About Clergy Stuff

Clergy Stuff founder Kimberly Leetch started Clergy Stuff in 2012 to provide resources for clergy and other ministers to make their ministries cooler, easier, and funner (yes, we said funner). She started producing Narrative Lectionary worship resources to help ministry teams make the big switch to the baby lectionary (started in 2010 by professors at Luther Seminary). Dan Maurer joined the core team in 2015 and infused a new vision and energy into the business. Over the years, the team continued to grow and Clergy Stuff enhanced and added resources to support worship for Narrative Lectionary, Revised Common Lectionary, and thematic preaching (Because the Word). Narratology Confirmation was created to help churches with one or only a few students to access high-quality, theologically and biblically sound educational resources.

In 2019 Rebekah Fergus joined the core team, bringing a heart for educational resources including Clergy Stuff’s first Vacation Bible School program. The team blended so seamlessly, it was natural that Rebekah would take the wheel when Kimberly decided it was time to explore new pursuits. Rebekah bought Clergy Stuff in 2021 and has continued to produce great stuff for your ministry needs.

We’re glad you’ve found us. We hope to help you have fun doing what you’re doing. We know you'll love our stuff—we're here to make your worship planning experience easier (and funner).

God's story is our story, and ours is God’s.

Clergy Stuff’s Team

Core Writin’, Businessn’, Editin’ Squad

R. M. Fergus is the Owner and CEO of Clergy Stuff. She works as a writer and educator in the Twin Cities area. She has written skits, plays, songs, curriculum and more for several faith communities over the past few decades as well as curriculum for Sparkhouse, the children’s education arm of 1517 Media (Augsburg Fortress Publishing). She holds an MA in Children, Youth, and Family Ministry from Luther Seminary in St. Paul.

In addition to playing video games and watching anime and YouTube videos with her kids, Fergus spends her free time writing The Connor Shepherd Chronicles, a series of middle-grade adventure novels set in a Minecraft world.

Fergus is the primary writer of the daily devotions, RCL Worship Resources (everything except the preaching themes), and all of Clergy Stuff’s VBS material.

Dr. Kimberly "Kace" Leetch is Clergy Stuff's founder and content consultant.

Before Clergy Stuff, she served as Associate Pastor of Shepherd of the Hills in Edina, MN and as Associate Pastor at Augustana in West St. Paul, MN. She received her D. Min. in Biblical Preaching from Luther Seminary in 2008, and her M.Div. from Luther Seminary in 1999.

She has been a freelance writer for Spark Story Bible, the Spark Sunday School and summer curricula by Augsburg Fortress’ Sparkhouse, and Augsburg’s Akaloo curriculum. She has also written for Working Preacher. She also served as Crosstown Conference Dean of the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA.

Daniel D. Maurer is the Director of Creative Content and Marketing for Clergy Stuff. He's also the main point of contact to help you out at Clergy Stuff.

A former ELCA minister, Daniel now spends his time working for Clergy Stuff and as a freelance writer. He has three published books: Sobriety: A Graphic Novel (Hazelden Publishing, 2014) and Faraway: A Suburban Boy's Story as a Victim of Sex Trafficking (Two Harbors Press, 2015). His third book is now published (2016) with Augsburg Fortress Publishers: Papa Luther. This most recent work is an exciting book looking at the life of Martin Luther through the eyes of his kids! (It's also a graphic novel.)  He is currently working on his fourth book, which deals with how spirituality undergirds resilience.

Daniel has created curriculum for the Whirl resource at Sparkhouse, and has worked intimately with Augsburg Fortress Publishers. His third book will be an AF children's resource (*UPDATE: It's out! You can find 'Papa Luther' right here). Daniel has also written for secular, science-based educational resources for Amicus Publishing—a series of books authored by him will come out in late 2016. The Word in Season, Alive Now!, and The Nature Conservancy are other publications he's written resources and articles for, as well as addiction/recovery resources and justice-related writings.

He lives with his wife, his two boys, and two cats & a dog named Lazarus in the world's coolest city, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Dan’s currently working on his debut novel which grows ever bigger as the days go by. Topic? Time travel, Carthage, Rome. That’s all you’re getting. [wry smile]

Daniel Maurer is the founder and owner of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area church website design company, Mount Curve Press.

Other Writers

Other Contributors

Jerry Salter - Composer & Music has been writing music for about as long as he can remember. He has tried to create music for almost everywhere that he finds himself—in school for choir, band and plays, for friends looking for music to sing, in church, and in his kid's schools.  Writing music is an activity he truly adores. He states, "I'm so grateful that God has given me this gift. And now I am so thrilled to use my skills to help connect the scripture readings with the congregation by creating scripture responses the reinforce the readings for that Sunday!"  It's Jerry's hope that you find Clergy Stuff Original Music a welcome addition to your worship as you use the Narrative Lectionary.

