2019 ACELC Conference speakers

Reverend Andrew Richard

Rev. Andrew Richard is Associate Pastor, Headmaster, and Junior High teacher at Mount Hope Lutheran Church and School in Casper, WY. He received his Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary in 2012. Rev. Richard has given much thought to the areas of outreach and evangelism from his time as the founding pastor of St. Silas Lutheran Church in North Liberty, IA. He enjoys studying the biblical and classical languages, and is deeply devoted to classical Lutheran education. Rev. Richard is married and has four children.

Reverend Mark Preus

Mark Preus is pastor of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church and Campus Center in Laramie, WY. He is married to Becky, who has given him nine children, with one on the way. He received his M. Div. from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fart Wayne in 2008, and an M.A. in Classics from the University of Kansas in 2010. He was ordained at Faith Lutheran Church in Wylie, TX in August of 2010. He enjoys writing hymns and poetry, going on walks with his wife, and cross-country skiing.

Reverend Willie Grills

Pastor Grills is a graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne and was sent as missionary pastor to La Iglesia Luterana, Amigos en Cristo in Denison, IA. In 2018 he accepted a call to St Paul's Lutheran Church, Mattoon, IL. Pastor Grills is married to Angélica for 10 years. They are the parents of two boys, Gus and Roland.  His hobbies include shooting sports and American religious history. Pastor Grills is especially interested in church planting and the history and methods thereof. Pastor Grills is co-host of the podcast A Word Fitly Spoken

(www.wordfitlyspoken.org). Word Fitly Spoken discusses many topics from a Lutheran perspective including history, exegesis, doctrine, and society. 

REVEREND ROLF PREUS

Pastor Rolf David Preus was born on August 7, 1953 in Cambridge,

Massachusetts, and was baptized on August 16, 1953 at Harvard Square LutheranChurch in Cambridge. He was confirmed on March 19, 1967 at Bethel LutheranChurch in University City, Missouri. He married Dorothy Felts on May 27, 1975 inColdwater, Michigan. God has blessed their marriage with twelve children:Daniel, David, Paul, John, Mark, Stephen, Christian, Andrew, James, Mary,Samuel, and Peter. Pastor and Mrs. Preus have forty four grandchildren andmore on the way.Pastor Preus attended parochial and public schools in Clayton, Missouri,Sandvika, Norway, and Strasbourg, France. He graduated from ConcordiaCollege in St. Paul in 1975, received his M. Div. from Concordia TheologicalSeminary in 1979, and his Master of Sacred Theology degree from ConcordiaTheological Seminary in 1987. His thesis topic was, “An Evaluation ofLutheran/Roman Catholic Conversations on Justification.” Pastor Preus hastaught courses in theology for Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne,Concordia University Wisconsin, and St. Sophia Lutheran Theological Seminaryin Ternopil’, Ukraine. He has lectured in Latvia, Indonesia, Norway, and in theUnited States on a variety of theological topics. Many of his essays are available

on www.christforus.org . Concordia Catechetical Academy has recentlypublished a collection of his sermons on the six chief parts of the Catechism.Pastor Preus was ordained on July 1, 1979 at Trinity Lutheran Church in CleanLake, Minnesota. He served Trinity Lutheran Church in Clear Lake (1979-82), FirstLutheran Church in East Grand Forks, Minnesota (1982-89), St. John’s LutheranChurch in Racine, Wisconsin (1989-97), River Heights Lutheran Church in EastGrand Forks, Minnesota (1997-2006), First American Lutheran Church in Mayville,North Dakota and Grace Lutheran Church in Crookston, Minnesota (2006-2015),and is presently the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sidney, Montana and St.John Lutheran Church in Fairview, Montana.

