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Executive Director
Program Staff
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| David's Vita | David's Picture | Watch David's Video |
| David's article in Lutheran Partners |
Lyle Griner, National Director of Peer Ministry and Training Schools
peermin@peerministry.org
(952) 405-7306
"To the world you may be a nobody, but to somebody you may be the world."
All Christians are called to the ministry of caring and need to be equipped to share God's love with others. As National Peer Ministry Director, Lyle is a popular speaker for youth gatherings and is known for affirming people's gifts and challenging them to learn and apply new skills.
Lyle has over twenty years experience in leading dynamic youth ministry programs. He has an MA in Youth Leadership from Luther Seminary in St. Paul and serves as an adjunct faculty at Concordia University and Augsburg College. Lyle has authored several books and resources, including Heart Ignite, Enhancing My Friend's Self-Worth, Scripture Talk, Real Questions, Growing Groups,and the Peer Ministry Training Manual.
Lyle learned early on in ministry that training others to care about youth was the only way to grow a group. He was introduced to Dr. Barbara Varenhorst in the mid 80's and found a method and tools for training that took youth and youth leaders far beyond anything else he had seen or used to help nurture faith.
Lyle is also known for moving people. Literally! The audience is involved from the start. Moving around in a game, lending a hand with a demonstration, or coming on stage for an interview. Moving bodies is only a beginning, as hearts are also moved. Lyle has a gift of passion - a passion that is contagious and helps others find their own excitement for faith and service. His heart has always been and always will go out to those that are working on the front lines with youth and their families. His hope is to challenge, stretch, spark a passion, and pass on skills.
What do youth say about Lyle's speaking? "Lyle rocks the party. He was awesome!" "It was cool to put to work right away the stuff he told us", "Great job packing so much information into a small time." "He kept me interested, I'm really interested in becoming a peer minister."
| Lyle's Vita | Lyle's picture | Lyle's Bio | Watch Lyle's Peer Ministry Video |
| Watch Lyle's Video | Lyle & Peer Ministry on YouTube! |
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Rev. Dr. Dick Hardel, Senior Fellow(406) 322-9832
Dick brings the vision and skills of 38 years of ministry as an ordained Lutheran pastor. Over 20 of those years he spent as a parish pastor in congregations in South Dakota and Florida. He has served as pastor of three-point parishes and very large congregations. For 3 1/3 years he served as assistant to the Bishop of the Nebraska Synod of the ELCA. |
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Since 1994 Dick Hardel has served in the following roles at The Youth & Family Institute - Executive Director, Director of Vision and Creative Ministry, Director of Wellness Ministries, and now Senior Fellow. Dick is a creative thinker, author, teacher, pastor, international speaker, editor, publisher, coach, consultant, retreat facilitator, and clown (trained by older Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus clowns). He is husband, father, grandfather, brother, godfather, uncle, and friend. There is not much in the life of a congregation that Dick has not experienced. Some of the resources authored or co-authored by Dick are: Blest Be The Pie That Binds; The Cross in the Sawdust Circle; Passing On The Faith (new edition 2008); FaithTalk® With Children; It’s For L.I.F.E!; Tag, You’re It!; A Breath of Fresh Air (DVD) |
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| Dick's Vita | Wellness Ministry | |
| Dick's Picture | Clown Ministry |
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Sara Larson Woodruff, Director of Women's Ministry(651) 204-6469 As the Director of Women’s Ministries, Sara brings a distinct passion for working with women in a variety of settings. Sara is the owner and director of Finding Our Balance an organization dedicated to providing empowering experiences for women. She specializes in adventure-based travel, primarily backpacking and canoeing, throughout the Unites States and Mexico. Sara is available for individualized trips and retreats and can help create an authentic and empowering experience for a wide array of groups and organizations. Additionally Sara provides coaching and consulting services for churches, camps, and other organizations that are exploring options for adult-based programming and women’s programming. |
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Sara has fifteen years experience leading and guiding groups in adventure settings and is dedicated to providing experiences are uniquely tailored to varied levels of physical fitness and comfort in the outdoors. Currently Sara is finishing two masters degrees. The first in Adventure Education, with a Concentration in the Therapeutic Implications for Adult Women, from Prescott College in Prescott, Arizona. The second is a degree in Youth and Family Ministry, through Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition to her own business, Sara is a field staff for The Women’s Wilderness Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and serves as a co-instructor with Paul Hill for Luther Seminary’s course in Adventure Education and Theological reflection. Sara’s mission to create a safe and encouraging space for women to give themselves permission to explore their lives, to discover their strengths, to live into their bodies, and to connect with other women. In her own words, “I am a deeply irreverent, amply skeptical, and intensely passionate woman of faith and I feel honored and privileged to hike, paddle, meditate and pray alongside women as they encounter their lives in new and empowering ways.”
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Marilyn Sharpe, Director of Cross+Generational Ministriesmsharpe@tyfi.org Marilyn Sharpe knows it’s all about faith! She is the Director of Cross+Generational Ministries at The Youth & Family Institute. She is a congregational coach, trainer, writer, presenter, speaker, and teacher. She presents with energy, passion, and contagious enthusiasm. |
A parent for 36 years and a grandparent for four years, Marilyn knows first hand the joys and sorrows, the triumphs and challenges of being a family. She believes that all Christian adults are called to be faith parents to God’s children. A Certified Family Life Educator, Marilyn has been a parent educator for 30 years, committed to helping parents become the best and most effective they can be. She teaches parents to celebrate their strengths, give and receive support, and glean wisdom from other parents. Marilyn helps faith parents and congregations work together to pass on faith and values to the children we all cherish. She knows that all the generations bring gifts to the body of Christ and that connecting them is essential. Formerly a high school English teacher and a confirmation teacher and director for 23 years, Marilyn has a passion for kids and their families. She believes that families are the classroom for teaching all that is most important, the crucible for refining the best in each of us, and a safe harbor from life’s storms. With a BA from Wellesley College and an MA from Harvard University, she takes extraordinary joy in both learning and teaching. Marilyn is adjunct faculty at Luther Seminary and Concordia University, St. Paul. |
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| Marilyn's picture | Marilyn's Vita | Watch Marilyn's Video |
Marketing & Administration
Jim LaDoux, Director of Coaching and Training
jladoux@tyfi.org
(952) 405-7302
Jim supports the creation, planning and promotion of The Institute's coaching and training services. He has a Masters of Management Arts degree from Metropolitan State University with a special emphasis in organizational development and strategic planning. For the past 20 years, Jim has served numerous congregations, helping establish gifts-based ministry programs, small group ministries, youth ministry programs, community outreach programs and strategic initiatives.
Jim and his wife Gina and their two young boys, Brett and Kenton, enjoy traveling, camping, board games and serving at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, their home congregation. Some of Jim's favorite pastimes include kayaking, digital photography, downhill skiing and being a "faith shaper" in the lives of young people.
Patty Matthews, Marketing Director
pmatthews@tyfi.org
(952) 405-7311
With thirty years in sales and marketing, Patty Matthews brings broad experience, expertise and enthusiasm to The Youth & Family Institute as our Marketing Director. Prior to coming to The Institute, Patty served as Sales and Marketing Director for Atomic Props and Effects in Oakdale, MN and Sales Support Manager for EcoWater, Woodbury, MN.
Patty’s passion for her work at The Institute is fueled by her faith, being a parent of 5 grown children and grandparent to two precious grandchildren, and her role as a pastor’s wife. Patty’s husband, John, serves as Senior Pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, MN.
In her free time, Patty enjoys time with her grandchildren, knitting, gardening, traveling and looking for ways to make a difference.
Jim Mullen, Chief Financial Officer and Resource Management
jmullen@tyfi.org
(952) 405-7309
Jim Mullen joined the staff of The Youth & Family Institute in December of 2003, bringing with him a degree in business education and a career in retail sales and distribution management and services. He is smart, resourceful, efficient, hardworking and unflappable. The staff loves working with him and appreciates his non-anxious presence, his quick grin, his creative problem solving, and his ability to always find a way to do what needs to be done.
Jim lives with his wife Sandy and their daughter Kari. They are all actively involved at home, with Kari’s school and activities, and in their congregation. What a joy it is to have Jim on the team!
Our Associates |
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| Associates are gifted presenters who lead workshops, seminars, and conferences on behalf of The Institute. Many provide consulting and coaching services designed to help congregations fulfill their vision for youth and familiy ministry. Please contact Jim Ladoux to make use of their services. Associates specializing in peer ministry are featured on the Peer Ministry website. | ||
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Rev. Mike Carlson
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He is a pastor at Zion Lutheran Church, Grand Rapids, MN, where he lives with his three boys and his wife Tammy. He received his M.Div. from Wartburg Theological Seminary. He is also serves as a Speaker, Trainer, and Consultant all over the United States, teaching and preaching on the wonders of God's powerful and transforming love.
Workshop and seminar areas include: Surviving Learning Disabilities, Sexuality, Parents Passing on Faith, Intergenerational Ministry, and Sunday School. |
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Peggy Contos-Hahn |
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Peggy also has experience working with congregations in El Salvador for over ten years and is the mother of three young adults—Kristen (24), Jeff (22) and Matt (20)—and a chocolate Labrador named Lucy.
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Susan Debner Susan Debner serves as an senior pastor at Nokomis Heights Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. She brings over 20 years of parish-based experience to the Institute, having served in various capacities at congregations in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and Connecticut. In addition, she also has extensive experience with outdoor ministries and has served on the board of directors and as a staff consultant for Bible camps. Susan knows first-hand how the Institute’s ideas and resources can work with congregations as small as 40 and as large as 4000. Her congregational experience stretches from small, rural parishes |
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to mega-suburban churches and multi-cultural inner-city congregations. Susan has experienced many roles within the church; from pew-sitter to Sunday school teacher to lay staff member, and ordained preacher. Susan enjoys incorporating ideas from The Institute's into her preaching, worship, confirmation and visitation ministry. She believes learning should be interactive and that children's sermons should never require young people to sit still.
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Pat Eidness Pat Eidsness is currently serving as Associate in Ministry for Youth & Family at First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She has worked in youth and family minsitry in three congregations, and |
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| Pat and her husband, Roe, have four grown children, eight grandchildren, one great-grandson and a puppy! They are avid bicyclists, riding the 115-mile Mickelson Trek through the Black HIlls of South Dakota each fall. | ||
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Andrea Fieldhouse Specializes in: Milestone Ministry, Family Faith Formation Events Andrea Fieldhouse serves at Director of Family Ministry in Excelsior, MN. and is a student at St. Kate's in Spiritual Direction. Her main call is helping parents to talk and live God and faith with their children. She served as a Youth Director for 12years before being called to Faith Inkubators to train and write. She loves reading, rocks and scrapbooking. |
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Eric Hamrick Specializes in: Peer Ministry, Growing Groups, Youth and Family Ministry Coaching, Ministry Measurements, Models for Mentoring, and Models for Outreach Eric Hamrick, currently serves as the Director of Youth and Family Ministry at Living Lord Church in Lake Saint Louis Missouri and enjoys building ministries for children, youth and families to help people find new ways to connect with one another and with God. As the father of two girls, Eric stays connected to youth and parenting trends and makes every effort to “practice what he preaches.” Eric enjoys speaking and training in various ministry settings across the country. |
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Eric is an Associate with the Youth and Family Institute specializing in Peer Ministry, Growing Groups, and Youth and Family Ministry Coaching. He also trains congregations, staff and volunteers in Ministry Measurements, Models for Mentoring, and Models for Outreach. Eric also enjoys writing training material and curriculum periodically for Augsburg Fortress Publishing. Eric brings a great deal of passion and experience to his work, speaking and training. He has served as Director of Youth & Family Ministry in three churches, worked as Program Director and Program Coordinator for two Big Brothers/Big Sisters agencies and worked three years as a Crisis Counselor. |
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Rev. Rob Norris-Weber Specializes in: Peer Ministry, Faith and Skills for Parenting, Youth and Family Ministry Consulting
Rob is Associate Pastor of Youth and Family Ministry at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. He also serves on the Life Development Team for Bethlehem, building faith from pre-birth to post-high school youth. Rob earned his Master of Divinity at Luther Seminary. Previously, he worked for five years in a camping ministry setting. Rob is a member of the ELCA Youth Ministry Network. |
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Rob has been training Peer Ministry and Advanced Peer Ministry leaders since 1993. He was in the first group trained in the current Faith and Skills for Parenting curriculum. He still uses both Peer Ministry and Faith and Skills for Parenting at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Rob works with over 100 trained adults and high school youth who are the leaders for Bethlehem's Youth and Family Ministries. Rob lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Nancy, who works in child development at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, MN. Workshop and seminar areas include Wise as Serpents, Next Time I Fall in Love (both address issues of sexuality); Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families; Parenting Issues; and Student and Adult Leadership Training. He will adapt a seminar to meet a congregation's individual needs. |
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Tom Schwolert Tom is Director of Youth & Family Ministry at Faith Lutheran Church in Flower Mound, TX. He brings twenty years of experience in youth and family ministry. He grew up in Denton, TX but has spent most of his adult life in Minnesota. It’s good to be warm again! He met his wife Melanie and got married at a Bible camp in Wisconsin. They have three children, Jazmine, Max and Zoey. He is a proud parent of a teenager! Tom loves to motivate others to "do the faith". He has passion for helping others see that they are capable of being faith builders in their everyday life. Believing that God has given us the gifts we need to nurture the faith of our children and youth right where we are, one does not need to bean "expert" |
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or a "professional" to share the faith. When we claim Jesus as the Christ, each of us becomes an "expert" in our own faith journey. Tom challenges people to take the gifts that God has given and begin to unleash these gifts to build faith in children, youth, and families. Tom is best as a Trainer for Peer Ministry and is also available for Energizing Your Family’s Faith workshops, speaking at youth or parent gatherings and facilitating retreats. |
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Rev. Allan J. Schoonover Specializes in: Passing on Faith Conferences, Keynote Speaker, Hand and Hand Conferences, Coaching, Milestones Ministries and Mentoring Models
Pastor Schoonover has been an ordained Lutheran Pastor for the past 38 years, all of those in the parish. He served parishes in Williston, ND, Monroe, WI, Rice Lake, WI, Fridley, MN and Aberdeen, SD. He is also a Youth and Family Institute Senior Associate. He has a deep passion for the Gospel, and children and families of all ages. He knows the importance of forming and passing on faith. |
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| In his last call, before semi-retiring, he help led a congregation to amazing growth and dynamic ministry. In 8 years, they took in over 1300 new members and more than doubled weekly worship attendance and budget, went from 14 baptism a year to over 60 a year. One of the main driving forces for this growth was The Youth and Family Institute Model for ministry. He is and engaging teacher, effective preacher and master story teller. He is graduate of University of Wisconsin and was a starting end on 1959 Big Ten Championship Team and Rose Bowl 1960. He got his MD at Wartburg Seminary. He and his wife De have been married for 31 years and between then they have 5 children (one son was killed in 1984) and they have 7 grandchildren. | ||
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Linda Staats The following are Linda's areas of focus: Couple Care, Coaching, Faith Formation Across Generations, Gifts Based Ministry, HomeGrown Faith, Milestones, Women's Retreats.
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With a Masters degree in Human Development and the Family from the University of Nebraska, Linda brings a life span approach to ministry. She is known for her knowledge of resources and for her ability to combine research, theology and people’s own holy stories to engage and empower all generations for serving at home and in the world. Linda’s career reflects her ability to listen, equip, link, support, and teach. |
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Kari Lyn S. Wampler M.A., LMFT Specializes in: Retreat Facilitator, Speaker and Trainer focusing on Youth, Family and Faith Formation
Kari Lyn has been advocating for the wellbeing of youth and adults for over twenty years. She is a Youth and Family Therapist, international speaker, teacher, and author who empowers adults, families, and youth to live their best life. Her dedication to this vision brought her to Luther Seminary where she earned a Masters Degree in Pastoral Theology and Youth Leadership. |
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After serving in the church for many years Kari Lyn went back to school to pursue a specialty in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is the founder of Deo' Advocates, an organization dedicated to the wellbeing of adolescents and their families. She enjoys music, traveling, spiritual discovery, hangin'out and, most of all, spending time with her family. Kari Lyn loves to serve and encourage others toward a path of wellness |
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