- Sr. Pastor
- Associate Pastor
- Secretary
- Music Director
- Worship Team Director
- Youth Director/SS Coord/Bookkeeper
- Choir Dir.
- Bell Choir Dir.
- Custodian
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Rev. Paul Nuechterlein |
I was born and raised in the Detroit area, which is the only thing that can explain why I am still a Lions fan! I graduated from Valparaiso University in 1978, and from there entered a PhD program in philosophy at Michigan State University. While at MSU, it became clear that God was inviting me to follow a new path. I answered God’s call and began seminary studies at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. 1985 was a watershed year for me – in October |
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I was ordained and began my first pastorate in Traverse City; and in November I married my wife Ellen. In the years following, I have served widely diverse congregations in Michigan and Wisconsin. The world is changing at breakneck speed, making this both a challenging and very exciting time to be a leader in the Church. It has been extremely helpful as a Pastor to continually study, especially in the areas of Biblical interpretation, and what it means to be a Christian in this new millennium.
I regularly lead studies on the insightful books of N.T. Wright. And I find Girard’s work so central to the heart of the Gospel that I maintain a website heavily used by pastors and theologians from around the world: Girardian Reflections on the Lectionary. God has recently opened my eyes to a stirring movement sweeping across Christian churches of all denominations referred to as the Emerging Church. Central to it is the renewed sense that Jesus’ call to us is not to save souls for a heavenly kingdom, but rather to be a part of renewing and fulfilling God’s whole creation here and now – living out our petition in the Lord’s prayer, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.” We are called to be part of God’s bringing in the kingdom here and now! You can read more about the Emerging Church at this website: www.emergentvillage.com and http://www.brianmclaren.net/. Through all these years, nothing has been more challenging or rewarding to Ellen and I than the task of parenting. Just when the youngest of our three sons was past elementary school and the older two were beginning to look at colleges…when Ellen and I were beginning to entertain thoughts of a different kind of ‘freedom’…God laid a new plan in front of us. Taking a huge step in faith, in 2005 we grew our family through adoption and opened our hearts and home to our youngest two sons from Liberia, West Africa. That is the moment we truly felt the profound meaning in “Blessed to be a blessing.” Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, |
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Rev. David Dockweiler Church: pastordave@popportage.org Home 269.343.3453 |
I was called to serve Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in March 2009. I have experienced many momentous events in my life while serving at Prince of Peace. A little over a year ago, I married the love of my life, Sarah. She supports me in my ministry and gives me the love and partnership that only a loving partner can provide. |
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In 2010 I led a group of 45 PoP members on a two-week servant trip to the San Lucas Mission in Guatemala. It was an amazing experience of service, love and fellowship for all of us. The members of Prince of Peace were incredibly supportive of our work and we considered ourselves blessed by working with the people of San Lucas. I was called to work with the youth at Prince of Peace as one of my primary focus areas. I am continually amazed at the maturity and faith shown by our young people and how much they teach me while we worship, pray, travel, serve and have fun together. In July 2011 I lead 21 youth and adults to Red Lake Minnesota to participate in a Group Workcamps Inc. servant experience. I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and have enjoyed exploring the state of Michigan. I love to camp and be outdoors. I love to grill and BBQ. I love being around other people. This place seems finely tuned to my joys inside and outside the church. I also enjoy traveling and seeing cultures and places different from my own. While studying at Ball State University I studied and lived in Perth, Australia for a year. I have also adventured to Northern Ireland, Guatemala, Honduras and all across this country. Finally, I really enjoy working with my hands. I spent many summers on landscaping crews beautifying private and public places around the Chicago area. Carpentry is also a great pleasure to me. I learned my skills growing up going on mission trips with my church and have continued to build decks, wheelchair ramps and patios— I’ll try to build just about anything. There is a great sense of satisfaction sitting back at the end of a long day and seeing something new that I’ve helped make. This isn’t my church. Although I was called to serve Prince of Peace in March of 2009, this isn’t my church. You may be a long time member or someone looking to find a place in which to worship. And I have to tell you—this isn’t your church either. Here at Prince of Peace we do everything we can to remind ourselves and others that this is GOD’s church. By keeping this in mind we are reminded that God is moving in this world and we are invited to take part in what God is doing. Blessings, |
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Terri Kopanski Terri, is our secretary at Prince of Peace. She hails from Michigan, but spent a number of her formative years being raised in a small town in South Dakota. Terri is married to Ron and has two adult children, a son and a daughter. Terri originally attended school to become an Emergency Medical Technician, but did not remain in that field after her move back to Michigan. She began her career as a church secretary at Greenwood Reformed in Kalamazoo, where she remained for eight years. |
She moved on to become a paraprofessional for the Portage Public School in 1999 where she worked with “At Risk” children in the “High Five’s” program especially designed for elementary students struggling in school. During her years in the Public School system she continued her work as a church secretary during the summers months by substituting at various church’s while their secretaries were on vacation. Terri joined the Prince of Peace staff in January of 2007 and has enjoyed working with and becoming friends with the wonderful people at Prince of Peace.
