Jennie McCown

Title: Pastoral Assistant

Email: pa@beresfordemmanuel.com

My name is Jennie McCown. I was born and raised in Sioux Falls. I attended Washington High School and Augustana (College) University. During my undergrad, I worked for Lutheran Outdoors of South Dakota, there I worked at NeSoDak Lutheran Bible Camp. I was a camp counselor and also the Day Camp Coordinator. When I graduated from Augie, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Deaf Education Studies. I was a teacher in the Sioux Falls Catholic School system and Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota. As I was teaching, I became the Youth Director/Director of the Children's Ministry in my home church at East Side Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. After teaching, I worked for Sanford Health in the Neurodiagnostics Sleep Lab. Throughout my whole life of being a teacher, lay person in a church and then in the hospital, I felt this tug on my arm from God, saying he wanted me to pursue ministry. In the year 2023, I began the process of getting accepted into Seminary and being "Entranced into Candidacy" with the South Dakota Synod. With those big changes, I share my ministry time with those here at Emmanuel Lutheran Church and Canton Lutheran Church. I am getting lots of experience with both churches in ministry that will help me become a pastor someday very soon. 

My family consists of my husband Brent, who works for Orthopedic Institute and Sanford Health and our children, Kasen, who is a freshman at Lincoln High School, and Norah who is a third grader in Brandon. We keep active with our kids' activities, activities in our churches and homework with our kids and myself. We are so blessed to be in amazing church families, and we are blessed to be a part of the community of Beresford, South Dakota.