St John's Pastor

Pastor Jim was born on March 7, 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan. He grew up on his parent’s farm and was the oldest of four boys born to Norbert and Mildred Herbolsheimer. Pastor Jim married Andrea (nee Barna) on November 25, 1972 and on July 27, 1975, God blessed their marriage with a son, Christopher James. Chris is now married to Melissa and they together have blessed Pastor Jim and Andrea with two grandchildren, Breana, who will be four in October, and Cameron, who turned two in May.

Pastor Herbolsheimer went to St. John Lutheran Grade School for eight years, graduating in 1964. He attended High School at Michigan Lutheran Seminary, in Saginaw, Michigan, graduating in 1968. He attended Concordia Ann Arbor Junior College in Ann Arbor, Michigan, graduating in 1970. He then attended Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Indiana, graduating in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Religion. He then went to Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. While at the Seminary, the Seminary “Walk Out” occurred which led to the formation of Seminex. Pastor Jim was one of only eight men from the Second Year class that did not walk out. Pastor Jim vicared in Lowell, Michigan, and there served a new Church start. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is still a viable and a growing congregation to this day. Following a two-year vicarage, he returned to Concordia Seminary and graduated in 1977 with a Master of Divinity (MDiv). Following graduation, he stayed in St. Louis to pursue a Masters of Systematic Theology (STM).

Following Pastor Jim’s ordination in August of 1978, he was installed as Pastor of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. In 1984, Pastor Jim accepted a Call to Pella Lutheran Church in Waupun, Wisconsin. In 2000, he accepted a Call to Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2007, he was called to serve Pilgrim St. Paul Lutheran Church of Lakewood, Ohio. In August of 2010, Pastor Jim resigned his Call to Pilgrim St. Paul and since then has been serving vacancies in Akron and Elyria.

Pastor Jim enjoys wood-working and carpentry. Throughout his schooling and while in the ministry, he has remained active in home remodeling and construction.

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Your Director of Family and Youth

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
Hebrews 10:23-24

Hi, my name is Michael Creutz (the “eu” is pronounced “oy” like in toy). I am so excited to be here in Elyria and I look forward to serving our community as the Director of Family and Youth ministries, here at St. John.

Many around us have lost hope and others have placed their hope in things that do not last and cannot save them. Maybe some of us have fallen into that same trap at times. Let’s commit to loving one another, and those around us, in such a way that our “Spirit-empowered” works, will lift up the Name of Jesus. Let’s not only hold unswervingly to our hope but do so in a way that makes others want to know what—or more appropriately Who—makes us different.

Let me introduce my family to you. My wife Nancy and I celebrated our 25th anniversary last May. Nancy is currently teaching Kindergarten at Holy Cross School in North Canton. Her favorite hobby is making quilts. She is an artist in so many ways and this is her current expression. To describe how blessed I am to be married to her would take much more space than I have in this newsletter and you don’t want to read it all anyway. Feel free to ask me sometime. Together we raised three children who are moving quickly into their adult lives. Nicole—on the right side of the picture— graduated from Concordia, Ann Arbor, in December and will be heading to Honduras to teach missionary children on February 10, 2010. Jessica—center—is in her third year of a 4 ½ years to a Masters in Occupational Therapy at Concordia in Mequon, Wisconsin. Chad—sitting on Jessica—is an Airman currently in San Antonio completing his technical training to serve in the Security Forces of the Air Force. The young man you see in the back is Nick Prange. He and Jessica are engaged to be married in June of this year. You cannot imagine how much restraint it took to write so little about some amazing people.

My favorite hobbies include music, bowling, golf, and working out—and not necessarily in that order. Other than my family, ministry is a significant passion in my life. My prayer is that all we do together will help us hold fast to the hope we have and confess, as we encourage each other to good works, by the Spirits power, in Jesus name, to the Father’s glory!

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Your Office Director

My name is Christine Morse. I grew up in south Lorain and graduated from Southview High. I have been a part of the St John's church family since late 1991. I attend St. Jude Catholic Church. My husband Brian and I have two grown children. Our daughter Sara is married and living near Austin, Texas. She has blessed us with two grandchildren, Charleigh Grace (12/09) and Sullivan Cole (07/11). Our son Mike currently spends most of his time focused on growing his career and is living in a nearby suburb of Cleveland.

In my free time I enjoy knitting, reading, fishing with my husband and spending time at the cabin we built in southern Ohio. I also am a licensed hairdresser and enjoy keeping my family and friends looking their best!