Doug Luginbill accepts conference minister post with Central District Conference
Doug Luginbill of Bluffton will become the conference minister of the Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA beginning Aug. 15.
Locally, First Mennonite Church, Bluffton, and Grace Mennonite Church, Pandora, and Lima Mennonite Church, Lima, are members of CDC. The conference includes 42 congregations in 10 states.
The Central District Conference office will remain in Goshen, Ind., and as conference minister, Luginbill will work from an office in Bluffton.
Luginbill is currently director of resource development and church relations at Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio, a position he has held for 6 1/2 years. He is also a board member of the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce, Bluffton Community Preschool and Pandora Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of Bluffton Lions Club.
For seven years, he was director of Camp Friedenswald, Cassopolis, Mich. He also has 14 years of pastoral ministry experience in Kansas and Ohio.
He replaces Lois Johns Kaufmann, CDC conference minister for the past eight years.
Luginbill is a graduate Pandora-Gilboa High School, Bluffton University and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind., where he holds a master’s of divinity degree.
He and his wife, Paula, are parents of two adult children, Jonathan (married to Kara Marang) and Carissa.
Stories Posted This Week
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
- Columbus Grove-Bluffton Rd. closure planned for up to three weeks
- Two Pirate volleyball players make 1st team All-NWC
- 3 Pirate girls 1st team All-NWC soccer
- Pirates dominate All-NWC boys soccer awards
- Local filmmaker focuses on memories made by people and places
- Bluffton Public Library: Medicare 101
- BHS artists prepare Yankee Doodle Christmas Trees for Jingle Bell Stroll
Monday, October 19, 2026
- Beavers sports roundup, October 14-18
- Ada Icon headlines, October 19
- JessExpress Travel is the Icon's newest advertiser
- Gatchel 7th in girls, Pirates 4th at NWC cross country meet
- Veterans invited to Pandora-Gilboa banquet, November 10
- October 19 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- Wearable sculptures featured in exhibit On Soft Ground
- Historic depot rentals offered for meetings and parties
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Friday, October 16, 2026
- Production offers a modern take on the story of St. Clare of Assisi
- Bluffton volleyball edged in 5 by Van Buren
- Pirate girls soccer tie O-G
- Bluffton Council recap: Officers honored for 25 years of service
- Bluffton Clean Up teams up with Troop 3256 Cub Scouts
- Ada FFA: Feeding the Farmers
- Nov. 7 Fall Community Day at Bluffton University
- Quarry Farm Nature Preserve news for Fall 2026