Team Category: Field Leadership

David began his ministry in 1977 as an evangelistic missionary in Papua New Guinea, where he, his wife Lois, and their three children lived and served until returning to the USA in 1991.  The family settled in St. Louis, as David was called to serve as the Asia Area Secretary of the LCMS Board for Mission Services.  For the next nine years he traveled extensively throughout Asia, supervising the people and programs of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Philippines, China, Papua New Guinea, and Thailand.  He provided leadership for researching and developing goals, objectives and strategies for new and existing Asian mission fields, projects of humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief through LCMS World Relief. 

In 2000 David and Lois were deployed to Hong Kong where David could work more closely with the Synod’s international schools in Hong Kong and Shanghai, while serving as the liaison between the Synod and its partner churches in Asia. 

In 2003, Birner returned to St. Louis to assume global responsibilities for the LCMS as the Associate Executive Director for International Mission.  He brought together a global leadership team that provided a decade of outstanding leadership for LCMS missionaries and LCMS World Mission Programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and the former Soviet Union. 

In 2013 David accepted a Call to Concordia University Wisconsin where he served for 8 years as the Assistant Vice President for International Affairs, overseeing the university’s international programs on campus, while developing international partnerships that expanded the global footprint of CUW on 4 continents.  

 “Now retired, I am delighted to support such an energetic, spirited, and talented team. I am looking forward to drawing on my networks and life experience to support and promote the outreach of MCN, both here in the U.S. and abroad,” said Dr. Birner.

Cindy brings 23 years of missionary experience to her role as director of mission partner care. She began her service with her husband Mike as a missionary with Lutheran Bible Translators in 1991 in the country of Liberia working in relief efforts and literacy. After having to evacuate from Liberia due to civil war, Mike and Cindy continued serving LBT in Botswana. There she worked alongside Mike with the Kalanga people (an ethnic group of over 200,000) in literacy and Bible Translation. Cindy was also involved with church planting and youth work. The Rodewalds served with LBT in Botswana from 1993 to 2008. In 2008 they moved to South Africa to work with the LCMS Office of international Missions. Cindy began serving as Volunteer Coordinator for the southern Africa region. Her service included working with partner churches to find and place short-term LCMS church workers to assist them in service (diaconal) work and spiritual growth. Cindy provided orientation, training and supervision to LCMS missionaries as they served with partner churches in South Africa.

Cindy is excited to be a part of Mission of Christ Network and their vision of networking with our brothers and sisters in Christ here in the US and around the world to share Jesus with those who do not yet know Him. Cindy knows what life can be like on the mission field and how important it is that missionaries feel supported. She feels privileged to be able to lend that support, guidance and encouragement to MCN mission partners as God calls them into His mission in a cross cultural context. When we minister together as the body of Christ, the good news of Jesus’ salvation and love for all cannot be stopped. Ephesians 4:16: “from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Patricia Klekamp is a citizen of the United States of America. She was educated in the USA, receiving her Bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University, Master’s degree from the University of Illinois, Sangamon State, and completing her course of studies for the doctoral program at the University of North Texas.

Patricia began her teaching career in Springfield, Illinois at the new Lutheran High School opening in 1979. She taught several courses, coached, and began her administrative service while in Springfield. She then moved to Dallas, Texas in 1985 where she continued teaching for two years before beginning full-time administrative work. While at Lutheran High School, Dallas, Patricia served as the building Principal from 1987-2001 and then received an appointment to the position of Head of School.

In the fall of 2006, her ministry took her to the international side of education, serving in the position of Principal of the high school division at Hong Kong International School in Hong Kong, SAR. In June of 2014, Patricia returned to the USA to retire, with the intent of serving God through the field of missions.

In March 2015, Mission of Christ Network (MCN) appointed Patricia as the Director of Education, overseeing Lutheran educational networking efforts across the globe.

While in Texas, Pat served on several district committees, as well as on the Board of Directors for the Association of Lutheran Secondary Schools.

She was humbled to be the recipient of the Texas District Administrator of the Year Award and the ALSS Leadership Award. In 2012, Pat was awarded the LEA Educator of the Year Award.

During her tenure at HKIS, Pat was privileged to continue her love for travel and service as she lead a number of service trips to the Philippines, Mongolia, China, and North Vietnam.

Patricia has been enormously blessed by her Lord and Savior, being challenged in many experiences yet being confident in God’s leading and HIS faithfulness throughout her life. To God be the Glory!