Pastor Keith Menter

GREENVILLE — Pastor Keith Menter has been called to serve St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 131 East Fourth St., Greenville. His starting date is Feb. 1. He is very much looking forward to becoming a part of the St. Paul’s community and serving in word and sacrament ministry.

He is taking the position of retiring Pastor Alan Knoke. Knoke is retiring on Jan. 31.

Pastor Menter was born 1966 in Columbus to Rev. Robert and Alberta Menter. Robert was serving Redeemer Lutheran Church while he was waiting to start his second mission congregation in Cincinnati. When that opportunity arose, the family moved to Cincinnati in 1972 and Menter grew up there from kindergarten to college. He received a Bachelor of Music degree at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, then went to Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus where he received a Master of Theological Studies in Church Music and a Master of Divinity. During that time, he married his wife Cathi and began a family that includes daughter Kinsey and sons Connor and Keagan, all who are currently living in Elk Horn, IA. Kinsey married Eric Phifer and he now has two grandchildren Keeleigh and Elliot.

Pastor Menter served Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ord Nebraska for a little over four years. During that time, he helped one of the members of that church develop a program on clinical depression that was received by over 3500 congregations called “Out of the Darkness.” He then served St. John’s Lutheran Church in Randolph, Neb. where he served on the Synod Assembly Planning Committee. He then left the Evangelical Lutheran Church and joined Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ when he took the call at Elk Horn Lutheran Church in Elk Horn, IA. He served at that station for over 17 years. This past year Pastor Menter has been working as a site and hourly counselor at Concerned, Inc. in Harlan, Iowa.

Pastor Menter enjoys singing, playing trumpet, and writing music whenever possible. He was in the Omaha Symphonic Chorus and the OperaOmaha Chorus where he participated in many classic operas and played minor roles. He is also interested in video editing and drone flying.

Pastor Menter will be installed on Feb. 3. Officiating at that service will be Rev. Marvin Heilman who went to school with Menter and who knew his grandfather Dr. Norman Menter.