Leadership

The Reverend Tony D. Ede (like the “Garden of Eden”...but without the “n”).
Tony grew up in the rural NE Iowa town of Maynard. He graduated from Maynard - West Central High School where he was very active in all sports, music and drama. He went on to Waldorf College in Forest City, IA to study music and communications. At Waldorf College, he earned an AA Degree in Electronic Communications and a BA in Multimedia Communications.

Tony  was very active as a youth in his home congregation and felt the call into ministry at an early age. He was an active worship leader in his home congregation of St. Paul Lutheran, Maynard leading worship and supply preaching as a middle schooler. Tony’s pastor helped to encourage him into pastoral ministry and Tony entered the seminary in the fall of 2002 at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN.

While at Luther Seminary, Tony worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the homiletics department helping to teach classes on using media and technology in worship and preaching. He continued to develop pastoral skills at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis as a chaplain intern where he completed CPE. Tony interned at King of Kings Lutheran in Woodbury, MN and continued to work there his senior year of seminary as the Director of Confirmation Ministry.

Tony graduated from Luther Seminary in 2006 with a Master of Divinity degree and was ordained on August 20th of 2006. He received his first call from Immanuel and Bethany Lutheran Churches in the Danish Village of Kimballton, Iowa and served there from 2006 to 2009. He was called to be the Teaching Pastor at Trinity Lutheran in Webster City, IA in May of 2009 and began doing ministry there that July. Tony began as the Senior Pastor at First Evangelical Lutheran in Manchester on July 15, 2013. As part of a commitment to life-long learning, Tony earned a Master of Business Administration degree in 2017 from Upper Iowa University in Fayette, IA with a concentration on organizational development.  His scholarship revolved around congregational development and growth as well as crisis intervention as it pertains to Emotional Intelligence. He is a member of the Society of the Holy Trinity.

Tony is a leader in the North American Lutheran Church having served on the Iowa Mission District Counsel, NALC Renewal Team, Lutheran Week Planning Team, Communications Team, Pastor's Conference Planning Team, a breakout session presenter on media law, ethics, & licensing, and as the moderator for the North American Lutheran Church Academy, a monthly video podcast featuring leaders and subject matter experts throughout the NALC.

Tony was married to LeAnn at Trinity Lutheran Church, New Hampton, IA on August 17th, 2002. They have THREE sons (yes, pray for dear LeAnn) that keep them busy...Carver, Liam and Burke.

Tony stays active in the community by going to as many sporting events and school activities as possible. He coached JH and HS football as well as HS track and was known to make guest appearances in the school’s pep band. Following a long family tradition, Tony is a nationally certified firefighter and EMT and has used these skills to serve in the community as well as disaster responses statewide. Tony is a highly sought after corporate speaker and interactive motivator  on topics such as Dysfunctional Teams, Languages of Appreciation, and Emotional Intelligence in the workplace. He is an avid follower of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs and enjoys golfing, camping, anything with a motor (especially if it is a MOPAR), keeping up with technology, and being with family.

 

Contact Lynne by calling the church at 563-927-3420.