Staff

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pastor@stjohnswilmette.com

Alex Winfield Linn, “Winnie” if you wish, graduated from Garrett-Evangelical

Theological Seminary with his Master of Divinity, with a concentration in Theology

and Ethics. During that time, he was an affiliate with the Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago

for his “Lutheran year.” He is an approved candidate for Word and Sacrament with the Chicago

Metropolitan Synod of the ELCA. Alex attended UNC School of the Arts and UW Madison for

undergraduate and graduate school for music performance. He is a cradle Lutheran and is deeply

influence by the love of his mother and grandmother, both of whom were organist, cantors, and

choir directors. He grew up in a rural western part of North Carolina and, although he loves his

adopted home of Chicago, will always have a part of himself in his home state. Alex has spent a

decade working in Lutheran Outdoor Ministries at various sites where he first heard the still

small voice of a call into ministry. Out of this love for camping ministry he developed a passion

for creation stewardship, social equity, and the liturgy of the church. He believes that the

intersection of these three passions call all God’s creation into a fullness of the Word that loves

us because of, and in spite of, who we are. Alex enjoys the performing arts and loves playing

games of all kinds in his spare time. In his off time you can find him going on runs with his

rescue Dalmatian puppy.

Click the link below to schedule a meeting: https://calendar.app.google/RtJW42GH387roMCb6

luke@stjohnswilmette.com

Luke Duroc-Danner (he/him/his) is a conductor, organist, and singer. Currently living in Chicago, he served as the Organist and Choir Director at Concordia Lutheran Church on Seeley before becoming the Music Director at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wilmette, IL. He holds a B.A. in music from the University of Chicago where he was awarded honors for his thesis on Mendelssohn’s oratorio, Elijah.  He also holds a MM in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington where he studied with Dr. Giselle Wyers and Dr. Geoffrey Boers.  At the University of Washington, he was the Assistant Conductor of the University of Washington Chorale and later the Co-Conductor of the University Singers. He also conducted the choir at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, WA. He has attended several conducting programs through both Westminster Choir College as well as Chorus America.

He studies the organ with Dr. Phillip Kloeckner at the Chicago International Organ Academy, and he previously studied with Dr. Carole Terry and Joseph Adam while at the University of Washington. He also appeared as an organist in several concerts and recitals in Seattle.

Luke has appeared as an emerging artist with The Strangers Ensemble in 2017-2018. As a pianist, he has appeared as both a soloist and a collaborative pianist – most notably in a performance at the Library of Congress while a Junior Fellow in the Music Division. He has sung with a variety of ensembles in Chicago and Seattle including the Chicago Chorale, the Apollo Chorus, and the UW Chamber Singers in collaboration with Pacific Music Works and Pilobolus Dance. He is currently singing with the Chicago Choral Artists. While in Seattle, he gave private voice lessons, and he presented a lecture on the history of oratorio as well as a course, ‘Music in Shakespeare,’ with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Washington.

jan@stjohnswilmette.com

Jan Wendel (she/her/hers) has been the Administrative Assistant at St. John’s since 1990. However, her ties to this congregation go back much further. No less than five generations of Jan's family have been members of St. John's, and Jan herself is a life-long member. 

Jan’s greatest joys in her work are collaborating with a great team and developing relationships with all the wonderful people of St. John’s. Every day is different, and each is a blessing.