Our Staff
Pastor Joe Woodward & his wife, Pastor Sarah Woodward
Pastor Joe Woodward enlisted in the South Carolina Army National Guard in the summer of 2001, and served with the 51st Aviation Group for six years as an intelligence analyst. He completed Basic Combat Training at Ft. Jackson, SC, and Advanced Individual Training at Ft. Huachuca, AZ. During his six-year enlistment, he also completed his undergraduate degree in history at the University of South Carolina. He graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree in the spring of 2007.
Next, he enrolled in classes at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, in the fall of 2008. In seminary, Pastor Joe Woodward served in the Army Reserve’s chaplain candidacy program, assigned to the 81st Reserve Support Commmand at Ft. Jackson, SC. During this time, he also completed a summer internship, and first-year ACPE chaplain residency, at Palmetto Health Hospital in Columbia, SC (specialty in Level One Trauma). He graduated from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary with a Masters of Divinity.
Next, he enrolled in classes at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, in the fall of 2008. In seminary, Pastor Joe Woodward served in the Army Reserve’s chaplain candidacy program, assigned to the 81st Reserve Support Commmand at Ft. Jackson, SC. During this time, he also completed a summer internship, and first-year ACPE chaplain residency, at Palmetto Health Hospital in Columbia, SC (specialty in Level One Trauma). He graduated from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary with a Masters of Divinity.
Thereafter, he traveled to Texas and completed a year-long parish internship at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Killeen, TX in 2012; and a second-year ACPE chaplain residency at Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, TX, in 2013 (specialty in Oncology). Pastor Joe Woodward was then called as pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Bartlett, TX in the summer of 2014. Along with accepting this call, he was ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in July 2014.
He has also served the Bartlett community as volunteer chaplain at the local volunteer fire station, American Legion Post 183, and at the recently closed Bartlett State Jail. His congregation is supportive and excited about his calling to serve his country in the Army Reserve once again, as a chaplain with the 120th Infantry Brigade at Ft. Hood, TX.
Pastor Joe Woodward is married to the former Sarah Dernbach of Minneapolis, MN. She is also an ordained Lutheran minister, and serves as a hospice chaplain and bereavement coordinator in Georgetown, TX. His parents are Edward Woodward Jr and Marcia Woodward of Columbia, SC.
He has also served the Bartlett community as volunteer chaplain at the local volunteer fire station, American Legion Post 183, and at the recently closed Bartlett State Jail. His congregation is supportive and excited about his calling to serve his country in the Army Reserve once again, as a chaplain with the 120th Infantry Brigade at Ft. Hood, TX.
Pastor Joe Woodward is married to the former Sarah Dernbach of Minneapolis, MN. She is also an ordained Lutheran minister, and serves as a hospice chaplain and bereavement coordinator in Georgetown, TX. His parents are Edward Woodward Jr and Marcia Woodward of Columbia, SC.
Organist Debra Janke Caldwell
Born and raised in rural Bartlett, Debra began her music career in 1962 when she was in the second grade. Miss Eileen Sides was her piano teacher for three years. After Miss Sides married and moved to Ohio, Mrs. Bracher, the wife of the current pastor in 1965, offered to give Debra organ lessons. Debra studied the technique of pedals and pipes and began performing solos during the offertories and communion services at St. John, Bartlett. She continued her studies after graduating from high school and college. Debra returned to Bartlett in 1983 and became the supply organist at St. John Lutheran Church. Later, Prince of Peace Lutheran in Thrall, Texas, needed a full-time organist so Debra filled the position as their choir director and organist from 1998-2001.
Her love for playing the pipe organ at her home church was given new expression when she interviewed for the position of organist at St. John in 2016 and was selected to serve as full-time organist for the 137-year-old congregation. Debra currently teaches English at Bartlett High School where she graduated in 1971. She attended Temple College 1971-1973 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 1975. She obtained her Masters Degree in Education from UMHB in 1989.
Psalm 100 (KJV)
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing.
Her love for playing the pipe organ at her home church was given new expression when she interviewed for the position of organist at St. John in 2016 and was selected to serve as full-time organist for the 137-year-old congregation. Debra currently teaches English at Bartlett High School where she graduated in 1971. She attended Temple College 1971-1973 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 1975. She obtained her Masters Degree in Education from UMHB in 1989.
Psalm 100 (KJV)
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing.
Church Secretary Glena Hood
I am Texas born and raised and a Christian for over 60 years. God has been good to me and I like to share His goodness.
