Jeannette (Krause) Newton GR ’16 serves in family life ministry, calls Concordia Nebraska master’s program “a perfect fit”

Jeannette (Krause) Newton GR ’16 received a master’s degree in family life education from Concordia University, Nebraska the same year that her youngest child, Alyssa, graduated from the university with a bachelor’s degree.  

“Though I knew Concordia Nebraska by reputation, I became more intimately familiar with it as our youngest two children attended there beginning in 2010,” she explained. “As I was researching family life ministry programs, I realized Concordia Nebraska's was a perfect fit for me. I serve as a volunteer on staff at our church as family life ministry coordinator, and I looked for a program that would help me to define direction to best serve the families in our faith community as well as our neighbors.” 

“Though I knew Concordia Nebraska by reputation, I became more intimately familiar with it as our youngest two children attended there beginning in 2010. As I was researching family life ministry programs, I realized Concordia Nebraska's was a perfect fit for me.”

In addition to her master’s degree from Concordia Nebraska, Newton – who goes by Jeannie - has a bachelor of science in elementary education from Northern Illinois University. She taught a variety of grades in both public and parochial schools before homeschooling her five children. Since 2010, she has served as family life ministry coordinator at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Rockford, Illinois. Aside from her passion for family life ministry, she enjoys sewing, baking, running and spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren.  

“I have the privilege of serving wonderful families in many capacities but am always hoping to champion the needs of the family in our culture,” she said. “My husband and I have been married for 45 years and have five children. We loved our years of raising them and are also relishing grandparenthood to our 16 grandchildren!” 

She said her studies at Concordia Nebraska had a great impact on her daily work. 

“The course work gave me a comprehensive foundation and introduced me to various perspectives so we can move forward from an informed position,” she said. “I'm thankful for the faith-based instruction, which is so crucial to my work!” 

Concordia University, Nebraska’s Family Life Education master’s degree program allows participants to enhance their churchwork role and guide congregations using Scripture with an emphasis on faith and family perspectives.