Our Staff

 Pastor Sharon Smith has spent much of her 33 years of ordained ministry in places where stories matter: churches, prisons, classrooms, and occasionally the produce aisle (where she once answered a question on the parable of the fig tree). Pastor Sharon is a firm believer that hard questions are a part of faith and that God’s grace is both abundant and scandalous.   She is passionate about building community and including the ones who don’t quite fit, maybe especially them. She received her undergraduate degree from Hope College and holds two master’s degrees, from Trinity Lutheran Seminary (theology) and the University of Michigan-Flint (English language and literature). When she’s not preaching, writing, teaching, or running, she’s likely taking notes in the margins of a book or discussing upcoming sermons and theology with her friends from seminary. She and her husband live with two rescue dogs who provide endless entertainment and joy.  

Kaylee has been part of the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church family since she was seven years old. After high school, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science and went on to spend 15 years working in cardiology. During that time, she also led Bible studies and created fellowship opportunities for young adults in the church and wider community.

Kaylee has always felt called to care for others and help people develop strong connections to their faith. That calling led her to join the staff at St. Paul’s as the Director of Youth and Family Ministry. She is passionate about meeting children and families where they are, so they can explore their faith, build strong relationships, grow into confident leaders, and have fun.   Working alongside the youth of St. Paul’s brings her immense joy, as she helps them deepen their relationship with Jesus and make a positive impact on the world by sharing God’s good news of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Kaylee and her husband have two high schoolers who keep their calendar full of activities and events. In her free time when Kaylee is not working with the youth, you would find her enjoying her family, running/working out, spending time with friends, or relaxing and drinking a great cup of coffee.