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Bio for Pastor Decker

Late in my teenage years some Lutheran farmers from Zion Lutheran Church, Taylor Ridge, Illinois shared the life-saving message of Jesus Christ with me. By the grace and power of the Holy Spirit I was brought out of my old life of unbelief into a new life that my Brother and Savior Jesus Christ earned for me. At Zion, Taylor Ridge the Lord Jesus nurtured the faith He had given me through Christ-centered preaching and Bible studies, and regular participation in the Lord’s Supper. After a few years I was led to study at Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota in preparation for going to the seminary. Upon graduation from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana I was called to serve a church in the wetlands of southern Louisiana.

There I met Elizabeth Brammer, a recent graduate of Concordia University, River Forest, Illinois. Elizabeth was just passing through her home town on the way to her first call as a Lutheran teacher at Salem Lutheran Church and School, Gretna, Louisiana. After a couple years of dating, in which I took her to some of the finest eating establishments in New Orleans and she taught me how to eat raw oysters, crawfish, and jambalaya, we were married on what had to be the hottest, Louisiana summer day possible. The Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with three children: James, who is attending Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minnesota; Faith, who is attending Concordia University, Chicago; and Jakobi, who is attending Lewis and Clark Community College; and a very bad dog named Hank.

It has been my privilege to serve the sinners and saints of Zion Lutheran Church and School, Bethalto, Illinois as pastor since June of 2001. Things that I enjoy doing are visiting people and sharing the love of Jesus Christ with them (especially those people who have no relationship with our Savior and His church), preaching the Word of God, gardening (but only if some Zion member can loan me a garden spot), reading nonfiction books about science, nature, and history and every once in a while a good novel, and walking early in the morning (you may see me on Moreland Road). If you ever feel the need to talk or would like a visit, please feel free to contact me at 377-8314 or ziondecker@charter.net.