Melanie Lichtenberg

Family Ministries Pastor

Ministry Description

• Support and expand ongoing opportunities for ministry engagement and faith formation of children and their families.
• Strengthen outreach efforts for children and family ministries.
• Develop and strengthen connections for children in worship.
• Encourage mission involvement among families with young children

Education

• BA in Elementary Education/Deaf Education from Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD.
• Masters of Divinity from Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, MN.

Experience

God has blessed my life, with a faith journey that started in a small rural town of Raymond, Minnesota, led me through the country of Zimbabwe, before reaching the beautiful landscape of Buffalo. The faith adventures have taught me about God’s compassion and faithfulness, whether I was teaching children who were Deaf, being the Director for Heartland Ephphatha Services for the Deaf, or involved in ministries as an Associate Pastor or a Mission Developer.

I marvel how the Lord has worked in my life, weaving my teaching background, the passion to teach children about loving and serving our Gracious God. It is truly an honor to serve the Lord with you! I started in May of 2010 so am eager to meet you, to listen to your dreams for Family Ministries here at church, and to share God’s love with others.

Favorite Bible Verse

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. Psalm 25:4-5.

Faith Statement

When I was a pastor in Sioux Falls, the congregation of Deaf adults asked for a way to share their faith with their friends. They wanted something shorter than the Apostles’ Creed to memorize and to explain. We went to the Bible and found 1 Corinthians 15:3-5. “Christ died for our sins. Christ was buried. Christ Jesus was raised on the third day. Christ Jesus appeared to the disciples.” During our weekly worship services, we used this passage to proclaim our faith and trust in God of whom all things are possible. God’s Word is inspiring. The Bible is filled with messages of hope, love, comfort, and challenges, waiting for us to prayerfully read and to incorporate into our daily lives.