Erik Goehner
Thousand Oaks,California
Summary
Dynamic Senior Pastor with a proven track record at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, experienced in organizational leadership and public speaking. Led successful fundraising campaigns for making campus improvements and enhancing community outreach and engagement. Adept in budget preparation and financial management, fostering strong relationships with donors and volunteers to drive impactful ministry initiatives.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Pastor
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
01.2015 - Current
- Led worship services, enhancing congregational engagement and spiritual growth.
- Developed and implemented community outreach programs to address local needs.
- Mentored junior staff and lay leaders, fostering leadership development within the church.
- Facilitated Bible study groups, promoting theological education and community building.
- Collaborated with church council on strategic planning and mission initiatives.
- Provided spiritual care through visitation, counseling, and prayer.
- Built strong relationships with community organizations, collaborating on projects that aligned with shared values and goals.
- Expanded missions outreach efforts to include partnerships with international organizations, increasing global impact on communities in need.
- Oversaw administration and management of all areas of ministry.
- Worked with task force to connect with several hundred donors in order to renew and revise their pledges to free up money for multiple repair projects as well as new building projects.
Worked with task force and church council to complete a $250,000 building project to support church sanctuary and do church sanctuary renovation
Worked with task force and Church council to complete a $1.2 million building and renovation project on church campus. Worked with task force and church council to do a Capital Campaign to complete the project.
Worked with task force and Church council to complete long-term vision for a memory garden and Collin barium. Organized fundraising campaign to raise over $100,000 to complete the project from people pre-purchasing niches.
Worked with and nurtured donor relationships for the building projects, as well as an individual donor who helps to fund our music ministry - Lead pastor on the annual pledge drive and stewardship campaign
Developed theme, wrote multiple appeal letters, and created events to celebrate, inform, and say thank you to donors. Event-planning often included dinners for large groups of people. - Lead pastor on Church finance and property committee. This involved soliciting budget request, creating the budget, the budget approved at the congregational meeting and tracking the budget throughout the year.
- Participated in an interfaith program, providing winter shelter for three months and weekly meals for those in need.
Our church was one of seven houses of faith That hosted this program
Worked with local non-profit called Harbor House, which provides service to the unhoused in Thousand Oaks. We became the host site for their daily free meal during Covid as well as a storage site for food and water. We have continued this for the last five years. This includes ongoing cooperation and agreement for our partnership in ministry. - Lead pastor in planning, tracking, and communicating about organizational budget of $500,000 to $600,000.
- Helped to do rebranding effort for the congregation. This included working with the church council and a task force to creating a new website, new logo, as well as developing new mission statements.
- Helped to develop policies around volunteers, facility use, workplace violence and financial procedures. Pastoral advisor for process of upating church constitution, bylaws, and continuing resolutions.
- Recruited Tasks Force and worked with church council to establish an endowment fund on the congregation with has grown to distributions of $10,000 for church ministries and community outreach.
- Oversee and supervise part-time and full-time staff of 8-10 people.
- Help to oversee and engage with 40+ volunteers
Associate Pastor
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
08.2000 - 12.2014
- Lead Pastor for Service and Missions ministries. Developed and implemented community outreach programs to strengthen congregational engagement.
- Provided pastoral care, counseling, and support to individuals and families in need.
- Coordinated worship services, ensuring alignment with theological principles and community needs.
- Led Bible study groups, fostering spiritual growth and discipleship among participants.
- Supervised Two other staff members
- Recruited task force and worked with church council to set up an endowment fund for youth and community outreach
- Participated in planning, tracking communicating about organizational budget at of $500,000 to $600,000.
- Was the pastoral representative on Church finance committee. This involved soliciting budget request, creating the budget, the budget approved at the congregational meeting and tracking the budget throughout the year.
- Worked with a coalition of six congregation from different combinations to begin a weekly free meal in Camarillo. I was on the advisory board at began the ministry and continued to keep it going for several years. It was called Many Meals.
- Nurtured donor relationships within the congregation on an ongoing basis for a variety of ministries after learning of donor’s interest and passion. This included for youth ministries, or multiple nonprofits on a local, national, international level.
Helped to plan, organize and recruit volunteers to put together multiple fundraising events for youth activities. Events raise on from $1000-$10,000.
Did this for 14 years
Part of a church wide fundraising effort to build a volunteer center at a church in Slidell Louisiana after hurricane Katrina. Over $45,000 was fundraised. - Worked with committees and council to develop long-term plan for youth and family ministries and incorporating faith development for children and families from preschool to high school
- Helped to do rebranding effort for the congregation. This included working with the church councils and a task force to create a new website, new logo, as well as developing a new mission statement.
- Help to oversee and engage with 50+ volunteers
Education
Master of Arts - Theology
Wartburgy Theological Seminary
Dubuque, IA06-1999
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature
Augustana Campus of University of Alberta
Camrose, Alberta, Canada05-1994
High School Diploma -
Columbus High School
Columbus MT06-1990
Skills
- Teaching
- Organizational leadership
- Pastoral and Congregational care
- Stewardship Education/ Fundraising
- Public speaking
- Budget Preparation and Financial Management
- Writing/ Editing
- Event Planning
- Volunteer Recruitment/ Management
Certification
Grief Counseling Certificate
Climate Change Certificate from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Certificate from Prepare and Enrich Marriage Counseling
Stephen Ministry Certificate
Timeline
Senior Pastor
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
01.2015 - Current
Associate Pastor
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
08.2000 - 12.2014
Master of Arts - Theology
Wartburgy Theological Seminary
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature
Augustana Campus of University of Alberta
High School Diploma -
Columbus High School