Rev. Dr. Niveen Ibrahim Sarras serves as pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Neenah, Wisconsin. Born and raised in Bethlehem, Palestine, she is the first Palestinian woman ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Her deep love for Scripture began in childhood at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Bethlehem, where her spiritual and educational foundation was shaped.
Rev. Dr. Sarras holds a Ph.D. in Old Testament from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a Master of Divinity from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology in Biblical Studies, a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Christian Education. She is passionate about biblical literacy, theological education, and social justice.
She has taught courses in feminist, womanist, and mujerista theology through the ELCA East-Central Synod of Wisconsin and has offered adult education in interfaith understanding and feminist theology through the University of Wisconsin Extension in Wausau, WI. A sought-after speaker and writer, Dr. Sarras contributes regularly to journals and platforms such as The Christian Century, Living Lutheran, Working Preacher, Journal of Lutheran Ethics, and Unbound.
Her scholarly presentations have addressed the intersection of Scripture, justice, and gender, and she has spoken at national and international conferences, including the ELCA Churchwide Assembly and the Society of Biblical Literature. Her writings often draw attention to the voices of the marginalized in the biblical text and today’s world. Rev. Dr. Sarras is an active member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association of America, and the Orthodox Theological Society in America.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking, biking, canning food, reading about politics, Scripture, and theology, and watching documentaries. As both pastor and scholar, she is committed to helping others think critically and faithfully about their faith and the world around them.
Jean Memken comes to us from northwest Missouri. She has spent most of her career in the college classroom, teaching courses in housing and environmental design, research methods, and statistics. She moved to Neenah in the summer of 2020 and started working at St. Mark's in August of that year. Jean is married to Michael who is a college professor at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. They have three children - Benjamin, Sarah, and Jonathan.
Jean sees her work at St. Mark's as a calling. She is always excited to help the members of St. Mark's carry out their mission statement - Celebrating the joy of faith through love and service. Jean also serves as an assisting minister, lay reader, and sings in the choir.
When not working as the church administrator, Jean enjoys traveling, cooking, and calls herself a "fierce" knitter. She also enjoys art, especially folk art.
You can find Jean in the church office on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings and right after worship on Sundays.
Dawn Jones is currently serving as St. Mark's Church Council President.
Laurie Olson grew up in central Wisconsin but has called Neenah home for nearly forty years. She and her husband, John, have been members of St. Mark’s for over thirty years.
She retired from the City of Neenah in May 2018 after thirty-two years with the Neenah Parks & Recreation Department. During her time with the city, she managed a multitude of recreation programs, facilities, and staff, including the Neenah Pool, Riverside Players “Theatre in the Park,” adult and youth sports teams, special events, and more. She also assisted in the planning and development of various park buildings and grounds.
Laurie has held various volunteer positions at St. Mark’s. In addition to her current volunteer role as treasurer, she serves on the Youth and Racial Equity Ministry Teams, manages the church’s Facebook page, and assists with the church’s technological needs, including computers and audio-visual systems.
She enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her Yellow Lab, Yukon. Laurie finds true joy in being outdoors year-round. She loves snowshoeing, taking long walks, sitting by a campfire, and kayaking. She recently bought an e-bike and looks forward to putting on lots of miles this year. Laurie is also hiking the Ice Age Trail— a 1,200-mile National Scenic Trail through Wisconsin—section by section with a dear friend. In her spare time, she enjoys repurposing furniture and treasures and relaxing in her she-shed.
Pat Westphal has been a member at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church since the 1970s. Her career in teaching was spent predominantly at Neenah High School and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She taught a wide range of subjects in the sciences but is mostly remembered for her work with college chemistry and physics classes. Pat also taught astronomy and principles of technology. In 1973, Pat married her husband, Duane, who was a professional musician. Though they had no children of their own, their lives were filled with young people before Duane’s death in 2021 due to Alzheimer’s disease.
As Pat resurfaced from her caretaker role, she found herself helping with the Financial Secretary work and filled the role in 2023. In addition to finding her in the Finance Office, she is likely to be rehearsing with the choir or bell choir, helping in the kitchen, assisting the quilters, or filling in wherever someone has a request.
When she is at home, Pat enjoys gardening, reading, cooking, arranging music on the computer, and quilting. Being a life-long learner, there is always a new frontier to explore, and Pat is open to new adventures.
Pat is in the Financial Office on Monday mornings and can be reached by appointment most other days to answer questions.
Gwen Hoehne has been a member of St. Mark's for 45 years. For many of those years teaching Sunday School has been a personal benefit for Gwen. She is also involved in Altar Guild, Counting Team, Scripture reader at worship, and has been involved with St. Mark's Youth Ministry for many years. In addition Gwen is on Social Ministry Team and loves to cook and work in the kitchen. Her primary responsibility at St. Mark's has been as Superintendent of Christian Education, a position she had held for many years. She especially cherishes the many wonderful people she has met at St. Mark's throughout the years.
Ginny Schieck is a lifelong member of St. Mark’s. Prior to stepping into the custodial position in May 2021, she spent 30+ years working rotating shifts in the printing industry.
Ginny has three adult children – Travis (wife Steph), Kayla, and Jerid (wife Sammy) all of whom have been baptized and confirmed at St. Mark’s. She also has eight grandchildren of which three, Vayda, Josie, and Layla, attend St. Mark’s Sunday School. Ginny also shares her home with a sweet rescue dog named Lucky.
During her free time, Ginny loves spending time with her family and friends, as well as gardening, bicycling, and boating during the summer months. During the colder months, she’s all about having fun bowling and cheering on the Green Bay Packers!
Ginny is involved with both the Property and Youth Ministry Teams and she serves as a Communion Assistant, Greeter and Usher. She is also a member of St. Mark’s Altar Guild. You can stop in at St. Mark’s most mornings to find her smiling and will to help with just about anything related to our church!
