Transitional Pastor
Rev. Richard Birr
Richard (Dick) Birr has been a Lead Pastor, Transitional Pastor, and
Retired Pastor with The Christian and Missionary Alliance for over 50
years. He met Paulette at Crown College in Minnesota, and received
his M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois. Together,
they served Alliance churches in Wyoming, Montana, and South
Dakota, on a long-term basis. Then, there have been a number of
short-term assignments in Oregon, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa.
Sioux Falls has been their home base since 2014.
ELDERS AND BOARD OF MINISTRIES
Mercy Church is governed by a Council of Elders, men who serve in giving spiritual leadership and pastoral care to the congregation, and a Board of Ministries comprised of the lead pastor and six elected individuals responsible for the administrative leadership of the church’s ministries and legal affairs.
SAMUEL GETACHEW
Pastor Samuel is originally from Ethiopia and is the founding pastor of Gospel of Mercy Church (Amharic-speaking congregation). His ministry focuses on first- and second-generation immigrants from the Amharic-speaking world, and on multicultural bridge-building. He is the Director of African Operations for the Adams Thermal Foundation, as well as a part-time chaplain at Avera McKennan Hospital. Samuel has a Master of Divinity degree from Sioux Falls Seminary and is ordained by the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Samuel and his wife Azeb have three children.