I was born in Abilene, Texas, but got to Central Texas by the time I was one. I was raised in a good Christian home, Thank you Lord. We lived in several places the first few years. The places with the most memories were directly across the street from Miller Heights Baptist Church in Belton, Texas. Just before I was six, Daddy bought a house at the end of South Wall Steet, so we were just down the road from Miller Heights. I was saved there, baptized there and married there. It was a great church home.
I went to Belton schools for 12 years and Temple Commercial College for one year. Many of my friends were with me all 12 years at Belton ISD. There was one boy who transferred in from Killeen. We became friends and started dating in January of our Senior year. Two years later, we got married. Then we left Belton to go to college at Tarleton State in Stephenville. From there we moved to Fort Worth to begin our careers. Then two years later, our only son was born. We wanted him to grow up in Central Texas, so we moved back. After five years, we moved back to Fort Worth, then to Vernon, Texas. We were following my husband’s job in higher education. He was Assistant Business Manager at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Texas Wesleyan and then in Vernon he was Business Manager at Vernon Regional College. We finally moved back here when our son was 12 years old, when my husband was offered the Business Manager position at University of Central Texas in Killeen. Through all these moves and trips back to visit, God was good and watched over us when I lost my Daddy to a massive heart attack, when our son had to have an emergency appendectomy and when we were in a tornado in Vernon. That experience showed me what is important, not material things but family & friends. Then in 1996 my grandson was born and in 2000 my granddaughter was born. What wonderful blessings they have been.
Through all the moves, I worked in banking at various banks in various positions. I loved the work and the people I came to know. Then when we got back to Central Texas, I held many different jobs using my secretarial & administrative skills – manufacturing, sales, marketing, legal secretary, city secretary and assistant to an independent insurance agent. This is when God opened the door at St. John Lutheran for me. I had been without a job for 3 months and was really needing to find work. I missed the first round of interviews because I didn’t know about the position. Then about a month later, I saw an ad in the paper for this position again. So, I quickly applied. They had interviewed one person for the position, then the second person dropped out and I was called to come for an interview. I immediately liked the pastor and the folks I interview with. This was the first time I had been interviewed by multiple people. Everyone made me feel so comfortable. I was hired and have been here for a year. I have truly enjoyed every minute and love the people I have come to know. Praise the Lord.
Glena Hood
I was born in Abilene, Texas, but got to Central Texas by the time I was one. I was raised in a good Christian home, Thank you Lord. We lived in several places the first few years. The places with the most memories were directly across the street from Miller Heights Baptist Church in Belton, Texas. Just before I was six, Daddy bought a house at the end of South Wall Steet, so we were just down the road from Miller Heights. I was saved there, baptized there and married there. It was a great church home.
I went to Belton schools for 12 years and Temple Commercial College for one year. Many of my friends were with me all 12 years at Belton ISD. There was one boy who transferred in from Killeen. We became friends and started dating in January of our Senior year. Two years later, we got married. Then we left Belton to go to college at Tarleton State in Stephenville. From there we moved to Fort Worth to begin our careers. Then two years later, our only son was born. We wanted him to grow up in Central Texas, so we moved back. After five years, we moved back to Fort Worth, then to Vernon, Texas. We were following my husband’s job in higher education. He was Assistant Business Manager at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Texas Wesleyan and then in Vernon he was Business Manager at Vernon Regional College. We finally moved back here when our son was 12 years old, when my husband was offered the Business Manager position at University of Central Texas in Killeen. Through all these moves and trips back to visit, God was good and watched over us when I lost my Daddy to a massive heart attack, when our son had to have an emergency appendectomy and when we were in a tornado in Vernon. That experience showed me what is important, not material things but family & friends. Then in 1996 my grandson was born and in 2000 my granddaughter was born. What wonderful blessings they have been.
Through all the moves, I worked in banking at various banks in various positions. I loved the work and the people I came to know. Then when we got back to Central Texas, I held many different jobs using my secretarial & administrative skills – manufacturing, sales, marketing, legal secretary, city secretary and assistant to an independent insurance agent. This is when God opened the door at St. John Lutheran for me. I had been without a job for 3 months and was really needing to find work. I missed the first round of interviews because I didn’t know about the position. Then about a month later, I saw an ad in the paper for this position again. So, I quickly applied. They had interviewed one person for the position, then the second person dropped out and I was called to come for an interview. I immediately liked the pastor and the folks I interview with. This was the first time I had been interviewed by multiple people. Everyone made me feel so comfortable. I was hired and have been here for a year. I have truly enjoyed every minute and love the people I have come to know. Praise the Lord.
Glena Hood