Office Hours (M-F): 8:30-5:00

 ** Day School Staff

Senior Pastor - Edward Wm. Trost
Native of: Chicago, Illinois
Family: Wife - Barb, four children.
Came to Bethany: 9/18/88
Previous Churches Served: Calvary, Wamego, KS (1967-70), Holy Cross, Wichita, KS (1970-78), St. Paul, Flint, MI (1978-88).

Associate Pastor - Bryan Drebes
Native of: Hannibal, MO
Graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Served here at Bethany as Vicar in 2000
Came to Bethany:  9/9/2001
His wife, Cheryl, joined in August 2007

Associate Pastor of Outreach - Mark Schulz
Family: Wife - Nancy, two children.
Came to Bethany:  5/1/2005
Previous Churches Served: St. Mark, Omaha, Nebraska; The Lutheran Church of St. Luke, Itasca, Illinois; and North Shore Lutheran Ministry in Lake Forest and Highland Park, Illinois.

Director of Child Ministry/Day School Principal - Pamela Nummela
Native of: St. Louis, Missouri
Family: Husband - Tom, also a DCE, Children - Bethany and Tim
Came to Bethany: July 1, 1999
Certifications: Lutheran teacher (1974) and DCE (1991)
Previous Churches Served: As teacher in Portland, Oregon (1975-77); Lansing, Michigan (1977-82); Waco, Texas (1982-84); Blue Springs, Missouri (1984-92); Affton, Missouri (1992-99) 

Director of Youth Ministry - William Prann

William has spent his life trying to experience as much of God’s creation as possible. He loves being outside doing everything from yard work to racing his bicycle in local and regional races. William received his undergraduate degree from the University of South Dakota on a track scholarship and spent eight years as a Commercial Lending Officer in the Kansas City area. In 2001, He was named one of People Magazines “100 Most Eligible Bachelors.” Following that experience, he quit the bank and returned to school to prepare to serve as a Youth Minister. According to William, “investing in people has a much better return.” He is now a certified Director of Christian Education with the Lutheran Church and serves as the Director of Youth Ministries at Bethany Lutheran Church with campuses in Overland Park and Stilwell, Kansas. He is working on a Master’s degree through Concordia University. William lives in Lenexa, KS with his wife, Tricia and everyone else’s kids.

Administrator - Dennis Underwood
 

Receptionist - Carolynn Eckard
 

Director of Music - Sara Oberle
Native of: Great Bend, Kansas
Family: Husband - Curtis
Came to Bethany: July 2008
Previous Churches Served: Ruskin Heights Lutheran 1996-2000, Ward Parkway Presbyterian 2000-2001,
Overland Park Christian 2002-2005

Bethany Lutheran Day School
Staff Information

Staff at Bethany

Click on the  "Bethany Day School"  button in the  "Contents"  listing at the left for detailed information on the Bethany Lutheran Day School Program.

Pamela Nummela, Assistant Principal

Director of Child Ministry/Asst. Day School Principal - Pamela Nummela
Native of: St. Louis, Missouri
Family: Husband - Tom, also a DCE, Children - Bethany and Tim
Came to Bethany: July 1, 1999
Certifications: Lutheran teacher (1974) and DCE (1991)
Previous Churches Served: As teacher in Portland, Oregon (1975-77); Lansing, Michigan (1977-82); Waco, Texas (1982-84); Blue Springs, Missouri (1984-92); Affton, Missouri (1992-99) 

Cory Emily, Asst. Principal/Jr. High Teacher

Cory Emily is a 2003 graduate of Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in mathematics. He is working on his Masters in Educational Leadership from Concordia, Portland, Oregon. He will teach math, science, PE, and religion to upper grades. His abilities in technology will be of benefit to using our technology enhancements. Cory enjoys sports. He and his wife, April, have two daughters named Addyson and Lydia.

