Directory
Rev. Harold J. (Hal) Teuscher (Toy-sure)
Pastor Teuscher graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis,
Missouri, in 1961 with a Master of Divinity degree. He received a scholarship to attend Concordia Graduate School. He graduated with honors and received a Master of Sacred Theology degree majoring in Systematics (Christian doctrine) and New Testament Exegesis (Greek). His master’s thesis was completed in 1967 on Anamnesis (“Remembrance” in the Lord’s Supper).
His first call was to begin a new church at Mt. Olive Lutheran, Milpitas, California. In two years this preaching station grew from 45 to 360 members. Under his leadership, the congregation built a church, offices, classrooms, and fellowship hall.
He accepted a call to Our Master Lutheran, Ferguson (St. Louis), Missouri, which was quickly revived and grew from 125 to 435 members in eight years. During his ministry there, he mentored 56 seminary students as their fieldwork pastor and was a guest lecturer on evangelism techniques at the seminary.
In 1972 he accepted a call to St. Mark’s, Battle Creek, Michigan, and immediately started a building project to build a beautiful new church. The parish grew from 325 to 750 members in 8 years. While at St. Mark’s he took courses in Communications and Psychology at Western Michigan University and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1976. He was nominated by the University department head and accepted in “Who’s Who in Religion” in 1977.
He became an instructor at the University and later was employed in the Human Resources department of a Fortune 500 Corporation, The Upjohn Company, for almost 15 years. While at the corporation, he was an instructor on Management Concepts, Communication Techniques and Sexual Harassment. As such he traveled extensively, and administered the Corporate EEO program. At this same time he also pastored at various Lutheran churches as Missionary-at-Large on behalf of the Michigan District. As such, he became the pastor of Yorkville Community Church, providing a Lutheran presence in the Gull Lake area.
Pastor Teuscher met a widow named Julia Hart at the corporation. After four years of courtship, they were married in 1985. Julie worked as the corporation’s National Materials Coordinator before she chose early retirement in 1992. She is an accomplished soloist, choir director, bookkeeper, writer, public speaker, communications editor, and computer artist. She was a member of the Honors College at Western Michigan University. They moved from Michigan to Arizona before she completed her last few courses for her master’s degree in gerontology. They have five children, seven grandchildren, and one great grandson who live in New York, Connecticut, Illinois, and California.
In 1992 Pastor accepted a call to become the first pastor for the Sun Lakes Lutheran Mission, which later changed its name to Risen Savior Lutheran Church. In 2001, Risen Savior dedicated their first facilities with a membership of 325 at their new location on Alma School Rd., Chandler, AZ. By 2004 it grew to over 2,000 worshipers, with 200 children in the preschool (age 3-K), and 50 seniors in the adult daycare. The staff grew to over 30 full and part-time employees.
Over the years, Pastor was a Circuit Counselor, President of the Arizona Lutheran Pastors, Chairperson of the District Pastoral Health and Wellness Committee, Secretary of the District Evangelism Committee, President of the InterFaith Council, Chairman of the District Ethics Commission, Member of the District Bereavement Commission, Financial Trustee of the St. Louis Lutheran High School Association, Chaplain at Kellogg Community College, Chaplain at the University of Missouri Normandy Campus Ministry, Chaplain at Lindenwood College, Presenter at the District Marriage Enrichment Seminars, and President and Founder of Abundant Life Family Christian Counseling. He also served as an Intentional Interim pastor at Trinity Lutheran in Urbana, IL, before accepting a call as Intentional Interim Minister at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran, Prescott, AZ, from 2008-2010.
He took a sabbatical leave for one year, during which time he moved to his permanent home in Arizona. At this time he was invited to become a member of the National Board of Directors for UsTOOT, a prostate cancer support organization.
Julia L. (Julie) Teuscher (Toy-sure)
Julia is a native of Michigan. During her high school years she studied under Roberta Peters, a former member of the New York Metropolitan Opera. Julia was a recipient of a scholarship to the National Music Camp of Interlochen, MI, in her sophomore year. She also sang with her sister and two nieces in a Gospel quartet, The Music Makers, traveling to various churches in southern Michigan for three years.
Julia also studied under Jack Frye, PhD., head of the music department of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI, and was a member of the Kalamazoo Oratorio Society for 20 years, which performed The Messiah and The Elijah annually with soloists from the Chicago Symphony.
Julia auditioned and became part of an elite group of 40 singers; 10 voices each soprano, alto, tenor and bass, call The Kalamazoo Singers for 2 years, during which time she was also in the chorus of Le’Boehm with the Detroit Symphony at Western Michigan University. She was also a paid guest soloist for several different churches.
Julia then auditioned and became part of The Sweet Adelines barbershop quartet and chorus in Battle Creek, MI. Shortly afterward, she became a member of The Battle Creek Oratorio Society with her new husband, Rev. Harold Teuscher, where they performed in the 17th century era Christmas musical, Sing We Merry. She also studied for several years in special choir director seminars offered by the Pacific Southwest District of the LC-MS, and Malecki and J.W. Pepper Music Companies.
She has 40 years experience as a choir director at four different churches. The size of the choirs ranged from 12 to 65 voices, plus a teen choir which she started and “grew” to 35 voices. The teen choir performed at the local television station and sang cantatas at different local churches. Julia’s most recent accomplishment in music was to inherit a 12-member choir in AZ and “grow” it to 65 voices, and to direct mass choirs of 100 to 300 voices, bell choir, and orchestra for the annual InterFaith Music Festival and the Lutheran Reformation services in Chandler, AZ.
Julia worked as The Upjohn Corporation’s National Materials Coordinator before she chose early retirement in 1992. She has working experience as a public speaker & presenter at seminars, bookkeeper, office manager, communications editor, and computer artist & trainer. She is a member of the National Honor Society and was a member of the Lee Honors College at Western Michigan University where she was working on her master’s degree in gerontology when a move from Michigan to Arizona interrupted her studies. Her more recent accomplishments include setting up the office of Abundant Life Family Counseling, and the creation of the letterheads, flyers, and business cards for the office.
She also has 30 years experience as Sunday School teacher, superintendent, Bible School teacher, coordinator and music leader. She would be the first to tell you, however, the most fulfilling career she has ever had was that of a mother and grandmother. She also loves being the wife of Pastor Hal Teuscher.
Her hobbies include the love of reading, writing, tennis, golf, ice skating, football and baseball. She is currently hoping to publish children’s books and is writing about being a pastor’s wife along with other novels. She is also hoping to finish her thesis at Lee Honor’s College which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this coming year.