Katelyn Rakotoarivelo is the Grants Manager for a nonprofit in St. Paul. She studied religion at Augsburg University in Minneapolis and earned an M.Div. from Luther Seminary. She served a rural congregation outside Albert Lea, MN and a suburban congregation in Dublin, CA. Currently she is enjoying exploring the development field in a nonprofit setting and regularly providing pulpit supply throughout the Twin Cities. She loves to travel with her husband, read (especially fantasy), visit local and state parks, and spend time with her two very entertaining cats. 

Madison Johnston supports the formation of the NL and RCL Worship Resources at Clergy Stuff. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Theology at Loyola University Chicago, and her Master of Divinity with a concentration in Lutheran Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Ministerial work in higher education and finance led Madison to social enterprise. She serves as Head of Accounts at Showcraft, the largest B-Corp aspiring exhibit house in the country. She and her team are committed to transforming the event marketing space, pioneering practices of sustainability and creation care in face-to-face brand experiences (tradeshows, product displays and corporate interiors).

Madison lives in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis with her husband, daughter, and Black Lab/Pittie mix. She enjoys lifting at the neighborhood gym, spending quality time with friends and family and taking daytrips wherever she can, whenever she can.

Miles Hopgood is a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the ELCA and holds a PhD in History & Ecumenics from Princeton Theological Seminary. His research focuses on the Reformation in German and the history of biblical interpretation. He is the author of How Luther Regards Moses: The Lectures on Deuteronomy (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2023) and currently serves as lead pastor of Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Ewing, New Jersey. While you might try looking for him in the sacristy or the library, he is easiest to find outdoors, either running on trails or tending to his many chickens (see picture) and bees.

Sara Gorman is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a native of California. Sara graduated from Luther Seminary with her M.Div. in 2020. She and her husband moved to a small town in Wisconsin, and have a son and cat. Her undergraduate degrees are

 in Elementary Education and Youth Ministries. She is passionate about children being in church, and constantly thinking of ways to include them in worship. When not working or spending time as a family, Sara likes to knit, cross stitch, and read.

Wing Yin Li is a first-year Ph.D. student in theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, where she obtained her Master of Divinity in 2022. She also serves as a pastoral associate at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Ewing, New Jersey.

Wing was born and raised in Hong Kong. Her mother tongue is Cantonese. In 2012, she went to the United Kingdom and pursued her undergraduate degree (Master of Arts) in philosophy and theology in the University of Edinburgh. After that, she did two years of international student ministry in Edinburgh and Canterbury. Before coming to New Jersey, she served as a youth minister at ELCHK Gloria Lutheran Church and taught religious studies at a Lutheran secondary school in Hong Kong.

Wing is a foodie and coffee-lover. She loves cooking and enjoying great food with friends. She enjoys discussing philosophy, theology, music, and all other interesting things… She especially likes listening to people’s stories and witnessing God’s faithfulness in each unique story. For she believes that all these stories are being woven by that merciful Hand to form a beautiful picture that is yet to be seen.

L. Lynn Stansberry Brusnahan, Ph.D. is the Associate Professor for Special Education and Gifted Education at the University of St. Thomas. Dr. Stansberry Brusnahan is the parent of a young adult with autism. She coordinates the autism spectrum disorders certificate, license and master’s program.  Lynn earned her Ph.D. in Urban Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2007). She received a Masters degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Special Education and her undergraduate degree from Purdue University.  Her professional experiences include being an independent inclusion, autism and behavioral specialist working with individuals with a wide range of abilities and challenges in school and community settings.

Dr. Stansberry Brusnahan has written the fine content included with Narratology; every session of Narratology includes teaching tips for congregations needing a church confirmation program for children with special needs.

Dave Arends, (aka ‘The Dave Abides’) is a small-town Minnesota boy. He studied in Duluth, MN learning such things as psychology and theater. Equipped with knowledge of the inner workings of the human mind, Dave proceeded to Luther Seminary in St. Paul to earn a M.Div., along with the skills of ventriloquism and unicycling. Dave and his wife, Arianna, worked as mission developers in Napa Valley along with their two daughters. Somewhere on the journey back to Minnesota, Dave learned to draw and created The Revised Comic Lectionary, which can be found on Facebook @revisedComicLectionary. David is Narratology's very own comic artist for Clergy Stuff!

Seeking New Writers

We occasionally look for fresh writing talent at Clergy Stuff & also at Clergy's sister site Arches 'n Bells, the church theatrical resource site. If you're interested, send us a message.

Requirements

• Background or experience in writing theologically progressive and grace-centered theology to produce church worship resources.

• Can stick to a writing schedule and deadlines.

• Know how to be über creative and super fun. (Doesn’t mean that you have to use Uber to get to work. We’re not slave drivers. Golly geez.)

• Believe in the power of the story—God's story.