Megan Darby, Kindergarten

Megan Leimer is a 2002 graduate of Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska.  She graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and a Lutheran Teachers Diploma as well as a degree in Mathematics.  Megan spent a semester studying abroad at Oak Hill College in London, England and had the opportunity to work in two primary schools while she was there.  Megan student taught in elementary schools both in Seward, Nebraska and Brisbane, Australia. 

Megan grew up in Mulvane, Kansas where she attended church at Faith Lutheran in Derby, Kansas.

Megan is excited to continue her teaching career at Bethany.  She enjoys traveling, playing all kind of sports, and spending time with family and friends.

Jody Nothwehr, First Grade

Jody Nothwehr is a December 2002 graduate of Concordia, Seward where she received a degree in elementary education and a Lutheran Teacher’s Diploma as well as a Spanish concentration.  Her student teaching experience was at Hope, Shawnee.  She is from Juniata, Nebraska and her home congregation is Christ Lutheran Church.  Her husband, Ben, joined Bethany in May 05.

Jody enjoys working with children and is excited to be at Bethany. She enjoys going for walks, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

Beckie Rathke, Second Grade

Beckie Rathke is a 1989 graduate of Concordia University in Seward and has taught in schools at Messiah and Grace here in the Kansas City area and in Kearney, Nebraska, Fort Wayne, Indiana and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She enjoys music and aerobics. She has traveled to Haiti and to set up feeding programs for children in Lutheran Schools there.

Nancy J. Schulz, Third Grade

Nancy J. Schulz is a  1982 graduate of Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education with a math concentration. She also received Church Teacher and Director of Christian Education certifications. She is originally from Spencer, Iowa where she attended First English Lutheran Church. Currently, Nancy teaches Third Grade in the afternoon.

Nancy has recently moved to Overland Park after living and teaching in the Chicago area for 13 year. She joins Bethany with her husband, Pastor Mark, and daughters, Rebekah and Bethany.

Debbie Dillon, Fourth Grade

Debbie grew up in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She attended Concordia University in Mequon, WI and graduated in 1994 with a BS in Elementary Education and a minor in Psychology. She taught at Grace Lutheran in Kansas City for five years. She then taught at Mt. Calvary Lutheran School in Minnesota for two years. Debbie moved back to Kansas and taught kindergarten in a public school in Argentine for two years. In May 2005, she started her Master's program at NWMSU. Debbie and her husband have two children. Debbie enjoys repelling, swimming, and many other outdoor activities.

Jana Grimm, Fifth Grade

Jana is a graduate of Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a concentration in mathematics.  She is completing the Teacher Colloquy Program of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  Jana previously volunteered at Bethany as as art teacher.  She and her husband, Brian, have three children, Brianna, Reagan, and Evan, who attend Bethany. 

Diane Harries, Junior High

Diane Harries teaches Sixth grade.  She is a member at Hope Lutheran, Shawnee, where her husband, Tom, is the Senior Pastor.  They live in Lenexa and have three grown children, all of who live in Lawrence.  Diane holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from St. Mary's college in Leavenworth with an endorsement in 7-9 Language Arts.  Most recently, she has been teaching in the public middle school in Lyndon, Kansas, and is joyfully pursuing her dream of becoming rostered in the LCMS through the colloquy program.  Music and theater, specialty cooking and gardening fill what time is left!!

Erin McCall, Junior High

Erin grew up in a small town in central Wisconsin. She attended Concordia University WI, where she met her husband, Philip. They both graduated from CUW and were married in 2004. In their spare time, the McCall's enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, reading, and spending time with family, friends, and their dog, Bailey. Erin's degree is in Secondary Education - Broad Field Social Studies. Erin taught two years at Central Lutheran School in St. Paul, MN as the 7th grade homeroom teacher. Erin is the eighth grade homeroom teacher at Bethany and will teach history, some math, science, and PE to upper grades.

Laura Grossman, Day School Support Staff

[Contents Last Revised: 03/26/2008]

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01-10-2005