Grant Director

Kris Bjorke is a passionate leader in children, youth, and family ministry with over 30 years of experience in both long-term and interim roles. Since January 2024, she has directed the Age to Age Initiative at Capital University, a Lilly Endowment-funded project equipping congregations to nurture children’s faith through intergenerational worship and prayer.

A graduate of Luther Seminary’s doctoral program, Kris brings a collaborative approach to ministry, supporting both volunteer and paid leaders. She co-founded and led InterServe Ministries for 15 years, providing interim ministry during times of transition. Her national churchwide work includes roles with the ELCA Youth Gathering and as interim youth ministry director at the ELCA’s churchwide office.

Based in Minneapolis, Kris lives with her husband, Scott, and enjoys time with their two daughters—Julia and her husband Owen in Burnsville, Minnesota, and Emily and her fiancé Alex in Los Angeles, California.

Grant Specialist

MerLynne Byrne has served in the Episcopal Church for over 25 years, currently serving as the Executive Director of Church Operations at St. Martin’s by-the-Lake Episcopal Church in Minnesota. In this role, she leads the development of strategic systems to support parish life, including volunteer engagement, event planning, and evangelism. 

In addition to her work at St. Martin’s, MerLynne serves as a Lead Consultant with Ministry Architects, where she brings her expertise in project management and coaching to support churches, judicatories, and denominations across the country.

She holds a B.S. in Child Psychology and an MPA from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She also holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Humphrey School, an Advanced Certificate (Level III) in Christian Education from the Seminary of the Southwest, and is a certified trainer for Safeguarding God’s Children.

Beyond her church work, MerLynne has interned with the Search Institute, developed curriculum focused on anxiety and mindfulness for student tutors, trained suicide hotline volunteers, and is a certified Crisis Counselor.

Grant Specialist

Pete Erickson is an organizational leadership expert with a passion for coaching, change leadership, and organizational development. Pete has more than 25 years of congregational leadership experience and has been coaching and mentoring congregational pastors and staff over the last 20 years. Additionally Pete has worked with more than 40 congregations in his time with Interserve Ministries serving congregations in transition.

Pete has a Communication degree from Concordia College and a Masters degree in Organizational Leadership from Saint Mary's University in Minneapolis. Pete lives in Hudson, WI with his wife, Selena and daughter Ellie lives in Woodbury, MN. 

Grant Coach

Janny [yani] Franken was born and raised in The Netherlands. After receiving her Masters’ degree in Educational Sciences and a Bachelor’s

degree in Pedagogy, she worked in settings where she could use her observational and critical analysis strengths, advising parents and professionals on how to improve their ability to work with and raise children and youth with

special needs.

Janny moved to the US in 2005 and served as a leader of an improvement process overarching 3 Dutch Language & Culture schools in Southern California. In 2012, she started working at a church to grow and improve their Children

Ministries, worked in Youth Ministry and as Congregational Life Director where her focus was to guide the congregation through the transition of becoming a Reconciling in Christ congregation (welcoming LGBTQ+).

She is excited to have her own coaching business since 2020, and is an ICF - Professional Certified Coach. She has completed ELCA Team Coaching and ELCA Mission Development & Congregational Vitality Coach training.

Janny is passionate about bringing improvement to organizations and leading leaders through change, towards a desired future. She thrives when clients reach their goals, are willing to be held accountable and celebrate their accomplishments.  

Grant Specialist

Kari Osmek has been serving in congregations as a professional Children, Youth, and Family Ministry Director since 1984.  She has worked with over 25 congregations through InterServe Ministries as an intentional interim ministry consultant, as well as serving in long-term calls in Eau Claire Wisconsin, St Louis Park Minnesota, and Rogers Minnesota. 

Kari has worked with Spirit and Truth Publishing since 2015, writing and editing many of their Children, Youth, Confirmation, and Cross+Gen Education and Worship materials. She is also an editor and discussion moderator for Faith+Lead at Luther Seminary and has written projects through Augsburg Fortress publishing. Kari did her undergraduate work in Family Life Education and has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and Management. 

She lives in Nowthen, MN, with her husband Darrell, son Drake, and assorted cats and dogs. For fun she builds dollhouses and attempts all the crafts on Pinterest.

Grant Specialist

Diane Schwiger-Alexander (she/her) is a Deacon in the ELCA and serves in a congregational setting as the Dir. of Youth and Family Ministry. She has served in congregational ministry for over 30 years as a volunteer, lay staff, and a rostered minister in a variety of settings. She also has her doctorate degree in Organizational Leadership with a research focus on congregational-based pastoral leadership for collaborative and distributive ministry. 

Diane lives in central Ohio with her husband, David and spoiled “empty-nester” cat, Beso. She spends much of her vacation time visiting her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter in NC and son in GA.