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2026 Presenters

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2026 Annual Conference

Conference Presenters from Stephen Ministries

Justin Schlueter, D.Min., served as a teacher in Virginia for eight years before moving to St. Louis for pastoral training. He joined the Stephen Ministries staff in 2014 while still in seminary and now serves as the Executive Director. In addition, he oversees training, leads the consultation and inquiry teams, coordinates market research, and serves on the writing team to help develop our training and resources. Justin is a Stephen Leader and Stephen Minister, as well as a die-hard Cubs fan.

Kenneth C. Haugk, Ph.D., a pastor and clinical psychologist, is the founder and original Executive Director of Stephen Ministries. He is the author or coauthor of many books and courses, including Journeying through Grief, Cancer— Now What?, Don’t Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart, The Gift of Empathy, and Caring Assertiveness. Dr. Haugk is also a frequent speaker on such topics as Christian caregiving, grief, inactive member ministry, church and business antagonism, leadership, and spiritual gifts.

Janine Ushe, M.Div., Director of Operations at Stephen Ministries, joined the organization as a seminary student in 2001; today, she is a member of our pastoral staff and leads our warehouse and shipping teams. A Stephen Minister and Stephen Leader, Janine also teaches at Stephen Leader Training Courses, serves on the consultation team, and coordinates our work with international congregations, retirement communities, and correctional institutions. She is coauthor of the devotional Cries of Faith, Songs of Hope.

Missy Towers joined Stephen Ministries in 2023 and serves as a Ministry Support Specialist, where she enjoys connecting callers with ministry and resources that will make a difference in their churches and lives. An ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, she also holds a BA in journalism from the University of Missouri and has served as a missionary in Indonesia. Missy enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children, as well as finding new houseplants.

Addie Gramelspacher joined Stephen Ministries in 2022 as a Ministry Support Specialist. She enjoys connecting with the people who call our office, learning their stories, and helping them in whatever ways they need. Before coming to Stephen Ministries, she earned a bachelor’s degree in music and theology from St. Mary of the Woods College and a master’s in music performance from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and she spent 18 years teaching vocalists of all ages and levels.

Joel Bretscher serves as Program Director, overseeing the development of books, courses, training materials, and other resources. He is coauthor of The Gift of Empathy and Caring Assertiveness and a frequent speaker on empathy, assertiveness, and other caring and relational topics. As a graduate of Valparaiso University, Joel was a longtime competitive swimmer and is a member of the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Prior to joining the staff in 1995, he served as a Stephen Minister in Arizona.