Staff

The Rev. Skip Courter

Senior Pastor

 

Rev. Skip Courter is Senior Pastor of St John's Lutheran Church.  He is a rostered clergy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church In America, Southwestern Texas Synod. He serves as the Chairperson, Leadership Support Committee of the Synod.  He accepted his call to St John's November 1, 2007, immediately after retiring from the United States Air Force Chaplain Service. 

He graduated with honors in 1971 from the University of Evansville, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in both speech and drama.  In the fall of 1971, he entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  He graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in May of 1975 and was ordained.  He entered the United States Air Force Chaplain Service in October 1977 by direct commission.  Some of his tours of duty include Beale Air Force Base, California; the USAF Academy, Colorado; Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; Carswell Air Force Base, Texas; Los Angeles Air Force Base, California; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Randolph AFB, Texas and the Pentagon, Washington, DC.  In July 1996 he was selected to attend the Air War College of Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.  After graduation, Chaplain Courter spent the next four years as the Wing Chaplain, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas until he assumed his strategic leadership position at USAF Headquarters, Office of the Chief of Chaplains, at the Pentagon in June 2001.  Chaplain Courter, stationed at the Pentagon on 11 September 2001, was the Senior Lead Chaplain at the Department of Defense Family Assistance Center in downtown Arlington, VA during the Pentagon Rescue and Recovery crisis action efforts.  At the end of June 2003, Chaplain Courter moved into another senior military leadership position as the Chief, Chaplain Personnel Office of the Air Force Personnel Center located at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.  In that capacity, he was the director of all “Human Resources” for the Air Force Chaplain Service.  Pastor Skip retired in 2007, as Chief of Personnel for all 650 chaplains from well over 200 different faith backgrounds with over thirty years of active duty service to the nation,  He was the senior Chaplain Full Colonel on active duty.

Pastor Skip and his wife Karen have been married since 1975 and have two grown married daughters.
     
     
Katie Rode
Director of Family Ministry
Katie Rode comes to us from Christ Lutheran Church of Alamo Heights, and brings years of experience in Christian Education and other related ministries. Katie and Romeo are the proud parents of daughter Kaley (9 years old) and son Alejandro (born Sept 20th 2010). The Family Ministry at St John’s is a vital and growing ministry that Katie is enthusiastic about leading.
 
Irene Lieke
Business Manager

 

Currently business manager of St. John's Lutheran Church.

 
Mary Boehme
Office Assistant

Mary has been a member of St. John's since 1969.  She worked for SW Bell retiring in 2000 and is currently serving as the secretary of St. John's.  She has degrees from San Antonio College and the University of the Incarnate Word in Marketing and Management.  Mary has served as volunteer at St. John's in the Altar Guild, Choir, Assisting Minister Corps, numerous boards and committees, and worked as a youth sponsor for 12 years.  
 
Jenny Swanson

Organist

Ms. Swanson grew up in San Antonio and took piano at an early age from Pamela Floyd and Kenneth Thompson while singing with the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio for six years.  Jenny holds a degree in piano performance from Trinity University and a graduate degree in organ performance and sacred music from East Carolina University.  Following her graduate degree, Ms Swanson was awarded a Certificate of Advanced Performance Studies from East Carolina University after an intensive year of study with internationally renowned organists, Dame Gillian Weir and Ludger Lohmann.  In 2006 Jenny was invited to attend the Oundle International Festival in Cambridge, UK to perform and study with prestigious faculty including John Scott and Guy Bovet.   

Ms. Swanson served as Assistant Organist/Choirmaster at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Shreveport, Louisiana for three years.  During her time at St. Mark’s she created and directed the cathedral’s choral music program for children as well as served as organist for St. Mark’s Cathedral School. 

Ms. Swanson is active in the Alamo Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and the San Antonio Music Teachers Association while working as a part-time classical announcer for Texas Public Radio, KPAC 88.3FM.  Ms. Swanson also teaches private piano and organ lessons.
 
Kenneth Turner

Choir Director

Ken Turner is a full time High School Choral Director in the Northeast Independent School District. He is a graduate of Baylor University having studied under Robert Young and Karen Peeler. Prior to teaching, Mr. Turner sang professionally in numerous theaters and theme parks throughout Texas. For more than 20 years he has served as music director in several churches and presently holds the position as Choral Director at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in San Antonio. He taught In the San Antonio Independent School District for 18 Years where in competition his choirs consistently earned high ratings and awards for their performances. In 2004 his Men's Chorus from Thomas Jefferson High School was selected as a Texas Music Educators Association Honor Choir. His choirs have performed for the State Board of Education in Austin, the US Department of Education National Convention, the Association of Curriculum Development National Convention and the US Department of Education Hispanic Outreach Conference. He is a member of TMEA, TCDA, MENC and ACDA. In 2001 Mr. Turner was the recipient of the Outstanding UIL Sponsor Award and along with his students received a Citation of Merit by the San Antonio Mayors Council.
 
 
June Airheart

Day School Director

June has served as the Director of St. John's Evangelical Day School since 2000.  June has a Masters in Education.  The staff of qualified, dedicated, enthusiastic teachers make her job a joy.