Rev. Evan Gaertner, Pastor
Pastor Gaertner was born in Shawano, Wisconsin, on January 19, 1975, the youngest of three boys. He is the son of the Reverend Mark Gaertner and Kathy Myers. He was baptized into Christ Jesus on January 26, 1975. Evan was united in marriage with Christina Marie nee Dunklau on July 5, 1997. He is the father of Henry Paul, born May 17, 2003, and Lucas Carl, born August 20, 2005.
After graduating from Lutheran High School North in Macomb, Michigan, he received his undergraduate education from Valparaiso University where he graduated in 1997 with a BA in Classical Languages and the Humanities. In the fall of 1997 he began his studies for the Holy Ministry at Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, Missouri, receiving the Master of Divinity degree on May 18, 2001.
On April 25, 2001, the Lord of the Church called Evan to serve as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church. On June 10th of the same year, Evan was ordained at his home congregation, Trinity Lutheran Church, Clinton Township, Michigan. On July 1, 2001, Evan was installed as Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church. He was the District Counselor for the Eastern District of the LWML.
December 2008, the Lord of the Church called Evan to serve as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hamburg, Michigan. He currently is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary.
You can follow his preparations for sermons and other things at his blog. TheRevEv.wordpress.com.
You can friend him on Facebook. Facebook.com/therevev.
Go ahead and email him.
Vicar Will Hooper
Vicar Will Hooper and his wife Becky will be at St. Paul Lutheran Church July 2012-July 2013. Vicar Will is a student at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis and he is at our congregation for a one year practical experience. His home congregation is Messiah Lutheran Church, Midland, Michigan.
Vicar Will shared this biography as a word of introduction to our congregation:
“I am Will Hooper, a life-long Christian, completing my final year at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. My work and life experiences have been blessed by God and I am proud of what He has done in mine and my family’s lives. Being a second career student, my life experiences are a bit more diverse than many of my younger classmates. I believe we inspire each other. I graduated Western High School in Bay City, Michigan at seventeen years old and started classes the following September at Ferris State University in Machine Tool Technology. I continued on in 1980 in Manufacturing Engineering and graduated in 1984 hand have worked in industry for twenty five years. I have been working since I was eleven years old. Work for me has always been a rewarding, interesting and undertaken with a drive for accomplishment.
I was raised in a Lutheran grade school and in my twenties began to mature spiritually. By God’s grace I was enlightened by His word and grew in my love for Jesus. I found myself drawn to a girl named Becky who I had met at a friend’s wedding. She was a Christian! We dated long distance while I was in college. In 1986 we were married. It seems goals then became togetherness and yes, children! I wanted three or four, but am completely blessed with two. It was at the point I first held our first child in my palms that I really understood that my life was not my own. I then set a fixed goal of spending eternity my my family in heaven someday. God’s grace is still working through the details of these prayers, and I will trust Him.
We were involved in Scouting, soccer, band, drama and football. Life really is just a vapor, and then it is gone. Our kids are both in college now also. My professional life brought me considerable satisfaction and through it God allowed us to grow as a believing family. There have been many opportunities to serve in the church my family was involved in. I have led the Stewardship and Christian Education boards, led VBS and worked twice on a call committee. Yet an inner desire was building, one I would resist for fifteen years; the call to be a pastor. Now our goals have moved past a laymen’s level and into full time ministry.
Becky has listened for God’s prompting and has agreed to follow me into the shadowy future. in one way we are less sure of our future than we have ever been. yet on a spiritual plane, we are as sure as could be! Today the desire I have had to become a pastor is one year closer to being a reality.
Becky and I struggled with the intense study schedule which did not subside until May. We have a grip on our finances and manage to get by, with God’s provision. I came to seminary thinking I knew a lot about religion. Today I do not think myself as a great at anything. The experience has left me humbled and awed by God. I pray the same has happened in your lives. I look forward to meeting with you, if this is your desire. In His loving arms, Will Hooper”
So what is a vicar... The vicar is a theological student who is continuing his theological training by gaining supervised practical experiences on a full-time basis in a parish or related setting and by reflecting upon that experience with his supervising pastor and others. The vicar is neither a pastor nor an assistant pastor. Since he is a student assistant and not a called pastor or assistant pastor, he should be designated “Vicar” or “Mister,” but not “Pastor” or “Reverend.” The use of a title rather than the student’s first name reflects the significance of his position.
Mike Hausch, Director of Christian Education
Sandy Mastenbrook, Secretary
Elise Blackney, Secretary
Wendy Suter, Secretary
Sheila Wortmann, Treasurer
Shelly McCloskey, Financial Secretary
Lydia Vedder, Organist
Su Hausch, Organist
Linda Gamble, Sunday School Superintendent
Jean Schneider, Librarian
Elise Blackney, Newsletter Editor
Leadership Team
Mike Hausch
Anna Balhoff
Rev. Evan Gaertner
Bob Vedder
Sheri Falzone
Vince Fazone
Tami King
Jack Stewart
Sheila Wortmann
Mary Brandau, Recording Secretary
Board of Governors
Deb Vanderweel
Marc Wohlfeil
Chris Mowers
