Ministry Team

Matthew joined Lutheran Ministries Media in October of 2013. In his role as executive director, he oversees the implementation and expansion of the ministry's mission of sharing Christ's love. Click here for a detailed bio.

Julie joined the staff in 2010. She guides the financial components of the ministry and she supports the office of the Executive Director in carrying out the vital objectives of the ministry.

Paul joined the staff as production engineer in 1995 and now oversees all pre and post production on behalf of Worshp Anew. He coordinates the work of staff and volunteers in the Wolf Chapel Studio including camera operators, set designers, teleprompting and closed captioning personnel.

Gina received a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Media and Communications emphasis from Indiana University. Over the years, she has enjoyed working in a variety of settings. Her ongoing desire to share Christ's love with others led Gina to Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, where she received her Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies. Gina is happiest spending time with her husband and their two children. We are excited to have Gina join our ministry team. 

Thomas Moll joined Worship Anew in February of 2020 as our new Content Manager. Thomas manages and serves as editor for all content, analyzes community media metrics, and collaborates with church professionals as well as mental health professionals to develop new resources to support individuals and churches. 

Thad majored in Communications at Huntington University. After doing various broadcasting jobs in Minnesota for six years, he made the move back to the Fort Wayne area and began working at Worship Anew in 2019. In joining the ministry team, Thad shared, “I first heard about Worship Anew from my college advisor, Dr. Lance Clark. Since then I began volunteering with the ministry, and now I’m pleased to be on board helping with production. I look forward to the rest of my time at Worship Anew.”

Peyton has been volunteering with Worship Anew since 2014. During his senior year at Concordia Lutheran High School, he interned at Worship Anew in the summer of 2019 and the summer of 2020 to the present. Peyton has many creative roles in assisting with our productions and program editing. 

Cathy is the first person most people will speak to at the ministry either over the phone or at the front desk. She's been a member of the ministry team since January of 2017.

Elizabeth Puls joined the staff of Worship Anew as the Editor-in-Chief of Hope-Full Living in July of 2020. Elizabeth works closely with the Content Manager, Hope-Full Living authors, and the Executive Director of Worship Anew to bring this daily devotional to our Senior community.  

She has B.A. degrees in Communication and Theatre from California Lutheran University and earned her M.A. in Business and Organizational Communications from Emerson College in Boston, MA. She is happily married to Rev. Dr. Timothy Puls and the proud mother of four amazing sons.

Renee earned an MA in theology from CTSFW in 2015.  She is active in various ministries.  She especially enjoys serving the Lord with the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) and currently serves as the LWML IN District Recording Secretary and Fort Wayne East Zone Secretary-Treasurer.  She is married to Mark.  “I am excited to be a part of this ministry that glorifies God and blesses so many people with the Word and worship.”    

Shelia Banks completed her bachelor’s degree in Organizational & Interpersonal Communication in 1997. Prior to coming to Worship Anew, Sheila worked in the office at SonLight Community Church in Angola. Sheila will be working with Thomas Moll, Worship Anew’s Content Manager, to keep the website, social media, and streaming content up to date. Shelia is married with three children. "I consider it a privilege to be part of the Worship Anew team, sharing the love of Jesus with others through media."

Ken Schilf served as Executive Director of Lutheran Ministries Media, Inc. from 1985 until his retirement on January 31, 2014. Through his leadership, Worship for Shut-Ins expanded its reach into a worldwide television program via numerous broadcast stations, cable, satellite, and the internet. Ken’s engagement with the local community led the active volunteers to grow to over 150 individuals. He oversaw a $1.7 million campaign that culminated in the program transitioning to digital media and opening of the Elsie Rossman Media Center and Wolf Chapel in 2010. In conferring the honor of Executive Director Emeritus on October 4, 2015, Al Schumm, LMM Board of Directors President, shared a plaque that is hung at the home of Lutheran Ministries Media, Inc., "so that others may know and be emboldened in their proclamation of the Gospel thanks to Ken’s example of Christ’s love and service".

Ashley Wiehe leads publications, social media, and communication efforts for the ministry. She has worked in communications, media relations, and journalism for nearly 20 years. She came to Worship Anew from Concordia Lutheran High School, Fort Wayne, where she was the Communications Manager for nearly 10 years. She previously worked as the Associate Director of Media Relations at Huntington University and as a newpaper reporter for years in Indiana and Ohio. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications/Journalism and a minor in Studio Art/Photography from Taylor University. She and her husband, Jeff, have one son.

Jeremy Klopfenstein works as Videographer at Worship Anew to grow the ministry through new video initiatives. He has more than 20 years of experience in editing and production roles working in fast-paced environments. He has worked as a commercial and freelance video editor, working on projects ranging from Disney on Ice to monster truck events. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Media and Public Relations from Purdue Fort Wayne. He and his wife, Jessica, and have a daughter.

Caryl Spira came to the ministry out of retirement. She previously had worked at Purdue Fort Wayne before retiring in 2015. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Communications with a minor in Business and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She has two children and six grandchildren.

Rev. Dr. Thomas R. Ahlersmeyer received his B.A. from Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne in 1976, his M.Div. from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne in 1979, and his Ph.D. in Interpersonal and Public Communication from Bowling Green State University in 1989. He first appeared on the program in 2007. He is the senior pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Rev. Thomas Eggold graduated from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, in 1992, and immediately began his career as a church worker at Concordia Lutheran High School.  In his time at Concordia, Eggold served as an English teacher, a director in the drama department, and the boys’ varsity soccer coach. In 1996, Eggold accepted a call to serve Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne to serve as Director of Youth and Family Ministries.  After completing his studies at Concordia Theological Seminary in 2003, Eggold was ordained into the pastoral ministry and called to Emmanuel where he currently serves as Senior Pastor.  Pastor Eggold began appearing on Worship Anew in December of 2018.

Rev. Jonker is 2009 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In May of that same year, he was called to serve as pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Roanoke, Indiana and continues to faithfully serve there to this day. Rev. Jonker began appearing on Worship Anew in December of 2018.

Rev. Dr. Walter A. Maier III has been a regular pastor on the program since 1998. He graduated from Concordia College, Ann Arbor in 1972 and Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne in 1974. He then went on to graduate from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne in 1978, and earn his M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1984. He currently teaches in the Exegetical Department at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Rev. William E. Mueller became a regular pastor on the program in 2016. Mueller attended Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, graduated from Concordia College (now Concordia University), Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1990, and received his Masters of Divinity from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri in 1994. In 2008, he was installed as Senior Pastor at Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran Church & School of Fort Wayne, where he still serves to this day.

Rev. Paul E. Shoemaker is an alumnus of Concordia College, Bronxville (’72), Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne (’74) and Concordia Theological Seminary alumnus (’78). He was one of the five original pastors who began appearing regularly on the program in 1994. He was the senior pastor of Emanuel Lutheran Church, New Haven from 1989-2021.

Eric Kaschinske began as host of Worship Anew on January 7, 2018. He graduated from Concordia University in River Forest, IL, in 1996 with a Secondary Education degree, majoring in mathematics and minoring in theology. He completed his Masters of Education at Indiana Wesleyan University in 2002.  Eric currently serves as a mathematics teacher and the department chair at Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne. He has coached various athletic teams during his time at Concordia. Eric and his wife Amy have three children: Mason, Rhaya, and Landon.