Rev. Amalia Vagts - Lead Pastor
Pastor Amalia (she) is drawn to ministry among believers, skeptics,
and seekers of all ages and seeks new ways of telling the true story
of God’s love in Jesus Christ for the world. Amalia believes
Christ-centered communities welcome us for who we are, freeing
us to live transformed lives with love for ourselves and others.
As a publicly-identifying bisexual person, Amalia is committed to authentic hospitality, diverse community, and seeking belonging for all people. Amalia earned an M.Div at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa and a B.A. in English and Religion at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Prior to pursuing a call to ordained ministry, she worked in the non-profit sector in support of reproductive health care and LGBTQ+ welcome in the Lutheran church.
Pastor Amalia and her spouse David Lester moved from Decorah, Iowa. They co-parent three adult humans from David’s first marriage, Oran (he), Aidan (he), and Heather (she), who live in Decorah, Portland, and Chicago. Amalia and David enjoy exploring Arizona, wandering and hiking, talking to their dog Cholla in ridiculous voices, checking out breweries, watching WNBA, and hosting visiting family and friends.
Pastor Amalia began at Our Saviour's on November 1, 2021.
Rev. Glenn Schrader Associate Pastor for Discipleship
Pastor Glenn Schrader (he/his/him) believes that the Holy Spirit forms Christian faith throughout our lives and guides us to serve in ministries both inside and outside the church. In a society which is increasingly secular, trusting Jesus Christ is the key to discipleship. Equipping and emboldening followers of The Way are essential to his ministry at
Our Saviour’s.
Prior to accepting the part-time call at Our Saviour’s, Glenn was a professor of chemical engineering for forty years. He received a B.S. from Iowa State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Glenn received his Master of Divinity (Word and Sacrament) from Wartburg Theological Seminary in 2023. He has also graduated from Tucson’s Hesychia School for Spiritual Direction and from the ELCA Diakonia program.
Pastor Glenn and his life-partner, Ted Adams, moved to Tucson in 2006. They are avid fans of the desert – plants, animals, and hiking trails.
Michele Ruttinger - Parish Administrator
Michele and her husband Matt followed their dreams and relocated to Tucson, Arizona from Hermitage, Pennsylvania. They have a daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter back in Pennsylvania.
Michele has worked in the church world for the past 25 years in many different administrative and communication positions. In their free time Matt and Michele enjoy traveling, putt putt golf and remodeling projects.
Dr. Gréta Pásztor - Director of Music Ministry
Dr. Gréta Pásztor is a concert pianist, collaborator, conductor, teacher, and church musician in Tucson, Arizona. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from the University of Arizona (2024), Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance and Choral Conducting from Kent State University (2021), as well as Bachelor’s degrees in Keyboard Performance and Music Theory from Baldwin Wallace University (2018).
Gréta was born in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and started playing the piano at the age of 6, the organ at the age of 16, and conducting at 18. To date, she has participated in several local and national piano competitions and has been awarded for her academic and musical achievements. Most recently, Gréta won the 2021 UA Concerto Competition and received 2nd Prize in the 2022 Lois Trester Competition. Gréta Pásztor has performed as a recitalist, collaborative artist, soloist and soloist-conductor with orchestras, and choir director across the United States and Romania.
A lifelong church musician, Dr. Pásztor seeks to inspire and lead the congregation in praising God.
John Perez - Facilities
John was born and raised in Tucson and has been in building maintenance for over 30 years. He enjoys hunting, camping and his trucks. John has three adult children, eight grandchildren, and is pleased to be working for Our Saviour's.
John began his role in June 2022.