With great joy, Bethel has received affirmation of our call to Pastor Anjanette Rist to join our congregation as the Pastor of Visitation, Outreach, and Missions. The leaders and staff of Bethel who have been privileged to spend time with Pastor Anjanette are overjoyed and enthusiastic about the ministry that together awaits us.

Pastor Anjanette will begin her ministry here on May 1, 2008, and will be installed on May 4, 2008. It will be a delight to welcome her to our pulpit on May 3 and 4 as she brings the good news to us. Please make every effort to attend worship that weekend and welcome our new pastor.

Please keep the Rist family in your prayers as they make the transition from a wonderful home and congregation in Fremont, Nebraska, to Bethel. Karl Rist is also a pastor of the ELCA and seeking call in our area. They will be accompanied by their children: Sela who is six, and Erick who is three. For more information on Pastor Anjanette, see below.
 

Name: Pastor Anjanette K. (Buhr) Rist

Hometown: Albert Lea, MN

Home church: Concordia Lutheran Church Pickerel Lake (rural Albert Lea)

Education:
• Double BA in Psychology and Organizational Communication from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN.
• Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN
 

Ministry Experiences:
• Counselor at four Lutheran Church Camps (Good Earth Village (2 yrs)-Spring Valley, MN, Outlaw Ranch- Custer, SD, Christikon. McLeod, MT, and Luther Park (2 years)- Chetek, WI.)
• Director of Youth Ministry at Messiah Lutheran Church, Auburn, WA. (4 years)
• Current Call- Associate Pastor at First Lutheran Church, Fremont, NE. (8 years)

Other Work Experiences:
• College Resident Assistant
• Paralegal for Legal Action of Wisconsin while serving in the Lutheran Volunteer Corps in Milwaukee, WI.
• Data Entry at Youth Encounter, Minneapolis, MN
• Caribou Coffee Team Leader
• Waitress at The Chickadee Cottage, Lake City, MN
• Customer Service/Sales at Wild Wings, Lake City, MN

Volunteer Experiences:
• Lutheran Volunteer Corps, Milwaukee, WI (1 yr)
• Lutheran Brotherhood Local Chapter Board Member
• Crop Walk organizer/participant
• Low Income Ministry, Fremont, NE
• Crisis Center for Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Board Member (6 yrs) and Board President (3 yrs), Fremont, NE
• Regularly volunteer in daughter’s 1st grade classroom
• Care Corps Homeless Shelter, Fremont, NE

Synodical/Churchwide Experiences:
• Nebraska Synod “Operation IDEA” retreat leader
• Nebraska Synod Assembly 2005 Planning Team member
• Nebraska Synod Intervention Team member as appointed by the Bishop
• 2007 Churchwide Assembly voting member for the Nebraska Synod

Family: Husband Karl (ELCA Pastor), daughter Sela Grace (6 yrs old) and son Karl Frederick V “Erick” (3 yrs old.)

Hobbies and Interests: Walking and exercise, cooking and baking, movies, travel, fine arts, service opportunities, and writing.