Hope is blessed to have a wonderful Leadership Team. Feel free to contact any team member for information.
Our Leadership team
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Heidi Hester
Lead Pastor
The Rev. Heidi Hester came to serve as Pastor of Hope Lutheran in November of 2021, and is glad she is back home in Montana. While Pastor Heidi moved multiple times with her family while she was growing up, Montana was always “home base,” and she excited to settle back down here in Bozeman. She looks forward to unveiling God’s work in the Gallatin Valley through the ministries of Hope Lutheran!
Pastor Heidi has been a Lutheran since her baptism at St. John’s Lutheran in Helena. She followed her love of music to Pacific Lutheran University where she graduated, not in music, but in Communications/Public Relations. God had some other plans for her as she ended up serving two congregations in the Pacific Northwest as Director of Youth and Family ministries. Her journey continued when she moved to Southern California to pursue her career in public relations, however she was sidetracked by a short stint working at CBS Inc. in the legal department as an Executive Assistant. But it was during that time that she heard the call to go to seminary, using all of the varied experiences CBS had taught her. Attending Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California she served congregations in the Bay Area and Hawaii, and was ordained on May 25, 2003 at St. Andrews Lutheran in San Mateo, California.
Her first call was to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church and Preschool in Whittier, California. She then joined the Pacifica Synod’s Office of the Bishop staff in 2009 as Assistant to the Bishop where she worked with 120 congregations and ministry sites in the areas of Mobility (working with congregations in transition), Candidacy (assisting those who are seeking to join the rosters of the ELCA), Worship, Theological Education, Pastoral Care, Campus Ministry and Outdoor Ministry. After seven years serving the synod, Pastor Heidi received a call in 2015 to serve Trinity Lutheran Church and Sonshine Preschool in Pleasanton, California. -
Dick Deschamps
LPA
Dick has been a member of Hope since 1997. Since his retirement from USDA in 2013, Dick completed the course of study to become a Lay Pastoral Assistant or LPA. In this volunteer position he serves in apastoral role at Hope and is available to serve at other ELCA congregations in the Montana Synod. In addition Dick works with the men's ministry and small group ministry, is a Stephen's Minister at Hope;and is the Lutheran Disaster Response liaison for the Montana Synod. Dick is married and has two grown children. Dick's hobbies include woodworking, skiing, restoring old tractors, horsemanship, and enjoying the great outdoors.
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Paul Goodman
Director of Youth and Family Ministeries
Paul Goodman has been working in ministry at Hope Lutheran church since February 2010. He oversees all programs relating to children, youth and families. Paul is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and still has family there. Paul has a 12 year old daughter Emma who sometimes helps with the children's messages at church!
Paul and his family have been a part of our community for 13 years. Paul enjoys skiing, playing the guitar and hiking and has a great passion for getting to know new people.
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Connie Campbell Pearson
Organist/Chancel Choir Director/Office Administrator
Connie is an Episcopal Deacon who has been playing the organ since she was in high school and the piano since she was 5 years old. She studied both piano and organ in college and received a minor in music while getting her 1st degree in Nursing. Her current community projects are working with Creation Care, the MT Interfaith Power and Light board of directors, director and trainer for the School for Deacons for the Episcopal Diocese of Montana and the Housing First Village for the homeless with HRDC. She is married to the Rev. Roxanne Klingensmith and together they offer fixed hour prayer every day for Gethsemane Episcopal Church in Manhattan, MT.
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Jack Holm
Facilities Director
Jack has been a member of Hope since 2009. He became Facilities Director in July 2022. He and his wife,
Cheryl, moved to Bozeman in 2007 from Minnesota to escape the mosquitos and humidity. In
Minnesota, he was owner/operator of a hardware store. He became a ski instructor at Moonlight Basin
when he moved to Montana and worked in Big Sky for 15 years. Jack is an alum of Gustavus Adolphus
College in St. Peter, MN.
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Emily Tomac
Virtual Presence Coordinator/Office Assistant
Emily has been a part of the Hope Lutheran congregation for 13 years. Over the years, she has been involved with many of the youth programs in church including the annual Mission Trips. In May of 2022, she graduated with an Associates degree in Photographic Communications from Northwest College. Emily oversees the virtual and social media presence of the church as well as being office assistant.
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Maren Marchesini
Director of Worship & Music
Maren Haynes Marchesini has been working in music ministry since 2008 and at Hope Lutheran since 2022. She directs all musical activities at Hope Lutheran, including the Chancel Choir, Worship Band, and liturgical music for Sundays. Maren holds a PhD in Ethnomusicology, and her musical background spans classical, indie rock, and a wide variety of global music traditions as a choral director, cellist, and vocalist. In addition to her role at Hope Lutheran, Maren plays cello in an instrumental duo, Hemispheres, with guitarist Kate Plummer, and researches and writes about Christian Congregational Music. She and husband Michael have two children, Asa and Kaj, and they all enjoy music, being outside, traveling, and enjoying the mountains around Bozeman.
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Liz Fraser
Office Manager
Liz Fraser was born and raised in Texas. She is a ninth generation Texan and a Daughter of the Republic of Texas whose ancestors defended the Alamo. Like most Texans, she is very proud of her heritage. While in college at A&M University-Kingsville she met her husband, CAPT Billy Fraser (a Bozeman native), who was in flight school at Naval Air Station Kingsville. They married and now have three smart and courageous daughters (must be their Texas blood). Their family has moved 11 times including two overseas tours. Due to the nomadic lifestyle of a Navy family, Liz focused on being a constant force in the girls' lives. She strived to be their biggest cheerleader as well as toughest coach. She also volunteered in their school and was active in the church and community wherever they were stationed. Most recently, she taught high school Chemistry and AP Biology and fell in love with teaching. Liz is excited for where God will lead her next and she is glad to be part of the church staff at Hope Lutheran!
