Parish Staff
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION/VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Pat Gjere, Associate In Ministry, is the Director of Education/Volunteer Coordinator for the Church. Pat has been a member of Decorah Lutheran Church all her life. She was commissioned as Associate in Ministry from the ELCA and installed as Director of Christian Education on September 21, 1997. She has been Education/Volunteer Coordinator at Decorah Lutheran since 1980.
Email Pat at patg2005@hotmail.com
Todd Hove is the Director of Youth and Family Ministries. Todd comes to this ministry having taught in the public schools for 18 years. He uses this experience in the ministry to youth and families. Todd joined the staff on September 1, 2007.
Email Todd at thove@live.com
Kathy Murray has been our Organist since 1999.
She was born and raised in Iowa, attended the Univ. of Dubuque, and has lived in a number of states. Kathy started playing the organ for her home church when she was 13 years old.
Prior to coming to DLC she had held various positions within Church music departments in addition to being Organist. Those include being a Director of Music, Choir Director for both children’s & adult choirs, Coordinator of Sunday School & Children’s Church programs, & Director of Children’s Bell Choir.
Kathy is also our Contemporary Praise Team Director, as well as being an accompanist for some of the choirs here at DLC.
She has four grown children living in IA, MN, and OR, and 5 grandsons.
Email Kathy at Fun2praisehim@mchsi.com
Vickie Olson serves as office secretary for the church .
I have lived in Decorah all of my life..
After 29 years of service I retired from Decorah Community Schools in 2008. It was an awesome experience. Children are the stars of the future. I learned something new everyday.
My husband, Lewis is presently working for Skyline Materials since February. He worked for Fred Carlson Company/Knife River for 41 years. We have two Sons, Scott and Christopher, a wonderful daughter-in-law, Rachel and 6 of the most beautiful grandchildren anyone could hope for. Lewis and I have been married for 39 years.
Lewis and I enjoy visiting our children and spoiling our grandchildren, fishing, watching movies, and riding our bicycles. We love being with all of our extended families and look forward to each and every gathering we have.
I am so happy to start my next journey with Decorah Lutheran Church. Everyone is so helpful and friendly. Bless all of them for being wonderful helpers.
Email Vickie at lew123@mchsi.com
Ranell Bolson serves as office secretary for the church .
Born and raised in Decorah, Ranell and her husband Jim live on the Bolson Family Farm in Glenwood Township.
She has 8 grandchildren (and can name them all!).
Ranell enjoys gardening, sewing, spending time with her little dogs, and feeding and watching birds.
She has been president of the American Legion Auxiliary # 163-Decorah for 9 years, and also serves as County and District Historian for American Legion Auxiliary.
Ranell has been a board member of Cluster VIII for 6 years.
Email Ranell at ranell969@live.com
Glen Barth serves as Treasurer of Decorah Lutheran Church.
Email Glen at Glenbarth@hotmail.com
Lynne Kuennen has worked at Decorah Lutheran as Custodian since August 2005. She has two daughters, one in college and one in high school. She has been a member of Decorah Lutheran since 1990. She is a member of the Adult Choir and enjoys riding bike. She has done RAGBRAI 19 times.
Email Lynne at lynneak@rconnect.com
Ken Eide (shown here with Lucky) is our missionary in the Bocas del Toro region of Panama.
Ken went to Panama on a mission trip from DLC and was moved to volunteer his time after his retirement in a most unique way - he moved to Panama where he continues to do whatever he can to improve the living situation of the local Guaymi Indians.
Click here for Bocas Notes, communications Ken sends us from Panama.
Email Ken at kene41@gmail.com
Dennis Peterson and Ethan Hougen are in charge of operating our sound system and also record the services for playback on Channel 15 on Wednesday evenings at 6:30. They also send the audio of our services to KWLC.
Jim Womeldorf serves as the webmaster for this website. He was baptised and confirmed at DLC.
He is a former science teacher/UPS delivery driver/shoestore and repair proprietor/computer programmer. He currently 'works' as a deck hand on backwater excursion boats on the Mississippi River, does a bit of computer programming as a consultant, and makes feeble attempts to finish the many projects around home that he has started over the years.
He and his wife Laurel live near the Decorah Fish Hatchery in an earth sheltered home they built in the late 1970s. Their son Brian and his family - wife Paula and children Sebastian, Emily, and Grace live near them, and their son David and granddaughter Samantha live in the Twin Cities.
Email Jim with comments/suggestions/corrections at webmaster@decorahlutheran.org