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Alisia Northrop
Executive Assistant for Congregational Relations
Alisia Northrop
Executive Assistant for Congregational Relations
Meet us
Our leadership team recognizes the authority of God and realizes that we are shepherds who serve under the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We desire to devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. Our passion and goal is to equip the congregation of American Lutheran Church of Sun City for the work of the ministry until we all attain maturity in the fullness of Christ.
Rev. Scott Klimke
Senior Pastor
Email Pastor Scott
I came to American Lutheran Church and Arizona after more than twenty years in Pennsylvania. I attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, where I met my wife Julia, and eventually graduated with a variety of honors.
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As we each did ministry in our own setting, Julia and I served three different congregations in central and southwestern Pennsylvania. Staying in Pennsylvania allowed us to be closer to York, Pennsylvania, where Julia’s family has owned and operated a family farm since 1742. But as Julia approached retirement, and after an anniversary trip to Arizona wowed us, we decided the time had come to go west.
While in Pennsylvania, I developed much of my pastoral identity. I am a someone who believes developing and delivering meaningful worship services is a pastor’s most important job. After worship, I’d say a pastor’s second most important job is to be with people when there’s need for as long as the need remains. Once worship and pastoral care have received the attention they deserve, my inclination has always been to spend lots and lots of time getting to know God’s people well and learning where they feel God calling them so that I might help them answer God’s call upon their lives. This inclination is born of the belief that relationships are the lifeblood of ministry. It also has much to do with the view that the entirety of a pastor’s work is to build up the saints for ministry, (Ephesians 4:11-12).
I’m also very much influenced by the promise that the Holy Spirit equips all of us for mission and ministry, with no contribution more important than another. (e.g., 1st Corinthians, chapter 12). For me, being church is about teamwork. For me, the church is a community of equals. It’s one of the reasons I was excited to come to American Lutheran Church. I’m now working with the deepest team of which I’ve ever been a part. I work with a phenomenal staff and their talents are regularly and capably complemented by the talents of those we serve together. Gratifyingly often, we are a living reminder that the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts.
Prior to going to seminary, I served our nation during Operation Desert Storm and then worked for about a decade as fundraising executive. I began both exploits in my native state of Wisconsin. During these years, God was developing my leadership skills. Like Scripture, serving in the miliary taught me that teamwork is essential. It also taught me that focused calm is the best path to long-term results. Once my years as a fundraising executive began, I also learned that people follow you because of the person you are, not because of the position you hold. Just as important was the additional realization that the best decisions are not a matter of opinion or hunch, but those informed and influenced by the measurable and repeatable.
As the above gives you some sense of who I am, I do hope we might eventually meet each other in person. Both you and American Lutheran Church have a lot to offer. It would be a delight to figure out how those offerings might be combined to the glory of God and for the benefit of the world God loves.
MINISTRY TEAM
DeNage Bautista
Executive Assistant for Community Outreach
Read bio »James Gerber, DMA
Organist and Worship Coordinator
Read bio »James Gerber, DMA
Organist and Worship Coordinator
James is a life-long church musician and organist and has served congregations as a minister of music in his home state of Wisconsin as well as in Minnesota, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. James holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Organ Performance from the University of Wisconsin; a Master of Arts degree in Liturgical Music, with an organ emphasis, from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota; and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Organ Performance from Arizona State University. An active member of the American Guild of Organists, he enjoys performing, presenting music-related lectures, accompanying choirs, and musical theater. In 2014, he was the organist for Trinity Episcopal Cathedral’s choir summer residency in the U.K. and in 2015 for All Saints’ Episcopal Church’s choir tour in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
Janet MacDonald
Choir Director and Worship Planning
Read bio »Janet MacDonald
Choir Director and Worship Planning
Janet began music studies at the age of 8 with Dr. Ardath Paul in Morrison, Illinois and started playing for church services at the age of 12. She has been involved in church music ever since and considers it her calling.
