youthESource Authors
YouthESource is the resourcing website of LCMS Youth Ministry. Our articles are written by pastors, DCEs, commissioned workers, professional and lay youth leaders from the field. We are grateful for their work in resourcing ministries across the country. Find out more about them below.
Blake Brockman
DCE
Blake Brockman is the Director of Youth & Family Ministries at Peace Lutheran in Antigo, WI. He loves his wife Hannah, sports, and being creative with writing and his YouTube channel. Blake loves to learn and teach practical ways to walk with God.
Brianna Dehn
Brianna is a St. Louis native who has been writing plays for middle school, high school, and college age youth since 2014. She loves writing scripts that are relevant to youth on current topics. In 2019, Brianna’s play, “Disorder in the Court,” was published by Pioneer Drama Services. This play has been performed in over 40 schools and community theaters across the United States and Canada. She has also written Vacation Bible School scripts for Concordia Publishing House. Brianna loves using her Christian values to create resources that can be used in children and youth ministries.
Sarah Dibbern
Director of Christian Education
Sarah is a DCE at Woodbury Lutheran Church in Woodbury, MN. When she’s not teaching kids/teens about Jesus and coming up with hashtags for church-wide events, she enjoys taking pictures around the Twin Cities and spending time at her cabin in Northwestern Minnesota. Sarah’s known for her love of coffee, hatred of mornings, and creating games that involve hiding Rubber Chickens at the various campuses of WLC and then forgetting where she hid them.
Eric Dunn
Director of Christian Education
Eric Dunn is the Director of Chistian Education at Trinity Lutheran Ministries in Edwardsville, Illinois. He grew up in Missouri. He has a degree in Psychology and his DCE certificate with emphases in youth ministry and family life ministry from Concordia University Nebraska. He has worked on a planning committee for the national youth gathering and serves on the youth advisory board of the Southern Illinois District of the LCMS. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Melissa, and their three kids. He also enjoys reading and watching Cardinal baseball.
Paige Edgington
Director of Christian Education
Paige Edgington graduated from Concordia University, Nebraska in 2012 as a DCE with a degree in Theology. Paige went into ministry because she was passionate about creating a safe place for youth to grow in faith and be in community. She currently serves as Director of Outreach and Coffeehouse Manager at Fairmount Ministries & Coffee Co. in Wichita, Kansas. This is her 6th year with the campus ministry at Wichita State University through Fairmount. Paige and her husband, Cooper, have a 10-year-old Cocker Spaniel named Lego. In her free time, she loves to read, go on walks and hikes, spend time with family, and enjoy coffee and conversation with friends!
Heidi Goehmann
Dcs and LCSW
Heidi is a deaconess and licensed independent mental health professional, which is a fancy way of saying she loves Jesus and figuring out how our brains work. She provides therapy and writes and creates resources about those things at heidigoehmann.com. She loves her giant dog, Star Wars, hockey, adventures, and new ideas. She lives in Norfolk, Nebraska with her husband, four kids, and 1.5 dogs in her not-quite tiny house.
Amy Gray
Amy Bird is a child of God and wife of Aaron. She holds a Masters in Systematic Theology from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and is continually amazed at how powerfully God’s Word speaks into life today.
Healther Hardecopf
Heather Hardecopf lives in Plano, IL with her Husband, the Principal at Cross Lutheran School, and the younger of her two daughters. Heather currently volunteers with the Jr. High Youth Ministry at Cross. She loves baking and ballet. Heather has served the MN South District on the Ministerial Health Committee. Never one to go a day without dancing, Heather created and taught the Dance Club at their previous school. Heather began her service to Lutheran students volunteering as a teenager, and has continued to serve Lutheran youth wherever God has placed her, including as Director of Youth
Ministry. Heather has known God’s love and compassion and works to share that with students and their families.
Joseph Hope-Hull
Director of Christian Education
Joseph Hope-Hull is the Director of Christian Education at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Originally from San Diego, he made his way to Glen Burnie by way of Concordia University Nebraska (2019). Joseph loves baseball (Go Padres!) and is working to visit all 30 baseball stadiums by his 30th birthday. He also enjoys getting smarter everyday through various podcasts, audiobooks, and YouTube channels.
Casey Kegley
Pastor
Casey is the associate pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Valparaiso, Indiana. He is married to his high-school sweetheart, Beth, and they have four kids: Boaz, Adah, Eliana, and Ezra. He loves to eat good food, make new friends, and cheer for all his beloved Wisconsin sports teams.
