owner, web designer/developer, photographer, artist, technology early adopter, social networker, music lover and drummer.

Tracy works part time, and can most effectively be contacted via email, or in the middle of the night.

Email Tracy: tracy@milwaukeesynod.org

Mary Romskog – Administrative Assistant and Communications Associate

Mary is our friendly and helpful voice who answers the phone during our open business hours. When she’s not answering phones, emails and in person questions, Mary works on many aspects of the synod’s communication and keeps everyone on task. She is also responsible for congregational reports, registrations and administrative support to Outreach for Hope, Inc.

Email Mary Romskog: mary.romskog@milwaukeesynod.org

Mary Meyer – Synod Administrator

Mary is responsible for assisting the bishop in administration of the office, including scheduling, mobility and roster changes. Relating to the synod council and their meetings/activities. Other responsibilities include administration of candidacy process, serving on the candidacy committee, organizing the synod assembly & other synod events.

Email Mary Meyer: mary@milwaukeesynod.org