LEADERSHIP
Leadership
Bethany Ulrich, Pastor Bethany is originally from the suburbs of Chicago. She graduated with a B.A. in sociology (with minors in theology and Spanish) from Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles, CA. For fifteen years, she channeled her passion for facilitating personal and social transformation into coordinating a variety of projects and programs in Los Angeles, Mexico, and Chicago. She worked to end health disparities through advocacy and community coalitions at Community Health Councils, developed an immersion program for Mexican nonprofit AMEXTRA out of Mexico City, and coordinated research projects at the Smart Decarceration Project at the University of Chicago. Throughout this time, Bethany discerned a call to ministry and graduated with an MDIV, emphasis in Hispanic Ministry, from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 2021. She is excited to partner in ministry with First Evangelical Lutheran Church as Pastor. Her passions in ministry include preaching the Gospel, bilingual worship and ministry, caring for those in need, and seeking for justice for all of God’s people. She loves traveling, hiking, and eating tacos. Her favorite Bible stories include Moses and the burning bush and Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. |
Dwayne Cook, is our talented organist and director of our choir and chimes. He started playing the piano almost 50 years ago. He has played for most every denomination there is. Dwayne studied music at Golden Valley Lutheran College in Minnesota.
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Vickie Kwiatkowski has been with First Lutheran for over 30 years. She is our Office Manager and the person to contact about payments, schedules, or operations. She is a short senior citizen who gets a little crazy sometimes. We're thankful to have Vickie on our team!
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Karen Kirchdoerfer is our Office Secretary. She has been a lifelong member of First Lutheran and is the historian of our congregation. Genealogical inquiries go directly to her. Karen creates our worship bulletins each week and is part of our choir. Karen has a wealth of history knowledge and is a great asset to our community!
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