Pastor Adam is our Lead Pastor, stepping into the role in 2025. Before landing at Normandale, he served as Senior Pastor at Faith Lutheran in Waconia, the ELCA’s Campus Pastor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln—where he helped design and build a brand-new campus ministry center—and as pastor at First St. Paul’s Lutheran in Hastings, Nebraska.
He also moonlights as a Visiting Instructor for Preaching at Luther Seminary in St. Paul and serves on the Board of Trustees for Augsburg Fortress Press.
A proud Nebraskan—yes, a full-fledged Cornhusker—Adam graduated from Hastings College (BA in Psychology), Nazarene Theological Seminary (MA in Theological Studies), and Luther Seminary (DMin in Biblical Preaching).
He and his amazing spouse, Amanda (Director of Operations at Church Anew), are recent empty-nesters living in Waconia with their two dogs: Nicholas Buttersnaps and Martin Luther (the dog, not the reformer). Their kids, Soph and Olivia, are both students at Gustavus Adolphus College.
Adam loves reading and writing and has recently taken up archery. When properly motivated, he’s even completed a few half-marathons and sprint triathlons. But honestly, his favorite thing is doing pretty much anything… as long as someone invites him along.
Joining the pastoral team in 2019, Pastor Rebecca is inquisitive by nature and most passionate about exploring the
transformative work God is up to among us! She brings to Normandale Lutheran Church experience from several years of global service work and ministry, a degree in social work (with an emphasis on homelessness) from Luther College, a Masters of Divinity from Luther Seminary, and four years of formative pastoral ministry in Prior Lake, MN. Pastor Rebecca’s husband and pup continue to help her live with a more robust sense of joy, gratitude, and adventure. She can be found rock climbing, traveling, camping, testing out daring new recipes, and attempting to grow her vegetable garden!
Pastor Maria started at Normandale as Interim Associate Pastor in September 2024. In this 80%-time role, she has the privilege of walking alongside the people of the congregation during this time of transition, serving in ministry with seniors and in other ways as well. With 26 years of pastoral experience, Pastor Maria comes to us after serving 17 years on the pastoral staff of Our Saviour’s Lutheran in East Bethel. Prior to that, she served a long-term call in the Milwaukee area, then served as an interim when first moving back to Minnesota. She and her husband Jon live in Eden Prairie and have two children, one in college and one finishing high school this year. Maria is a self-professed documentary nerd who enjoys learning new things, reading mysteries, baking, and helping her children become kind, responsible adults. On Sundays when she is not at Normandale, Maria worships at All Saints Lutheran in Minnetonka where her husband, Jon, is Lead Pastor.
