SJLC Board of Directors 

As a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, our church is congregationally led.
Therefore, it is very important to have board members who have a heart for the ongoing kingdom work chosen by the congregation of St. John’s here in Bakersfield and to be transparent in all works planned and completed for the good of God's kingdom.

Board of Director Candidates

Beth Arner

Beth has been a member of St. John’s over 20 years. She is married to Rich and together they have two daughters and five grandchildren.
Beth is a retired educator.  She worked for the Fruitvale School District as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction.  She also served as a professor at Point Loma Nazarene University.  She now serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for foster children and she also volunteers in her grandsons’ classrooms.
Beth has participated in Bible Studies, attended Women’s Retreats, was the chair of one of St. John’s Women’s Conferences, and Secretary of the Women’s Ministry Board. Before COVID, Beth served on the SJLS advisory Committee. Currently, Beth is actively involved in the knitting/crocheting ministry, creating charity items for the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center.
When asked why she would like to serve on the SJLC Board of Directors, Beth answered:
When an opportunity to serve is presented, I always want to be open to God’s direction in my life. I am honored to be nominated to be part of God’s Kingdom work at St. John’s as a possible member of the Board of Directors. My experience as an educator and school administrator involved problem-solving, collaboration, creative thinking, and lifelong learning. I believe these skills will be assets as a member of the Board of Directors.

Lisa Holle

Lisa has been a member of St. John’s for 22 years.  She is married to Brian, and together they have three children and five grandchildren.  Lisa has been a Special Education teacher in the Kern County High School District for 10 years with young adults in the ABLE (Adult-Based Life Experience) Program.   She also worked as an elementary teacher in the Arvin School District for 17 years.
Lisa has been an active volunteer in a variety of ministry areas: Youth Ministries (Bible Study, Hume Lake Counselor, National Youth Gathering, Fireworks booth sales, Christmas tree sales, and Youth Leadership Conferences), mission trips (Ukraine in 2019 and Uganda in 2023, SJLS (A Bountiful Affair and Oral Language Festival), VBS, and Club 5/6.   Lisa is currently active in a Life Group, Bible Study, and you can see her on Sunday mornings at the 10:30 am service serving as an usher.
When asked why she would like to serve on the SJLC Board of Directors, Lisa answered:
In serving on a position within the Board of Directors of St. John’s Lutheran Church, I would apply my skills and experience from my many years as a church member to support and grow the objectives and ministries of this wonderful place of worship. This service position would deepen my involvement in the church community, as we work together as a church body to enhance our church’s spiritual growth, membership, and business operations.  As a board member, I will continue to serve God and our congregation with wisdom and ensure that the church’s objectives and ministries continue to thrive.  

Jon Mueller

Jon has been a member of St. John’s for 17 years and is currently serving on the Board of Directors.  He has also served as an Elder and has volunteered as a basketball coach at St. John’s School.  Jon has been married to Mary Anne for 22 years and they have three children, Andrew, Grant, and Lacey.  Jon is the owner of two businesses:  ServiceMaster for 17 years and Club Pilates for 7 years.
When Jon was asked to describe his reason for wanting to serve for another term on the Board of Directors, he replied: As a current board member, I have been actively involved in shaping the vision and planning for the future of our congregation. I would like the opportunity to continue supporting our executive team as we move forward in carrying out that vision. St. John’s has always been a very special place for my family, both through the church and school. It has been a blessing to us, and I believe it will continue to bless families and the broader community for generations to come.

Doug Rossi

Doug has been a member of St. John’s for 38 years.   He is married to Nicole and together they have three children.
Doug works in the produce industry and currently is the West Coast Sales Manager at Kopke.
Doug serves on the Board of Directors of St. John’s.  You can also see Doug on Sunday mornings serving as a communion assistant and driving the Courtesy Golf Cart.
When Doug was asked why he would like to serve for another term on the Board of Directors, Doug replied: As a lifelong member of SJLC, I believe the church is called to be a light in the world, and I am committed to using my gifts, time, and heart to serve God and SJLC through this role.  I am honored to be nominated to serve on the BOD and to uphold the church’s mission to support the spiritual, organizational, and operational health of our church/schools. Guided by faith, prayer, and biblical principles, I commit to upholding the mission of our church and advancing God’s Kingdom.

David Wilbur 

David and his wife, Jenifer, have been married for 31 years. They have two sons, and their first grandchild is on the way.
David retired from his engineering job in April this year.   Most recently, he had been with California Bioenergy for 5 years as the vice president of engineering and construction.  Prior to that, David was with Chevron, spending four years on a gas project in China.   He also worked for Plains Exploration and Production Company.  In addition, David has also had his own technology company. David has also volunteered his time at St. John’s.  He has chaperoned and built box sleds for Hume Lake Winter camps while his sons were involved in youth groups.  David has also served on an ushers team and, most recently, has participated with the LERT Emergency response group.
When asked why he is seeking to serve on the Board of Directors, David responded:
I believe I have a wealth of experience and resources that I can use to help St. John’s continue to grow. One idea I would like to discuss is utilizing school musical performances and skits during church services to encourage more frequent participation from children’s parents, thereby exposing them to the gospel and our church family. Additionally, I hope to contribute to enhancing our music programs, making the worship experience even more rewarding. Finally, I would like to help benchmark our processes at St. John’s against those of other rapidly growing churches in the Bakersfield area to identify potential areas for improvement.

Hello SJLC Members

We invite you to join the voting process for the running candidates of Board of Directors. Voting will take place on December 7th, 2025, after the 10:30am worship service.