Staff

Staff

Mark Nelson
Senior Pastor

It’s terrific to be at Peace….and also to return to my hometown! I grew up in west Bloomington, went to Bloomington schools—Ridgeview, Penn, and Lincoln. I attended the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and, following graduation, entered Luther Northwestern Seminary.

Following graduation from seminary in 1984, I accepted a call to serve as Associate Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Long Lake and was ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in 1984. Following eight years at Trinity, I served as an interim pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Woodlake in Richfield, and Nokomis Heights, south Minneapolis. In 1997, I was called to be the Senior Pastor of Nokomis Heights Lutheran Church. I also accepted responsibilities in churchwide leadership. I especially enjoyed serving on the Evangelism Task Force of the ELCA in 2001-2002.

Much to my surprise, I received a call in 2003 from the Division for Global Missions asking us to serve on behalf of the Church in Egypt. For the next two years, I served as Senior Pastor of St. Andrew’s United Church in downtown Cairo. The congregation is a Christian witness in a predominately Muslim country and provides congregational life and schooling for Sudanese refugees escaping civil war in their home country. This was followed by an invitation to assist with ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Jerusalem.

Upon returning to the United States, I served as Interim Senior Pastor with at Peace, then Faith-Lilac Way, Robbinsdale, and Our Saviour’s in Minneapolis before returning to Peace. Throughout these varied places my convictions of the centrality of Jesus Christ, the unique life-giving ways of the Church, and the Church’s ministry in the world for the sake of the world that God loves has only increased.

When I am not engaged in the life of the church, I enjoy running, tennis, and reading. We like to travel to visit family and new places.

My chief joy in life, however, is in spending time with my wife, Marcie. We live in southeast Minneapolis in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood. She underwrites long-term care insurance at Univita Corporation. We have four children. Brittany and her husband, Jeff, live in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and are raising six children; Julia, Sam, Jack, Aidan, Ryleigh and Holden. Melissa and her husband, Aaron, live in south Minneapolis with their children; Jens, Per, and Inga. Sons Tim is a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science and John lives in Maple Grove and manages a warehouse there.

It is a privilege to serve the Gospel of Jesus Christ with this congregation!

 

Pastor Nelson can be reached by calling the church office 952-944-6510,
by using the phone icon below, or by email with the mail icon below.

Joe Orner
Associate Pastor

Pastor Joe joined Peace as Associate Pastor in June 2019, and one of his primary responsibilities and joys is overseeing its Children, Youth, and Family Ministries. He is passionate about empowering young people, building relationships, and creating community in authentic and meaningful ways.

Prior to joining Peace, Pastor Joe received degrees from Luther Seminary and the University of Wisconsin – Madison. During his time in seminary, he also served congregations across the Twin Cities, including: Peace, Coon Rapids; Faith-Lilac Way, Robbinsdale; and St. Andrew, Eden Prairie.

Pastor Joe loves his vocations as a husband to his wife, Reilly, and father to his son, Lucas. They live in Chaska, along with their golden retrievers, Luna and Finley. When not at Peace, Pastor Joe enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, watching movies, disc golfing, drinking craft beer, eating ice cream, cheering on the Vikings and Badgers, and enjoying the outdoors.

 

Pastor Orner can be reached by calling the church office 952-944-6510,
by using the phone icon below, or by email with the mail icon below.

Bruce Hudson
Accompanist and Choir Director

Bruce Hudson served in organist positions at congregations in the Los Angeles, California and Cleveland, Ohio areas. He is a full-time horn player with the Minnesota Orchestra, joining the orchestra in the 2011-2012 season. Previously, he was a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 2000-2011. A native of northeastern Ohio, he has performed and toured with the Cleveland Orchestra, and has been a member of several regional orchestras including the Toledo Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Akron Symphony, and Erie Philharmonic. He earned both Bachelor and Master’s degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and Case Western Reserve University and has been adjunct horn faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Case Western Reserve University, and at La Sierra University in Riverside, California.

Lori Thomson
Adminstrator

I was born a Norwegian-Minnesotan and raised in the ELCA church.  After our marriage, my husband Jim and I lived in Arizona for 5 years and then moved back…once a Minnesotan, always a Minnesotan!

I attended The College of St. Catherine for my undergraduate and the University of Phoenix for my MBA.  After working in the Healthcare industry for years, I began working at Peace in 2001. Peace is an outstanding community of people and I am very thankful to be here! 

Our family joined the Peace community in 1993.  My two adult children were baptized and confirmed at Peace.

When not working, I enjoy travel, camping, reading, woodworking, sewing and my grandson!  

 

Lori can be reached by calling the church office 952-944-6510,
by using the phone icon below, or by email with the mail icon below.

Daina Sivanich
Communication Specialist

My husband, son, and I joined Peace in 2009. My son was baptized at Peace and is now preparing to be confirmed. In the summer of 2014, I joined the staff at Peace when God's hand presented me with this perfect opportunity to apply my talents and serve Him and the members of Peace.

I graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College then embarked on 20+ years in the “Mad Men” world of Minneapolis advertising agencies.  In 2006, I changed gears and handled advertising sales for Midwest Home, a sister magazine to Minnesota Monthly.  A few years later, I  became an independent advertising professional with several small-business clients. 

In my spare time, I enjoy book club reading, travel, walking and hiking, cooking, spending weekends at our family cabin, and being a mom.

 

Daina can be reached by calling the church office 952-944-6510,
by using the phone icon below, or by email with the mail icon below.