Dr. Wayne Braun, Senior Pastor
Biography
Hello! I am the Senior Pastor of Lamb of God and would like to tell you a little about myself. Born and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area (yes that means I love the Bears and the Cubs) I graduated from Concordia College in Milwaukee Wisconsin (1980) and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO (1984 and 1997). My wife Linda and I were married in 1980 and have been blessed with four wonderful children – Benjamin (married to Anna), Jonathan, Bethany and Steven. Linda, you will notice, serves as our Director of the Early Childhood Ministry here at Lamb of God. Before coming to Flower Mound in 2001 God has blessed us with the opportunity to serve congregations in Northeast Nebraska, and Texarkana, Texas as well as serving as the Campus Pastor at Concordia University Wisconsin.
In my home life, I love my wife and family and enjoy spending time with them, working around the yard, reading and playing golf. In ministry I love having the opportunity to connect people to our Savior Jesus Christ through preaching, teaching, worship, witness and any other way God gives me the opportunity. I am here to serve you so please let me know what I can do.
Rev. Phil Cook, Associate Pastor
Biography
Pastor Cook was born and raised here in the DFW area, in the Lake Highlands community of northeast Dallas. As a youth, he developed his passion for outreach through short-term mission trips with his church. He left Dallas for the University of Texas in Austin (Go 'Horns!), where he majored in Civil Engineering. While attending the campus ministry in Austin, he developed a love for small group ministry. Although he loved engineering, he gradually heard and accepted the Lord’s call to go into ministry.
After graduating with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 2001, he attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, where he received an M.Div. in 2005. While attending seminary, he served urban congregations in St. Louis and New Orleans. After graduation, he worked for a year in a Clinical Pastoral Education program before taking the call to Lamb of God in 2006.
Pastor Cook is married to his lovely wife Rebeka, also a native Texan. In his spare time, he enjoys woodworking, home remodeling, gardening, and being outdoors. He also plays trumpet (a little), guitar (very little), and sings.
Rev. Dwain "DJ" Thomsen, Associate Pastor
Biography
Dwain (DJ) Thomsen grew up just 1000 miles up the road from Flower Mound on the northern end of interstate 35 in Minnesota. He was raised on the farm in Rush City, Minnesota and graduated from Rush City High School in 2002. At the age of 16 DJ began attending church at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Rush City and was instructed in the Lutheran faith and baptized shortly thereafter. In high school he began to feel God pulling him toward pastoral ministry while he was president of his youth group at St. John’s Lutheran Church and when he graduated high school he set off to attend Concordia University Wisconsin.
During his time at Concordia DJ developed a passion for working with youth through his involvement with the campus youth ministry program. His involvement in this program as well as other campus ministry programs served to affirm DJ on his path toward becoming a pastor.
It was at Concordia University that DJ became involved in a campus music group and met a stunning young girl named Josie. Josie grew up just 70 miles across the Mississippi from DJ in Barron, Wisconsin. Josie was unsure of DJ at first but after a long and arduous pursuit she finally gave in to DJ’s obvious charm and agreed to give him a chance. Despite the obvious Packers/Vikings rivalry they were married during their time at Concordia and welcomed their first son, John, into the world shortly before DJ graduated. Josie graduated a year ahead of DJ with a degree in organizational communications and public relations.
Shortly after returning from vicarage in Warner Robins, GA DJ and Josie were blessed with another son, Keegan. Because they have a four-year-old and a nine-month-old DJ and Josie spend much of their free time being parents. However, when those quiet moments come, Josie enjoys scrapbooking, photography and music. Whenever DJ gets a chance he heads to the garage to work on motorcycles or cars. He particularly enjoys restoring old motorcycles and has a 1961 Volkswagen Beetle that he plans on restoring.
Josie and DJ feel so blessed to be a part of the ministry here in Flower Mound and cannot wait to get to know all of you.
Chris Winston, Music Director
Biography
Chris first began church music work at age 15. He has served as pianist and organist at many churches since then culminating in his position as Music Director at Lamb of God where he has served since 1998. Chris received his Bachelors Degree in piano from UNT then continued his graduate work there serving as a Teaching Fellow. Since leaving UNT, Chris has been performing and arranging, eventually working as the arranger for WoW Productions where he arranged, scored and produced music for the Warner Bros. theme parks. Following that, he was in charge of MIDI production for ISong (a Hal Leonard company) and produced over 15 interactive CD titles. Chris’ church experience includes: Rejoice Lutheran, Coppell, TX, Faith Lutheran, Gainesville, TX and Immanuel Lutheran, Mercedes, TX.
Chris also runs Winston Music, a music production company with many jingles and music beds in production or being broadcast nationally. He is in demand a as soloist, accompanist, and performer, and performs with ensembles ranging from Classical to Jazz, Country to R&B, Blues and Rock.
Rebecca Winston, Director of Choral Activities
Biography
Rebecca has been working the church music field since 1991. In addition to her work as Director of Choral Activities at Lamb of God, Rebecca has performed several roles with the Fort Worth Opera in their productions of Carmen, Susannah, Madame Butterfly, and Aida, and has been the recipient of awards from such competitions as The Stewart Awards, the Sorantin Competition, the McCammon Voice Competition, and the Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year Awards. She also performs as a soloist with several orchestras and chamber groups including The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Florida Orchestra, the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, The Orchestra of New Spain, the Flower Mound Chamber Orchestra, The Texas Boys Choir, and Voces Intimae.
Rebecca received her Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas where she served as a Teaching Fellow. A native of south Louisiana, she received her Bachelors Degree in Voice from Centenary College of Louisiana. Rebecca maintains a large private home voice studio.
Gail T. DeBenedictis, Director of Operations
Biography
Gail T. DeBenedictis started work at Lamb of God on May 20, 1999. She handles the financial duties for the congregation under the direction of the CMC/VP of Finance. Related duties include managing employee benefits plan, payroll, filing employer tax returns, paying the church's bills, banking, authorized reimbursements, adhering to approved budgets, providing financial reports, maintaining the congregation membership database.
Under the direction of the CMC/VP of Facilities, Gail also manages the daily upkeep of the facility and participates in planning future projects such as carpet replacement, painting, purchasing new equipment.
Gail has 2 daughters, Kathleen and Colleen. She also has 2 grandchildren, Vincent and Brianna.
Dawn Wendorf, Church Administrative Assistant
Biography
Dawn began working for LOG in June 2002. Her job as Church Administrative Assistant is to greet members and visitors when they come to the church office, answer the telephone and support the Ministry Staff with their administrative duties.
Linda Braun, Early Childhood Ministry Director
Biography
Mrs. Linda Braun was born and raised in Wisconsin which makes her a Packer fan. Linda and Pastor Braun have four children, Ben, Jon, Bethany and Steven and a new daughter-in-law Anna. Her hobbies include cooking, quilting and walking. We enjoy vacationing and hiking in Colorado and the north woods of Wisconsin.
Education
Mrs. Braun received her teaching certificate and Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University in Wisconsin and holds teaching certificates from Wisconsin and Texas.
Ministry Experience
Mrs. Braun has served:
- St. Matthews Lutheran School, St. Louis, MO
- Immanuel Lutheran Preschool, Tilden, NE
- St. John Lutheran School, Random Lake, WI
Service at Lamb of God
Mrs. Braun has been the Director of Early Childhood Ministry since September, 2001.
Kim MacDougall , Administrative Assistant - Early Childhood Ministry
Marybeth Hurd, Assistant to the Director - Early Childhod Ministry
Biography
Marybeth Hurd has been on the Early Childhood Ministry staff since moving to Texas in 1994. She has held many positions, but currently is Assistant to the Director, as well as a Lead Teacher of three year olds. She enjoys working with young children and believes that the ECM is a vital outreach of the congregation.
Marybeth grew up in New York, but spent 4 years in Maryland before moving to Texas. While in Maryland she attended Montgomery College and received an Early Childhood Workers certificate.
Marybeth and her husband Bob have 4 children, all attending or graduates of Texas Universities.
Brandy Simmons, Director of Children's Ministry
Biography
Brandy Simmons is a country gal at heart! She was born on a farm in Muleshoe, Texas. When she was 10 years old, her family moved to the big city of Fort Worth, Texas. She graduated from high school, and started her college life at community college before hearing God calling her into professional church work. She then attended Concordia Univeristy in Austin, Texas and graduated in 2006. She majored as a Director of Christian Education, with a minor in Children’s Ministry. She loves to be with children of all ages teaching them about their loving Lord, Jesus Christ!
In her spare time she likes to spend time with her husband, Brandon, and their dogs. Together they enjoy time with family and friends. Brandy also enjoys photography, the outdoors, being crafty and creative, as well as playing and watching sports (especially University of Texas Football). Hook 'em Horns!!
Dick Lasch, Director of Care Ministries
Biography
Dick Lasch has served as Director of Care Ministries at Lamb of God Lutheran Church since August of 2006. In this capacity he coordinates activities surrounding several volunteer groups dealing with member assistance, care and support for members and their families including Stephen Ministry.
Originally from Western New York, Dick and his family moved to Baytown Texas in February 1981. Job transfers moved him and family to Texarkana, Texas in 1987 and then to Flower Mound in 1996. Dick has been involved in many volunteer capacities at each of the congregations he and his family have been associated with including Sunday School Teacher and Superintendent, Elder and Head Elder, several Call Committees and others.
Dick and his wife Diane were married in 1967 and have two sons and five grandchildren. Paul Lasch and his wife Char along with their three daughters Lindsey, Victoria and Emma live in Bowie Texas. Pastor Mark Lasch and his wife Catherine live in Euless Texas with their two sons David and Ryan.
Scott Sandberg, Director of Orchestra
Biography
Scott is a native of Grand Forks, North Dakota. He received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from the University of North Dakota and his Master of Arts degree and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Saxophone Performance from The University of Iowa.
From 2005-2007 Scott held the position of Instructor of Saxophone at the Bloomingdale School of Music in Manhattan. During the same period he taught saxophone, clarinet, and flute at the Wright Music Studios in Port Washington, New York. During the 2003-2004 academic year Scott served as Adjunct Instructor of Jazz at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.
Scott has performed professionally with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, Waverly Community Orchestra, the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra, the Dick King Classic Swing Band, and various pit orchestras in Grand Forks. He has toured the United Kingdom with the UND Wind Ensemble and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland with the UND Jazz Ensemble. Other ensembles he has performed with include the University of Iowa Symphony Band, Symphony Orchestra, Center for New Music, Jazz Ensemble, Saxophone Ensemble, and saxophone quartets.