Meet Our Staff

I come to Pilgrim with a heart for school ministry. I believe that God gives us an incredible opportunity, within the trust relationship of student and teacher, to share the gift of Christ. I came through the Lutheran school system and realize the incredible gift of faith and education I received. So I approach this call in the mindset of having three flocks with different needs for pastoral ministry: the church, the teachers and staff, and the school families.

Heidi and I are blessed with three children: Zechariah, Jacob and Anastasia. Zechariah works in Lake Oswego as a data analyst, he is blessed to be married to Shelby who is working as a clinical dietician. Jacob is graduated from OSU this year as an industrial engineer and is beginning an internship. Ana graduated from OSU this year with a liberal arts degree, she is working in Salem as an office manager for Mid-Willamette Valley Association of Realtors.

Heidi is serving the community as a managing broker with Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate Professionals overseeing the Lake Oswego branch. She sees her work as a service to her neighbor during one of the most difficult and stressful changes. She is an executive officer of the Mid-Willamette Valley Associations of Realtors and a regional director for the Oregon Association of Realtors. She earned Realtor of the Year award from the Mid-Willamette Valley Associations of Realtors in 2019.

I also serve our church and country as a Navy reservist. As a chaplain I am connected with many different communities in the military. It affords me an incredible opportunity to share the Gospel and also to receive excellent, ongoing education.

I attended Concordia University in Portland for my undergraduate studies and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis for my graduate studies. We have previously served in ministry at Living Savior Lutheran Church and Preschool in Tualatin, OR; Faith Lutheran Church and Preschool in Sequim, WA; and Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Wahiawa, HI. Most recently I served as the pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Stayton, OR. By discovering ways to collaborate in the community I was a part of starting the Santiam Teen Center, the Canyon Collaborative which has now become three organizations with full time staff that serves from Salem to Detroit, OR. I also served on the Chaplaincy team at Santiam Hospital and was the Officer Chaplain with the Stayton Police Department.

Jesus said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." Mark 16:15

After 27 years in youth ministry I am an OLD TIMER! While there have been a lot of changes over the years, two things remain constant. God’s love for me and for His children. I have degrees in Behavioral Science and Christian Ministry from two different Concordia Universities — Portland and Irvine. I was blessed to spend 4 years in Germany in youth ministry working with Army families in Berlin and International families outside of Frankfurt. The remaining years of my ministry have been here in Oregon—23 at Pilgrim. While traveling around the world, almost always with teenagers, it has become evident in meeting different people that while our cultures are different—Jesus is the one thing we have in common. My favorite part of being in youth ministry is seeing young people express their faith through action in all of their different activities and the thing I am most thankful for are the adults who encourage and mentor our young people. It is my greatest joy to see former youth, some with families of their own, living out their faith in Jesus. One of my favorite promises from God is that NOTHING can separate us from His love that we have in Christ Jesus.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Kim began at Pilgrim Lutheran School in September 1999 as Mrs. Reitmeier’s 3 & 4’s preschool aide. It was the best job ever. Five years later when the church secretary retired, Kim applied for the job and got it. From there the job has evolved! She now handles a variety of jobs from HR and Payroll to Facility Scheduling to Membership Records to Financial duties. When not at work, Kim enjoys spending time with her family, knitting or cross stitching, reading and on occasion, playing the flute. Kim is happily married to David and together they have four children, Michelle, Megan, Jessie & Jayden. Then the REAL best job ever came along in the form of a granddaughter, Luna Rose, who is the apple of their eye. She is looking forward to the birth of their second granddaughter, Amaya Storm.

Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and. glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Debbie Hendrix joined Pilgrim Lutheran’s staff in 2010. Previously, she has accounting work experience as staff accountant at CPA firms in California and Oregon. Debbie and her husband, Patrick have two sons, Zachary and Ethan who both attended Pilgrim from Preschool/Kindergarten through the 8th grade. As a family, they love to go camping, hiking, and huckleberry picking.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13