The Rev. Dr. Debra Samuelson – Pastor for Outreach and Evangelism

 Pastor Samuelson was called to Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in June, 1995. She had previously served churches in the Midwest – two in Iowa and one in Minnesota. Her husband, Peter, is also a pastor and is currently serving Emmanuel Lutheran Church in SW Atlanta.

They have three wonderful Pugs and two grown children, Miriam and Isaac (who are also wonderful)! 

Pastor Samuelson did her undergraduate work at St. Olaf College, where she was a harp performance major, received her Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary and earned her Doctor of Ministry degree through Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. 

Pastor Samuelson is a contributor to the new lectionary commentary series by Westminster John Knox Press, Feasting on the Word, and has been a regular preacher on the internationally broadcast radio program Day 1, which features mainline protestant preachers. She was a guest preacher on “30 Good Minutes”, a public television program in Chicago, IL, was a panelist on the Day 1 Diner on the Hallmark Channel for several years, and is currently one of Day 1’s regular bloggers. She is the co-author of a book of hymns to be published in 2011 for Wayne Leupold Editions, Inc. with the working title HOLY, WHOLLY, HOLY. She and her husband enjoy ballroom dancing and she, along with our Director of Adult Choral Ministries, David Hansen, sings with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus.