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FELC Youth Ministries

Meet the Pastors

George Detweiler, Lead Pastor
Pastor Detweiler was born and raised near Philadelphia, in
Bucks County, Penn. His first job was working on his uncle’s dairy farm. After high school, he attended Thiel College (B. A.), Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (M. Div.), and Princeton Theological Seminary (D. Min.) He served pastorates in New York City, Connecticut, Baltimore, Norristown, Penn. and York, Penn., before coming to Appleton in 2006. The year he turned 50, he ran the New York and Boston marathons. He and his wife, Debra, have four adult children.

One of his favorite Bible verses is from Philippians 3:13-14: "Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it on my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Dave Lyle, Pastor
Pastor Dave Lyle, a native of Appleton, Wis., was baptized into Christ at First English Lutheran Church, Appleton. It also was at First English that he was ordained into Word and Sacrament ministry and installed as a pastor on Dec. 14, 2003. He and Erika Estenson were married at First English on Sept. 2, 2006. Pastor Lyle received degrees from The College of William and Mary and Luther Seminary. Through a fellowship grant from Luther, he studied preaching at the Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. His call to parish ministry was greatly enhanced by four summers as a counselor with Crossways Lutheran Camps in Waupaca, Wis.

“My confirmation verse, Psalm 40, is still central to my understanding of ministry and the Christian life: ‘He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.’"

Bob Herder, Visitation Pastor
Pastor Robert Herder was born in Drake, North Dakota. He lives with his wife, Mildred, in Appleton. The couple has two children: Pastor Steven Herder of Whittier, Calif.; and Ann Voermans of Vernon Hills, Ill. Pastor Herder received a Bachelor of Arts from Wartburg College in 1951 and a Master of Divinity from Wartburg Theological Seminary. He completed an internship at Grace Lutheran Church in Green Bay, Wis. in 1954. Pastor Herder also served at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Belgrade, Minn. and First English Lutheran Church, Oshkosh, Wis. He served as Executive Assistant to the bishop from 1972 to 1984 and became bishop of the East Central Synod of Wisconsin in 1988, where he served until 1994 – and named Bishop Emeritus. He also was Development Associate at Wartburg Theological Seminary from 1999 to 2004. In 1999, Pastor Herder became the First English Lutheran Church Visitation Pastor and continues to serve in that role.

One of his favorite Bible verses comes from Romans 1:16: "I am not ashamed of the gospel; for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith ..."