Teri Forbes

Ministry Background:
Lay Ministry leadership at Resurrection Lutheran in Coronado, CA 1985-1995, 2008-
Pastor – Bonnet Prairie Lutheran Church, Rio, WI 1999-2003
Associate Pastor – Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Longview, WA 2003-2006
Interim and Supply Pastor – New Salem & Philadelphia Lutheran Churches, Bellefontaine, OH 2006-2008
Chaplain – Green Hills Retirement Center, West Liberty, OH 2007-2008
MR/DD Educational Assistant and Home Health Care Assistant, Columbus, OH 2008

My Family: Single, with three children and my dear mother. It is good to be home!

Personal Story: I grew up in beautiful Coronado, with my grandmother and two uncles, my mother and brother. I enjoyed the ocean and beach as a youth and dreamed of adventure. I sailed competitively, and played in the winning Coronado High School band – and I still play trumpet and French horn.

During the period from 1985 – 1995 I served my Lutheran congregation, Resurrection Lutheran in Coronado, as Education Director, Social Concerns Chairperson, Youth Coordinator, and Assistant to the Treasurer. I sang in the choir, coordinated fellowship events, taught Sunday School at preschool and junior high school levels. I enjoyed being special needs visitor, friendly visitor, banner artist, mobile creator, cantor and worship planner.

In 1993 I helped to take care of my faith-teacher, my Grandmother, diagnosed with cancer, and I walked with her on that Resurrection journey where she arrived in heaven in April 1994. During that care-giving experience, I also felt the call to enter some form of professional ministry.

I finished my Bachelor’s Degree at University of La Verne, in Behavioral Science in 1995, the year I entered seminary. I entered to Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, OH in the summer of 1995, spent my internship year in Tucson, Arizona, finished the M.Div. program and was ordained in December of 1999. I served two congregations as pastor full-time – one in Wisconsin and one in Washington state. I continued by distance in finishing my second theological degree, called the S.T.M., and graduated in June 2006. My thesis topic was “Inclusiveness for Persons with Disabilities in the Congregation.” After graduating I served ELCA churches in various forms of ministry including supply pastor, interim “continuous supply,” and disabilities ministry.

ALL ARE WELCOME AT CLC. I am glad to be at such a beautiful, active, and welcoming congregation. I am a “Reconciled in Christ” Lutheran, therefore open to serving all people, including people of all gender identities and sexual orientations. I am available for counsel and conversation for LGBT individuals, and to everyone for related concerns.

Do read our Welcoming Statement on the main page as well, and come worship with us!

My role at CELC: Coordinator of Visitation and Seniors Ministry. My service at CLC is to coordinate visitation programs for our members and Luther View residents. I am here at CLC half-time (20 hours per week).

Daily, my role is to get to know and advocate in the community for seniors and health-related programs, to visit and coordinate visitation with our CLC members and Luther View residents and coordinate special events for the seniors of Luther View and CLC.

For Luther View, I work with the Luther View board and with the manager of the Luther View apartments to facilitate good community life, healthy relationships, and effective ministry. We plan activities to enrich people’s lives with spiritual, emotional, and physical health! Our monthly seniors’ activities are a lot of fun! Check out our Luther View Newsletter, on the website under “Newsletters!”

For Christ Lutheran Church, I coordinate the Stephen Ministry leadership team and its monthly meetings. I assist in developing a shepherding ministry for new connections in neighborhood small groups that will become active this fall. I coordinate help and counsel for people who are in need or are undergoing transitions to new living situations. From time to time I teach a class, preach a sermon, and play a musical instrument at CLC.

Most fulfilling part of my job: I can use my favorite gifts of visitation, advocacy, counsel, and compassionate ministries as part of the CELC team.

Spiritual Gifts: Living each day by grace through faith, I believe God has called me to Christ to serve the congregation and the community using those gifts that are fulfilling in my life – visitation, advocacy, teaching, disabilities ministries, counseling and music.

Hobbies: Family activities, writing, playing musical instruments; hiking, bicycling, walking, cross country skiing; photography, and foreign language fluency. Cultural interests: China and Eastern Europe (my children’s heritage), and family heritage in Lancashire, England and Hamburg, Germany. Most recently I have joined the Reigning Bells of Christ Lutheran Church -- our new handbell choir!