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Candi (Brokaw) Menze '02 serves at LCMS Nebraska District Office, at LCMS Youth Gathering

Seward, NE (07/14/2025) — Candi (Brokaw) Menze '02 grew up in a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregation and had a great pastor youth leader throughout confirmation and high school who connected her and others to the LCMS Youth Gathering. She was familiar with Concordia University, Nebraska because her best friend was a year older and Menze visited her on campus a few times and was excited to join her at the university.

"I loved my visits to Concordia's campus and liked the smaller size and intimate feel. I felt like it would be a good fit for me," she said. "I liked that it felt like high school, but better. It was small enough that I knew almost everyone on campus. There was a connection somewhere to almost everyone."

Menze has a bachelor of science in business administration and said her time on campus not only helped her discover her purpose but also prepared her for her current service.

"My business professors helped me to build confidence in my abilities and to build relationships. I also worked for the alumni and university relations office as an intern for Laurie Friedrich. She was super supportive and encouraging. I was able to take those relationships with me after graduation to understand what a good working relationship should look like. I've been able to use this in working with many different people in lots of different settings. For the most part, I find it easy to connect and work with most anyone," she explained. "Being a business major, I didn't necessarily plan to work in or for a church. However, after several years in the secular world, God's plan for me was to support church workers in the Nebraska District. I'm thankful for the Christian atmosphere that Concordia offered me. I've enjoyed reconnecting with many college friends and colleagues in a variety of ways in the years I've been at the District Office."

After graduation, Menze moved to Lincoln and worked for an insurance company for two years. She had a bachelor's degree but no experience, so she started in a data entry position, but quickly moved into other roles with the company with new responsibilities.

"I always had an interest in human resources, which wasn't an option at Concordia during my time. So my next venture was a short stint at a temp/hiring agency," she said. "Though I thought it would be a good avenue into HR, I was quickly corrected and told that they were in sales. Needless to say, that's not where I wanted to be. So they placed me in a new position at NAI FMA Realty."

She worked for NAI/FMA for seven years, first as the receptionist, then in the accounting department in several roles. In 2010, she moved from Lincoln to rural Utica/Staplehurst/Gresham (which she affectionately calls the middle of nowhere) to build a home near her husband's family farm. That move brought her closer to Seward, which ended up meaning a job in the LCMS Nebraska District office, where she has served for 14 years.

"I was hired as administrative assistant to the executive for education and youth. I also supported our executive for church worker health and the LCMS foundation gift planner, each for a short time," she explained. "Over the last 14 years at the District Office, my role has evolved immensely. I started out doing mostly secretarial and support work. Though my title hasn't changed, my responsibilities have, and I've taken ownership of my role. I've been named support staff coordinator to manage discussions among our five support staff members. I plan our staff 'pray and play' days. We meet once every other month for retreat or to do a fun activity together for team building. I also schedule our weekly staff Bible study and handle lots of miscellaneous jobs around the office."

She said she has had two different bosses in her current role and with upcoming retirements, there will soon be a third. Each relationship has been different and each person's expectations have been different, which has changed her job description and is much of the reason her job has evolved to what it is today.

"The job is to support and be a resource to the commissioned ministers of the Nebraska District. I handle all roster paperwork for teachers, DCEs, deaconesses, directors of music and others, basically all called workers except the pastors. I manage files for over 900 workers, with 615 of those being rostered workers," she said. "I also work with the District scholarship committee, National Lutheran School Accreditation and plan lots of the District events."

She works closely with and supports Education Executive Bob Ziegler who serves as superintendent for all the Lutheran schools in the Nebraska District, which includes all of the state except the panhandle. That currently includes 30 elementary schools, six high schools and 27 free-standing early childhood centers. She sends a monthly newsletter to school administrators, another to DCEs and another to early childhood directors. She also works closely with the DCEs in the Nebraska District and plans an annual administrators conference in the spring.

"We host a Middle School Youth Gathering each November. This year will be our first annual DCE retreat. Many of our other events are on a triennial rotation," she said. "Those that I plan include a High School Youth Gathering, District Convention and All Professional Church Workers' Conference. I also serve as District Coordinator for the Nebraska District for the LCMS Youth Gathering."

Menze serves as District Coordinator for the Nebraska District for the LCMS Youth Gathering. This role entails serving as a resource to our congregations and the adult leaders for the time leading up to the gathering. She shares information, answer questions and collaborates with other District Coordinators. There are 1,300 participants from Nebraska registered to attend the gathering in New Orleans this summer. Menze attended the youth gathering twice as a youth and has served four youth gatherings as district coordinator.

"I love the relationships that I have built with the people I work with. Though my role is to support them, I find that their friendship is a great support to me as well. I appreciate working in a place where it's about the people and not about making money," she said. "My favorite part of my job is the youth gatherings. Being able to pay forward the support I received through Confirmation and high school and my involvement in the National Youth Gathering as a youth is very fulfilling. I love the excitement the kids have at the gatherings. I love hearing them sing and share their talents. It's just so rewarding to be part of a large group praising God together!"

Menze and her husband Brett have two daughters, Rylee and Emery. This year, both of her daughters will be attending the Gathering.

"Though I'm not traveling with them, I'm excited for them to experience the gathering together. I hope to connect with them here and there throughout the week and can't wait to hear their stories and reactions to what they experience. My oldest daughter attended in 2022. She is now almost 19 and since she's still eligible to attend, she is excited to be there with her younger sister. That just makes my heart happy!" she said. "I'm also excited about our Nebraska District event. We will host it on day one of the gathering prior to the opening mass event. We'll be at the Joy Theater on Canal Street for dinner and fun. The event will end with a traditional second-line parade from the theater to the Superdome for the opening event. This is a repeat of our event in 2016. It was so much fun, and I can't wait to see another group experience this fun time!"

Menze said the Youth Gathering had a tremendous impact on her as a youth, and she appreciates that she continues to have the opportunity to be part of the triennial event.

"I love to encourage the youth and their parents to attend the gathering. My goal is that everyone I interact with could attend at least one time! It's an amazing opportunity to worship, connect, learn and serve together with thousands of other Christians," she said. "It shows kids that they are not alone. In this world, they need that support and reassurance. It might be the one thing that keeps them in the faith. And for those that may stray, I pray that it will be that spark that they remember years later, a reminder of God's love for them."

About Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod located in Seward, Nebraska, which currently serves more than 1,700 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

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