Leadership Team – Lutheran Church of the Redeemer

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”(Proverbs 15:22)

Overseeing, coordinating, and directing the mission, goals, and ministries of our congregation requires the committed leadership of a trained professional staff and the involvement of many dedicated lay people. Leadership Teams guided by staff members direct a number of our ministries. Management Teams oversee legal matters, financial decisions, and building and grounds maintenance. The Church Office handles all clerical and record-keeping duties. Many opportunities for participation and service exist in our Leadership and Management Ministries.

Executive board
The Leadership Team consists of elected leaders (President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Chairman of the Board of Elders) and additional communicant members. They attend to the general welfare of the congregation, as well as represent the mission and ministries of the entire congregation.

Deb Vanderhoef

President

Deb joined the Redeemer family in 2008 along with her husband Bill and their three sons. She thoroughly enjoys Small Group Bible Study, and served as the LT Treasurer for five years before taking on the role of Vice President in 2021. She worked as a lawyer for GM for 31 years before retiring in 2016 to work with her husband and son in the family real estate business.

Toby Buechner

Vice President

Toby has been a Redeemer member since 2003, along with his better half Julie, and three church-involved young adult daughters. He has served as the Kit Kat Kamp Dean at Redeemer summer camp for 12 years; VBS teacher for 12 years; Sunday school teacher when his wife or mom need help. He has joined Pastor Randy at Camp Restore in New Orleans to help after Hurricane Katrina as well as helping at Camp Restore Detroit. Toby and his wife Julie created and run Troy Gymnastics.

Don Jackson

Treasurer

coming soon!

Laura Romeo

Secretary

Laura has been a member of Redeemer since the age of one. Over the years, She has been part of many wonderful activities, including the nursery, Sunday School, VBS, confirmation, camps, retreats, Advent by Candlelight, Youth Group, Women’s Group, and the Leadership Team. Her two sons were baptized and confirmed at Redeemer, attended Our Shepherd Lutheran School, and enjoyed many Redeemer events, including Sunday School, VBS, Kit Kat Kamp, Mission Trips, and the Youth Group. She has been an attorney in the automotive industry for most of her career, including currently at FCA US (Stellantis).

Members at Large
Overseeing, coordinating, and directing the mission, goals, and ministries of our congregation requires the committed leadership of a trained professional staff and the involvement of many dedicated lay people. Leadership Teams guided by staff members direct a number of our ministries. Management Teams oversee legal matters, financial decisions, and building and grounds maintenance. The Church Office handles all clerical and record-keeping duties. Many opportunities for participation and service exist in our Leadership and Management Ministries.

Patrick Carr

Member at Large

Pat joined Redeemer with his wife Cheryl after moving to the area in 2019, and was previously an active member of Shepherds Gate Lutheran Church in Shelby Township. He has professional experience in Human Resource management, still working with an automotive supplier. Pat’s biggest accomplishment is the success he and Chery has had with a blended family, raising in faith his now three adult children, Brian, Michelle and Rachel and son-in-law Jordan.

Cliff Clark

Member at Large

Cliff and his wife Linda joined Redeemer in 1976 and have been active members ever since, taking part in Redeemer small group bible studies and raising their adult daughter in the church programs. Cliff has served for six years on the Board of Trustees and 12 years on the Leadership Team, in addition to managing the men’s softball team for nearly 20 years. A Royal Oak resident since 1972, Cliff spent his career working for AT&T, retiring in 1992.

Daniel Dobring

Member at Large

Dan has been a member of Redeemer his entire life. He was baptized in 1991, confirmed in 2005, and married his wife Emily in 2020 all at Redeemer. Over the years he has helped serve at Redeemer summer camp, as a youth group mentor, as well as accompanying several youth mission trips. Dan and Emily welcomed their first child (Henry) in May 2022. Dan currently works as a client manager for WTW.

Victoria Ilitch

Member at Large

Victoria joined Redeemer in 2017 following a move from California. Victoria has three children with her husband, Mike. Victoria enjoys serving and participating in many children's, youth, women's and family life ministries. She leads the Positive Parenting group.

David Kiehle

Member at Large

David, with his wife Rose, joined Redeemer as members of the congregation in 1992. He was confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church in Redford. As their family grew so did his involvement with the various church ministries like Growing Kids Gods Way, Sunday School, delivering & serving meals to the Family of God Soup kitchen with his father, and their small group bible study. David has served as our congregation Treasurer, Vice President, and President.

Beth Lanthier

Member at Large

Hi! My name is Beth Lanthier and I am a lifelong member of Redeemer. Along with being baptized, confirmed, and married here, I know that being a member of the Youth Group (many of my cohorts and I are still members here and good friends all these years later!) and Camp set me on my life journey. Those two experiences (along with VBS and teaching Sunday School) led me to Concordia, Ann Arbor where I graduated with a BA in Elementary Education. I taught at Holy Cross, Detroit, and Our Shepherd, Birmingham, but always returned to my roots here. I have also been a member of the choir, director of handbells, and a member of the Praise Team. I thank God for this place and the people. Redeemer is the best place to be!

Nancy Lesinski

Member at Large

Nancy has been a member of Redeemer since 1988, where her three adult children have been baptized and confirmed. She has been the youth choir director for 20+ years, a member of the Chancel Choir, the Wing and a Prayer Players, and a volunteer for the confirmation program, Camp Restore, Women’s ministry, Belize Mission Trip, and the Sacred Space communications team. Outside of church, Nancy runs her own industrial marketing firm.

Denise McKewan

Member at Large

I have been a long-time member of Redeemer. During my adult years, I was searching for a church family and found it at Redeemer. There are many wonderful things about the membership and the areas to become involved. I attend the women's bible study on Tuesday which helps me understand the Bible along with the relationships derived from this group. All the staff and volunteers work hard in creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere for families, children, couples, and single adults. It's a wonderful church family and I'm proud to be a member. I invite you to explore all the programs and opportunities Redeemer has available and you just might make a few new friends!

Aaron Olds

Member at Large

Aaron has been a member of Redeemer since 2001 when he married his college sweetheart, Nicole Endress. They have three children; Lauren, Tyler and Josh. Nicole is on staff at Redeemer as the Director of Children’s Ministries. Aaron is a software programmer and works for a local e-commerce company.

Patty Raezler

Member at Large

Pat and her husband Mike joined Redeemer 33 years ago and have raised their four children here. Patty has participated in numerous Bible studies and taught Bible Study. She has been a Sunday School teacher and a Small Group Leader for Confirmation classes. For the last 31 years she has also worked and taught Vacation Bible School. Besides leadership team she has been the Director of Westmaple Nursery School for the last 15 years.

Stacey Rolf

Stacey has been a member of Redeemer her whole life. She is married to Eric, another lifelong Redeemer member, and they have raised their three children at Redeemer. She has been involved in altar guild, iZosh, the Redeemer book group, and many children's ministries.

The Leadership team also includes the following:
Rick Russ (Representative Board of Elders)
Rev. Randall J. Schlak – 248-644-4010 ext. 119
Rev. James Greenwalt – 248-644-4010 ext. 117