On Feb. 23, the Conference of Presidents called two new directors to fill vacancies in the Congregation and Ministry Support Group. "It's important to fill these two vacant positions," explains President Mark Schroeder, "so that these commissions can again have full-time leadership."

Teacher Greg Schmill was called to be the director of the Commission on Lutheran Schools. Rev. Eric Roecker was called to be the director of the Commission on Youth Discipleship, also known as the Commission on Youth and Family Ministry to better reflect the full range of this commission's work.

Schmill, who has been serving as interim director of Lutheran Schools since December 2009, has experience as a Lutheran elementary school teacher and principal, and as an area Lutheran high school teacher and assistant principal. Most recently, he has worked with Forward with Lutheran Schools to help congregations that want to strengthen their schools or begin new children's ministries.

Roecker has served as an associate pastor at Resurrection, Chesapeake, Va., since graduating from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1998. He says: "It is a great honor to have been called to this position with Youth Discipleship. It will require a great deal of prayer and consideration to determine where I might best serve my Lord at this time in my ministry. It is comforting to know that he is in charge and will bless whatever decision I reach."