R.E.(Rammy) Lybrand, Jr. is the Senior Pastor of St. John's. As the leader of our ministry team, he has general responsibility for keeping the congregation focused on the mission of Christ in our community. He oversees the staff and the pastoral team and has the principle leadership in worship and preaching. Since his ordination in 1975, he has served congregations in South and North Carolina.

Being deeply committed to the Word of God, he thoroughly enjoys preaching and teaching the Scriptures. From his conviction that Christ leads us to serve our communities, Pastor Rammy has been highly involved in the communities where he has lived and served.

He was born in Johnston, SC, received a BA degree from Newberry College ('71) and a Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary ('75).  His wife, Jackie Wilson Lybrand, also graduated from Newberry College with graduate work at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte.  The Lybrand's have two children: Mauri, who is employed by Bank of America as a Human Resources specialist, and Brett, who is employed as an area leader with Young Life in Chapel Hill, NC.

Pastor Lybrand says of St. John's:  "St. John's Lutheran Church is a caring Christian community where Jesus Christ is central, God's word is taught, God's presence is celebrated, and all people are welcome.   This congregation takes seriously the need for every person to belong and to grow spiritually so each may become more effective in sharing the Gospel and in serving the wider community in the name of Jesus Christ.  We would love to welcome your into our congregational family."

                            Click to e-mail Pastor Lybrand at Rammy.Lybrand@stjohns-sptbg.org

D.Murray Shull, Visitation Pastor

Born in Pelion, SC, Pastor Murray Shull is a graduate of Newberry College, Newberry, SC. After completing his Master of Divinity studies at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, SC., and graduate studies at Hartford Seminary, Hartford, CT, Pastor Shull began his ministry with Totota Parish in Liberia, West Africa in 1957.

He returned home in 1962 and accepted a call to Emmanuel, West Columbia. This was followed by service at St. James, Sumter, where he was instrumental in th formation of the Sumter Ministerial Association, a merger of the white and black associations. Her served as its first president.

Pastor Shull was called to Holy Communion, Spartanburg in 1971, when it was a mission congregation. During his 25 years of leadership the congregation grew to a total of 702 members.

Throughout three and a half decades of pastorial life in South Carolina, Pastor Shull presided over the Greater Columbia Lutheran Social Ministry Society; chaired the World Mission Committee of the South Carolina Synod; served as delegate to five LCA conventions, including the constituting convention of th ELCA; served on the Stewardship Commission of the South Carolina Synod and was the guiding editorial force of the award winning SOUTH CAROLINA LUTHERAN for thirty years.

For 16 years, Pastor Shull served on the Board of Trustees of Newberry College. He was secretary of the Board for 8 years.

Paralleling these labors has been ministry to service organizations including the Sumter Office of Economic Opportunity, the Spartanburg City Crime Prevention Council, President of the Dorman High School PTA and on the founding board and president of Greater Spartanburg Ministries.

In 1996 Newberry College awarded him the Doctor of Divinity Degree.

Pastor Shull is married to Christine Wessinger Shull. A former president of the South Carolina Lutheran Church Women, member of Synod Council, and active in may areas of the life and work of the church. The Shulls have 2 adult children, Lori Crumpton, a teacher of gifted children at Pauline-Glenn Springs, and Michael, Vice-President Finance and Controller, Information Services AHOLD USA, Greenville, SC, and 4 grandchildren.

Pastor Shull began his ministry at St John's on September 1, 2002.

                            Click to e-mail Pastor Shull at Murray.Shull@stjohns-sptbg.org

James Houck, Vicar

Vicar James is serving a one year internship at St. John's as a candidate for ordained ministry. He has complete four years of seminary education and is looking forward to graduation in May of 2008.

He and his wife Nicole are celebrating the birth of Elijah (1 September). Elijah has two very precocious sisters, Emma (10) and Isabel (8), who try to attend to his every need.

