The team at First Lutheran Church in Geneseo is led by Pastor Laura Kamprath, who has served the congregation since 2016.
Pastor Laura was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran church, and received her call to ordained ministry while she was a student at Augustana College. She has shared her pastoral journey with her husband Pastor Matt Kamprath, whom she met when they were both students at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. They graduated seminary in May 2010 and were ordained in January 2011. They served as Co-Pastors of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Campbell Hill, IL until 2012. At that time Pastor Laura accepted a call to serve the congregations of the Wartburg Parish. Pastor Matt remained at St. Luke Church until November 2016, when they were both called as Co-Pastors for First Lutheran Church, Geneseo. In 2021, Pastor Matt began ministry at Cambridge Lutheran Church, in addition to his ministry at First Lutheran, and Pastor Laura began full-time ministry as the Lead Pastor at First Lutheran. In 2025, Pastor Matt concluded his call at First Lutheran and began serving Trinity Lutheran Church in Moline.
The Kampraths live in Geneseo with their children, Anna and Noah, and their dog, Silas. When she’s not working or ringing handbells, Pastor Laura enjoys reading and spending time with her family.
Madelyn Knutson will be our vicar (pastoral intern) from August 2025 to July 2026. She grew up in the Baptist church and felt a call to pastoral ministry in high school. She attended Wartburg College and discovered the ELCA through the interventions of a beloved professor.
At Wartburg, she also fell in love with her husband, Nathaniel, who is also a pastor-in-training! Madelyn is currently a student at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, where she has completed two academic years.
She is with us for her internship year to develop her pastoral skills and learn about life in a congregation before returning for her fourth and final academic year.
Madelyn and Nathaniel live in Knoxville with many plant babies. They love biking, reading, playing board games, and making/eating cookies.
Members serving on our Church Council are listed and pictured below. Please feel free to contact any council member with questions about First Lutheran or its many ministries. The Council meets the third Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. and everyone is welcome to attend.
President: Sam Marshall
Vice President: Cindy Groene
Secretary: Julie Kunkel
Treasurer: Pete Eckberg
Cabinet: Sam Marshall, Cindy Groene, Julie Kunkel, Pete Eckberg, Lorrie Lord, and Pastor Laura Kamprath.
Members: Chris Ahlstrand, Chase Anselmi, Jeff Boyer, Jamian Haser, Lorrie Lord, Greg McCarty, Eli Palmer, Kaci-ann Vermillion.
Below are the members who lead and serve the ministries of First Lutheran Church. Ministry meetings are held the second Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. All members are welcome to be involved in a ministry. Please contact a ministry lead or Pastors if you are interested or would like more information.
BUILDING & PROPERTY: Gregg McCarty, Jeff Boyer
CARE MINISTRY: Julie Kunkel
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION/YOUTH: None assigned
CONGREGATIONAL LIFE: Chris Ahlstrand, Cindy Groene
FINANCE: Pete Eckberg
SAFETY & SECURITY: Gregg McCarty, Jeff Boyer
SOCIAL MINISTRY: Kaci-ann Vermillion
STEWARDSHIP: Sam Marshall, Jamian Haser
WORSHIP & MUSIC: Julie Kunkel, Lorrie Lord
CHURCH COUNCIL PHOTO (coming soon)
Pictured back row left to right:
Pictured front row left to right:
Not pictured: