Staff of First Lutheran Church
Our staff at First Lutheran Church are devoted to to the mission of the church. Below you can contact the staff via email.
| Senior Interim Pastor: Pastor LeRoy (Lee) Yarger Pastor Lee Yarger is the Interim Senior Pastor. Lee has served several Minnesota, North Dakota and Kansas congregations for 43 years. Lee is married to Jan and they have two sons and two granddaughters. |  |
| Interim Visitation Pastor: Pastor Linnea Papke-Larson Pastor Linnea Papke-Larson is serving as the interim visitation pastor. She previously served as chaplain at WoodsEdge Senior Living Campus in Bemidji, as visitation pastor at First Lutheran, Bemidji, and as co-pastor at Dallas and New Scandinavia Lutheran Churches in rural Wisconsin. She is married to Mark Papke-Larson and together they have three grown children. | |
| Director of Worship and Music Ministries: Sarah Carlson |  |
| Director of Youth and Family Ministries: Chris Richards From Morris, Minnesota, Chris Richards has been working in Youth and Family Ministries for ten years, and here at First Lutheran since Summer 2007. A St. Olaf graduate, Chris is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity from Luther Seminary and is a candidate for Ordained Ministry in the ELCA. Chris resides in Bemidji with his wife, Amy, his three sons, Pierce, Truett, and Wesley, and his Golden Retriever, Bella. He loves to ski, bike, draw, hike, and spend time with his family. |  |
| Office Manager: Leanne Kooima Leanne started at First Lutheran in the Spring of 2010 and is a transplant from Northwest Iowa. She has her Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design and has worked in a variety of industries including a sign shop in Sioux Falls, SD, YWAM (Youth With A Mission) in Vancouver, British Columbia and a publishing company in Sun Valley, ID. Leanne makes her home with her husband, Kory, and two puppies. |  |
| Facilities: David Vick Douglas Rearick |  |
| Finances: Patti VanCamp |  |
| Wednesday Night Meal Coordinator: John Frankfurth | |
| Nursery Attendant: Sarah Brown | |
| RingPraise (Bell Choir) Director: Julia Lamon |
Bemidji, Minnesota
218-444-5302
Welcome to First Lutheran Church Bemidji online! Here you will all kinds of information about who we are, why we exist, and what we are up to! With everything from traditional and blended worship, choirs, classes, bible study, youth groups, and much, MUCH more, there's lots to see and do! So take a look and get involved. We pray this site is a blessing to you.
UPCOMING EVENTS: