Trinity-St. John Faculty and Staff
Mrs. Dawn Mueller
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Dawn grew up in Michigan. She and Pastor Tim met at Concordia University, Ann Arbor, MI, and were married there. They moved to New Minden, were Pastor Tim began serving St. John’s Lutheran Church. She enjoyed life as a stay-at-home mom with four sons filling the parsonage. Jacob, Paul, Daniel, and Lukas were blessed to attend T-SJ. When the boys were in school, Dawn taught preschool at Trinity, Hoyleton. Later she served in a ministry which provided funding and training for Lutheran schools in 20 countries around the world. She has also been able to edit and write children’s Bible story books which are used internationally. Dawn loves teaching language arts to improve the reading and writing skills of the fourth graders. Her delight with her own grand-treasures, (Sophia, Hannah, Xavier, Zachariah, and Gabriel) has made the role of PreK teacher even more exciting. Seeing the little ones grow in their faith is a special blessing.
Dawn’s favorite Bible verse is Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” |
Mrs. Janice Lange
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Janice grew up in Bunker Hill, IL. She attended St. Paul’s College in Concordia, Mo. and then Concordia University in Chicago. She has worked at T-SJ for 33 years teaching second grade, pre-school, and kindergarten. She also teaches music to pre-Kindergarten through fourth grade and coaches the Scholar Bowl Team. She and her husband Steve have been blessed with three sons and three grandchildren. She enjoys sports, sewing, reading, playing guitar, and singing. She especially enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.
Jan's favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:38. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” |
Mrs. Laurie Eubanks
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Laurie was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and grew up in the country near the small towns of Hoagland and Monroeville. She attended St. John Flatrock Lutheran Church and was blessed to attend their Christian day school. She has one brother, Dan, who lives with his family in Austin, Texas. She attended college at Concordia Chicago, and accepted her first call to Nashville after graduation in 1981. Her husband, Carl, works at F&M Bank, and they live in Nashville with their pug, Mugsy. She has one son, Grant, who is 32 and working on his PhD at the University of Missouri. Her daughter Caitlin is 29, and is a NICU nurse at Children's Hospital in St. Louis. Laurie has one beautiful granddaughter, Olivia. When she is not teaching, she loves to read, travel, and take pictures.
Laurie’s favorite Bible verse is her confirmation verse, Hebrews 13:5. “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” |
Mrs. Diane Backs
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Diane grew up in Prairietown, Illinois where she attended grades 1-8 at St. Peter’s Lutheran School. She graduated from Edwardsville High School before going to St. Paul’s Lutheran College in Concordia, Missouri. After earning an Associate’s degree, she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois. During her studies, she completed a number of courses in music which she has used throughout her teaching ministry. After graduating from college, she received a call to teach grades 3 and 4 at Immanuel Lutheran School Murphysboro, Illinois. In addition to teaching, she was the children’s choir director as well as the adult choir director. After serving there for six years, she received a call to teach third grade here at Trinity-St. John. This call also included both the adult and children’s choir. She is now in her 37th year of teaching. Some of her extracurricular activities include preparing students for music contests, directing musicals, and other music programs. When time allows, Diane enjoys scrapbooking and making notecards. During the summer she especially enjoys working outside in her flower garden. Diane and her husband Curt have one daughter, Katie, who graduated from the University of Illinois and now works at the Farm Service Agency in Nashville, IL. She is married to Shawn Knight. Together they all enjoy volunteering for the non-profit ministry, Basket of Hope.
One of Diane's favorite Bible verses is her Confirmation verse, Joshua 1:9. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” |
Mrs. Deb Lange
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Deb grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. After graduating from Lincoln Southeast High School, she went on to Concordia University, Nebraska (called Concordia Teachers College at the time.) After two years she transferred to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. She then subbed in Lincoln while taking colloquy classes at Concordia to finish her Lutheran Certification. In 1991, she received a call from St. John’s Lutheran Church in New Minden to teach fourth grade at T-SJ. For most of her 25+ years here at TSJ she has been the fourth grade homeroom teacher, she recently moved to second grade. Deb serves at the yearbook editor and technology manager at T-SJ. She is thankful that the staff, school board and PTL have been willing to press forward to include SmartBoards, Chromebooks and other technology in the classrooms. Deb and her husband, Terry, have four legged children in their home. They are active in the church, in the non-profit Adult Congenital Heart Association and Deb enjoys reading and a group called the Zippered Sisters. They spend free time visiting her parents and sister in Nebraska, and siblings in Colorado, Indiana, Arizona, and Missouri.
Deb’s favorite Bible verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. It reminds her that no matter what is going on in her life, God is with her and has a plan for her. |
Mrs. Tabatha Wesseln
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Tabatha (Frederking) Wessein is the fifth grade homeroom teacher at T-SJ. She was born and grew up in Nashville attending Trinity Church and Trinity-St. John school. After marrying her husband, John, in 1998, she moved to Pinckneyville and currently resides there with her family. She has a daughter, Mackenna, and a son, Dayton. Even though they live in Pinckneyville, they attend church at Trinity, and her children have followed in their mother’s footsteps by attending school at T-SJ. Her education to become a teacher began right here at T-SJ. After graduating from T-SJ in 1989, she continued her education at Nashville Community High School. She moved on to Kaskaskia College and finally received her BS in Elementary Education from SIU-C. She also received her endorsements to teach middle school classes at that time. In August 1998, she began her teaching career at T-SJ. She is currently the fifth grade homeroom teacher, and teaches grades four through eight Science as well as Algebra and fifth and sixth grade computers. The 2019-2020 school year marks the beginning of the twenty-second year of her teaching career and the twenty-second year at T-SJ. Most of her time is consumed with preparing for her teaching duties, but during her free time she loves spending time with her family. Their favorite activity to do together is camping. She also enjoys repurposing old items and loves making things out of old wood.
Tabatha's favorite Bible verse comes from Matthew 19:14 where Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” It reminds her daily of what the Lord has called her to do at T-SJ. |
Mrs. Jennifer Kozan
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Mr. Shaun Renth
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Shaun has taught here at T-SJ since 2002. This school year will be his 18th year at T-SJ, he has taught his entire teaching career at T-SJ. He grew up in New Minden and currently resides in Hoyelton with his wife, Shannon, and daughter Keeghan. He is a member at St. John’s New Minden, and went to grade school here at T-SJ. He graduated from Nashville High School and attended college at Kaskaskia College and SIUE. He received his teaching degree from SIUE with a major in History. During his years at T-SJ, he has taught a variety of subjects, but currently is teaching 5-8 grade departmentalized Social Studies, Math, Computers, and PE. Also, he serves as the Athletic Director, Softball Coach and Assistant Girls Basketball Coach. When he is not teaching, he enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, golfing, woodworking and coaching.
Shaun's favorite Bible verse is Joshua 1:9. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” |
Miss Cheryl Zapp
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Cheryl has lived in Nashville all her life. She grew-up in a family of three sisters and one brother. She has one son, Kenny, and he blessed her with a great daughter-in-law, Taryn, and two grandchildren Elijah and Iylie Harris. Cheryl received an Associate of Arts degree at Kaskaskia College. All of her work experience is in clerical office environments. She plays handbells in Trinity’s Handbell Choir and enjoys reading and watching the St. Louis Cardinals. But she truly enjoys the Nashville Hornets and the Hornettes sports teams along with TSJ sports teams. She finds the NCAA tournament highly entertaining as well.
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Mrs. Amy Kurtz
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Amy and her husband Mike are from Omaha, Nebraska and lived for nine years in Memphis, Tennessee before moving to Nashville. They have six children, ages 1 year-25 years and keep busy attending their many athletic and music events thought out the year. Amy attended Concordia University in Nebraska for both her Bachelors and Masters degrees. She has also completed the School Leadership Development Program in St. Louis as part of her preparations to be a principal in the Lutheran Schools. She taught for 17 years in Iowa, Nebraska, and Tennessee, grades K-8 in a variety of subjects. She enjoys reading, swimming, running, cooking, sewing, and playing games.
Amy's favorite Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 6:16 "For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said “I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Pastor Aaron Kotila is a graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary - St. Louis where he earned a Master's of Divinity Degree in May of 2007. Pastor Kotila was ordained and installed on July 8, 2007 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Rosebud, Missouri. He served as sole pastor until June, 14, 2015. He accepted a second call extended by the Holy Spirit's leading to Trinity Lutheran Church, Nashville, Illinois. Pastor and his wife Teresa moved to Nashville and reside in the church parsonage. Pastor and Teresa have five children: Erica and her husband Courtney and their children Grabrielle and Lane of Leasburg, MO; Paul and wife Katie and their daughter Emma Grace of Gerald, MO; Adam lives in Nashville; Kyrsta and husband Tyler of Bolivar, TN; and finally their daughter Anah who is serving in the Navy in Yokosuka, Japan. Pastor Kotila enjoys spending time with his belove wife Teresa and their family. Hobbies include fishing, camping, and computer technology.
Upon being graduated from Concordia Seminary – St. Louis in 2017, Pastor James got his first Call into ministry from Trinity Lutheran Church to serve as Assistant Pastor. At T-SJ, he teaches junior high religion classes, leads chapels, accompanies some singing on piano, and enjoys getting to know all the students. Pastor James is the husband of one wife (Melissa), the fur-dad of one cat (Tiga) and the proud father of one adorable daughter (Brigid). In his ever-lessening free time, Pastor James likes putting his musical background to use by playing a variety of instruments and recording musical videos on a phone app. (You can find those videos on Facebook and YouTube!) Pastor James loves serving God by getting to know and caring for people, especially reaching those disconnected from the Body of Christ. And sometimes, music is a good tool for that!
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Pastor Tim Mueller
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Timothy Paul Mueller was born in Hankinson, North Dakota, near Lidgerwood, where his father served as pastor. He is number six out of seven children. When he was two years old his father took a call to Bay City, Michigan, where Tim attended grade school and high school. He graduated from Concordia College (now University), Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1983 with a major in Biblical Languages (Greek and Hebrew). On his first day on campus as a freshman he met Dawn Miehlke, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and they were married in Concordia’s Chapel of the Holy Trinity on May 6, 1983, the day before they both graduated.
They moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where Tim enrolled at Concordia Seminary. His vicarage (internship) was served in Le Mars, Iowa. He received his Master of Divinity in May, 1987, and continued on for two more terms with courses toward another master’s degree. In January, 1988, he was ordained into the holy ministry and installed as pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, New Minden, and St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Covington. As the pastor of St. John’s, he has been blessed to be involved at T-SJ ever since. He and Dawn have been blessed with four sons: Pastor Jacob and his wife Julia, serving at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, MO, with their children Hannah and Zachariah; Paul and his wife Jessie, who with their children Sophia, Xavier, and Gabriel live in Litchfield, IL, where Paul serves as a commissioned Lutheran Teacher at Zion Lutheran School; Daniel, a computer engineer in Gaithersburg, MD; and Lukas, who lives in Denver, CO, and works in sales. In his spare time Pastor Tim enjoys reading, yard and garden work, woodworking, and especially doing things with his grandkids. |
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