Our Pastors
Pastor Hays, Senior Pastor
Pastor Jerry is the Senior Pastor of St. Peter. He is blessed to lead a church with a school that is deeply committed to “Loving People, Serving the World.” His ministry career began as a volunteer in youth ministries at Peace Lutheran in Hurst, Texas. He then attended Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota leading him to serve Peace Lutheran in Antigo, Wisconsin and then St. John Lutheran in Mansfield, Texas as a Director of Christian Education specializing in youth ministry. He then attended Concordia Seminary seeking to serve as a pastor. He served as an Associate Pastor at Concordia Lutheran in Kirkwood, Missouri before coming to St. Peter. He has been married to Gretchen since 1990 and they have three sons, Caleb, Noah, and Nate. God called Caleb and Nate home early in their lives. Jerry, Gretchen, and Noah are all thankful for the promise that their loved ones are where we all long to be one day. As a result, Pastor Jerry is driven by the desire that all people have faith in Jesus as the source of forgiveness and eternal life! There is no greater way to love and serve others than through this promise given by Jesus.
Pastor Dubensky, Associate Pastor
Pastor Matt is the Associate Pastor of St. Peter. He grew up in Jackson, Michigan and attended Trinity Lutheran School from Kindergarten through 8th grade, which is a large part of his heart for Lutheran education. He graduated from Concordia University Ann Arbor in 2015, and attended Concordia Seminary St. Louis where he met his wife Addie. They were married in 2019, and soon after were sent to Chicago Heights, Illinois, where Pastor Matt served as the sole pastor of both St. Paul’s and Immanuel Lutheran Church. He began his ministry here at St. Peter in November 2023. Matt and Addie were overjoyed to meet their first child, Samuel on December 4th, 2023, just two weeks after moving to Schaumburg, and they are excited for him to grow up as a member of the St. Peter family. Pastor Matt loves the relational side of ministry and has a heart for sharing the Gospel in a meaningful way with the community locally, regionally, and globally.
Pastor Huffman, Associate Pastor of Family Life Ministries
Pastor Zach is the Associate Pastor of St. Peter. He grew up in Kokomo, Indiana where he was a member at Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer and attended Redeemer Lutheran school from Preschool to 5th Grade. During this time, Pastor Zach was blessed to learn the faith from his parents, pastors, and DCE, laying the foundation for his vocation today. He graduated from Concordia University Chicago in 2017, where he met loving bride Jodi, as they were married in 2018. After graduation, he attended Concordia Seminary St. Louis, serving his vicarage in Wichita Kansas and graduating in 2021. He received his first call to Redeemer Lutheran in Seymour, IN, where he served as Associate Pastor for over four years, until accepting and beginning the call to St. Peter in March 2026. Pastor Zach and Jodi have two children (Eli and Mia) and are blessed to be a part of the St. Peter family, as he serves the families of our congregation and the school community.