Weekend Service Times: Sunday 8:00 am and 10:45 am

Leadership

Staff & Lay Leaders

Joel newton

Senior Pastor

Joel was baptized at Christ Lutheran in Overland Park, KS, and formed in Christian community at Mt. Olive in Rockford, IL (first communion in 2006); Concordia Nebraska (BA Language and Rhetoric, 2014); and Concordia in St. Louis (MDiv, 2018; STM, 2022). Ordained in 2018, he was first called to St. John in Park Rapids, MN, and called to St. Paul in 2022. He and his wife, Sarah, were married in 2016 and are joyful parents of four children who keep them on their toes. 

david kottlowski

Pastor

David P. Kottlowski is a retired second-career LCMS pastor.  He attended Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, serving his vicarage at Mason City and Ventura, Iowa.  He then served congregations in southern Minnesota and northwest Iowa.  Pastor Kottlowski is assisting Pastor Newton during St. Paul’s vacancy by preaching, pulpit supply, visiting member shut-ins, and otherwise as needed.  Pastor met his wife, Viviane, while serving as a Marine Security Guard at the American Embassy in Brussels, Belgium. They married after release from active duty. Viviane was born to an English father and Belgian mother; she speaks French, Dutch and English. Together they have two married children each with four children.  Pastor Kottlowski worked over 20 years in the business world before seminary, as a CPA with Price Waterhouse, as Director of Financial Accounting at IBP, Inc., among others. 

Kathy Olson

Office Manager

Kathy Olson has been the Office Manager and Secretary at St. Paul since June 2016. She grew up in a very small town in northwest Iowa and is a graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Mass Communication. She is the parent of three adult children and became a grandmother in 2023. Kathy has been an active member of St. Paul and LWML since 1997. Before coming to St. Paul she worked in an accounting office, in sales and marketing, as well as photography. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her children and grandson, reading, crossword puzzles, walking, and following the Cyclones (go State!).

Laura Nelson

Director of Youth Ministry

Laura Nelson and her husband Zack recently relocated back to Iowa from Arizona, where Laura served as the Director of Children and Youth Ministries at Trinity Lutheran Church and School for over seven years. She is currently pursuing a Theological Studies (BA) and Director of Church Ministry (Level 3) degree at Concordia University Wisconsin. Zack is an Event Manager at Arizona State University, working mostly remote. Zack and Laura have a daughter, Abbi, who works as a Rehabilitation Counselor for Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services and is married to Christian, a Midwest Regional Account Manager for Envirotech. Abbi and Christian live in Bondurant with their two children, Cooper and Brinley. Laura and Zack are thrilled to be back in Iowa, where they enjoy many precious moments with their grandkids and are close to family again. Laura's prior experience gives her a deep understanding of LCMS congregational and Christian education efforts, events, mission projects, and outreach opportunities for the youth, and she is excited to continue serving His children at St. Paul Lutheran Church.

Ezekiel grabau

Vicar

Ezekiel Grabau served as Vicar from July 2024 to July 2025. He has returned to Fort Wayne to complete his final year of seminary. If you'd like to contact Ezekiel or RuthAnn please contact the church office and we will be happy to assist you!

2025-2026 Church Council

This is the governing board of our congregation, who represent and are accountable to the voting membership our congregation. Terms run from June 30 to July 1.

Duane Suhr

President
If you'd like to know more about the congregation, please reach out to me.

Joel Ott

Financial Secretary
Are you willing to help us count the weekly offerings, we'd love your help!

David Reddel

President Elect
If you're interested in serving on a board or committee, let me know!

Kaleb Grev

Assistant Treasurer
I'm responsible for processing payments for the congregation.

Michael Giese 

Council Treasurer
Would you like to know more about the finances of he congregation?

Tim Davies

Church Secretary
Have a question about becoming a voting member at St. Paul?

Amber Giese

Board of Christian Education

Mike Sickels

Property Board
Want to help out passing down the faith  and telling our children about Jesus?
Would you like to help us with the upkeep of our church's property?

Josh Remington

Board of Evangelism

Jennifer Thompson

Board of Youth

Ken Kise

Board of Stewardship
Have a way of sharing Jesus with our community? I'd love to hear about it!
Want to help us pour into our Youth and share the love of Jesus with them?
We're all about being generous with the gifts that God has given to us. How can you share yours?

Elders

This is our board of spiritual oversight in our congregation, who work with our Pastors to provide God's Word and christian care to our congregation.

Nathan Wendzel

Elder
Ministering to families Piepho-Rude

Steve Bradley

Elder
Ministering to families 
Adamson-Brown
 

Caleb Grev

Elder
Ministering to families Behrens-Deppe

Gary Hauge

Elder
Ministering to families Donovan-Gatz

Jon Jero

Elder
Ministering to families 
George-Harris

Dan Pottratz

Elder
Ministering to families Harvey-Jero
 

Hans Schaeffer

Elder
Ministering to families Jeske-Lentz

Tim Krehbiel

Elder
Ministering to families Link-Miller

Peter von Qualen

Elder
Ministering to families Miller-Phillips

Vacant

Elder
Ministering to families Suhr-Voss

Shawn Thomas

Elder
Ministering to families Rutter-Suckstorf

Adam Haselhuhn

Head Elder
Ministering to families Wangsness-Zoss