Pastor Matthew Smith-Laubenstein
Pastor Matthew is a graduate of Princeton Seminary and the Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia. He was Ordained in 2010. He is blessed to live here in Libertyville and to be married to a Presbyterian Pastor, Kara, with whom he has 2 daughters, Amelia and Charlotte.
Pastor Matthew loves serving at Grace Lutheran because the congregation jumps in with both feet, on a regular basis, to love and serve the Lord.
When he has down time, you might find Pastor Matthew hiking & camping with his family, deer hunting, or growing fruits and vegetables in his garden with the help of his girls.
Pastor Eric Schaefer
Pastor Eric grew up in Lake County. After receiving degrees from College of Lake County and Western Illinois University with a focus in science, he spent 10 years auditing pre-clinical prescription drug trials prior to pursuing his call to ministry.
Pastor Eric was called to serve Grace in November 2018 after graduating from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in May of 2018. He serves our youth and family ministries. He is passionate about forming communities surrounding life experiences and building relationships where all are welcome.
Pastor Eric enjoys woodworking, gardening, photography, and cooking. His wife Sarah, and children, Joshua and Alayna, enjoy the outdoors, discovering nature, cooking, and playing board games together.
