About Our Family
Pamela and I come from largely different backgrounds. I grew up on a farm near
Fairfax, SD, with my parents, James and Robin Baker, and my four younger
sisters. We were active members of Trinity Lutheran Church and frequently
spent time with extended family. By contrast, Pamela grew up in Sergeant
Bluff, IA, with her parents, Herman and Sandra Schultz. Her two sisters
are several years older than her and were in college by the time she was
in elementary school. She occasionally attended worship and other
events at Community United Methodist Church. Our one commonality
was our interest in music, and it was this that brought us together.
We both began studying music at South Dakota State University in
2003, where we were in the Concert Choir together and had the same
voice instructor. During our four-year courtship, we often attended
campus ministry events at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. It was also here
that Pamela officially became a member of the LCMS and that we were
married in June 2008.
After completing our degrees that same year, we moved to Rapid City to begin
careers in music education. Pamela led choirs at West Middle School and Stevens High
School, and I directed choirs at Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA) and with the Rapid City Children’s Chorus. In 2011, I began teaching K-5 music full-time at St. Elizabeth Seton Elementary. While in Rapid City, we were members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church where I led the choir and taught Sunday school, and Pamela was an organist and accompanist.
We returned to Brookings in 2013 to be closer to our families. I taught JK-3 general music at Hillcrest Elementary for two years before transferring to Dakota Prairie Elementary. Pamela worked at Peace Lutheran Early Childhood Center for a short time but spent a few years teaching a full schedule of private voice and piano students in our home and homeschooling and caring for our three young sons, Logan, Camden, and Brighton.
We were blessed to be members of Mt. Calvary Lutheran again for seven years. In addition to worship, we attended Bible studies regularly and led or assisted with multiple church activities. We learned much through our experiences in the church. Pamela was an organist, accompanist, children’s music director, member of the Board of Evangelism, and president of the LWML group. I was a Sunday school teacher, children’s music director, adult choir director, campus ministry coordinator, and congregational vice president and president. Three of our living children were baptized here, as was the funeral for Jordan, our child who died in pregnancy. The relationships we established there are some of the most treasured and influential friendships we’ve ever had. The Lord most assuredly worked through those people to guide us into His work.
Since coming to Fort Wayne in June 2021, we've met new wonderful people, not the least of whom are the other seminary students and their families. We're also grateful for the caring and faithful congregation at our new church home, Zion Evangelical Lutheran, in Garrett, IN. Our fourth son, Lincoln, was born here, and we enjoy visiting and learning about the interesting places in a new state and community.