Meet Our Staff

Pastor Jason

Jason Sanders, Senior Pastor

Jason was born and raised in Indiana. After high school he joined the Army Reserves as a Chaplain’s Assistant and served 6 years, including overseas. Towards the end of his commitment, he began feeling the Lord nudging him towards ministry. He enrolled in Indiana Wesleyan University and received his bachelor’s in Christian ministry and master’s in ministry from Wesley Seminary. He has been in ministry since 2015, serving churches in Indiana and Wisconsin.

Jason married his beautiful wife, Sara, in 2008. They have two wonderful boys, Eli and Obadiah; as well as a standard poodle, named Remington. Jason loves fishing, hunting, and tubing down the river. When it’s time to veg out, he enjoys watching all kinds of racing, rooting for the Buffalo Bills, and checking out the latest movies. Jason is always up for playing games, sharing a meal with friends, and just doing life together while learning more and more about the great God we serve!

Pastor Morgan

Morgan Wistad, Assistant Pastor

Morgan has been part of Spooner Wesleyan Church since she was 13 and loves the local church—not because it’s perfect, but because it’s a place where people can grow in both faith and community. Here she met her husband, married, and it is where they are raising their two children, Jackson and Selah. Called into ministry during a season of personal challenge, she earned a degree in Ministry and Leadership while continuing to work as a Dental Hygienist. Since joining the SWC staff in 2020, Morgan has been passionate about helping others follow Jesus in relational ways.

Morgan is always up for a good cup of coffee, to listen to your story, and to share in meaningful conversation about life and faith.

Allyssa

Allyssa Foster
Next Gen. Family Director

Allyssa has been away from Spooner since 2010 and has returned. Having grown up at SWC, she feels blessed to be ministering to the hearts of children and their families in this community. Her educational background in Early Childhood and Marriage and Family Therapy has provided many experiences of working with people of all ages and in different situations. God continues to develop and refine her heart for the unseen and the brokenhearted. She enjoys doing things that include being outside and in good company like hiking, camping, cross country road tripping and anything up on the North Shore. Learning new things and working with her hands brings her great joy. Intentional conversations are also a fuel source for her soul. Jesus said let the little children come. Allyssa's desire is that the Church never grows tired or loses focus of the gift young hearts provide in pointing us to Jesus, and keeping us humble.

Melissa

Melissa Smith, Children's Ministries

Melissa grew up in Barron, Wisconsin where she met her husband, Sam. They moved to Superior and got married in 2005. Melissa went to college at UMD. In 2011 she took a job as a third grade teacher and in 2014 they moved to Sarona. In 2021 Melissa began teaching STEM at Spooner Middle School. They have four kids, Noah, Izzy, Jonah, and Annie. Their family enjoys spending time going to the kids' sports and cheering! As a family they love to be outdoors, at the cabin, on the water, and play games. They love being involved in the Spooner community through the school, sports, 4-H, Spooner Wesleyan, and other activities. Kid's Ministries is dear to her heart and she loves serving kids and families. Melissa is so grateful for all the mountains and valleys they have traveled in their life and can't wait to see where God takes her!

annette

Annette Heino, Administrative Assistant

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burt

Burt Groenheim, Tech

Burt serves as Media Technician at Spooner Wesleyan Church where he provides leadership for the church’s online ministry as well as on campus. He is responsible for live-streaming services to YouTube, ensuring high-quality audio and video production, to help extend the church’s message beyond its walls. With a strong, mostly self-taught background in computer technology, media production, and customer support, he brings many years of experience to his role, including work in software support, computer services, and technical training. He also served in the U.S. Navy as a Sonar Technician on submarines during Operation Desert Storm. He is happily married to Jill, and they have two children. Adam works at MSP airport and Tyler is in Heaven. After Tyler's passing in 2015, God gave him a renewed vision of what he should be doing. He has a heart for using technology to connect people to faith and community.