Vicar James grew up on a farm in Calhoun County near Cameron, SC. He studied physics and mathematics at Erskine College and received a Master of Science degree from East Carolina University. He then worked as an experimental atomic physicist and instructor at Western Michigan University.

Vicar James serves on the ELCA Alliance for Faith, Science, and Technology and enjoys teaching about the relation between faith and science.


                            Click to e-mail Vicar James at James.Houck@stjohns-sptbg.org

Katrina Bue, Director of Youth & Children's Ministries

Katrina Bue was born and raised on a farm in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She attended Eastern University, a small private Christian college near Philadelphia. Katrina graduated from Eastern in December of 2005 with a degree in Youth Ministries and Mission. While studying in this field Katrina was able to garner 6 years of experience working with the Young Life Organization. Katrina compares her philosphy and style of ministry to that of Young Life, and looks forward to serving and getting to know the children, youth and friends of St. John's.

                            Click to e-mail Katrina at Katrina.Bue@stjohns-sptbg.org


Chip Hicks, Sexton

Chip Hicks is a native of North Carolina, and graduated from Pheiffer University in Misenheimer, NC. After many years of management experience in the restaurant industry, Chip accepted the position of Sexton at St. John's. A self professed handy man, Chip has his hands full managing the daily requirements of the church physical plant.

In the three short years that Chip has occupied this position, the members of St. John's have reaped the benefits. No matter what the issue, Chip's extensive knowledge of processes and equipment keep St. John's running smoothly.

In addition to his duties as St. John's chief maintenance officer, Chip volunteers as the Audio/Video director for St. John's Contemporary Worship service, and builds and flys radio controlled model aircraft.

Chip lives in Spartanburg with his wife Cindy, son Chris and daughter Chelsey.

                            Click to e-mail Chip Hicks at Chip.Hicks@stjohns-sptbg.org
Frankie Deal, Music Director

FRANKIE WOLFE DEAL, Organist/Music Coordinator, graduated from Woman’s College, Greensboro, NC (now UNC-G) with a BM in Organ and a Minor in Piano. She also has an Associate in Business Degree from Spartanburg Technical College and worked at Tech, WSPA-TV and the Spartanburg Development Center before becoming a full-time musician. Prior to coming to St. John’s, she served as Organist/Music Director for Nativity Lutheran, Holy Communion Lutheran and as organist for St. James United Methodist and St. John’s Lutheran in Parkersburg, WV. She has been at St. John’s since May 1992. Currently, she serves St. John’s as organist, accompanist for the Chancel and Children’s Choirs, director of the Early Morning Choir, Youth Choir, Men’s Ensemble and Handbells. She also teaches piano and organ lessons and does free-lance accompanying for vocalists and instrumentalists.

A life-long Lutheran originally from Landis, NC, she moved to Spartanburg in 1964. Her family includes a son, a daughter, three grandchildren, her 90+ year-old mother, a cat and a dog.

                            Click to e-mail Frankie Deal at Frankie.Deal@stjohns-sptbg.org

Lee O. Hagglund, Chancel Choir Director

Dr. Lee Hagglund, is St. John's Senior Choir Director. Dr. Hagglund is a native of Minnesota and truly a student of the classics. On any given Sunday you will be treated to one of the finest choirs for classical choral arrangements in the upstate of South Carolina. In addition to Dr. Hagglund's duties at St. John's, he is also a Distinquished Professor Mathematics at Wofford College, in Spartanburg.

Each year the members of St. John's and the community at large have been treated to such classics Handel's "Messiah", the "Seven Last Words of Christ", and most recently the "Magnificant". The St. John's choir is often accompanied by a chamber orchestra and our own Brass Ensemble, directed by Dr. Don Scott.

It is a guarantee that if you are looking a worship experience that features the best in Traditional worship and the music of the classic composers, Dr. Lee Hagglund and St. John's Chancel Choir will not disappoint you.

                            Click to e-mail Lee Hagglund at ChoirDirector@stjohns-sptbg.org