Our Team
Pastor Ale Tulu
Pastor Ale (AH-Lee) came to us in September of 2021 after serving 15 years at Zion Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, MN.
Before that, Pastor Ale served 10 years at Our Saviors Lutheran Church and Sunset Lutheran Nursing Home in Grafton, ND and St. Johns Lutheran Church in St. Thomas, ND, as both pastor and chaplain from 1996 – 2005.
Pastor Ale was born and raised in Ethiopia. He came from a poor farming family and at a very young age attended a boarding school. He views the experience as a great gift, as it put him on the path to his future in Minnesota. He completed his education at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN in 1996 where he received two master’s degrees in religious education and divinity. Pastor Ale is married to his wife Sunny and is a proud father to their three children: Rebeka, Beruk and Daniel.
Pastor Ale’s areas of expertise are in leading worship, pastoral care and visitation, and teaching. His strengths lie in his genuine relationships, his dedication and his persevering spirit.
He asks our council and congregation to be his equals in leadership. And he will grab the baton after decisions are made collectively.
Rene Hasbargen
Rene (REE-nee) grew up outside of Foxhome, MN, on a dairy farm, the oldest of nine children. She graduated valedictorian of her high school class, attended the University of Minnesota Morris, and became a chairside, dental assistant for most of the dentists in Breckenridge.
Rene married her Sunday School sweetheart, Dennis, in their home church in Foxhome Lutheran. Their journey led them to Bellingham and Fergus Falls before settling in Breckenridge, becoming side-walk farmers. They joined Breckenridge Lutheran that year and have been active members ever since.
Rene worked for Richels Beverages/S & R Vending for 20 years before becoming a “daycare grandma” for 25 years in her home, raising their own kids, neighbor kids, and many numerous relatives. She also spent six years teaching reading and phonics in kindergarten classes in the public school. She is the accountant for her family’s farm partnership, loves to cut hair, read, cook and bake (and dislikes cleaning windows).
In 1999 with the encouragement of the church’s student intern (Pastor Kathy Bruns), Rene began the lay ministry program called GIFTS (Growing in Faith to Serve) in conjunction with Luther Seminary. She received her certificate for 200 plus hours of instruction in 2008, and in 2021 was licensed by the Universal Life Church as a minister. Between worship services and pulpit supply outside of our church, baptisms, weddings and funerals, church and conference organizations, and community memberships, Rene has kept as busy as she chooses to be. She always saves time for her grandkids and their activities, but church is and has always been a priority.
Clark Dybdahl
Clark grew up in northeastern South Dakota in a family that was active in a small church. At a young age, Clark was going to Sunday School, ushering, doing readings and participating in worship. During high school the church’s young pastor got Clark involved in giving reports, small talks and even a few sermons. He encouraged Clark to attend Concordia College, where he considered the seminary, but ended up graduating with a biology major and teaching science at Breckenridge High School. He joined Breckenridge Lutheran and with his family became active in the church.
After retiring from teaching in 2000, Clark joined the ELCA G.I.F.T.S. program. In 2004 he completed the 3-year course of study and received a Lay Ministry certificate at the Synod Convention. He regularly attended the inspiring 3-day seminars at the School for Lay Ministers at Luther Seminary until 2012, and has over 275 classroom hours at Luther Seminary.
About 2001, Clark began leading a few services and has been doing pulpit supply about once or twice a month at about a dozen churches in northeastern South Dakota and southeastern North Dakota ever since. Clark feels his lay ministry is his second calling and a chance to share his faith. It also fills a vital need for area churches when their pastor needs to be gone and when they are in-between pastors.