Contact Pastor Jerry
Have a question about ministry here at St. Peter or want to connect? Pastor Jerry Hays would love to hear from you.
Have a question about ministry here at St. Peter or want to connect? Pastor Jerry Hays would love to hear from you.
Ms. Duff has been teaching middle school science and math at St. Peter since 2010, bringing expertise that extends well beyond the classroom. Before joining St. Peter, she taught in Decatur and Wheaton and served on the adjunct science education faculty at both National Louis University and Concordia University. She holds a master's degree in science education from National Louis University, is a member of the National Science Teachers Association, and serves on the district's curriculum writing team. In 2017, she was recognized as Middle School Educator of the Year at the Northern Illinois District Educator Conference.
Mr. Jungkuntz has been in Lutheran education all his life. As the grandson of a Lutheran pastor, son of Lutheran educators, and the husband of a Lutheran teacher, teaching is both his vocation and his heritage. Mr. Jungkuntz has served the Church as a youth director and teacher since 1989 and has been part of the St. Peter community since 2003. He currently teaches middle school history, as well as religion and literature for 8th grade and assorted math classes.
Mrs. Andriescu brings an international perspective to St. Peter's middle school, having earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from State Higher Professional School in Krosno, Poland, and her Master of Arts in Education from North Park University in Chicago. She joined St. Peter in 2021 and currently teaches 7th grade math and English.
Mrs. Canjura joined the St. Peter Early Childhood team in 2025. She holds a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, with a minor in Theology. Her bilingual fluency in Spanish and English helps her build meaningful relationships with students and families. Her teaching philosophy centers on creating a safe environment where children feel free to explore, make mistakes, and grow. Mrs. Canjura believes in shaping future leaders and sharing God's love with them from the very beginning of their educational journey.
Mrs. Donaldson has been teaching for over 30 years, with experience in preschool, kindergarten, first grade, and third grade classrooms in both Illinois and Florida. She graduated from Concordia University Chicago and is blessed to teach at St. Peter, where she attended as a child. Her greatest joy is introducing young children to Jesus every day, praying that each one carries that love with them long after they leave her classroom.
Mrs. Kalal earned her bachelor's degree from Concordia University Chicago and has been part of the St. Peter community ever since. With a husband who serves as a principal at a Lutheran school in the Chicago area, education and faith are genuinely a family calling. Mrs. Kalal brings warmth, experience, and a deep love for young learners to everything she does.
Mrs. Relaz grew up in a family of pastors and teachers, so it is no surprise that she has devoted her career to Lutheran education. She earned her bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Concordia University Chicago and has taught nearly every grade level at St. Peter, from kindergarten through second grade, before returning to her early childhood roots. Her goal is to make sure that every child in her classroom feels safe, loved, and certain that Jesus loves them.
Mrs. Spero brings both a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and a master's degree in School Administration from Concordia University Chicago to her role at St. Peter, where she has been teaching since 2015. Her background spans preschool, kindergarten, and subject-area teaching in religion, music, and science, but early childhood is where her heart has always been.
Miss Blinn attended St. Peter Lutheran from preschool through 8th grade before earning her bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Concordia University Chicago. She has been a member of the St. Peter teaching staff since 1999, currently teaching kindergarten and directing one of the school's children's choirs. A member of the congregation as well as the faculty, Miss Blinn is one of the most deeply rooted members of the St. Peter community.
Miss Lamberty graduated from Concordia University Chicago in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. She came to St. Peter first as a student teacher in the fifth-grade classroom before joining the staff. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she brings a lifelong background in athletics, having played softball and volleyball through high school and coached volleyball, basketball, and track and field at St. Paul Canfield.
Mrs. Clayton earned both her bachelor's degree and her master's degree in Education from Concordia University Chicago and spent six years teaching in Lutheran schools before homeschooling her six children. That combination of formal classroom experience and the deeply personal work of educating her own family gives her a perspective on learning that shows up in how she teaches second grade at St. Peter.
Mrs. Jungkuntz has spent her entire teaching career at St. Peter, joining the faculty in 1990 directly after earning her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Concordia University Chicago. She subsequently earned a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the same institution. In addition to her third-grade classroom, Sandy directs the Sonshine and Chosen Choirs for students in grades 4 through 8.
Mrs. Allor earned her undergraduate degree and two master's degrees—one in Curriculum and Instruction and the other in Reading—from Concordia University Chicago. She has taught across a wide range of grade levels from first through eighth grade. She brings both academic depth and genuine warmth to her classroom.
Mrs. Ritter has spent her career teaching in Lutheran schools since 2009, with most of her experience focused on grades 5 through 8. She joined St. Peter in 2014 and holds a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Concordia University Chicago.
Pastor Jerry serves as Senior Pastor of St. Peter, where he is privileged to lead a congregation and school committed to the mission of Loving People, Serving the World.
His ministry began as a volunteer in youth ministry at Peace Lutheran Church in Hurst, Texas. After graduating from Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota, he served as a Director of Christian Education specializing in youth ministry at Peace Lutheran in Antigo, Wisconsin, and St. John Lutheran in Mansfield, Texas. Responding to God's call into pastoral ministry, Pastor Jerry completed pastoral formation through Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. He served as Associate Pastor at Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, Missouri before accepting the call to St. Peter.
Having served in youth ministry, associate pastoral ministry, and senior pastoral leadership, Pastor Jerry brings a broad perspective to church leadership. His passion is helping congregations remain rooted in God's Word while equipping people to live out their faith in their homes, workplaces, and communities.
Jerry and his bride, Gretchen, have been married since 1990. They are grateful for their son, Noah, and for the many ways God has guided their family throughout the years. Their deepest desire is that people of every age come to life-changing faith in Jesus Christ. Pastor Jerry believes there is no greater way to love people and serve the world than by sharing the forgiveness, hope, and eternal life found in Jesus.
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 4, 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 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 his loving bride, Jodi, and 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.
