Fellows Bios Charles (CJ) Boettcher CJ Boettcher is currently the pastor at Gethsemane Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Upsala, MN. He holds a BS degree in Water Resources from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point and a MDiv degree from Luther Seminary. CJ is a part of the Eco Faith Network of the Northeastern Minnesota synod of the ELCA which seeks to promote creation care and environmental stewardship practices on a synodical, congregational, and personal level. Erik Carlson Erik Carlson has served rural Dawson Covenant Church for the past seven years. He holds a MDiv from North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago and is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Covenant Church. While pastoring his congregation, he has also served Southwest Minnesota as a hospice chaplain with Rice Memorial Hospital. He received his BS from North Park University with a major in International Business. Erik is married to poet and spiritual director Lauren K Carlson. Together they have three young sons. Tristan English Tristan English is a native of Decorah, IA and a graduate of Ursinus College with a BA in history and an MDiv from The Iliff School of Theology. He currently serves as the Rector at Christ Episcopal Church in Red Wing, MN. Prior to arriving in Red Wing, he worked for The Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming as Canon for Congregational Enrichment helping congregations discern and live into God’s vision of them. Before entering the priesthood in 2010, Tristan worked as a director in the newspaper industry for 16 years specializing in marketing, administration, finance and operations. Tristan is married to Debra and they are joined in their home by three Labradors and are servants to two cats. John Gabrielson John Gabrielson lives in Sartell, MN, with his wife and two children. He serves Atonement Lutheran Church in St. Cloud, and is a graduate of Luther Seminary (St Paul) and Carleton College (Northfield). Joel Gueningsman Joel Gueingsman is pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Clara City, MN. Before coming to Immanuel, he served two congregations in Iowa: Faith Lutheran, Onawa & Soldier Lutheran, Soldier. He holds a MDiv degree from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN (2012) and a BA degree in Theology from Concordia University St. Paul (2005). Salim Kaderbhai Salim Kaderbhai is a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and Luther Seminary. Currently he is serving as a pastor for a two point parish in Southern Minnesota. In God’s divine sense of humor he finds himself, as someone having grown up south of the Equator and spending most of his ministry development time in urban and inner city ministry, serving in a rural setting. He is married to Katie and has four children. Jeanette McCormick Jeanette Clark McCormick is originally from Minnetonka, MN and attended Hopkins High School. She attended Augsburg College, graduating in 2007 with a BA in Youth and Family Ministry/Urban Studies and a minor in Spanish. She has worked at Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp, the Lutheran Volunteer Corp in Southern Minneapolis, and La Conexion (a Latino community center). She attended Luther Seminary, graduating in 2012 with an emphasis in Congregational Mission and Leadership. Her first call was with a young adult program called Marty’s Mug, and was a mission developer for a Latino congregation called Pueblo de Dios. In 2015, she married Rev. Cole McCormick. In her free time, she enjoys being with family and friends, being outdoors, and swimming. Christian Muellerleile Christian L. Muellerleile is a co-pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield, MN where he works alongside a gifted staff and congregation. Above that he is called to be a child of God of Three in One and One in Three, a husband of one, and a father of two. Christian is a founding board member of Meeker Area Ministries—a congregation and community supported transitional housing program. His likes are canoeing, traditional archery, joy, good beer, and old timey and Americana music. His dislikes are busyness, crabbiness, and stress (although he is at times prone to them). Jon Nelson Jon Nelson currently serves as pastor at Ebenezer and Tripolis Lutheran Churches near Willmar, MN and as Dean of the Lakeland Conference of SWMN Synod (ELCA). Jon was ordained in 2008 after obtaining his MDiv from Wartburg Theological Seminary and a BA in History from Valparaiso University (2004). He then served his first call in Northwood, ND for five years before moving to Minnesota. Having spent a significant part of his childhood in Africa (both Nigeria and South Africa) as a part of a missionary family and having lived in a variety of settings in the US, Jon has a passion for intercultural development, mission and ministry, and studying the intersection of faith and culture. Jeff Ozanne Jeff Ozanne is the lead pastor of Willmar United Methodist Church where he as served alongside his wife since 2015. His undergraduate degree is from Beloit College where he majored in Religious Studies and Philosophy. He earned his MDiv degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Beth Pottratz Beth Pottratz serves Salem Lutheran Church in Mahtowa, MN, a small town church with big Spirit. Pastor Beth graduated from Luther Seminary in St Paul with her MDiv in May, 2016. On a synodical level in the NE MN ELCA synod, she is chair of the Immigration and Refugee Task Force, Co-Chair of the AMMPARO ministry team, and member of the Honduran Companion synod team. Prior to ordained ministry, Pastor Beth was called to the profession of teaching, working in a high school in urban south Minneapolis teaching Spanish. At the same time, she was a lay leader in two different Spanish-English Lutheran congregations in Minneapolis. Pastor Beth spent 2009-10 as a Young Adult in Global Mission (YAGM) in Montevideo, Uruguay. Pastor Beth graduated in 2009 from Winona State University with a bachelors in Spanish Teaching. Eileen Woyen Eileen Woyen is a mother, pastor, and wife (among other things). Most importantly, she is a child of God and attempts to live her life through all those identities. Eileen is pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, MN. She is originally from Ohio and enjoys her adopted state of Minnesota. Pastor Eileen is part of a clergy couple along with her husband, Steven. They have two boys (Martin 5 and Jacobi 10). Their family also included Odie the dog and Doug the cat.
