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KARL SCHAD, Lead Pastor
When Karl was baptized on June 17, 1990 he immediately began to experience the new life Christ promises. Pursuing God’s call to preach as a senior in High School, the Lord opened doors to share Christ through the arts of creative teaching, drama, and dance. Karl is married to his Abilene High School sweetheart, Carie, and together they have embraced God’s call to lead people to Jesus Christ. While preparing for ministry at Central Christian College and Ozark Christian College, Karl served as a youth minister working with teens and adult leaders. Seeing lives transformed by God fueled his passion to share Christ. In 1996, he became the full-time Youth Minister at First Christian Church in Cassville, MO. After 2 years, he answered God’s call to serve as the Youth Minister at Gateway Christian Church. In 2004 he began serving as the Associate Minister and in January 2010, Karl transitioned into the Lead Pastor role.
Karl and Carie have served at Gateway for over a decade, and celebrate 17 years of marriage. They make their home in St. Charles with 7 amazing kids—Taevan, Keynen, Jairin, Denae, Elise, Aleah, and Naomi. To answer the questions in your mind: Yes, they know what causes it and no, they are not Mormon:)
When Karl isn’t teaching, team building, or dreaming up creative ways to proclaim God's word—you might find him holding hands with Carie, playing catch with his boys, dancing with his girls, or simply modeling a life in desperate need of the grace of God. He looks forward to joining you in your journey to live for Christ, grow in Christ, and serve like Christ.
To get to know Pastor Karl and his family, check out his blog @ kschad.posterous.com.
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LADD HAVERLY, Ph.D., M.B.A., BCPC
Dr. Ladd Haverly, a St. Louis Christian College honors graduate and former Youth Minister, began serving GCC voluntarily in 1996 when he began teaching and leading contemporary worship services. In 2003, he was ordained as a minister here and left his corporate management career with UPS to join our staff as the Director of Worship and Administration. He met, fell in love with, and married his wife Kimberly in 2004, and he loves smooching on their two (soon to be three) young children. As a member of the senior leadership team, Ladd can be observed leading worship, preaching, and doing what executive guys do at a church; he really digs that organizational and leadership stuff. If you are looking for him, listen for him laughing or singing as he walks down the hall.
Ladd’s education includes a Ph.D. in Organization and Management: Leadership at Capella University, an M.B.A. with a specialization in Marketing at Lindenwood University, an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (ABT) at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, a B.A. in Ministry at St. Louis Christian College, and a University of Notre Dame Executive Certificate in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. Other credentials include being an Ordained Minister, a Board Certified Pastoral Counselor with the International Board of Christian Counselors, and a Nationally Certified Mediator through the American Association of Christian Counselors. Ladd’s professional memberships include the American Association of Christian Counselors, the Society for Human Resource Management, and the National Association of Church Business Administration.
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Shari Borders
Shari Borders has been serving as Children’s Minister at GCC since January, 2002. Since meeting at St. Louis Christian College, she and her husband Russ have been serving alongside families for over 20 years while raising four children of their own – Allie, Celeste, Keenan and Tess. Although having the privilege to speak and provide children’s ministry guidance through national conferences, by far the favorite part of ministry for Shari is greeting kids on Sunday morning! Where else can it be so tangibly affirmed that God has you right where He wants you than through the hugs and smiles of kids?
Although there are several kids who believe Miss Shari lives at the church, there is a life beyond those brick walls. The Borders’ house is often filled with loud friends, loud games, loud dogs and one quiet cat that rules the roost. The whole crowd gets even louder during football season! (Go Cowboys!) Throughout the year you can find this family at school concerts; softball, baseball, and football games; swim meets; shopping malls; and amusement parks with great roller coasters. Miss Shari’s favorite movie scene of all times is from “The Princess Bride”…“ Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam... And wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva...”
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JOSH HOUGH
About Me: I am a Christ follower. I am a daddy of an amazing boy. I am married to the most beautiful, loving, compassionate person I have ever met. Jessie is the person in my life who challenges me to be a better Christian, man, father, and person. I would do anything for my family.
