Staff
Rev. Jon Nelson
In one of his more stunningly critical juxtapositions Kierkegaard observed -
“The atheist wants to get rid of ‘the priest,’ for in his shortsightedness and prejudice he believes that then we will also be rid of Christianity. I want to get rid of ‘the priest’ – in order that Christianity can emerge again; as long as there is ‘the priest’ Christianity is impossibility. In his blind hatred of Christianity the atheist is sufficiently courteous to assume that from a Christian point of view the priest is justified. I see that ‘the priest’ and the atheist are allies, except that the priest is the more dangerous enemy.” (Soren Kierkegaard’s Journals & Papers, Vol. 3. #3188).
Ouch! Lord, have mercy!
For biographical details see About the Pastor
Rev. Ernest Collard
Visitation Pastor
Born and reared in the Walla Walla area. PLU graduate in 1948, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, IA graduate in 1952. Served as pastor to Lutheran congregations at Gifford, ID, Tacoma, Issaquah, Quincy and Fairfield. Retired to East Wenatchee in 1989. I have been the part-time Visitation Assistant to the shut-ins since 1990.
Beth Smallbeck
Minister of Youth & Family
Beth has been involved in youth ministry for 30 plus years which is hard to believe as she is only 27! she has served congregations in Illinois, Hawaii, Arkansas, Tennessee and Washington. She is currently serving as Region 1 Facilitator to the ELCA Youth Ministry Network. Beth received her Bachelor’s degree in Youth and Family Ministry from The Lutheran Bible Institute in Seattle. She is a devoted wife to Rich and mother to Nate and Hannah and friend to Ikaika and Shadow the families pet dogs. Her claim to fame is that Jim Belushi was her student teacher in her high school theatre class. She is known to have the most entertaining office full of toys, pictures, candy and games. Her favorite pastime is hanging out with kids.
Erich Knapp
Music Minister
Our new Minister of Music, Erich Knapp, hails from Northern Minnesota, and is excited to incorporate his music training and faith in the multi-generational music program here at Grace Lutheran. He has recently completed graduate studies in Choral Conducting at North Dakota State University, Fargo, where he studied organ with Michael Olson. He holds undergraduate degrees in K-12 Vocal and Classroom Music from Bemidji State University, and in Horticulture from NDSU and has also studied at the University of Oslo, Norway. He has served as Organist, Minister of Music and Artist-in-Residence for more than 14 years at Lutheran churches. He is an international organ recitalist, and for the past 10 years he has also been honored to be the Artistic Director and Conductor of the auditioned Park Rapids Classic Chorale whom he has led on choir performance tours and given organ recitals in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy and Norway. He has also concertized and taught Lutheran worship seminars in Singapore. Professor Knapp has directed choirs and taught composition, music history, theory, piano, organ and voice at university, high school and/or elementary levels, including teaching “The History of Rock Music” at two colleges. He also is the 2007 recipient of Opera America’s BRAVO award for Educator of the Year for his work in teaching opera in the public school classroom. When not busily involved with music activities at church you will probably find him preparing gourmet meals, working in his garden or engaged in activities involving Norwegian culture.
Judy Olson
Organist
Judy has served as Grace’s organist and accompanist since 1987. She began her study of piano at age eight with Grace Bemis Curtis in Corning, New York. She has also studied music at Cornell University and Penn State University, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music education at Central Washington University. In 1980 she began organ studies with Margaret Kohler Olsen, and continued through 1986. As an organist, Judy has presented solo performances for Grace Lutheran’s Friday Night Out concert series. Judy’s hobbies include hiking, cross-country skiing, traveling, and rock climbing. She also sings in the Columbia Chorale and plays bass clarinet with the Wenatchee Valley Symphony.
Sandy White
Office Administrator
Sandy joined the Grace staff the end of 2007 having moved to the valley from western Washington in 2003. Prior she worked in the business office of the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center. She and her husband met at the University of Minnesota and moved to Washington in 1967 where they raised a son and daughter, and now enjoy visiting three grandchildren in Bellevue. Sandy’s interests include singing in her church choir, attending concerts, reading, and collecting paper dolls. Her newest hobby is learning to play the drums.
Tammy Kintner
Financial Manager
Fred West
Custodian
