Mission:

"Called, gathered, enlightened and made holy by God, we strive to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through worship, education, prayer, study, outreach and our Child Care Center, we share the love of Jesus Christ with all people."

Staff:

Pastor Mary Anne Nelson-Loefke: Although I have lived in Western New York for 11 years, I am a transplant from the plains of South Dakota, growing up in a farming community. I graduated from a little high school in Springfield, SD with a graduating class of 33. I attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD and completed 2 master's degrees, one in Theatre and one in Music, Applied Voice.

For the next 8 years, I pursued a career in acting and singing, performing in clubs and regional theatres across the Midwest. I also studied acting, dance and voice in New York City.

In 1984, I finally answered a call that God had been pursuing me with for over 13 years. I entered the Masters of Divinity program at Luther-Northwestern Seminary (now Luther Seminary) in St. Paul, MN. During the years I had developed a love for urban ministry, working with inner city children in Cleveland, Minneapolis and St. Louis. I had also worked with Native American high school students at a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) school in Flandreau, SD. Although I had a general seminary education, I was very much interested in multi-cultural ministry. My internship was at a large center/inner city church in Milwaukee, WI. I thought that I would end up in a multi-cultural setting. God had other plans, however. My first call was to a large middle-class congregation comprised of members who farmed or worked at Mayo Clinic and IBM in Rochester, MN. When I left, there were 3,200 members at St. John's. My role was as Youth and Family Pastor. I supervised two lay professionals who worked in Youth Ministry and Christian Education.

My husband Bill and I moved to Niagara Falls in 1994 where I took a call to St. Paul Lutheran Church. I remained in that position for 10 years. The last 2 years of my tenure, my husband had become ordained, and he and I served St. Paul. Zion and Calvary Lutheran Churches in team ministry.

In June of 2004, I became the Intentional Interim Pastor of First Lutheran Church in Jamestown, NY.

I have also served as a very part-time member of the Synod Staff with Bishop Lee Miller and presently with Bishop Marie Jerge. I have served in the capacity of Program and Ministry Consultant for Youth Ministry and presently serve as Program and Ministry Consultant for Evangelism.

My husband Bill, (William) and I have been married for almost 16 years. Bill continues to serve Calvary Lutheran and Zion Lutheran Churches in Niagara Falls. We have two very wonderful children, Hannah, age 14 and Jonathan, age 10. They attend St. Peter's Lutheran School in Sanborn, NY.

Peter Gates our Director of Music :

Peter Gates our Director of Music has a backround in Musical Theatre and Church Liturgy. He has directed musicals such as Godspell, The Music Man, The Wiz, Nunsence, Little Shop of Horrors, and Footloose to name a few. He started playing the organ at a young age for St Joseph's Catholic Church in Lockport, NY at the age of 14. At that time he was the youngest Organist in the Western NY area. He left playing the organ at church after 9 years to pursure his carrier in Call Center Management. In 1994 he toured over in Europe with the Sound of America - performing in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France. He was the featured vocalist while he was there. He has since come back to his roots so to speak and has gone back to playing the organ in the church, something that he has found much peace in doing. Peter has goals for St Timothy's such as getting the Hand Chimes back together and Starting a Childrens Choir. The youth is the Future of the Church. Currently Peter worked in Human Resources for a Local Bank in Buffalo.

2008 Church Council:

President:	Pat Maurer	773-3477	January 2009	 (2nd Term)
Vice President:	Doug Bullock	773-5631	January 2011	 (1st  Term)
Secretary:	Scott Webb	775-0194	January 2011	 (1st Term)
Treasurer:	Karen Sturniolo	773-9342
Financial Secretary:	Adrienne Neutz	773-3564			
Paul Glassman	694-7342	January 2011	 (1st Term)
Jim Maurer	773-3477	January 2008	 (2nd Term)
Karen Rose	774-1228	January 2011	 (1st Term)
Harold Duck  773-5293        January 2009	 (1st Term)
Carol Kraft    773-6115        January 2009	 (1st Term)
Allen Ackerman  773-2699        January 2010	 (1st Term)
John Loss         773-9781       January 2010	 (1st Term)
Bonnie Savory   773-7423	January 2010	 (2nd Term)
Melanie Smith	 774-8039	January 2009      (1st Term)