Interests: My son Cooper, he is so inspiring to me. He has already been through more in his little life than most people do in 50 years.
Favorite Music: Country, David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, any worship artists that write and sing from their heart.
Favorite TV Shows: SPORTSCENTER, One Tree Hill, SPORTSCENTER, Greys Anatomy, SPORTSCENTER, Private Practice, Brothers and Sisters.
Favorite Movies: Anything funny
Favorite Books: Leadership books, and books to grow my relationship with Christ.Whatever the boss man says I need to be reading.
Favorite Quotations: Wise man says forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza.
Activities: I am a professional cookie dunker. Nobody dunks oreos like me! Along with cookies, I also like salsa, the thick kind.
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Brennan Loveless
Brennan has been serving at Gateway since August of 2008. Passionate about seeing music and the creative arts used to glorify God on Sunday mornings, Brennan focuses on enabling others to use their God-given creative gifts to bring others closer to God in worship. An avid music lover, Brennan has been playing guitar since Junior High, which was also about the time his arm was twisted into singing a solo at school.
Since then, Brennan has annoyed his wife Natalie by constantly singing in the car, led worship in youth groups and camps around the St. Louis area, and has been a full time Worship Pastor since June of 2006. He recently graduated from Lindenwood University with a Bachelors of Arts in Christian Ministry Studies with an emphasis in Youth Ministry and Worship/Contemporary Arts. He and his beautiful wife Natalie have been married since June of 2007 and have a crazy little dog named Gizmo.
To get to know Brennan more please visit: brennanloveless.wordpress.com or myspace.com/brennanloveless
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MARCIA HAVERLY
Marcia began volunteering her time her to run the music program in the 2nd year of Gateway’s existence. Currently, she is the Director of choirs, leading the Adult Praise Choir and overseeing the Children and Teen Choirs.
As a child of missionary parents, she spent several years in China and the Philippines. She is married to Jim Haverly. They have 3 children and 6 2/3 grandchildren. She and Jim have lived in Tennessee, Illinois, and Missouri where Jim was the minister of several churches as well as a guidance counselor in the Hazelwood schools. Marcia graduated from Greenville College with a B.A. in Education, and later from UMSL with an M.A. in Guidance and Counseling. She taught 1st grade for many years before shifting to Guidance Counseling. She is currently trying to excel in the skill games of the Wii, but so far is being bested on e
very level by her grandson, Alex.
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Ruth Dunton
Ruth joined the GCC staff as a part time employee, working in the main church office, in April 2006 and became full-time in September 2008. She also helps the Children’s Minister part of her time. She became a Christian in April 1979 after accepting Jesus as her Lord and Savior and was baptized in the frigid waters of Third Creek that same month. Ruth and her two daughters moved to the St. Louis area in 1990, but did not find Gateway until 2002.
Besides working in the office full-time, Ruth teaches first grade Sunday school, leads a Bible study on Wednesday evenings, and helps with the children programs. Her two daughters are also attending with their spouses and Ruth’s five grandchildren (the five cutest kids in our preschool and elementary areas). Ruth has also been active in the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Paseo Con Cristo (a Cursillo community). She enjoys playing with her grandkids, spending time with her daughters and parents, getting together with friends, reading, and knitting.
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Lore Thommesen
Lore has been on staff part-time at GCC since 2006, now working three days a week in the main office. She and her family (husband Bjorn, kids Ellen and Peter) moved here in 1999 from Minnesota (by way of Virginia Beach – long story) where they were very active in a local Christian church. They are very thankful to be part of another healthy body of Christ and love being able to use the talents God has given them to continue His work here (think TeleCare and Small Groups). Lore is very active in Missouri’s Moms In Touch prayer movement, serving on the State Team as prayer/encouragement coordinator. She also enjoys going to movies with Bjorn, texting her teens, walking her dog, listening to contemporary Christian music, and going with the GCC missions team to Mexico to practice her Spanish. Lore received a B.A. in Spanish/Hispanic Studies from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN.
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