Mr. Scott Diekmann

Scott is a Captain for Alaska Airlines, where he’s been flying 737s for 22 years. He previously practiced dentistry in Colorado for eight years, graduating cum laude from the University of Nebraska Dental College in 1982. Scott is a member of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Milton, Washington. He’s been involved in apologetics for over two decades, including Mormon outreach while living in Salt Lake City and Jehovah’s Witnesses outreach in the Seattle area. He’s served on the Concordia Portland Board of Regents, Vice-President for the Lutheran Concerns Association, Director for the Brothers of John the Steadfast, and served as lay delegate at Northwest District Conventions and attended the LCMS National Convention. He previously served as a columnist for Around the Word Journal, has written for Higher Things Magazine, The Lutheran Clarion, and The Brothers of John the Steadfast website, and been a guest on Issues, Etc., and KFUO radio programs Concord Matters and Culture and Christianity. Scott enjoys hanging out with his wife Cheryl, his two kids and three grandkids, as well as occasional running and frequent chocolate eating. He and Cheryl reside in Puyallup, Washington.

Rev. Marcus J. Mackay

Rev. Marcus J. Mackay currently serves as Senior Pastor at Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zionsville, Indiana.  He previously served as Senior Pastor/Sole Pastor at Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hastings, Nebraska (2008-2018) and as Sole Pastor/Mission Planter at Friends in Christ Lutheran Church in Bryant, Arkansas (2004-2007).  He has served in various capacities within the LCMS:  Mission Planter for the Mid-South District, Little Rock North/South Circuit Treasurer, Pastoral Delegate to LCMS Convention, D.C.E. Intern Supervisor, Nebraska District Koinonia Task Force, Nebraska District Representative for LCMS Board of National Stewardship, LWML Pastoral Counselor, Vacancy Pastor and various Chaplain and Director positions for retirement communities and youth camps.    He completed his B.A. in Liberal Arts from Concordia University, Mequon, Wisconsin and his M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri (2004).  He is currently A.B.D. in the Doctor of Ministry program at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, studying and researching Structure & Governance in the Lutheran Parish.  Prior to seminary. Marcus worked for six years in Sales & Management for J.D. Investor's, Inc. (manufacturer and retailer for window treatments), leaving a management position at Woodland Studios Shutters in St. Louis prior to enrolling at the seminary.  He has been married to Jena (nee Rinne) for 23 blessed years, the Lord graciously granting them four boys:  Malachi (17), Matthias (15), Micah (13) and Marc (10).  The older three attend Lutheran High School of Indianapolis and the younger attends Our Shepherd Lutheran School in Avon, Indiana (where Jena teaches 2nd grade).  Pastor Mackay's free time is spent on the court, field or course watching his boys.  Occasionally he chases a little ball down green fairways and flushes roosters from the cover of South Dakota or Western Nebraska.

Reverend Jeff Kuddes

Pastor Kuddes came out of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis and was ordained into the Holy Ministry on August 9, 1992, and installed into service at the dual parish of Messiah, Murdo, South Dakota and St. Paul, Draper, South Dakota. In 1995 he accepted a call to serve the dual parish of St. Paul, Gillett, Arkansas and St. Luke, DeWitt, Arkansas. In 2001 he accepted the call to serve the dual parish of Trinity, Waltham, Minnesota and St. Paul, Hollandale, Minnesota. In 2014 he accepted the call to serve Trinity, Cole Camp, Missouri. In 2016 he accepted the call through the Office of International Missions of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod to serve as the residential missionary in Madagascar. As a result of the mission call being cancelled in 2017 he accepted the call to serve Trinity, Blue Hill, Nebraska. Additionally he accepted a call to serve Zion, Red Cloud, Nebraska in November of 2018, forming a dual parish with Trinity, Blue Hill.Pastor Kuddes is married to Michele for 37 years. They are parents to Caleb (Chelsea), Jacob (Abby) and Naomi (Rev. Matthias) Wollberg, and grandparents to Harper, Rosie, Henrietta, Mary and the one-on-the-way. It may not look like it but Pastor loves riding his Trek road bike long distances, and an occasional round of golf when affordable.Pastor Kuddes has been working with the Malagasy Lutheran Church in Madagascar since 2010. He has made 16 trips to Madagascar, and God-willing will make more in service to the Lord’s people there.