Meet the Pastors

Senior Pastor

Beth Ann Stone

Pastor Beth Ann Lechtenberger Stone began her ministry at Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church as Senior Pastor in September 2018.

She had previously served congregations in Pennsylvania and Nebraska, and as an Assistant to the Bishop in the Upper Susquehanna Synod (north-central PA). Pastor Beth Ann is passionate about connecting with new people, helping us ask deeper questions, and being open to the work of God’s Spirit among us.

She graduated from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio (Master of Divinity) and St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN (BA in Literature), and is originally from Lincoln, Nebraska.

Her husband, Karl-John, is also an ELCA pastor. They are the parents of two sons and the humans of two dogs, Hudson and Moxie. She likes to watch her kids play sports, to read, to sing, and to travel.

bastone@mplc.us

Transition Pastor

Sheila Rawn

Pastor Sheila Rawn began her ministry as our Transition Pastor (Interim Associate) in October 2022.

She had previously served St Mary’s Lutheran Church in Kenosha and has been doing interim ministry within the Greater Milwaukee Synod since May 2021. She is excited to sing with the church choir, work with Griefshare and Beyond Welcome group, and help the staff and congregation during this time of discernment and transition. She graduated from Luther Seminary in St Paul, MN (Masters of Divinity) and Carleton College in Northfield, MN (BA in Religion). She is originally from Libertyville, IL and lives in Kenosha with her two children, a ball python, and leopard gecko. Last Spring she learned to use a knitting loom to make hats. To date she has given away over 150 hats and she just discovered a whole new storage closet full of yarn that she hopes to turn into hats to give away to our ministry partners.

srawn@mplc.us

Meet the Staff

Coordinator for Children & Family Ministry & Parish Coordinator

Becky Litwin

Becky wears two hats on our church staff. Hers is the voice you’ll most often hear when you call the church office. She keeps the place running by taking care of dozens of unseen tasks every week.

As Parish Coordinator, Becky stewards the ministries of Volunteer Coordination, Reception, Worship Prep and Hospitality.

As Coordinator for Children & Family Ministry she manages our Sunday School and programs for elementary age students, “littles”, and their parents.

Becky has an associate’s degree in early childhood education, and twenty years of experience working with children. She is married with two young adult children, and has been a member of MPLC since 2008.

blitwin@mplc.us

Business Manager

Jessica Sexton

Jessica is the Business Manager for MPLC and handles questions regarding one’s own giving, Realm access, MPLC’s building, and other business and staff-related matters. She began her administration and management career in the healthcare field for about 14 years.

After taking a year break from the workforce to be a stay-at-home mom she is now glad to be serving the church’s mission and community.

She grew up in the Racine area and currently lives in Kenosha with her husband, two little girls, and dog Chance. She finds joy in going on adventures with her family, reading, or walking her dog.

jsexton@mplc.us

Communications Director

Laura Gleason

Laura is the Communications Director for MPLC. After earning her degree she moved to Minnesota to begin her career in advertising and marketing.

After a few years, and a few different moves - geographically, she switched to the communications and social media side of the industry.

Laura was raised in Racine and has been actively involved in the community during her life. She likes being able to help spread the word of the church and its mission.

In her free time Laura is a high school soccer coach, a wedding planner, and a dog mom to Gus.

lgleason@mplc.us

Minister of Music

Dr. Dimitri Shapovalov

Dimitri Shapovalov has been active in the Kenosha/Racine as a musicologist, pianist, and choral director shortly after accepting a music professorship at Carthage College in 2005.

As a choir director and clinician, Shapovalov has directed the A. F. Siebert Chapel Choir and the Kenosha Choral Arts Society/Kenosha Chamber Choir, Carthage Treble Choir, and will direct the Carthage Choir in the spring of 2022. He is a regular clinician at the annual Lakeside Choral Festival at Carthage, which hosts over 1000 aspiring choral singers from many high schools over the period of several days in the fall.

Shapovalov’s other professional interests include historical musicology, pedagogy in music literacy, and composition. Dimitri picked up the baton as MPLC’s Minister of Music on February 1, 2022.

Organist/Accompanist

Michael Becker

Michael is the musician at the organ console, the piano keyboard, and behind various other instruments for our Sunday services.

Educated at Lawrence University, he has been in music his entire life. Michael is a master at improvisation and also composes/arranges music for worship.

He can do wonders with the John-Paul Buzard’s organ, dedicated in 2006. The organ was specially designed for Mount Pleasant and its warm tone greatly enhances our worship life.

michael@mplc.us

Pianist

Susan Cawley

Sue's contemplative stylings at the piano help shape our Saturday 5 PM services into something special. Her worshipful, reflective piano music and unique hymn arrangements are a treat for all who call this service their "home".

Sue was a music educator in Racine for 36 years before her retirement. She is a long-time MPLC member and has served as Assistant Organist/Pianist since 1997.

Bell Choir Director

Greg Schroeder

Greg brings our Bell Choir together to offer special music at our 8:30 Sunday service about once a month, rehearsing weekly on Tuesday evenings during the program year. He is a middle school music teacher M-F, and brings his easy-going, highly musical style to his ministry at MPLC. He is also an accomplished trumpet player and shares that gift with the congregation for special services. Greg has been a MPLC member since 2017.

Sexton / Custodial Work

Rick Sill

Rick is the one to go to if you need a "dad joke"! He works hard to get our room set-ups ready to go each week and keeps watch over our building. Rick is a long-time MPLC member.