Our Pastor
Karl-John N. Stone
Welcome, Reverend Karl-John N. Stone!
House of Prayer Lutheran Church installed Pastor Karl-John Stone on January 26, 2020. We are very happy to welcome him and very pleased at the variety of experiences he can share with us, as we explore ways of moving into the future while following the way of Jesus together.
Pastor Karl-John received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN. He spent one of his semesters studying at University College Dublin in Ireland. From St. Olaf, he moved to Columbus, OH, to earn a Master of Divinity degree at Trinity Lutheran Seminary. He was ordained in his home church in Queens, NY, on August 4, 2001.
During his years at College and Seminary, Karl-John worked as a counselor and assistant director for his church’s summer day camp, served as a hospital chaplain, high school youth counselor at the Summer Seminary Sampler program, and as pastoral intern at Augustana Lutheran Church in Elkhart, Indiana.
Pastor Karl-John has served as pastor to a small, rural church; assistant to a synod bishop; and as an assistant pastor in a large, multi-pastor church. His wife Beth Ann is also a pastor in the ELCA, serving at Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church.
His experiences include planning and managing hygiene kit distribution and flood relief ministries, call process and interim ministries, youth events, and adult programs such as Missional Leaders for a Missional Church and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. He has helped congregations renew their mission and ministries, served on stewardship and ecumenical relations committees, and focused on adult education, small group ministry, and pastoral care.
As a New York native, Pastor Karl-John is a loyal Mets baseball fan; he also likes outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, cycling, jogging, and gardening. He sang in his college choir and now plays guitar and enjoys a wide variety of music. As a dad, he is proud of his sons, Henry (in college) and Liam (in high school). Two dogs, Hudson and Moxie, are also part of the family.
The family lives in the Racine area, and is excited about the adventure God has prepared for them here in Wisconsin.