Pastor Weist was born in Livonia, Michigan and raised in Canton, Ohio. He arrived to St. Peter’s in December of 2007 and brings a passion for; preaching, teaching, counceling, youth ministries and outreach. He received his Bachelor Degree in Adminstration from Michigan State University, Master's Degree in Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and is close to completing his Doctorate of Ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife, Carter, and their three children enjoy traveling, swimming, hiking, horseback riding and spending time with family.

Simone and I are graduates of Wheaton College and lived in Vermont prior to settling down in Shaker Heights. Our family has been attending St. Peter’s since 1995. We felt very fortunate to find a Bible based community of believers, with strong pastoral leadership, right here in Shaker Heights. I have been a member of the Board of Elders for the past few years. The Board of Elders, along with the Pastor, helps oversee the spiritual health of the congregation. We hope St. Peter’s becomes your spiritual home as well.

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Chad Lauritsen, singer/keyboardist, started playing the piano at age fourteen. With the encouragement of Mr. Herb Kaiman, his high school music teacher, he developed a love for music that led him to choose it as his major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His major instrument was voice, studying with Dr. Margaret Kennedy. Never forgetting his love for the keyboard, he studied pipe organ with Drs. Claire Bushong and Quentin Faulkner. Chad graduated from UNL in 1996 with a BA in liberal arts. He with his wife, Kim, moved to Cleveland in 2002 and have been members at St. Peter’s since 2003. Serving from time to time as a substitute keyboardist, he became the full-time church keyboardist in 2006.

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Ms. Marie Chess is the Administrative Assistant, serving the church since 2007. She earned her B.S. Degree in Education from Kent State University. She has two daughters and three grandchildren. She enjoys cooking, gardening and photography.