OUR COUNCIL


  • randy steinheimer

    president

    My wife, Debbie, and I joined St. Mark’s in 1992, when our son Nathan was 5 years old.

    Through the years Debbie and I served in the Education Ministry by teaching Sunday

    School, serving on the Worship Team, and teaching Confirmation. At different times I

    served as the Sunday School Superintendent, Co-President of the Child Development

    Center Board, and the Church Council Secretary. After thirty-five years of teaching,

    Debbie and I retired from West Aurora Schools in 2014, and continued to teach

    part time in the School of Education at Aurora University until 2022. We are now

    grandparents and cherish our time with our two grandchildren.


    I have served as the President of the Church Council for the past three years and look

    forward with great optimism to continue serving as President. St. Mark’s has undergone

    a long season of transition, and through it we have remained a strong, resilient, and

    faithful church community. We are now ready to look toward the sunshine and promise

    of 2025. It will be a transformative year in the leadership of St Mark’s, and it is my

    humble honor to continue to serve St. Mark’s.


  • JEANNE FLYNN

    vice-PRESIDENT

    My name is Jeanne Flynn, and I have been a member of St. Mark’s since 1993. I am

    married to Michael, and we have one daughter, Rebecca (Becca) who is 28. I am

    currently teaching 8th grade confirmation and am involved with McCleery School, VBS,

    bread baking, the Seeker’s women’s group and providing office coverage. Michael and I

    also support many outreach programs and feel that this is one of the areas in which we

    are called to serve.


    As a tenured member of St. Mark’s and, with a social worker’s training and skill, I believe

    I contribute to council through my gift of discernment and my ability to relationship

    build. I am excited to see how and where St. Mark’s will continue to grow, and I want to

    be part of this forward movement. As the probability of new staffing (Pastor & Deacon)

    seem very close, this next Council term also brings with it the excitement of newness

    and the challenge of adjusting to leadership change. I firmly believe that St. Mark’s can

    do this, and I have the energy for this exhilarating work.

  • rob creaney

    treasurer

    My family has been attending St. Mark’s since 2015 and we became members

    in 2018. My wife, Alisa, and I have five kids, three of which are now confirmed

    members, one is an active member of the youth group and one is active in the

    confirmation process. This is my fourth full year on council and third full year as

    Treasurer. You can usually find me and my family supporting Saturday night worship.

    I’ve also been helping on the Stewardship committee, the property team, the

    endowment committee and I am currently one of four individuals who puts the

    building to sleep every night. What we love about St Mark’s more than anything is

    the people and the sense of community.

  • Jon Miller

    congregational secretary

    Jon Miller is a 20-year resident of Aurora and a member of St. Mark’s since 2007. He

    has served in various positions in higher education for 25 years and currently works

    at Northern Illinois University assisting students as a First Year Academic Advisor. He

    and his wife Pam have been married since 2001 and have three children, Ben (17),

    Daniel (14) and Hannah (13), who are active in the Youth Group and Confirmation

    programs and attend West Aurora schools. Jon has participated in music ministry as

    a member of the Lion’s Voice Choir and the Glory Ringers participates in the liturgy

    as a Worship Assistant and is part of the Banner Team. Jon was elected to Council

    in 2022 and was asked to fill the role of Secretary later in that year. He has played

    an active role on the Stewardship Committee and the fall Stewardship campaign. As

    Council Secretary, Jon also authors the Council Happenings information after each

    monthly Council meeting.

  • MIKE BAUMAN

    My wife and I grew up in South Dakota and after college lived in several places.

    Our four children were born in Illinois but mainly grew up in Ohio. We moved back

    to Illinois five and a half years ago to be near our granddaughter. We attended

    Christmas Eve service at St. Mark’s in 2019 and officially joined a year and a half

    later. I have been active leading the Outreach group and getting ESSE at St. Mark’s

    established. I have served on Council for the last three years which has broadened

    my appreciation for how much our members care about helping others and take

    action to do so. St. Mark’s has weathered the challenges of the pandemic and

    pastoral change with members supporting our staff, Council and each other in so

    many ways. I know that we will continue to be there for each other and be a blessing

    for our neighbors and community. Thank you for the opportunity to serve this great

    congregation.

  • matt greising

    My name is Matt Greising. My family joined St. Mark’s in 2001. My wife, Faith, and

    I have three daughters and four grandchildren. On Church Council I coordinate the

    Property Team and provide support for our online presence. In addition to Council

    responsibilities, I play with the Glory Ringers handbell choir because I enjoy making

    music with an amazing team. I am also a member of the group that bakes the bread

    we use for Communion because it is so gratifying to be able to literally feed my

    church family.


    St. Mark’s is blessed with members who are caring and committed to sharing Christ’s

    love with each other and the community around us. I am blessed to be a member.

  • MARY MANDEL

    My name is Mary Mandel, and I became a member of St. Mark’s in 2009 when I was

    pregnant with my oldest son. I am married to Craig, and we have three boys, Aidan

    (14), Ethan (12) and Ryan (9). The areas that I am most passionate about at St. Mark’s

    are the RIC Team where we have made significant strides over the past several years

    in becoming a much more outwardly welcoming congregation, and Youth and Family

    Ministry. I am currently teaching confirmation but have taught Sunday School for

    many years and help with VBS in the summer. I also occasionally play violin in

    worship, alone and with my family.


    I believe that my gifts to council are my ability to listen to many sides and help

    mediate to a resolution (as a teacher that is a necessary skill to have). I am a positive

    person, and I am also very driven as well. I am used to working with many different

    people and am confident that our council is moving in a solid direction to a common

    goal. St. Mark’s is in a good place right now and is

  • MARK MUELLER

    My name is Mark Mueller. I have been a member of St. Mark’s since 1997. I live in Oswego with my wife, Mindy, and our children Lukas and Evelyn. Prior to serving on council, my involvement with St. Mark’s included such committees/activities as the pastoral call committee, synod assembly, The Neighbor Project, and Feed My Starving Children. Since starting on the Council, I have also joined the church property team committee as well as become more involved with assisting during our church services. We at St. Mark’s have undergone, and survived, a lot of change over the past few years and more changes are promised ahead of us. It has been an honor to represent our church in this capacity these past two years and I look forward to continuing this journey and helping in whatever small part I can move our wonderful church and congregation forward!

  • JONI ACKLEY

    COUNCIL RECORDING SECRETARY

    I’m Recording Secretary for Council. I’ve been the Office Manager at St. Mark’s

    since April 2022 and took on the Communications Manager position in October

    of 2023. I’ve lived in Aurora for almost 23 years and I recently became a first time

    home owner. I have a 15 year old cat named Brat, and a 7 year old Rottweiler named

    Reaper that keep me company. Looking forward to seeing where the future might

    lead at St. Mark’s.

  • wILL FISHER

    INTERIM SENIOR PASTOR

    I am a cradle Lutheran. After completing Luther Seminary in St Paul, MN with an

    additional year to complete a certification in Youth and Family Ministry, I was

    ordained to Word and Sacrament ministry. While at seminary, I met and married

    my now ex-wife (and still close friend), Nancy. We have three adult children: Tristan,

    Andy, and Liam. I served Faith Lutheran Church in Brookfield, IL for 11 years. In

    2017, I earned a Master’s in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University of Chicago.

    I also enjoy being active in community theatre, spending time with friends, playing

    board games, and being with my miniature dachshund, Hendricks.