Brandon Metcalf
Seminarian/DCE
Brandon has been involved in youth ministry since 2013 and loves any chance to work with God’s people to help them hold onto the promises of God. He is a contributing author to “Connected for Life: Essential Guide to Youth Ministry” and “Word of Strength and Promise: Devotions for Youth” and has spoken at district and national youth gatherings. He enjoy Frisbee, volleyball, and board games but his greatest joys come from being a husband and father.
Ben Meyer
Pastor
Ben Meyer is a husband, father, pastor and child of God. He has served as a pastor in Missouri, Illinois, and now at Hope Lutheran Church in Sunbury, Ohio and has presented at the Rural and Small Towns Missions national conference and the LCMS National Youth Workers Conference. He serves as the chairman of the Central Ohio Lutheran Mission, which exists to help reach Ethiopian and Somali immigrants with the gospel. He enjoys sports, fishing, hiking, reading, BBQ and spending time with his family.
Cassie Moore
Director of Christian Education
Cassie Moore is an author, speaker, and Director of Next Gen Ministries at St. Mark Lutheran Church & School in Houston, Texas. She’s author of “Authentic Youth Ministry: Straight Talk about Working with Kids, Teens & In-Betweens”, contributor for “Connected for Life: Essential Guide to Youth Ministry”, and an upcoming historical fiction series. She grew up in Illinois & Minnesota, has a degree from Concordia University in Irvine, California, has worked on national & district youth gatherings, and enjoys speaking nationally. She loves observing culture, travel, & talking to strangers. She and her husband, Pastor Tyler, have two dogs. Connect with her at cassieahmoore.com.
Emily Phoenix
Emily is an avid writer and blogger, who is passionate about sharing stories and experiences that provide opportunities for interaction, growth and deepening faith in Jesus. Emily serves as New Programming Coordinator for KINDLE (www.kindleservantleaders.org). She received her Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Dir. of Christian Education certificate from Concordia University Nebraska in 2008. Emily resides in Baltimore, MD, with her husband, Jack. You can connect with her at www.emilyphoenix.com.
Christa Prill
Christa Prill is just your average girl who grew up Lutheran in the Midwest. She fell in love with a man who decided to be a pastor, and now finds herself living on mission with her husband and their church in Brentwood, California. She stays busy raising three boys and following Jesus on the many adventures he seems to have planned for her.
Dave Rueter
Director of Christian Education
Dr. Dave Rueter has been in DCE Ministry for more than 20 years. He currently serves on staff at Our Savior, Livermore, CA. He is husband to Andrea and father to James and Wesley. Dave is the author of Teaching the Faith at Home and Called to Serve both from CPH.
Kristin Schmidt
Director of Christian Education
Kristin is a servant of Christ who is blessed to currently be serving as DCE at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Castle Rock, CO. Originally a California native, Kristin has a masters in teaching from Biola University, as well as a masters in theology and DCE certificate from Concordia Irvine. She spent several years in Georgia, where part of her heart still lives with her two adorable nephews. Kristin held a variety of jobs including Disneyland cast member, public school teacher, and waitress, before recognizing God’s call to full-time ministry. In addition to enjoying this dream vocation, she also loves running, baking, music, history, and strong coffee.
Julianna Shults
Director of Christian Education/Managing Editor
Julianna Shults is a DCE serving a Program Manager for LCMS Youth Ministry. With a BA in Psychology and a Masters in Community Development, Julianna served congregations in Florida and Chicago. She writes for the Youth E-Source, co-authored Relationships Count from CPH and co-hosts the podcast End Goals. Julianna is a self-proclaimed nerd, coffee snob and obsessive aunt.
Thomas Wiemer
Lutheran Teacher
Tom Wiemer is a Called Middle School teacher in Luxemburg, WI. His wife, Rebecca, is a gifted DCE who serves the same parish. They have one son, Miles. While his job and Miles take up most of his time, but he loves going for walks, playing basketball, exercising, and attending sporting events as much as he can.
Alan Wunderlich
Lutheran Teacher
Alan Wunderlich has been blessed by God’s grace to have been able to work in youth ministry and school education for over 40 years. It has been an awesome ride!! In addition to the blessings of ministry, he has been truly blessed to be married to his wife Kim for over 36 years. They have four awesome children and this past April their first grandchild was born. He currently serve as Director of Student Ministries and Assistant Principal at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, Washington, MO.