Staff
Loren Mellum
Sr. Pastor
pastorloren@oursaviorsmoorhead.org
Pastor Loren joined Our Savior’s as lead pastor in September of 2008. He originally is from North Dakota and has served congregations in the ELCA since 1991 as a youth minister, associate pastor, and senior pastor. Loren is married to Karen and they have two children, Liam and Annika. As a family, they enjoy the fullness of life and the friends they meet along the way. They extend their welcome to Our Savior’s and hope to worship with you, share life together as a Christian community, and serve with you. In a world that is often stripped of grace, Pastor Loren hopes God’s love can be discovered and re-discovered in real and relevant ways. Loren graduated with an emphasis in biblical studies and youth ministry from Trinity Lutheran College (LBIS), Seattle. He received his theological training for ordination at Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis and graduated from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH. Recently, he completed study in congregational leadership and missiology at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN.
Patrick Loree
Pastor for Youth & Congregational Life
pastorpatrick@oursaviorsmoorhead.org
Pastor Patrick is from Minot, ND. He is a 2004 graduate of the
University of North Dakota where he studied Music and Military Science.
He graduated from Luther Seminary in St. Paul in 2009 with an emphasis
in biblical theology. He is also a graduate of Vibrant Faith Ministries
Certification School (Class #57). He enjoys outdoor activities, is an
avid hunter, and loves the MN Twins. He and his wife, Suzie, their two
cats (Joey and Pete), as well as their new dog, Bear reside in south
Fargo.
Melissa Pickering
Minister for Youth & Family Discipleship
yfd@oursaviorsmoorhead.org
Melissa grew up in southwest Minnesota where there wasn’t much to do except hang out at church. So that’s what she did most of the time! She graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD—Go Vikes!—and felt the call to be the Minister for Youth and Family Discipleship at Our Savior’s. Melissa feels honored to be a graduate of Certification School, a program sponsored by Vibrant Faith Ministries and Wartburg Theological Seminary. Melissa, her husband Brian, and three beautiful daughters live in Moorhead and love swimming and camping, and geocaching as a family.
Outside of her job at church, Melissa is involved in In Praise (piano), our contemporary praise band, and quilting. She feels blessed to be on staff at Our Savior’s working with such an amazing and talented group of people, and to be a part of the faith journeys of all of our youth!
"I love to motivate others to 'do the faith'," says Melissa. Her passion is for helping others see that they are capable of being builders of the faith in their everyday life. Believing that God has given us the gifts we need to nurture the faith of our children and youth right where we are, we don’t need to be an "expert" to share the faith. She is excited to challenge our congregation to take the gifts God has given us and use them to build faith in children, youth and families. She believes we, as a congregation, share the responsibility to pass on the faith to our children and our youth.
Carrie Brusven
Office Manager & Communications Coordinator
oslc@oursaviorsmoorhead.org
Carrie grew up in Princeton, MN and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus
College in 2005 with degrees in Religion and German. She is an average,
working mom whose Christian faith fed her passion to be a positive force
in her community and in the world by helping others to care for God’s
creation by living and working more sustainably. She is constantly
amazed and inspired by the power of a single voice to evoke positive
change in the world.
In her free time, Carrie enjoys scrapbooking, reading, volunteering,
and being with family. She is chair of Our Savior’s Creation Care
Committee, a member of the BeFriender Ministry, and sings in the
Wednesday night praise team, In Praise. Carrie lives in Moorhead with
her husband Scott, sons Miles and Simon and one fiery Scotty-Poo named
Charlie.
Cheryl Zeh
Coordinator of Volunteers
volunteers@oursaviorsmoorhead.org
Cheryl has worked with volunteers at Our Savior’s since 1997. She has enjoyed getting to know so many wonderful people and encouraging them to use their unique abilities to serve God and others. Cheryl lived in a variety of places growing up and graduated from Warren, MN high school and Concordia College. She has been a kindergarten teacher and piano teacher and also loved being an at-home mom when her kids were young. She enjoys music, reading, walking, and spending time with her husband, Keith, and their three young adult children, Becca, Mary, and David.
Gary Haaland
Head Custodian
custodial@oursaviorsmoorhead.org
Gary has been Head Custodian since 2000. He is married and has four children (three daughters and one son), nine grandchildren (five granddaughters and one grandson), and he has three great-grandchildren. Gary works full time at the church and enjoys working with the rest of Our Savior’s staff.
Mary Maynard
Organist
clairpiano@aol.com
Mary Maynard has been the organist at Our Savior’s since 1989. She
also accompanies the Chancel Choir and Abide. Mary's husband, Nick, is
the mechanic at Concordia College; he also owns a motorcycle shop in
Fargo called Roadwolf Motorcycle Specialties. Their daughter, Claire, is
in the eighth grade at Carl Ben Middle School in Fargo. In addition to
playing the organ at Our Savior's, Mary teaches Elementary Music in the
West Fargo Public Schools and gives piano lessons in her home.
Chad Zitzow
Custodian
Chad really enjoys sports; football and hockey are his two favorites. He has two grandchildren he takes care of during the week. In the summer months he goes to the lakes and fishes at Loon Lake. During the winter he spear fishes in his son’s spear house, which is very exciting. Chad and his wife Diane have three kids: Christy, Cari, and Cody, who keep them very busy with projects and things to do.