Staff

Pastor James Muske, Lead Pastor

Pastor James joined St. Stephen in August 2024 after serving at a church in Bethlehem, PA and, most recently, at a church near Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. During his internship year in seminary, he spent a year at the Pine Ridge Reconciliation Center in South Dakota, a ministry of the church that partners with the local Lakota Sioux community and helps engage outside groups in cross-cultural immersion experiences. Pastor James further engaged in cross-cultural work during his time in NE MN, as part of that synod’s Together Here ministry. He also served on the planning team for the EcoFaith Summit and on the board of Camp Onomia.

Pastor James grew up in North Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota and attended college at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, graduating with degrees in history and international relations. Though he grew up in the church, he never imagined God would call him as a pastor, but the Holy Spirit continued to draw him in and send him out to help love God’s world. He is a firm believer in the power of God's grace and that we are all members, with a variety of gifts, in one body of Christ.

He and his wife, Mary, were wed in fall 2024 and they are excited to be new residents of White Bear Lake. Pastor James loves spending time outside- hiking, biking, kayaking, and gardening – and likes trying new recipes in the kitchen (though he is also fond of exploring new restaurants!). He enjoys singing and sometimes even agrees to play percussion without too much complaining. After a memorable experience at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, he hopes to someday build his own cedar-strip canoe.

Pastor Juli Thompson, Visitation Pastor

Julia.a.Thompson@gmail.com

Pastor Juli was born in Virginia and raised in Mississippi and Alabama. Despite this, she has endured the Minnesota winters since 1992. She has degrees from Beloit College, Luther Seminary, and the University of Virginia. Since ordination in 2000, she has served as a parish pastor, as an interim ministry specialist, as a faith-based community organizer, and as a chaplain in hospitals, hospices, and senior living facilities. She is the mother of two delightful children, a dedicated knitter, a passionate Tolkien fan, and believes that, while all dogs are good dogs, Dachshunds are the best.

Melissa Whitman, Director of Youth and Family Ministries

mwhitman@redeemerwhitebear.org

I have been active in church since I was 11 years old, spending my first 14 years of church life at a large Four Square Church in Washington State before finally stumbling across a Lutheran Church. It was at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Marysville, WA, that I finally felt as though I truly “belonged” at church. I was involved in children and youth programs and served on council. I have two children, Mira (16) and Ezra (7). We live in WBL and we are active in the schools and community.

I have worked at St. Stephen since October of 2013. My favorite youth program is our annual mission trip.

If you need me you can always send an email.

Tami Heart, Communication & Administrative Coordinator

office@ststephenwbl.org

Business Management, Human Relations, Communications, and Marketing were my area of studies in college and combine perfectly to fulfill my passion for outreach within the church environment, which I have been doing for over 20 years. In addition to starting a non-profit (Footprints In Need) delivering shoes to those in need (mostly to children in Jamaica), my heart is most happy when I am serving God by serving His people. Becoming a Christian has been a life-long journey for me. Although not raised in a religious family, I sought various avenues of spirituality in my late teens and early adulthood. Eventually, these spiritual steppingstones led me from my self-centered youth to Jesus. As I walk closer with God, my focus has broadened to include all of His children. In that light, St. Stephen is a wonderful church to be working in, with a Christ-centered mission of bringing God’s love to the world.