The Rev. Dr. Greg G. Busboom, Bishop
The Rev. Dr. Greg G. Busboom, Bishop
( Bishop )

Ordained in 1999, the Rev. Dr. Greg G. Busboom grew up near Flatville in east central Illinois. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and History from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in 1995, a Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio in 1999, and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Congregational Mission and Leadership from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2018. His doctoral thesis is titled Perichoretic Worship: Cultivating Relationships with the Triune God, with One Another, and with the World.

Bishop Busboom served as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Carthage, Illinois from 1999-2007, the Pastor of Outreach and Discipleship at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Springfield, Illinois from 2007-2011, and the Lead Pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Springfield, Illinois from 2011-2023. He was elected bishop of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod in June 2023.

Bishop Busboom has been married to his wife, Maressa, for 27 years. Maressa is an R.N., B.S.N. who works as a school nurse at Rochester Elementary School. They have three children. Emma is a graduate student in elementary education at the University of Illinois in Springfield. Luke is a senior at Saint Louis University, majoring in public health. Liam is a 7th grader at Glenwood Middle School in Chatham.

Bishop Busboom enjoys good food, good music, and a good book.

The Rev. Amy Ziettlow
The Rev. Amy Ziettlow
( Assistant to the Bishop for Transformational Leadership )
Responsibilities:
  • First Call Theological Education
  • Interim ministry
  • Call process
  • Candidacy
  • Synod-authorized ministry
  • Liaison to Candidacy Committee

Pastor Amy Ziettlow was ordained in the ELCA in 2001 and served in congregational ministry in Illinois and Louisiana. She most recently served as pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Decatur. Before that, she worked for The Hospice of Baton Rouge, first as director of volunteer services and chaplain and later as chief operating office. Her first call was as assistant pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Marion, Illinois.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in letters from the University of Oklahoma, where she danced and toured with the Oklahoma Festival Ballet Company; and a Master of Divinity at the University of Chicago. She is the co-author, with Naomi Cahn, of “Homeward Bound: Modern Families, Elder Care and Loss.”

Pastor Amy is married to the Reverend Michael Karunas, senior minister at Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Decatur. They are the parents of three children. She currently dances and teaches with Decatur Community Dance, a non-profit dance company and school she co-founded.

Deacon Jason Fisher
Deacon Jason Fisher
( Director for Evangelical Mission )

Deacon Fisher is well-known in our synod, having grown up at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Champaign where he served as the Director of Youth and Family Ministry since 2007. In addition, over the years Deacon Fisher has been a key leader in our synod youth ministries, Leadership Lab, and Crossways Confirmation Camp.

Prior to returning to Good Shepherd in Champaign, Deacon Fisher served as the Youth and Education Director at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Rockford. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Youth Ministries from Greenville College and his Certificate in Spiritual Direction from Lenoir-Rhyne University. Deacon Fisher is a lover of board games and uses board games in his ministry to build and grow relationships with others. His personal ministry statement comes from Isaiah 50:4 — “The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning God wakens — wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.”

Deacon Fisher is married to Samantha who works as the education assistant for Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. They have two sons, Zechariah and Silas.

We look forward to welcoming Deacon Fisher to his new role as he helps us all listen more closely to how God’s Spirit is calling our synod to share the good news of Jesus with our neighbors both in our local communities and beyond!

Ms. Kim Zemaitis
Ms. Kim Zemaitis
( Executive Administrative Assistant )

Kim is a Springfield native and currently lives in Sherman with her husband Jeremy and sons Roman and Liam. They are members of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Springfield. The boys keep her busy with their many activities: travel hockey, marching band, musicals, and more.

Kim recently worked as administrative assistant at Idealease in Springfield; before that she was youth program director for the YMCA.

Mr. Michael S. Horn
Mr. Michael S. Horn
( Director of Communications )
Responsibilities:
  • Website and social media
  • Email communications
  • Videographer and editor
  • Congregational communications and technology resource

A Pennsylvania native, Michael joined the synod staff in 2022 as Director of Communications. He previously served as communications manager at the United States Indoor Sports Association for nine years.

His passion for helping the church adapt to new technologies, combined with his education and work experiences, led him to serve as webmaster, social media manager, and technology committee member for his home congregation of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Greencastle, Pa. He also serves as webmaster for Trinity Lutheran Church in Greencastle, Pa., and previously served in the role for Salem Lutheran Church in Marion, Pa.

He has a master’s degree in broadcast and digital journalism from Syracuse University (class of 2012) and a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from Penn State University (class of 2007). Michael is an avid sports fan and cheers for the New England Revolution and New England Patriots, and he enjoys watching international motorsport. He collects Transformers action figures and model starships.

Ms. Jennie Ruth
Ms. Jennie Ruth
( Bookkeeper )
Responsibilities:
  • Bookkeeper

Jennie has worked in the bookkeeping field for 23 years, most of them spent in a public school district in Missouri. She has also done some time working in a CPA office and in corporate bookkeeping and tax work.

She recently moved to Springfield, Illinois, from the Springfield, Missouri, area with her husband and two adult children. Jennie’s husband is Associate Regional Minister of Transformation for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Illinois and Wisconsin region. Her son is currently a cook at a restaurant in Springfield and lives at home as he gets on his feet and can find a place of his own. Her daughter is studying Physical Therapy at Maryville University in St. Louis, so they don’t see nearly enough of her anymore.

Jennie is very excited to be working for the Synod and having the opportunity to do a job she enjoys in a ministry setting.