Ministry Staff

Rev. Robert (Rob) Nedbalek
Pastor & Mission Developer

Baptized in a Congregational Church (now UCC), confirmed in a LCMS congregation, married in a Methodist church, he got his first taste of ministry as youth pastor, Sunday school teacher and bus driver at a Baptist church (ABC). Joining an ELCA congregation, he ultimately went to Wartburg Theological Seminary, seeking an M/Div and ordination to the ministry of Word and Sacrament.

Ordained March 17, 2002, he served as pastor of rural, multi point parishes in Montana, North and South Dakota before returning home to Montana with his family.

Convicted of Vehicular Homicide in 1980, gave Rob a different appreciation for prison ministry.

While at the seminary, he and a classmate, Carl Fulk, became acquainted with Ed Nesselhuf and Prison Congregations of America, who encouraged both to consider making themselves available for call to Prison Ministry in the PCA. But Rob chose to return to Montana, where family ties tugged at him, and entered parish ministry, which took him away from home, again. Now time has taken a full circle, as Rob has been called to serve as the pastor of Freedom in Christ Prison Congregation at the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana.

Rob and his wife Lori have six children: Todd, Tara, Trebor, Danyelle, David and Johnathan, twelve grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Johnathan remains at home, entering the seventh grade next year.

Vocationally, Rob has a background in retail and wholesale business, automotive and motorcycle mechanics, and a myriad of other “jobs.” To quote a friend, “You name it, Rob’s done it.”

Rob and Lori are very excited to begin this next chapter in their lives, sharing the love of God in Christ Jesus with those who are incarcerated in body within the Montana State Prison, through Freedom in Christ Prison Congregation.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

 

Bea Rosenleaf
Ministry Administrator

Bea was born in Helena, Montana, and spent her youth as an Air Force Brat growing up around the country and half way around the world.When her father retired, the family returned to Montana.  She returned to college after her youngest son started Kindergarten graduating with an Associate degree in Accounting from the Helena College of Technology and Bachelor of Science degrees in Human Services and Business Administration from the University of Great Falls.

Her oldest son made the choice to follow a path of self destruction for almost 20 years through drug use. After being arrested several times, placed on probation a couple of times and finally landing in a lock-down treatment facility for 18 months, he began to seriously think about his life’s choices and how those choices were affecting him and his relationship with his family. During this time he met some wonderful people in Missoula that visited him in the detention facility bringing faith, hope and grace of the Lord to him. When he was moved to the treatment facility, he was again befriended by some wonderful Christian men who worked with him during his almost two-year stay.  These people, through the leadership and work of the Holy Spirit, helped turn Bea’s son around. When Bea was approached by Freedom in Christ to become the Ministry Administrator, it seemed like a perfect fit and she didn’t hesitate to accept. 

Bea is married to Howard and they have four boys and 15 grandchildren. They reside in Anaconda, Montana, where they spend much time with community and church involvement. He favorite past-times are photography, travel, quilting and spending time with her grandchildren.

Ministry Council 

Chair

Chris Flohr currently serves as pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Missoula, Montana, since 2002.  He has lived in the state for 20 years serving as pastor for 10 years in eastern Montana (Glasgow area) before being called to serve in Missoula.  Chris, and wife Nadeen, enjoy walks with their Corgi mix dog, Finley, and sitting down with a good book. He ministry focus is serving what Jesus calls the “least and forgotten among us.”

Pastor Chris’s email is:   cflohr@stpaulmissoula.org

Vice-Chair

Rev. Melanie Martin-Dent
Anaconda, Montana
Pastor Melanie’s email is:  mmartindent@yahoo.com

Recording Secretary

Robert Leaverton is a graduate of Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, in May 2006, ordained in July of 2006 and was called to the Montana Synod, to serve the congregation of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Absarokee, Montana. During his years in seminary  he was involved in prison ministry in Maryland. He served the women of Maryland Correctional Institute for Women in Jessup, as a volunteer by leading worship services and Bible studies. He has been active in this prison ministry in Montana as soon as the Synod established this ministry and our task force worked to call a full time pastor to the Montana State Prison for Men in Deer Lodge. Being 240 miles away from Deer Lodge limits his availability to volunteer there. This is a ministry he supports and works to establish and help grow here in the Montana Synod.

Pastor Robert’s email is:  rkleaverton@nemont.net

Treasurer 

Hugh McWhorter, CPA
Helena, MT
Hugh’s email is: hughmcw@mcn.net

Volunteer Coordinator

Position is currently open.

 

Fundraising Coordinator

Position is currently open.

Program Coordinator

Position is currently open.

Rolf Tunby
Plevna, Montana
rtunby@mid-rivers.com

 

David Young is a third generation Montana who grew up in Billings, Montana, attended Eastern Montana College for two years, transferred to Colorado State University for four years and  enrolled in graduate school at The Ohio State University.  After graduate school, David was employed as a research pathologist with the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, MD from 1970-77.  In 1977, David joined the faculty at Montana State University-Bozeman, initially as a Department Head and later in various administrative positions overseeing biomedical and health-related grants and programs.  In 2005, David was appointed Community Resource Specialist with MSU Extension Service and Research Professor with the College of Nursing.  The mission of the Community Resources Program is to provide information, education, resources, technical assistance and services to help create healthy, safe, thriving Montana communities. 

In his non-job life, David is actively involved in jail and prison ministry as a volunteer chaplain in the local county jail, for local law enforcement and with a state-wide faith-based non-profit reentry program, TEAM Mentoring, at Montana State Prison. David is a member of a number of state and national organizations, including the Montana Correctional Association (MCA), the Montana Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association (MSPOA), the Association for Community Health Improvement (ACHI),  the American Correctional Association (ACA), the American Jail Association (AJA), the American Correctional Chaplains Association (ACCA), the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC), the Rural Chaplains Association (RCA), and the Health Ministries Association (HMA).

Dave’s email is:   dmyoung@imt.net

Advisory Members

Rev. David Peters, Liasion
Director for Evangelical Mission
Montana Synod, ELCA
Billings, Montana
Pastor Dave’s email is: dpeters@montanasynod.org

Mary Mortenson, Executive Director
Prison Congregations of America, Inc.
PO Box 1132
Mitchell, SD 57301
Mary’s email is:  mary@prisoncongregations.org