Reverend Ann Helmke

Ann Helmke is an ordained Lutheran (ELCA) minister and serves as the Faith Liaison for the City of San Antonio for these past 6 years. Her specific role is to intentionally form community and connective collaboratives between the community of faith, government agencies, nonprofits, and community group to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Coordination and ideation of Compassionate San Antonio also fall under her area of responsibility, and she is co-imagineer of CompassionateUSA with San Antonio’s Mayor Ron Nirenberg. www.CompassionateUSA.org 

Ann’s 30+ years of service in San Antonio include teaching theology and spirituality, workshop and retreat leadership, mission development, co-founding of the all-volunteer and interfaith San Antonio Peace Center, co-authoring a couple books, all with a focus on social justice via civic engagement. 

She recently (Jan.29, 2023) became the 2023 San Antonio Peace Laureate, and in 2022 received an honorary doctorate from Oblate School of Theology. 

All pale in comparison to the seven babies she is passing peace onto in her life – 2 daughters, 2 sons-in-love, 2 gorgeous grand-boys and 1 gregarious grand-girl!