Our Story

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Pastor 1

Meet Our Pastor

Thompson Marin, Pastor-Elect

He was born in Thomassique, Haiti, on November 11, 1988. He has four older sisters, and no brothers. Thompson grew up in Haiti in a Baptist family, and he joined the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in 2014-one year after he met Erika.

Thompson moved to the USA in 2007 when he was in 13th grade in Haiti, the year he would have completed his High School studies. He was able to use his 12th grade High School diploma from Haiti to attend college in the states. He graduated from: Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY in 2010; Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY in 2013; Dakota State University, Madison, SD in 2016; Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN in 2024. His parents live in Brooklyn, NY; his oldest sister lives in Terrebonne, Canada with her husband and their three children, his second oldest sister moved from Haiti to the states over a year ago with her husband and their two children; his third older sister lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their three children; and his fourth older sister lives in Raynham, MA with her husband and their two children.

After he graduated from Brooklyn College, he met his wife, Erika Marin (Neugebauer) in Haiti while visiting his family and she was on a mission trip. Erika was born in Worland, NY and grew up in Gering, NE where her father, Rev. Richard Neugebauer, has served as a Lutheran Pastor. Erika graduated from Concordia University, Seward, NE in 2015, and the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD in 2018. Thompson and Erika were married in July 1, 2016, at Faith Lutheran Church in Gering, NE. God has blessed them with two children: Micaiah and Olivia.

Besides caring for, and helping people, Thompson loves spending time with his family. In addition, he loves playing soccer, card games, visiting friends and family. He is a good listener, and he would love to meet you!

Our History

On April 29,1873 a small group of German-American families gathered in the First Presbyterian Church in the village of Batavia to form their own congregation. The official incorporation of the congregation took place on April 23, 1874 under the name of “The German United Evangelical St. Paul Church.” The first house of worship was built on Ellicott street and was dedicated to the glory of the Triune God on May 15, 1874. The first minister was the Rev. George Feld.
In the spring of 1898 the congregations sold the property on Ellicott street for $2,000 and purchased a site on Liberty Street for $1,350. With the remaining $445 in their treasury the thirty-five remaining families decided to build a new brick church, which the dedicated to the service of God on December 4, 1898. In that year, the congregation left the Evangelical Association of North American and became a Lutheran congregation. On July 10, 1898 the Name “St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church” was adopted. The Rev. Edward Holls was called to be pastor and during his tenure services in English were heard for the first time.
In 1941, to meet the needs of a growing congregation, a new site was purchased on Washington Avenue. Here, the present house of worship was erected and dedicated to the glory of God on October 19, 1952.

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LEADERSHIP

  • Pastor

    Thompson Marin

  • President

    Charles Bell

  • Vice President

    John Athoe

  • Financial Secretary

    Marian Seward

  • Secretary

    Denise Kumpf

  • School Board Finance

    Jackie Blank

  • Treasurer

    Lynn Eick

  • Trustee

    Dave Whitcombe

  • Elder

    Gary Churchill & Steven Klafhen

  • Community Outreach

    Susan Bell

  • Growth & Discipleship

    Shannon Kabel

  • Hospitality & Fellowship

    Brenda Seward

  • Pastoral Care

    Sharon Wolff

  • Vision

    Linda Eick

  • Worship & Music

    AnnMarie Sheehan

BOARD OF ELDERS

Gary Churchill – Chairman

Steve Klafhen – Co Chair

John Athoe

Chuck Huntley

Tim Klafehn

Dennis Kumpf

Hank Mudrzynski

David Whitcombe

John Wolff

Sharon Wolff – Pastoral Care