Janet attended Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, as a Horace Alden Miller Scholar. There she earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal and Instrumental Education with a Major in piano and minors in voice and clarinet . She graduated cum laude and was inducted into the Mortar Board National Honor Society. She pursued post graduate work in education through St. Catherine University. Janet completed her 37-year teaching career in 2016 in various public school settings, private studios and as adjunct professor in voice and piano at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
MacDonald remained active in professional organizations, was appointed to serve on various MN State boards, and served as clinician, judge and administrator for various music exams and festivals — elementary through college level — in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She remains a member in good standing of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA.)
Janet is blessed and truly grateful to have served as choir director/organist in Iowa and Minnesota most recently at Concordia Lutheran Church in Duluth, MN, with the Revered Dr. David Tryggestaad. In addition to her present duties at American Lutheran (Choir and Ah-Men Singers Director) Janet sings with the Arizona MusicFest Chorus in Scottsdale and the newly formed Lyric Opera of the North core chorus in Duluth, Minnesota.
George Zoske
Director of Christo Bells
Read bio »George Zoske
Director of Christo Bells
The Christo Handbell Choir has been a part of the music program at American Lutheran Church for over twenty-five years. The choir is fortunate to own five octaves of handbells and five octaves of hand chimes. The Christo Handbells begin rehearsal in September every year and participate in worship services once each month from October through May and for festival services. George Zoske, a former music educator, is the director of the Christo Handbell Choir.
Ron Helton
Accounting Coordinator
Read bio »Ron Helton
Accounting Coordinator
Born in Wiesbaden, Germany, Ron grew up in an Air Force family. He and his wife of more than 4 decades have three children, 10 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren. When their daughter moved to Phoenix , they visited and soon took the plunge to relocate from Florida in 2020. With degrees in System Analysis and Design as well as Accounting Technology, he was a 30 year veteran at Primus Pipe and Tube when he chose to start a landscaping business. Ron says, “It has been a learning experience and I appreciate all the help the staff and the parishioners have given me; I feel welcome.” When he’s not at ALC, Ron enjoys spending time with family and being outdoors, especially golfing!
Annette DeJesus
Resource Minister Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest
Read bio »Annette DeJesus
Resource Minister Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest
Annette is part of ALC’s new Resource Ministry/Care Ministry team. She’s also employeed by Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS) as their Community Engagement Coordinator. Annette has been working in the social services field for over 40 years and she says “this is her passion.” Before LSS, she served in the Air Force for 20 years, working in the field of Behavioral Sciences. Annette has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She has been married for 42 years, has 2 sons, 2 daughters-in-law, and 3 grandchildren. She enjoys lifting dead weights at least twice a week, and is active in her church, Word of Life Christian Center in Avondale. Annette is available to help you with health needs, utility assistance, food, housing, financial needs, phone and transportation services, and so much more. Annette wants ALC members to know that “I am here to meet your needs. I will try and if I don’t have all the answers I will work towards finding them.” She is available at ALC on Thursdays and Fridays from 10-3. If you need to make arrangements for another meeting time, please call the ALC office or email her.
Dave Tigges
Property/Grounds Manager
Read bio »Dave Tigges
Property/Grounds Manager
Dave has been Property and Grounds Manager since 2009, overseeing all things maintenance and custodial. Because he loves his position and the ability to work with members, volunteers and staff, he stays busy! Dave even assists at ALC events with AV when needed. Like everything else—from AV to custodial tasks– it is done with Dave’s trademark conscientious and ready smile as well as with kindness. Raised in California, Dave moved to the Midwest as a teenager. Through his long history with American Lutheran Church, he is a fixture on the church campus. His favorite part of the position is the daily variety of tasks and responsibilities around campus.
Rory Vasquez
Facilities Assistant
Rory Vasquez
Facilities Assistant
Joe DeLuca
Facilities Assistant
Joe DeLuca
Facilities Assistant
Ilya Tate
Worship Technology Assistant
Ilya Tate
Worship Technology Assistant
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