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 Executive Director of Career Services at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy.  He and Gail have a son, Samuel, and they are expecting a second child (another boy) in February 2009.

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.

Ruthann was raised in Lowell. She played organ and piano for services and for the Junior Choir at the Church of Christ in Lowell, until joining Trinity Lutheran in 1966, when she married her husband, Paul. Upon relocating in West Lafayette, Ruthann directed the choir at University Lutheran. They resided in Kokomo for a year, where Paul taught school. Ruthann and Paul settled in Chesterton for 23 years where Ruthann was head organist at St. Paul's Lutheran until moving back to Lowell in 1992. For seven years Ruthann was a traveling organist, playing at several different types of churches until she substituted at Holy Shepherd in 1998 for the Saturday evening service. She joined the staff in 1999, becoming the Celebration Director. She took over all of the Congregation's music programs in 2003.

Ruthann and Paul have two grown sons: Tim and his wife, Susan, and Pete and his wife, Sara. They have three grandchildren, Joshua, Deanna, and Brittany.

In addition to being a musician for 40 years, Ruthann has done professional sewing since 1968 and was a cosmetologist for a few years.

Beyond music, she enjoys gardening, cooking, spending time with her family and going to their Florida home.

Jim is a native resident of Northwest Indiana. He earned his Associate of Science Degree in Radiology from Indiana University, Calumet Campus, in 1978 and his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from St. Joseph's College, Calumet Campus, in 1993.

Prior to joinging Holy Shepherd's staff in 2001, Jim worked for 20 years at St. Margaret Mercy Hospital as an Angiographic Radiological Technician. He substitute taught grades K-8 for the Lake Central School District. Jim presently oversees the current and expanding education and fellowship programs of Holy Shepherd's children and youth while encouraging all of our members, young and old, to get involved and join the fun.

Jim enjoys jogging, swimming, listening to "Parrothead" music (by Mr. Jimmy Buffett), making people smile, and most of all, spending lots of time with his family. His wife, Nancy, is the Director of Pediatric Physical Therapy for St. Margaret Mercy Health Care Centers. His daughter, Betsy, attends Carthage College, and his daughter, Colleen, attends Lake Central High School.

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’s 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.