Pastor Matthew Scharf
(414) 271-3006, ext. 103
Pastor Matt Scharf was born in West Allis, WI. He attended Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, WI (2005), Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN (2009), and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI (2013). Upon graduation from the Seminary, Pastor Scharf was assigned to Martin Luther College to serve as a dormitory supervisor and classroom instructor. After three years of ministry at the college, he was reassigned to serve as the assistant to the Nebraska District President at Hope Lutheran Church in Manhattan, KS. In June 2016, Pastor Scharf married Rachel Sellnow, just a couple weeks before moving to Kansas. The Lord richly blessed their seven years of ministry in the Flint Hills of Kansas with opportunities to share the gospel, love their neighbors, and serve with fellow dedicated gospel servants. The Lord has also blessed Pastor and Rachel with five children.
Pastor Scharf’s area of responsibility at Grace is to serve as the administrative pastor: overseeing worship and ministry, working with and equipping leadership, centering everything on the good news of Christ crucified and risen for sinners. It is a humbling privilege to preach and teach the love of God in Christ – the promise that connects people to their Savior and the love that joins people to each other. Come join us and hear the best news of all that can be summed up in three words: Christ for us!
Pastor Brian Hackmann
(414) 271-3006, ext. 104
Pastor Hackmann joined the team at Grace in May 2019. Prior to moving to Milwaukee, he served as the pastor of a congregation in Eagle River, Alaska. He is married to a wonderful woman named Tricia who is the glue that holds the Hackmann family together. Pastor Hackmann and Tricia have 6 kids. Tricia is a 3rd Grade teacher at a school in our church body here in the Milwaukee area.
Pastor Hackmann serves Grace as the outreach pastor, coordinating Bible Information Classes, following-up on visitors, and exploring ways to get Grace, and more importantly the name of Jesus, out into our Milwaukee community. He also shares preaching and teaching responsibilities with his fellow pastors at Grace.
Being raised in Milwaukee, cheering for the Wisconsin sports teams has been a passion for as long as he can remember, but it’s a lot easier to do from Milwaukee than Alaska. He enjoys following those teams and poking in from time to time to see them in person. He loves cheering on his kids as they play sports and grow and mature into fine, godly, young people. The family loves to explore the places they are blessed to call home and are excited to get to know and see more of southeastern Wisconsin.
If you are ever downtown, stop in at Grace. Pastor Hackmann would love to meet you!
Pastor Jacob Haag
(414) 271-3006 ext 116
Jacob Haag grew up in southern California and Wisconsin. He studied at Martin Luther College (2006–2010); Lutheran Theological Seminary in Leipzig, Germany (2010–2011); Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (2011–2015); and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (2018–2023). His doctoral research at Westminster was in exhortatory rhetoric in the New Testament epistles and its implications for preaching sanctification. From 2015–2026 he served as pastor at Redeemer in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and as campus pastor at the University of Michigan. There he also served as circuit pastor, coordinator for the district Commission on Worship, conference steering committee chair, and on the Board of Regents for the local area Lutheran high school. He has occasionally written for the Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly and contributed other popular articles and materials for our synod.
Jacob met Megan Watson, originally from Escondido, California, at the 2014 WELS national worship conference. They were married in June 2016. Megan worked as an office administrator and assistant to project managers at a water environmental engineering firm in Ann Arbor. Currently she is a stay-at-home mom of their three young children. Both Jacob and Megan are big city-lovers and enjoy spending time at coffee shops, restaurants, parks, museums, and music concerts.
Kevin Becker
(414) 271-3006, ext. 111
Kevin Becker has been serving as the Music Minister since July 2019, having previously served as Church Administrator since 2012. As the Music Minister, Kevin is responsible for planning and selecting music for worship, directing the Grace Choir, coordinating and recruiting instrumentalists, and incorporating young musicians into worship.
Kevin has degrees in piano performance and music composition and has been playing for worship since high school. Kevin has also instructed college music courses, taught private piano lessons, and has experience accompanying singers and dancers. Kevin and his wife, Stacy, have been members at Grace since 2008, and they have two sons.
Office Staff
Tina Kelly
office and communications coordinator
414-271-3006
Contact Tina to update personal information, to transfer membership, and for issues and details pertaining to personal/ family membership.
Cate Jaworski
Staff Accountant
414-271-3006 ext. 106
Contact Cate with questions about online giving, offering/giving statements, and any personal financial concerns.
John Daly
Property Manager
414-271-3006 ext. 101
Contact John for any questions about the property including the Broadway Building Project.
Andrea Kurth
church administrator
414-271-3006 ext. 105
Contact Andrea for questions about church operations.
Brenna Hassler
Events and communications Coordinator
Contact Brenna for any information, questions, or booking of events on Grace’s campus.