Our Staff

Pastor Mike Hanel originally comes from the frozen tundra known as Minnesota. He and his family are delighted to now call Leesburg their home. Pastor Mike has been on a whirlwind tour of the Midwest, with a B.A. from Concordia University – Seward, NE (2003), an M.A. in Classics from Washington University – St. Louis (2007), and an M.Div. from Concordia Seminary – St. Louis (2007). He also pursued more graduate work in Classics at the University of Cincinnati. During his Seminary training, he served as a Vicar in Clio, Michigan. He previously served Zion in Cincinnati (2009-2015) and St. Paul’s in Bourbonnais, IL (2015-2021).

Pastor Mike met his wife (who also happens to have the name Bethany) while studying Hebrew in the cornfields of Nebraska. Bethany has graduate degrees in theology and library science and currently works long-distance for Olivet Nazarene University. Together they enjoy (audio, real, and e-)books, binge watching TV shows, cheering for the Cardinals, and fulfilling their parental vocations for Magdalena (“Lena” –  10 years old) and Katherina (“Katie” – 8 years old). 

If you are interested in talking with Pastor Mike about anything, please don't hesitate to reach out to us here at Bethany Lutheran!

Joan Klokis - Organist