Meet Our Staff

Learn why our staff members enjoy working at Evangelical Lutheran Church Cokato.


  • Pastor

    I love working at Evangelical Lutheran Church because of the great people and community that exists here. There is a sense of joy as we try to proclaim God’s message the world starting with each other.

    Of course the love of children and their faith journey here is very powerful when I was called here one of the things that helped me choose this call is their mini-toilet for the nursery. I wanted to be part of a community that cared for each other and their kids like that!

    Pastor Tim has served at ELC since 2013.

    You can reach him at 320.286.5964 or pastortim77@gmail.com.


  • Youth & Family Coordinator position is available. If you are interested, please visit, here.

  • Communications Director

    I grew up in a "mega" church and never felt like I fit in. At ELC-C it's definitely a welcoming and friendly place to worship and to work at. I enjoy working with my co-workers :)

    My husband and I were looking for a church to call home and a place where our children could learn about God and grow in their faith. We discovered ELC-C from Karen, my mom-in-law, who thought we'd really enjoy it! I really liked that they had a children's sermon. I have never seen that done before and thought it was really special that a church would include the children as part of the service. It definitely felt like a place I'd want to be a member of because it felt like home to me and for my family. To work here is just an added bonus :)

    Jenny has worked as the Website Manager since September 2020 and has been our Communications Director since December 2022. She can be reached at 320.286.5964 or at jenny.dennis.elc@gmail.com.


  • Custodian

    More info coming soon!


  • Finance Secretary

    I was serving on Church Council in 2016 when Heather Wheatley was financial secretary and was moving away. Thus, the council was talking about options on filling her role at church. As I was thinking about our situation, I just couldn't stop thinking that "I can do this". I've worked full time as the Controller for a manufacturing company in South St. Paul since 1997. Accounting is what I know. I remember one of our devotions during council had been about service and I just kept thinking "I can do accounting. This is something I can do to help my church family.".

    My full time job this year has done Strength Finder with our employees and 4 of my top Strengths are Harmony, Responsibility, Discipline and Consistency. I feel like these strengths are why I'm passionate about my work at church. I want our church family to know I take my position very seriously. I take great responsibility for all I do at church and my goal is that I provide information that's timely, accurate, useful....anything to make things flow smoothly for our growing church family!

    Amy has been serving as the financial secretary since 2016.

    You can reach her at 320.286.5964 or at finance@elchome.net.


  • Organist

    I love working at Cokato Evangelical Lutheran Church because of the congregational support of music. I am incredibly blessed to have access to high quality instruments (including the pipe organ and grand piano). The priority CELC has of preserving and maintaining these historical instruments is evident when you worship and/or play at other places and comparatively hear sour notes and encounter poorly maintained instruments. How many churches claim an ownership of a grand Steinway piano? Not many. Also, our Kimball pipe organ is about 100 years old and plays arguably better today than when originally installed. One project I am particularly proud of the congregational support is restoring the chimes and bringing them back to their original glory.

    During my interview I met Karen Anderson (who I learned during the interview had played at CELC for over fifty years)! I thought to myself after the interview; that if a congregation kept an organist happy for that long, I assumed they must have done something right. I could not have been more correct in my assumption! This includes not just the support I have felt with music ministries, but the many members who have made it a point to be welcoming and genuinely interested in my family and me (to the point my family and I chose to be members at CELC). Lastly, there is strong foundation of musical talent at CELC including the many volunteers who sing in our choirs and various soloists throughout the year that I love to accompany and support as needed. I look forward to continuing to serve and develop further music ministries.

    Eric began serving as the organist for ELC in 2017.

    You can reach Eric by calling 320.286.5964 (church office) or 763.350.4886 (cell), or by email: ericraisler@gmail.com.


  • Music Director

    More info coming soon!