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Kent Hill |
Kent Hill has been the Organist at Prince of Peace since 2002. He holds a doctorate in organ from the Eastman School of Music, and has been a church musician for 60 years. He has served Episcopal and Lutheran congregations, and was most recently full–time Director of Music at Second Congregational Church in Grand Rapids. He was a faculty member of the music department at Mansfield (PA) University from 1977 until his retirement in 1995, and performed widely in the US and in Europe. in addition to his formal education, he has studied organ in Denmark, France, Canada and Germany. |
Scott Walker scottiewalker86@gmail.com |
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Megan Floyd
megan@popportage.org
Megan wears many hats at Prince of Peace and has therefore, made herself indispensable. Megan has served as our bookkeeper since September of 2010. Shortly after that she assumed the role as our youth coordinator, and in October of 2011, she also took on the added responsibility as our Sunday School Coordinator. She handles the juggling of responsibilities admirably.
She has been a member of Prince of Peace since 1994, when her family moved here from Texas. It was the summer before her sophomore year in high school, and the Prince of Peace youth group warmly welcomed her and her siblings. In 2003 she married William Floyd and they have two daughters—Sabrina, born in 2006; and Kara, born in 2010. Prior to working at Prince of Peace, Megan worked at AbsolutAire, Inc., and Fidlar Doubleday. Megan went to school at Purdue and graduated in 2001 with a degree in Sociology/Psychology.
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Janet Hill |
| Janet Hill is the choir director at Prince of Peace. She brings a rich heritage of the Lutheran tradition from her experience at several previous Lutheran congregations. She holds a doctorate in organ from the Eastman School of Music, and is a recognized composer, with hymn tunes published in With One Voice and in a collection of Susan Palo Cherwein's hymns. Until its sale, Janet was Cathedral Musician at the Cathedral of Christ the King here in Kalamazoo. A gifted arranger, she continues to make new and creative use of hymn tune and folk song materials in music for adults and children. She has a continuing interest in children's music, and has organized a percussion group for children and adults called Sonar which plays an active part in the worship of our church. |
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Mary Lou Askew Mary Lou Askew has been the Handbell Choir Director at Prince of Peace since February, 1992. She particularly likes working with the members of this choir, as they depend on each other to make the music, becoming a single instrument. They form a community, like the Body of Christ, where it takes them all, ringing sometimes together and sometimes individually, to create a beautiful experience. She says that in this way they learn to depend on each other and care about each other. Mary Lou encourages folks to try playing handbells or chimes and is always willing to train new players. No musical experience is required, but it helps to be able to count. Mary Lou has a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. |
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Bill Hellman |
| Bill Hellman has been our church custodian for many years. Bill’s wife, Dianne, was our church secretary for about 20 years before her retirement. Bill is a retired school teacher who spends about 20 hours a week getting the building ready for POP and all of the outside groups who meet here. That is a challenging job, as the facilities are well used by the community and by our members. Bill and Dianne have five children that all are grown and live out of town | |