Pastor Denny Johnson
Pastor Denny Johnson, born in 1958, was raised in central Minnesota south of the little town of Motley. His family attended the Lincoln Evangelical Free Church during his formative years.
He graduated from Motley High School in 1976, from Brainerd Community College in 1978, and from Bethel College, Arden Hills, in 1980, where he majored in Political Science.
After a bid for state representative in his home district in central Minnesota fell short, he entered seminary, graduating from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, in 1983.
He served as pastor of the Burns Evangelical Free Church near Elk River, Minnesota from 1983 to 1992. In August of 1992, he accepted a call from the Annandale Free Church, where he has served since.
Pastor Denny and his wife Sue have 4 daughters; Bethany, Anna, Carrie, and Kelly.
Pastor Kevin Groven
Pastor Kevin was raised on a farm outside Northwood, ND, in the Red River Valley. His family raised wheat, barley, and soybeans. He has an older sister, Kristin, and a younger brother, Keith. Kevin grew up attending Northwood Evangelical Lutheran Church where his family was active.
Kevin graduated from Northwood High School in 1994. He graduated from Jamestown College in 1998 with a degree in Business Administration. It was in his final months at Jamestown that he became a Christian through the witness of Christian friends and a clear presentation of the Gospel at a choir concert of the Association Free Lutheran Bible School (AFLBS).
Kevin decided to enroll at AFLBS to feed his newly discovered hunger for the Word of God. During the two-year program at the Bible School, he courted his wife-to-be, Melissa. After graduating from AFLBS, Kevin and Melissa were married on July 29, 2000.
After spending some time in Billings, MT, Kevin sensed the Lord directing him to prepare for full-time ministry, so he entered Dallas Theological Seminary, graduating in 2007 with a Master of Theology. He accepted a call to serve as Associate Pastor at Annandale Free Church and began serving in February 2008. Pastor Kevin and his wife Melissa have three children: Lily, Gunnar, and Nora.
Pastor J. Aaron White
Pastor J. Aaron White was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida until moving to Maple Lake in 1995. He attended Maple Lake High School where he met his wife-to-be, Tanya. He attended St. Cloud State University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies/Public Speaking.
Although the grandson of a minister, Aaron didn’t make a serious decision to give his life to Jesus Christ until his last few months at St. Cloud State University. While working as a Correctional Officer, Aaron began feeling a call to serve the Lord and went on to obtain a Master of Arts in Christian Counseling.
Having played guitar since his teens, the Lord called Aaron to serve in the area of praise and worship in late 2007 here at Annandale Free Church. In March of 2010, Aaron was called to serve as the Family Ministries and Worship Pastor on a full-time basis. Serving in the areas of worship, Pastoral counseling, and young adult (18-30’s) ministry, Pastor Aaron stays busy following the lead of the Holy Spirit – and he loves it!
He, along with his wife Tanya, pursue their passion for reaching out to young adults by overseeing Upper Room Young Adult Ministries. Drawing from the challenges he faced while in a secular college environment, Pastor Aaron desires to see Upper Room function as both a ‘safe house’ for young Christians to establish their faith in Christ as well as an equipping center in which young adults are challenged to develop spiritual discipline(s) that will serve to make them effective for ministry (Ephesians 4:11-16). Pastor Aaron lives in Annandale with his wife Tanya and his three beautiful children, Isabella, Gabriel, and Benjamin.
Youth Pastor
We are currently searching for a Youth Pastor. Pastor Aaron and Pastor Kevin will be leading the youth ministry during the interim period. Applications for the Youth Pastor position are available in the church foyer, and must be returned to the church office by January 31 to be considered.
Children’s Ministry Administrator, Susan Fiedler
Susan Fiedler was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Having graduated high school in 1979, she enrolled in a trade school, graduated, worked in an apprenticeship position for a year, and within 4 years opened her own business.
She met her future husband through a mutual friend in high school, and they were married in 1988. Peter and Susan have a teenage son, Michael.
Not growing up in a religious home, Susan came to know the Lord later in her life. One day while listening to a Focus on the Family radio broadcast, Dr. Dobson spoke of asking for the forgiveness of your sins and asking Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior. It was that moment that Susan asked Jesus to be her Lord and Savior.
Peter and Susan wanted to raise their son in a smaller community, with God at the center of their lives. In 1997, God led them to Annandale and to the Annandale Free Church. Susan immediately became involved with all of the various children’s ministries, and has pursued her passion for children and for serving God. Susan feels blessed beyond measure that God has allowed her to serve Him by overseeing His most precious little children! To God be the Glory!