Church Worker
Lutheran High School South Class of 1985

Terri Mize (LHSS 85) was involved in religious drama as a student, but because she took the bus from the city to South, was somewhat limited in her extracurricular involvement. She majored in elementary education at Concordia University, River Forest and then taught in public schools in Chicago for several years before returning to St. Louis in 1994. After teaching in St. Louis public schools and Riverview Gardens for eight years and earning her masters in school administration at the University of Missouri St. Louis, she had the opportunity to return to her elementary school alma mater, Holy Cross.

In 2002, she was appointed assistant principal and later principal of the newly created Concordia Elementary School, a ministry of Holy Cross and Historic Trinity. While working on an educational specialist degree, she serves as one of three principals of King of Glory Lutheran School in south St. Louis. Her commitment to this ministry, which serves many unchurched families, reflects her own experience at Holy Cross, where she became a Lutheran while attending Holy Cross Elementary School. She is currently a Development Officer for Metro-East Lutheran High School. Terri attends Historic Trinity.

Church Worker
Lutheran High School North Class of 1999

Michael Kersten (LHSN '99) was involved in band, drama, the National Honor Society, cross country and track. He graduated from Concordia University in Seward with a BS in secondary education in 2003. His passion was directed to mission work in Asia where he worked for three years at Concordia Middle School, a Lutheran missionary school in Chiayi, Taiwan. He continually shared the Gospel through relationships with co-workers and students and by teaching and developing curriculum for English and Bible classes. He is currently teaching Humanities and Religion at Hong Kong International School.

Church Worker
Lutheran High School South Class of 1995

Pastor Joshua Hower (LHSS '95) played basketball, baseball, and golf and served on the National Honor Society and student council. Because, according to Josh, “Lutheran South encourages you not just to consume, but also to contribute to the lives of others,” he planned a career as a church worker. He attended Concordia University Seward where he majored in psychology and pre-seminary studies. Josh spent a semester in India, which convinced him that outreach in ministry was his role. After attending Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, with a vicarage in Kingwood, TX, he served as Associate Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Pocatello, ID. Currently he is Pastoral Director of Assimilation and Small Groups at Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX. He and his wife Jennifer (whom he married after graduation from Seward) have a young daughter named Brooke.

Church Workers, Parents
Lutheran High School North
Class of 1974

Pastor Joel (LHSN '74) and Lori Vogelsmeier Christiansen (LHSN '74) feel that the commitment to ministry and the modeling of servant-hood of their Lutheran North teachers were critical in who they have become—Pastor of Webster Gardens Lutheran Church and Executive Director of the Lutheran Association of Special Education respectively.

While at Lutheran North, Lori was a member of the Student Council and the National Honor Society, the Girls’ Athletic Association, and participated in choral and musical productions. Joel played soccer and tennis, was in the band and the National Honor Society. Both went to Valparaiso University. Joel then continued to the Seminary in St. Louis, and while he vicared in Odessa, TX, Lori earned a masters in reading at the University of Texas.

Joel served two congregations in Oklahoma for 13 years before returning in 1995 to St. Louis to Webster Gardens; Lori taught remedial reading, special education and served as a special education consultant before joining LASE. Their daughter Rachel, who attends Valparaiso, graduated from Lutheran South in 2003, and their son is currently president of the National Honor Society at South.