Pastor Andrea Myers has been recommended by the Council and the Call Committee for the role of senior pastor at St. Stephen Lutheran Church. Pastor Myers currently serves at Zion Lutheran Church in Lake Crystal, MN.

A congregational meeting has been set for Sunday, December 12, 2021, immediately following 10 a.m. worship, for the purpose of extending a call to Pastor Myers. Please plan to attend.

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A Letter to St. Stephen from Andrea Pastor Myers

Dear Siblings in Christ –

It’s been a joy for me to get to know St Stephen through my conversations with your Call Committee and staff. As you prepare to gather to consider calling me as your next Senior Pastor, I want to help you get to know me, too.

I currently live in Minnesota, where I’ve served as Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Lake Crystal (near Mankato) since 2014. My leadership here has supported Zion’s growth as a healthy church community that nurtures children of God (of all ages!) in lives that are faithful, compassionate, and connected. Previously, I served as Associate Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church (Albert Lea, MN, 2009-2014) where my ministry focused on education, youth, and congregational life.

While my family roots are here in the Midwest, and I was born in Minneapolis, I grew up in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. Between college and seminary, I held several jobs in the metro DC area, primarily in the software industry in marketing and customer service positions. During that time, I was also actively involved with junior high youth ministry at my church and in the synod. My husband Ronald and I met at Wartburg Seminary on the eve of Summer Greek (at a potluck!) and we were married there after completing our respective internships in Texas. We moved to Minnesota after graduation in 2007.

Whenever we have opportunity, Ronald and I love to travel. My ideal vacation is traveling to a new place where I can learn, eat, and visit a local yarn shop for some knitting inspiration. We also spend as much time as we can with our five godchildren in Virginia, as well as our families. My podcast playlist features current events, productivity, leadership, and history. I’m a fan of costume dramas on PBS, and I’m a bit of a weather nerd, too. I really enjoy coaching and mentoring others; I serve as a mentor with Backstory Preaching and lead clergy workshops on Emotional Intelligence.

Just over three months ago, while reading about pastoral vacancies on the ELCA’s website, I decided on a lark to widen my search to include congregations in Iowa, near Ronald’s family. The profile for St. Stephen quickly caught my eye with its focus on living out our baptismal promises in daily life. This theme has long been at the heart of my pastoral ministry. I was also drawn in by the phrase “all in,” which is exactly how I live out my commitments to leadership, ministry, and care. My initial excitement was reinforced by watching the wonderful video prepared by the Call Committee. It truly felt like a God thing when I learned that your interim minister was Pastor Myron Herzberg – a longtime mentor of mine and previously Ronald’s pastor!

I am looking forward to being “all-in” with you, as your Senior Pastor and partner in ministry. I’m eager to meet you and learn how God is working in your lives and this congregation. Most of all, I’m excited to discover with you how God’s gifts – already given to each of us – will be nurtured and strengthened as we live out our baptismal promises together.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Andrea Myers

We’re excited about Pastor Myers because:

I have enjoyed Pastor Andrea’s “sermon podcast” for the past few months and have found her warmth shine through in her preaching and teaching. For me, her sermons share a clear message of the good news that engages me in my “life of faith.”

— Marsha Arens
(Call Committee Member)

Pastor Andrea enjoys working with all ages of the congregation. She would challenge our younger population and engage them in living out their daily life of faith. Her ideas for peer ministry and her welcoming collaboration with our youth formation leader would be a great asset to St. Stephen.

— Michelle Weinberger
(Call Committee Member)

Pastoral care and visitation are strengths of Pastor Andrea, connecting and reaching out to both youth and adults. She is a certified emotional intelligence instructor, and a member of the Backstory Preaching Mentorship, enabling her to connect with each and every person in the St. Stephen community.

— John Dieseth
(Call Committee Member)

Pastor Andrea is committed to engaging in the work of, and engaging in conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion, ensuring that St. Stephen will always be an incredibly welcoming place, regardless of where you are, where you're from or where you're going.

— Karin Ibrahim
(Call Committee Member)