Senior Pastor, Rev. Andrew Smith                  Email Pastor Andy Rev. Andrew Smith became First Lutheran's Senior Pastor in July, 2001. Pastor Andy completed his Master of Divinity degree at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, did his internship at Elim Lutheran in West Duluth, MN, completed his clinical pastoral training at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, and served Elim Lutheran in Barnum, MN, and United Lutheran in Red Wing, MN, prior to coming to Brainerd.

He is married to Suzie, who teaches First Grade and Reading Recovery in the Brainerd School District, and they have three children: Siri, Anja and Peder. Pastor Andy loves parish ministry. He can't imagine doing anything else. He loves everything from going on National Youth Gathering Trips and mission trips with high schoolers to leading and preaching in worship to visiting our Seasoned Saints. Pastor Andy feels it a great privilege and honor to serve a congregation and takes this calling very seriously. He also loves the joy that a congregation can bring to life and appreciates those who do not take themselves too seriously, but know how to laugh and have fun. His hobbies include running marathons, biking and trying to stay healthy. He also finds it a thrill to enjoy his kids' games and concerts. And, he believes it is important to be part of our local Brainerd/Baxter community by serving in organizations like the YMCA, Bridges of Hope, Downtown Brainerd Mainstreet Advisory Board and the school district's Media Collaborative.

Associate Pastor, Rev. Kristin Kelsey Oltmann              Email Pastor Kristin Rev. Kristin has been at First Lutheran Church serving as the associate pastor since graduating from Luther Seminary in 2003. She did her internship in Onamia, MN. During that year, she served as the intern pastor for Bethany Lutheran Church in Onamia and as the Program Director for Camp Onomia. Camping ministry has deeply shaped who she is as a person and pastor.

During her college years at St. Olaf, she worked as a camp counselor at Luther Point Bible Camp in Grantsburg, WI and served there full-time for the year after she graduated from St. Olaf in 1998. At St. Olaf, she majored in Speech-Communication and also felt privileged to be a part of the Global Semester, spending five months studying in different parts of the world including Egypt, India, Hong Kong, and South Korea. She also has done some traveling and study in Africa, and the country of Zimbabwe will always be close to her heart, having studied there during seminary. It was in Africa where she first was able to see a giraffe up-close and was fascinated by its gentle movements and long lashes and neck reaching up to the sky! Since then, somehow she has ended up with many giraffes collecting in her office, and they are her reminders of all the deep African hospitality and spirituality that she experienced from the people of Zimbabwe and South Africa. Besides being interested in travel and different world cultures, she also studies Spiritual Direction through the “Tending the Holy Program” at The Christos Center in Lino Lakes, MN. This is a two year program where she is learning about prayer, discernment, and how to be a spiritual director for individuals and to groups. In her free time, she also enjoys doing things outdoors, walking her dog, playing the piano, and reading a good novel. She is a true Minnesotan -- having grown up in the Twin Cities -- who is very glad to be living and serving as a pastor “up north,” even though Brainerd is really in the center of the state!

Pastor Kristin is married to Rev. Tony Oltmann.  Tony serves as chaplain at Bethany Good Samaritan Village in Brainerd.

Youth Director, Lori Hall                   Email Lori
Lori Hall has served as our youth director since July, 2006. She is married with three daughters, Amanda, Cindy and Kaitlyn. She graduated from the University of North Dakota in the spring of 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Education. She grew up in the Grand Forks, North Dakota area and graduated for East Grand Forks Senior High. She enjoys working with youth, spending time with family, being outdoors, gardening, and traveling.

Office Administrator, Arlene Heal                    Email Arlene/Church Office
Arlene and her husband Joe moved to the Brainerd Lakes Area after retiring from Northwest Airlines. Together they have 3 children and enjoy spending time with their 6 grandchildren. She has been working at First Lutheran for about 5 years. Arlene is very thankful for being part of FLC's office team. Her work there is a pleasure not a job!

Membership Secretary, Sharon Mathison     Email Sharon
Sharon has been a member of First Lutheran Church since 1954. She transferred to Crosslake Lutheran for a short time and returned here in 2004. She is widowed, and has 2 sons, 5 grandchildren, and her Lhasa Apso puppy named Samee. She enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren, reading, knitting, quilting and working in her yard. She feels very blessed to be able to share an office with Arlene and be a part of the ministry at First Lutheran.

Buildings, Grounds and Maintenance Director, Lyle Lobitz
Lyle was born and raised in Watertown, MN. He has three sisters and two brothers. In his younger days, Lyle enjoyed playing baseball, softball and golf and playing guitar and trumpet in several different bands. Lyle and his wife, Mary, met in 1986 and tied the knot a year later. After the kids moved out, they sold their house and moved to the Brainerd area. Their home is south of Aitkin. They also have a small cabin on North Long Lake, where they spend the summer months. Lyle and Mary have four grown children, Christy, Shane, Heather and Stacy, and three grandchildren. Three more children are due to be born this summer, God willing! Lyle and Mary both love this area and plan to retire here someday.

