Called Staff

Rev. Alan M. Thoe

Rev. Alan M. Thoe

Sole Pastor

Pastor Thoe, his wife Amy, and 4 children moved from Wisconsin to Tennessee in the fall of 1997. After working as a heavy truck and locomotive mechanic, Pastor Al enjoyed the new challenge of working in the residential construction industry. The family joined Grace Lutheran Church in the spring of 1998. Pastor Al entered the Deacon Program in 2002, finishing in 2008. In 2010, he enrolled in the Specific Ministry Program through Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, was ordained as a SMP Pastor in June of 2013, and completed the course in August of 2014. He continued to work full time in the construction field and part time as Assistant Pastor until May of 2016 when Pastor Al and Amy moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Pastor Al attended Concordia Theological Seminary full time to earn a General Ministry Certificate in the Alternate Route Program while Amy worked at the Seminary in the Food Co-op. Completing the program in May of 2017, Pastor Al and Amy moved back to Murfreesboro where he continued to work part-time at Grace Lutheran Church as a bi-vocational pastor. He became the full-time Vacancy Pastor in February 2022 when Senior Pastor Wenck retired. Pastor Al received the call from Grace to be their Sole Pastor on March 6th, 2022. Since moving to Tennessee in 1997, their family has grown to 6 children (four biological children and two they helped raise). They have six biological grandchildren, and eight "adopted" for a total of 14 grandchildren. He is active in the Shooting for Grace gun club and likes to watch British mysteries during his days off.

Rev. Carl R. Wenck

Rev. Carl R. Wenck

Retired 2-1-2022

Pastor Wenck was born in San Pedro, California. He is the third oldest of six children. Pastor Wenck’s father served in the U.S. Army for 27 years so he has lived in many places throughout the United States as well as in Germany and Japan. He attended five elementary schools, two junior high schools, and three high schools. Pastor Wenck received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology and Psychology from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, earning a Master’s of Divinity in May of 1981. He was ordained June 28, 1981.

It was while living in Fort Wayne, Indiana that he met his wife Gwen. She is originally from Iowa. They were married in 1979 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Van Wert, Ohio. They have two grown daughters. Megan is married to Laramie Navrath. Jana is married to John Greer and they have six children.

The congregations Pastor Wenck has served include:

  • Our Savior Lutheran Church in Great Bend, Kansas
  • Grace Lutheran Church in Wood River, Nebraska
  • Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas

Pastor Wenck was installed as Senior Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church on September 3, 2000.

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