Pastor Jerry Reinke

Pastor Jerry was born and raised in the Twin Falls area. During his second year of college he married Karen, a long-time friend from his youth. They farmed for nearly 20 years, growing beans, corn and wheat. While farming, Jerry served as president of a non-profit corporation, Christian Radio of Magic Valley, Inc., which started radio station KCIR in Twin Falls.

In 1985 Jerry left farming and went back to school at Concordia University, Mequon, Wisconsin. While in school he served as Director of Outreach at Grace Lutheran Church, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Lay Ministry.  During that time he decided to become a pastor.  He attended Concordia Seminary, St. Louis Missouri and graduated in 1992.  He served for seven years as an associate pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights, Illinois, a congregation of over 3500 members.  While there he also served as minister of outreach and assimilation.

In 1999 he and Karen took a call to serve as missionaries through Idaho Circuit Rider Ministry. Among other ministries, they started a mobile ministry utilizing a semi-truck equipped with an outdoor stage, two twenty five foot climbing walls and an indoor video theatre.  They hired college students and toured Southern Idaho, ministering in small and remote communities. They served that ministry, now name Cross Country Ministry, until Jerry accepted the call to become pastor of St. John.

Pastor Jerry and Karen raised two children; Langdon, who is Pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Idaho Falls, and Cheryl of Los Gatos, California. They have two grandchildren.  His hobbies include working on old cars, photography and video editing.

Carolyn Hackman - Director of Youth and Family Life

Carolyn spent her first eighteen years on a dairy farm in western Wisconsin where her family still resides. She earned her degree as a Director of Christian Education from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota. As a commissioned minister of religion for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, her first official call was to Concordia Lutheran Church in Pullman, Washington.  During her tenure there she served as Coordinator of Campus Ministries for both Washington State University and the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. It was during this time that she earned her Masters Degree in Child and Family Science.

Carolyn served LCMS congregations in Ohio and Minnesota before moving to Idaho Falls to serve as Director of Youth and Family Life Ministry at St. John Lutheran. She also worked for three years as a 4-H Youth Development Agent for the University of Wisconsin Extension.  Areas of ministry in which she has served include campus ministry, youth ministry, family ministry, adult education, church administration, leadership development and camp ministry.

Her interests include the GREEN BAY PACKERS (okay, it's more of a passion), her dog and cat, quilting, traveling, music, and of course, her husband, Ted Hackman, Jr.

As a Director of Christian Education, her ministry style comes from Ephesians 4:12-16, "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!