Grace Lutheran - Our Pastor and Staff

Our Pastors and Staff

Pastor Wendell Hendershott E-Mail: wendell@grace97330.org

Wendel Hendershot

Pastor Wendell Hendershott was born and grew up in Bismarck, North Dakota. He graduated from the University of North Dakota (Grand Forks) in 1973. After teaching vocal music for two years, he enrolled in the Lutheran Bible Institute, now Trinity Lutheran College in Everett, WA, and began doing youth and Christian education ministry. In 1987, after twelve years as an Associate in Ministry, he enrolled at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago where he received a Master of Divinity degree in 1990. Before coming to Grace Lutheran, Pastor Hendershott has served on staff or as a pastor of eight other Lutheran churches: Organist, Faith Lutheran Church, Bismarck North Dakota, Choir Director, Calvary Lutheran Church, Grand Forks North Dakota, Youth and Education Minister, Bethel Lutheran Church, Shoreline, Washington, Youth and Education Minster, First Lutheran Church, Poulsbo, Washington, Intern Pastor, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Glenview, Illinois, Organist, youth worker, House Of Prayer Lutheran Church, Country Club Hills, Illinois, Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church, Gresham, Oregon, and most recently, Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church, Nampa, Idaho.

While at First Lutheran Church in Poulsbo, Pastor Hendershott met and married our co-pastor, Netsie Griffith. Presently they are delighted to be making their new home in Corvallis. This is the second time they have lived in Oregon. Yet, although they have been a ministry couple throughout their married lives, heretofore they have served in separate congregations. This is the first parish which they have served together.

Pastor Netsie Griffith E-Mail: netsie@grace97330.org

Netsie Griffith

Pastor Netsie Griffith spent her early childhood on her family's cattle farm outside Terrell, Texas. When Netsie was eleven her family moved to Gunnison, Colorado where she attended Jr. High, High School, and College. She graduated from Western State College of Colorado in 1979 with a B.A. degree in English. She later went on to receive a K-12 teaching certificate but, before entering the teaching field, made a decision to attend Christ Seminary, Seminex in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1982, she graduated from Seminex with a M.A.R. which she later relinquished towards a Master of Divinity degree which she received from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in May of 2008. In September of 1984, Netsie was commissioned as a Church Staff Associate in the American Lutheran Church and in 1988 grand parented on to the roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as an Associate in Ministry.

Beginning in 1982, Netsie has served various staff positions in congregations and on churchwide staff. Her first position was at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Bremerton, WA followed by a position in the Peace Education Department of the Commission for Church in Society of the ELCA in Chicago, IL. She then went on to serve a shared position between St. Paul and St. Mark's Lutheran Churches in Portland, OR which was followed by providing pastoral leadership for Grace Lutheran Church in Horseshoe Bend, ID. She resigned from her position in Idaho in 2006 to return to school full time. In 2007 she served a year of internship at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ontario, OR. Netsie was ordained into the ministry of Word and Sacrament on February 28, 2009 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Nampa, Idaho. Her present position as co-pastor at Grace Lutheran Church serving with her husband, Pastor Wendell Hendershott, led to her ordination.

Pr. Netsie is thrilled to return to western Oregon where her soul may be fed by ocean and mountain vistas, forests, flowers, fields of green and all the benefits of living in a Pacific NW university community. She is grateful to share such a living environment and ministry environment with an incredibly supportive spouse.

Director of Discipling Ministries: Donna King E-Mail: donnak@grace97330.org

Donna King Donna served as Campus Minister at Luther House from 1981 to 2004. In her 24 years of campus ministry, Donna wore many, many hats and served in uncounted ways. For her work she was awarded the Philip N Knutson Award for Creativity, a national award from Lutheran Campus Ministry, ELCA.

Donna attended Concordia College. She graduated with a BA in Theology in 1976 from Valparaiso University. She was consecrated a Deaconess in the Lutheran Deaconess Association in 1977. She did a Deaconess Intern program at Neighborhood House in Lubbock, TX. She was then the Assistant to the Director and Coordinator of Children's Services and was also Assistant Chaplain and Clinical Pastoral Education Intern at Methodist Hospital in Lubbock.

Office Manager: Cindy Lee E-Mail: office@grace97330.org

Cindy Lee Cindy comes to us originally from Illinois , but grew up mostly in Oregon . She has many years experience as an office manager, is an avid outdoors’ woman, gardener & quilter, and has her degree in fashion design. Growing up in the beautiful Northwest has fostered a love for the lush green woods and the warm kind people. She is delighted to be able to serve the congregation, and looks forward to meeting those she doesn’t know yet, as well as those she does. Come by to say "Hi", she does make coffee!

Music & Worship Director: Alexandra (Ali) Schwartz E-Mail: musicmin@grace97330.org

Organist/Pianist: Maxine King

Maxine King

I was born in Clovis, N.M.; received a Bachelor Of Music degree from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas and a Master of Music Education Degree from Westen Oregon University. I was organist at University Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas and at Starkey Road Baptist Church in Roanoke, Virginia.

I have taught music in the public schools of Killeen, Texas; Abilene, Texas; Raleigh, N.C.; Roanoke, VA; Atlanta, GA; and Corvallis, OR. I moved with my husband John through the U.S. Army, College, Seminary, the pastorate and Emory University Graduate School.

I am the wife of John; mother of Phillip and Alex; and grandmother of Cody and Kymmie. It is with joy that I serve as the organist of Grace Lutheran Church.

Youth Directors: Todd Weber, Elizabeth McMahan & Cellen Coakley

No photos available at this time

Health Ministry Team: Marna Renshaw and Kay Larson E-Mail: healthmin@grace97330.org

Marna Renshaw Kay Larson

Nursery Coordinator: Tarah Renshaw

Tarah Renshaw