Stephani and Mike Stachniak moved to Montgomery Village this summer and wasted no time in beginning to connect with our community. Mike was beginning his residency as a doctor at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and the couple showed up at Good Shepherd worship in June as I recall. I had the good fortune of visiting with them in their home very soon after, and it was quickly obvious to me that they wanted to get connected here and meet other people. At the same time, it also became apparent they were going to bring new ideas and help make things happen as soon as they could. They attended one of our fellowship lunches over the summer with other Good Shepherd members and have been playing a key role in helping Parish Life & Fellowship Ministry soar to new heights.

During my sabbatical, Stephani took the initiative (along with Scott Brown who is also the leader of our Parish Life and Fellowship Running Group -- Thanks, Scott!) to go visit our Metro DC Synod Assistant to the Bishop, Pastor Amy Sevimli. Pr. Amy sought them out as contacts here at Good Shepherd as she’s a key player in getting Metro area churches to spark Young Adult Ministry in their parishes.

That must have been all the encouragement that was needed as Stephani and Scott led efforts to plan and host our first Young Adult event: Trivia Night at Rockafellas pub on Oct. 20. That outing brought out 22 young adults. It was a great event where the crowd was gracious and allowed this "old guy" to come on by! I had a great time and was so energized I could hardly sleep that night.

In the days after the event, I have seen Stephani reaching out and working with others to plan future get togethers. At Parish Life & Fellowship meetings, she is ready to contribute fun ideas that have worked in past church and community events she’s been involved with. (Coming up for Young Adults are a BBQ lunch at Branded 72 to watch the Redskins vs. Cowboys game, as well as an Ugly Christmas Sweater Potluck Party.) I see Stephani connecting via Facebook and email, reaching out to Good Shepherd’s 20s and 30-somethings and their friends. I see her enthusiasm for helping Good Shepherd really spark and connect with other young adults. I see her saying: "I can do this. I can help make a difference."

Stephani’s friendliness and out-going personality are key elements in energizing not only activities but also in getting others involved to bring a Young Adults Group to life in our diverse faith community. “Stephani brought tremendous energy and initiative to the Parish Life & Fellowship Committee when she joined the group in July, helping to expand Good Shepherd's fellowship opportunities,” explained chairman Mike Lionberger.

“Stephani has been instrumental in getting the Young Adult Group started, taking the lead in culling info from the Good Shepherd files so we can build a database of young adults and also pitching ideas for the first few events so we can sustain the momentum of our first event success,” commented Scott Brown of Stephani’s role. “Stephani believes the church community holds an important place in our lives, and she's shown that through the fantastic job

she's done bringing the young adults at Good Shepherd together,” added Colleen Fischer, who with husband Scott helps coordinate Running Group and Young Adults Group events.

Youth Director David Shaffer’s also grateful for Stephani’s help with Youth outings. “One of the wonderful things about Stephani is that she is willing to step in and assist wherever she is needed. She has been especially influential in bringing the Young Adults Group to life, but she also has helped with our Youth program,” David commented. “She sees the opportunities and capabilities of this congregation and is doing everything she can to take it to the next level. She has truly been a blessing for Good Shepherd.”

Married in May 2010, Stephani and Mike both have Midwestern roots. They met while students at Indiana’s Valparaiso University, where Stephani received her Bachelor’s degree in marketing and public relations. She has a Master’s degree in nonprofit administration from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. Prior to moving to the Gaithersburg area, she worked on the admissions staff at Illinois Institute of Technology and is now continuing her career in admissions at The Catholic University of America here in Washington.

Growing up Stephani attended Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Manchester, MO (a sign? I think so!) where she was actively involved in youth activities. Stephani explained that she and Mike have always made their faith a stronghold of their relationships. Since they came from different denominations (Stephani, Lutheran and Mike, Catholic), choosing a church was not easy. While at Valpo, Mike and Stephani attended Chapel services as well as Mass at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church.

Although double church on Sundays is fun, Stephani said they decided it was time to choose a home church when they moved to Chicago, and have now found a new home at Good Shepherd. For fun Mike and Stephani enjoy playing cards, hiking, biking and rooting for their respective sports teams (St. Louis Cardinals for Stephani and the Chicago White Sox and Bears for Mike). The couple is enjoying their home together in Montgomery Village, getting to know the Washington, DC area, and sightseeing as much as Mike’s busy schedule as a medical resident allows. Stephani and Mike officially joined Good Shepherd’s congregation in October.

“We knew Good Shepherd was going to be our new home church after our first service -- by the welcoming congregation, uplifting music, active adult and youth programs, and its mission to grow in both worship and fellowship,” Stephani commented. “We hope to continue to grow our faith in the community at Good Shepherd and use our time and talents to be involved in other programming opportunities."

Stephani, thanks for the great energy and joy you have brought. We are so glad to have you and Mike as part of our ministry. -- Pastor Dave Sonnenberg

Stephani in Action at Good Shepherd

• Stephani at the Cupcake Shop
• With the Good Shepherd Youth
• Stepani and Mike Wedding
• In Annapolis
• In front of the Capitol
• Stephani and Mike on vacation
• Stephani and Mike in Hawaii
• Stephani at Trivia Night with Young Adults