Pastor and Staff

Interim Pastor: Pastor April Ulring Larson

Pastor April, who is serving as our Interim Pastor for 6 months or longer, will be in Decorah and around the office Monday-Wednesday; available via phone and email on Thursday; and off on Friday. She will return to Decorah to lead Sunday worship each week.

Pastor April’s direct contact information: 

Brooke Joyce, Music Director

Brooke Joyce is Good Shepherd’s Music Director, planning and preparing music for worship services, as well as playing organ and piano. Born and raised in East Lansing, Michigan, Brooke earned degrees in music composition from Lawrence University, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Princeton University. He is the Composer in Residence at Luther College and a faculty member of the International Music Festival of the Adriatic. Prior to moving to Decorah, he served Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist and UCC congregations in Ohio and Virginia. He and his wife, Jennifer Self, are the parents of two sons: Keegan, who made his Good Shepherd debut as baby Jesus in 2010, and Kyle, baptized June 21, 2015.

Contact Brooke: brooke.joyce@luther.edu

Youth and Family Ministry: Current opening – contact the office for more information.

Erica Yaneff, Ministry and Communications Coordinator

Erica graduated from St. Olaf College majoring in Religion and Anthropology/Sociology and completed her Masters Degree in Education in Natural Sciences and Environmental Education after working as an educator and manager at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, MN for 5 years. Erica, her husband Nick, and their sons and dogs love spending time outdoors, being active, and sipping some great coffee in town. 
Contact Erica: erica@goodshepherddecorah.org,office@goodshepherddecorah.org

Erica works 15 hours per week, some at home and some in the office. Her schedule rotates every other week and is noted on the church google calendar. Voicemails and emails will receive a response within 24 hours on business days.

Tristan Occhipinti, Office & Building Manager

Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Tristan Occhipinti, an Iowa native who has called Decorah home for the past eight years, and recently I’ve become a proud homeowner in this wonderful community. For the last thirteen years, my focus has been as a homemaker, supporting my husband’s career as a professor at Luther. I am also an independent video producer. However, I have missed having the opportunity to work with a more diverse group of individuals! In my earlier years, I had the joy of meeting the needs of a church in Iowa City for an extended period, and I am delighted to once again take on such a role.

I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining you as our new Office and Building Manager, working alongside Pastor, Erica, and this congregation I’ve heard such good things about. My goal is to support and assist everyone in the Good Shepherd family and to make sure the day-to-day operation of the church runs smoothly. I’m really excited about serving this community and can’t wait to meet and get to know each of you. 
Contact Tristan:  
office@goodshepherddecorah.org
tristan@goodshepherddecorah.org

Tristan works 15 hours per week, 9:00-12:00, Monday-Friday.

Mike Sammons, Custodian

Mike left Muscatine, Iowa at 18 to join the Army and see the world and ended up in Kansas for 3 years. The Army wasn’t for him but Kansas held his first greenhouse job and a stint as a farm hand at a buffalo farm on the flint hills. Family brought Mike back to Iowa where he has had several diverse and overlapping roles including general manager of an exotic animal farm/retired tree farm, retail greenhouse sales, property manager for a local service provider, grower for a mushroom farm, farmers market farmer on rented land and co-op produce clerk. Mike met Rachael in Iowa city and they now have twin two-year-old daughters, Althea and Eleanor. Mike earned a degree in Renewable energy from Kirkwood Community College, which led to a job as a wind turbine technician and a consulting position with an experimental solar/hydrogen project. “Jack of all trades and master of none” has become more of a goal rather than just a motto for Mike, but the one constant has been a deep connection to the land and growing food for people. Mike is serving as board member, Caretaker, and Special Projects Director at Rerooted Connections, a local nonprofit specializing in permaculture education.

Erik Berg, Security

Erik is a member of Good Shepherd.  His contact information is in the Good Shepherd online directory.