Pastor Vance is a native of Toledo, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C.; his Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Illinois; and his Doctor of Ministry from the Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, Indiana; and completed the Beeson Institute for Advanced Church Leadership.

Prior to studying to become an ordained minister, Pastor Vance served for four years in the United States Air Force Security Service. He was ordained in 1980 and served as Pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, Owensboro, Kentucky, and of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Batesville, Indiana, before coming to Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church of St. John, Indiana in 1990. Evangelism, stewardship, adult education, and preaching are his special ministry interests.

Pastor Vance has been married to his wife, Beth, since 1977. Beth works with the developmentally disabled. They have an adult daughter, Sarah.

Pastor Vance enjoys traveling, reading, and studying American history.

Pastor Mike was born in Thousand Oaks, California and raised in Reno, Nevada.  He earned his Bachelor Degree in Religion from California Lutheran University in 2001; and his Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 2008. 

During seminary Pastor Mike took an extra year to complete a hospital residency as a chaplain at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Height, IL.  He served his internship year at Bethany Lutheran Church in Crystal Lake, IL. 

Pastor Mike has been married to his wife, Gail, since 2001.  Gail is the Area Director for the Better Business Bureau of Northwest Indiana.  He and Gail have a two young sons.

Pastor Mike enjoys watching and playing (at least trying to play!) all kinds of sports.  He has recently picked up a golf club for the first time in a long time and is ready to get back into it.  He also enjoys spending time with his family and traveling back to the West Coast to visit with his extended family.

Bob comes to us from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Chicago Heights, where he has been Organist and Music Director for the last 17 years.  He was also a teacher in that congregation’s parochial school and has now retired from teaching to devote full-time to his passion for church music. 

Prior to going to St. Paul’s, Bob taught parochial school and was Music Director at three other Lutheran congregations. 

Bob’s wife, Carlene, is Music Director at Faith Lutheran Church in Homewood.  The couple lives in Lansing and has three married daughters and eight grandchildren..

Kate was born and raised in Kankakee, Illinois. A graduate of Culver Girls Academy, Kate has a business degree from Calumet College. She worked for her husband’s family owned business for 17 years before joining our staff on a full time basis. She and her husband, Paul were the Indiana SBA small businesspersons of the year in 2002.

Kate and Paul have two adult children, a daughter and son.

Camping, walks with her husband, reading and cooking are among Kate’s favorite ways to relax.

Sue was raised in Harvey, Illinois. She earned her Bachelor's Degree from Eastern Illinois University and her Master's Degree from Purdue. She taught children in kindergarten, first, second, and third grades for 33 years in Harvey and Wauconda, Illinois. Sue retired from teaching in 2004.

Her part-time position as Clerical Assistant at Holy Shepherd Church reminds her of some of her past teaching duties, without the homework.

Sue has an adult son and two grandchildren. She enjoys movies, reading, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Janet was born and raised in Harvey, Illinois. When she was a teen, her family moved to Indiana, and she graduated from Lake Central High School.

Janet is married to Gary Bates, who is also a member of Holy Shepherd. They have three adult children: two sons and one daughter.

Janet has been the Church Custodian since 1994. In her spare time, she likes to garden and do many different kinds of crafts. She likes to walk and ride her bike as well. The real joy in Janet's life is raising and caring for all the many pets she and Gary have.