Financial Secretary, Judy Kyar
Judy has been a member of First Lutheran Church since 1964. She has served as Financial Secretary since 1988 and feels truly blessed to be a member of the First Lutheran Church family. Judy and her husband, Wayne, have two grown children, Mike and Michelle, and two granddaughters, Ashley and Whitney. Judy's greatest joy comes from spending time with her family. In her spare time, she also enjoys cooking, fishing, traveling, knitting and working in her gardens.

Organist, Carla Christopherson
Carla grew up in Brainerd and attended First Lutheran with her mother, Donna Christopherson, and sister, Linda (Linquist). Her mother noticed her interest in music, andsheI began taking piano lessons at age 5. She began playing the organ at the age of 15 at the First Church of Christ, Scientist. After receiving her bachelor of music degree in keyboard performance from UMD in 1981, Carla worked at the Potlatch paper mill for over 21 years, and continued to serve as organist at the First Church of Christ, Scientist. She met her husband, Tom Strong, while at the mill, and they married in 1985. After the mill closed in 2002, she went back to school to become a registered nurse. She graduated from the RN program at Central Lakes College in 2005, and began working at Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Services shortly after that. She is currently pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing through the College of St. Scholastica at CLC. In 2005, she was asked to be one of the organist/pianists at First Lutheran Church, a childhood dream of hers. Carla loves contributing musically to the worship services, and she hopes to become more involved in other church activities when she is done with school.

Senior Choir Director, Marcus Aulie
In addition to being the Sr. Choir Director here at First Lutheran, Marcus also work part time as a music teacher in the Brainerd School District. He directs the 9th Grade Choir at the Brainerd High School South Campus and is the Elementary Music Specialist at Whittier Elementary School. He also is the Volunteer and Activities Coordinator for Kinship Partners here in Brainerd. He has been married to his wife, Miranda for two years and they have a son named Landon who was born in May of 2006. In his spare time, he loves to do anything involving music, and he also enjoys golfing.

Treasurer, Clarice Renschler                     Email Clarice
Clarice has been a member of FLC since 1965. She is widowed and has 3 daughters and 9 grandchildren. She is a retired secretary from the Alernative Education Center for District 181 in Brainerd. Clarice became the treasurer of FLC in 1997. She enjoys going to her grandchildren's sport activities.

Organist, Bev Kittleson
Bev grew up in Wanamingo, Minnesota, and went on to graduate from St. Olaf College with a degree in music education. She has been a music teacher for 30 years. Bev and her husband moved to Brainerd in 1977. Most of her teaching career was at Washington Middle School, but she is currently teaching elementary music at Baxter. In addition to teaching, she is one of the organists at First Lutheran and also gives a few piano lessons out of her home. She has played organ/piano at First Lutheran for about 25 years. Her husband, Kelvin, is a Tech Ed teacher at Forestview Middle School, her daughter Amy is in medical school at the University of Minnesota, and her son Paul is a student at Augustana College in Sioux Falls.

Handbell Choir Director, Tom Frid
Tom is a graduate of Brainerd Senior High School and Mankato State University where he earned a BS degree in instrumental music. He has taught in the Brainerd School District for 31 years and currently teaches 6th and 8th grade band at Forestview Middle School and 9th grade band at the BHS So. Campus. Hobbies include fishing and boating. Tom is married to Joyce and they have one daughter Katie.

Learning Tree Preschool Director, Kathy Wernberg                   Email Kathy

Kathy has been at Learning Tree Preschool as the director and a teacher since 1996.  She has a four year degree in Early Childhood and has taken several graduate courses.  Kathy has worked in either family childcare, a childcare center or private preschool for 23 years. She has been married for 27 years to Kevin and has two grown children in college, Brett and Robin. At Learning Tree, she has promoted a very "kid-orientated" program.  She believes that children learn through play whether it is academic or social.  Kathy and her staff work hard to incorporate the "whole child" into the program.

Learning Tree Teacher, Sherri Koehler

Sherri is married to Ed, a retired Brainerd school district educator.  They have two grown daughters and three grandsons.  Sherri has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Mankato State University (now Minnesota State-Mankato).  She has been a teacher at Learning Tree Preschool since 1991.

Learning Tree Teacher, Sherry Dobson

Sherry is married and has four children (Cassidy, Clarissa, Adam and Celina).  All four kids are alumni of Learning Tree Preschool.  Sherry started volunteering and subbing at Learning Tree in 1993, when her oldest daughter was a student there.  Sherry started as a full time assistant teacher in 2004.

Folk Singers Director, Joyce Turcotte

Joyce has been a member of FLC since 1956, when Floyd Brause was pastor.  She is married to Bob Turcotte.  Shortly after coming to FLC, she joined the choir.  In 1978, during Pastor Nate Lundgren's tenure, became Senior Choir director.  Joyce directed the choir until 1998.  During this time, under Pastor Mark Anderson, Joyce took began directing the Folk Singers, as well.  In 2002, macular degeneration began to set in, yet Joyce still leads the Folk Singers and continues to love the music of the church.  She is proud of the Folk Singers, who add a great deal of vitality to FLC's worship life.

Visitation Pastor, Rev. Dallas Young

Visitation Pastor, Rev. Nathan Lundgren
Wedding Coordinator, Cheryl Ylinen