Bonnie was consecrated a Diaconal Minister in The United Methodist Church in June of 1997 in the Great Rivers Annual Conference (IL). She immediately transferred to the Iowa Annual Conference where she worked as the McCosh Assistant Professor of Music at Upper Iowa University and in a volunteer position as The Dubuque District Choral Consultant.
In 2005 she transferred to the Northern Illinois Conference where she worked first and foremost as a composer, organist in a variety of churches, director of the Johansen-Werner Music Studio, Professor in Voice at Joliet Junior College and later Professor of Piano. She continues to teach Keyboard Skills at the University of St. Francis where she also accompanies the Claritas Master Chorale.
Diaconal Ministers are “lay persons who received a call to serve in ministries of specialized service in and on behalf of the church. They serve within congregations, charges or cooperative parishes, Church-related agencies, ecumenical agencies or ministries that extend the witness and service of Christ’s love and justice in the world. It is no longer possible to become a diaconal minister. There are approximately 240 active diaconal ministers and 270 who are retired.” (Board of Ministry Handbook of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church)
Bonnie’s training for Diaconal Ministry included earning a Master’s Degree in Church Music at Concordia University (River Forest), and completing graduate courses in Theology (Garrett Evangelical Seminary, Evanston, IL), Old Testament, New Testament, Mission and Evangelism, Worship, and Doctrine (University of Dubuque Theological Seminary). She met some great students and inspirational professors on the journey and learned so much about God’s church and our world. Bonnie is actively engaged in the work of the Diaconate, but official declared retirement status with the Northern Illinois Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church to enable her to do more hands on ministry.