PASTOR ED NUGENT
Pastor Ed is 40 years old and a graduate of the Lutheran Brethren Seminary. He began seminary in 1992 and served as a Youth Minister for 3 years prior to marrying his wife, Tanya, in the summer of 1995. After getting married Ed left full time ministry and worked in sales at ServiceMaster in Moorhead, Minnesota, before moving with his family to southwest Florida in 2001. In Florida, Ed managed a custom cabinet shop, returning to his roots in carpentry and woodworking, which he had done since he was a teen. In the summer of 2007 he moved back to Minnesota to complete his last year of seminary and return to full time ministry.
Pastor Ed says, "The time was right. I had prayed for many years that God would direct my desires and open the doors for me to return and finish my training for the ministry when the time was right. A mid-life change in careers was scary, and returning to school with a family is very different than it was when I was 22 and single, but God was and is faithful, and in His will is where I want to be."
Pastor Ed accepted the call to serve as the Pastor of Word of Life Lutheran Brethren Church in the spring of 2008 and began serving the church in July. He and Tanya live in Le Sueur and have 3 children: Nick (11), Zack (9) and Grace (3). Pastor Ed loves to hunt, fish and spend time with his family. He is an avid reader and poor golfer. His wife Tanya is an artist and full time mom.
Education: 2008 - Lutheran Brethren Seminary - Fergus Falls, MN
Master of Divinity
1991 - Messiah College - Grantham, PA
B.A. - History
Social Studies Education, Minor
WES ASHEIM
Youth Director
Wesley Asheim moved to Le Sueur with his wife, Anya, and two sons, Jacob
and Thaddeus, to become the youth director of Word of Life Church in March of
2003. Previous to living in Le Sueur, Wes and his family lived in Fargo, North Dakota.
Wes enjoys reading, playing his guitar, watching movie trilogies (Star Wars,
LOTR, Bourne, etc.), and has an unhealthy obsession with the Minnesota
Timberwolves. Friday family fun nights with his wife and sons are what Wes
most looks forward to each week.
Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your
own understanding, but in ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will make
your paths straight." This is Wes's life verse and the reason he does this
ministry. His desire is to ignite a passion for Christ in our youth.
MARY CARLSON
Church Secretary
Mary Carlson was born in Roseau, Minnesota, but raised in southern Brazil as a missionary kid. Mary says, "I am very thankful for the opportunity to get to know another culture."
Mary's parents, Gerhard and Thelma Harder, descendents of German Mennonites, were willing to send their children to another country to tell people how much Jesus loved those people through lives lived for Him.
Mary reflects that, "During those years, we would return to the USA every five years to visit relatives and the mission headquarters. We knew our grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins through photos. Of course, those very relatives had their questions and opinions and found much enjoyment teasing us out when we arrived. One cousin (four years my senior) decided to wash my face with snow when I attended the same public school as he did in Munich, North Dakota."
At 18 years of age, Mary traveled to the USA to study at a Bible school. "I wanted to return to Brazil as a missionary afterwards. Visas were not easy to receive anymore, and I knew the culture.
I met Jeff and his family in Bloomington, MN. His parents, Chuck and Bev Carlson, gave up their home and jobs, like my parents did, to go to share Jesus with the people in Puerto Rico.
Jeff and I were engaged in December 1978 and left in August 1979, for separate mission stations in separate countries. Jeff helped in San Juan, Puerto Rico, while I helped in Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. I encountered many new opportunities and made numerous friends.
In July 1980, Jeff flew down to meet my parents and brothers as we finalized wedding arrangements. Our ceremony, a mixture of Portuguese-for the Brazilians--and English, so Jeff would understand his own wedding ceremony--was held in the church where I was raised. The people heard about Jesus and His forgiveness for their sins once more.
We graduated from Bible school in May 1981, and returned to Brazil in May 1982, after fulfilling the candidacy requirements for Bethany Fellowship missions."
"By the time we left Brazil in 1990, our three children had been born: Gloria, Jason, and Melissa. Gloria has many stories of her own to tell about those seven years there. Jason remembers Brazil and was able to recognize many places and things when we visited in 1997. Melissa was eight months old as we boarded the plane in 1990. We didn't know--BUT God did--that we would not return except to visit. That story and its details are too extensive to tell here. Feel free to ask someday. :)
Our children have since grown, and almost 18 years have passed. God has taught us, and me, many lessons to add to the collection belonging to Brazil's lessons.
I still love the Lord, and my heart's desire is that my life would be a shining light pointing people to Him who died for me and them so that we may live with Him now and forever.
God bless you. He loves you more than anyone can explain."