On Sunday, June 24, members of Holy Cross-Jacksonville, FL, honored Pastor Alec Pueschel and Pastor Emeritus Jerome Figuly for their 10 years and 50 years, respectively, in the ministry with a luncheon.
Pueschel graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne in 1997. His four years at the seminary included one year studying in Cambridge, England, and a vicarage at Christ-Brooksville, FL. A third-career pastor, he is a retired police officer from the Prince Georges County, MD, and was also a commercial pilot who flew air ambulance and a flight instructor. He married Deborah Katz in 1992. Figuly graduated from Concordia Seminary-Springfield in 1957. He served Holy Cross-Island, IL, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Dr. Martin Luther-Chicago and Peace-Port Charlotte, FL before accepting the call to Holy Cross in 1978. He retired in February 1997. Figuly married Grace Liland in 1955 and they have three children — Thomas Figuly, James Figuly and Deborah Sokol — and two grandchildren — Jeffrey and Jennifer Sokol. |
GRACE LUTHERAN-WINTER HAVEN warmly welcomed 21 new members at their 10:30 a.m. Joyful Praise worship service on June 3. There was a reception following the service in honor of these newest members of the Grace family.
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The Lutheran Services Florida board of directors has chosen Sam Sipes as the agency’s new President and CEO.
Sipes, President and Chief Operating Officer of Austin-based Lutheran Social Services of the South, 
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succeeds James A. Wells, 65, who has decided to retire after leading LSF for the past nine years. Sipes will assume his new position on September 1; Wells will be available during a short transition period.
Sipes, who has an extensive background in nonprofit organization leadership roles, in experienced in social services, child welfare and programs for senior citizens. During his tenure, LSS became the largest provider of children’s residential services in Texas with an annual operating budget of more than $100 million, and its foster care program grew from serving 13 children to nearly 3,000 children. Sipes was instrumental in providing services to senior citizens, as well as expanding LSS Disaster Response across Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. He serves on the boards of the New York-based Council on Accreditation of Child and Family Services, the Dallas-based Texas Mezzanine Fund and the Austin-based Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest. Lutheran Services Florida is a statewide, nonprofit, human services agency dedicated to helping all people in need regardless of religious affiliation, age or national origin. Headquartered in Tampa, the agency operates more than 65 programs throughout Florida. During the past 25 years more than 850,000 in need have received assistance from LSF to rebuild their lives. |
ALL SAINTS-BLAIRSVILLE, GA, welcomed 12 adults and one child as new members during the 10:30 a.m. worship on June 10. An orientation session — including a coffee and pastry reception — during the Sunday School hour acquainted these new members with All Saints’ officers, board chairpersons and their duties. All Saints, which was started in 1990 with 12 members, now has 249 members with an average weekly worship attendance of 175. Pictured here are new members (seated, l-r) Jack and Kelly Mazzaferro, Jo Ann Butler, (standing, l-r) George and Ellen Burnett, Elisabeth Withrow, Kim Sieck, Pastor Dave Wesche, Edie Wendel, Pat and Ed Kellermann, Callie and Donna Sharkey. Not pictured is Steve Mazzaferro, who is taking summer courses at Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne.
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Among those elected to serve on LCMS Boards and Commission for the next triennium were two Florida-Georgia District members.
Kermit Almstedt of Weeki Wachee, FL, was re-elected to the Board for Mission Services. A retired attorney, he has chaired the Board for the past six years. Almstedt is a member of Christ-Brooksville, where he has served as an elder and as president. At the District level, he has chaired an evangelism Mission project. Almstedt has also served as the chair of Love in Action, Inc. |
Ulysses Floyd of Orlando was re-elected to the Board of Regents for Concordia-Selma. He is a member of Our Savior-Orlando, where he has served as president, head trustee, elder, chairman of the building committee, vice president, Sunday school teacher and a member of the school committee. A retired public school teacher, Floyd has also served on the governing board of the Education Association and as president of Orlando Retired Teachers. |
MILESTONE CELEBRATION — During worship on May 20, the members of Hope-Plant City recognized young adults in the congregation who were 2007 graduates. “It was truly a day filled with pomp and circumstance for these young adults as they received recognition, gifts from the congregation and a special fellowship time in their honor — each had their own special cake in their school colors,” said Pastor Dean Pfeffer. He is shown here with (front, l-r) Jason Pfeffer and Michael Stone, Plant City High School; Michael George, King High School; and (back) Katie Stone, University of Tampa.
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