Meet Our Team
We are blessed to have several people on staff who God has called to leadership in our church.
We ask that you please pray for our staff that God would give them humility, wisdom and compassion and also for protection for each of their marriages and families. Thank you!
We ask that you please pray for our staff that God would give them humility, wisdom and compassion and also for protection for each of their marriages and families. Thank you!
Senior Pastors:
NATE & SHELLEY NELSON
As a young boy, the Lord marked on Nate’s heart a burning desire to see people who don’t yet know Jesus, to come to know Him. In 1997 Nate was an active participant in helping start the Northwoods Vineyard Church. Shortly after getting married in 2000, Nate and Shelley embarked together on an awesome adventure of surrendering their lives fully to the advancement of God’s Kingdom. In 2000-2003, while going through VLI (Vineyard Leadership Institute-The Vineyard Church’s seminary level theological and pastoral training), Nate and Shelley both experienced the Lord’s call to church plant. They were ready to depart to wherever the Lord was directing them but, to their surprise He had them remain in their hometown of Tomahawk! Nate’s call to pastor wasn’t actualized until 2008. In that time in between 2003-2008, the Lord was allowing Nate to fall in love with Tomahawk and recaptured his heart for those who need Jesus right here in this neck of the woods! In 2016, Nate was ordained through the Vineyard Church and in 2017 he was called to be the senior pastor of the Northwoods Vineyard Church. Nate is committed to seeing Northwoods Vineyard Church make disciples, who make disciples and to plant more Vineyard churches in Northern Wisconsin; or wherever else the Lord is directing.
Nate enjoys: dates with his wife, dancing and singing with his daughters, playing legos and wrestling with his boys, a good movie, campfires, playing the drums, deer hunting, time in the woods, watching football and reading to his family. To Nate, it is a gift to call Tomahawk "home," not only because of its natural beauty but, more importantly, to him because of the people he gets to do life with. He loves and is called to this city! It's a privilege to serve this community with the love of Jesus as your neighbor, friend and senior pastor of the Northwoods Vineyard Church.
Nate enjoys: dates with his wife, dancing and singing with his daughters, playing legos and wrestling with his boys, a good movie, campfires, playing the drums, deer hunting, time in the woods, watching football and reading to his family. To Nate, it is a gift to call Tomahawk "home," not only because of its natural beauty but, more importantly, to him because of the people he gets to do life with. He loves and is called to this city! It's a privilege to serve this community with the love of Jesus as your neighbor, friend and senior pastor of the Northwoods Vineyard Church.
Shelley was born and raised in Tomahawk. She met Nate, her amazing husband, in high school and they married while she attended college at UW Stevens Point, where she graduated with BFA in graphic design. She also graduated from Vineyard Leadership Institute. Since she was a child, Shelley has always had a passion for worshiping God through music, but as she became a mother, God expanded this passion to include raising up the next generation of worshipers of Jesus. She currently oversees Kingdom Kids, which exists to help kids know, grow and show Jesus to the world around them! Shelley and Nate are parents to 7 beautiful, energetic children; she is therefore an expert at multitasking! In her limited free-time, Shelley loves to read, go for bike rides, or do Pinterest crafts.
Worship Team Overseer:
JASON NEHRING
Jason was born into a family full of love for Jesus. He committed his life to Christ at a youth event when he was 10 years old. Jason went to high school in Tomahawk, class of 2021. He was called into ministry his senior year when God spoke to him that his ministry in Tomahawk, to teens, was not done yet. After leading the youth for several years, it was clear to him, and others, that God was developing a love for leading people into His presence through Worship. Jason moved into the Worship Overseer position in 2023. He enjoys playing music, shooting hoops, and being with friends and family. He also enjoys his quiet devotional times worshiping or diving into God's word.
Worship Team Overseer:
ELLEN HILGENDORF
Church music has been a constant part of Ellen’s life from age 6 to the present. She played piano and organ, sang and accompanied church choirs, played keyboards and sang in a variety of worship teams, wrote and arranged music for instrumentalists and vocal groups, and was the worship team director for a large multi-campus church in the Chicago area. This included selecting and arranging music for teams on a weekly basis and directing the weekly rehearsals.
Ellen also taught piano, voice, saxophone and guitar for 35 years in her adult years.
Ellen also taught piano, voice, saxophone and guitar for 35 years in her adult years.
Administrative Assistant:
COLLEEN NEHRING
Colleen has been married to her husband Evan for 26 years. They have three children, Megan, Wade, Jason, and one son-in-law, Tim Nelson. Colleen’s greatest joy is being a grandma to her beautiful grandchildren, Lily, Asa, and Gianna. And we don’t want to forget her two grand-dogs Cooper and Avery.
Colleen asked Jesus into her heart in 3rd grade and grew up in the Assembly of God church. It was Vineyard music that drew Colleen and Evan to Northwoods Vineyard in 1997. They felt they had found their home and have been with Northwoods Vineyard since, with a few adventures in between.
Colleen is blessed to have her children and grandchildren close by and enjoys spending her free time with them, just doing life together (especially her grandchildren).
Colleen asked Jesus into her heart in 3rd grade and grew up in the Assembly of God church. It was Vineyard music that drew Colleen and Evan to Northwoods Vineyard in 1997. They felt they had found their home and have been with Northwoods Vineyard since, with a few adventures in between.
Colleen is blessed to have her children and grandchildren close by and enjoys spending her free time with them, just doing life together (especially her grandchildren).
Youth Overseers:
MAT & SHANI MESSERSCHMIDT
Mat & Shani Messerschmidt are our Youth Overseers. They transitioned to leading youth after leading our Kingdom Kids program for several years. Mat and Shani grew up in Tomahawk and have a heart for Jesus and raising up youth to know and follow Him! Shani has a background in teaching special needs children/youth. Mat loves building and carpentry and currently has his own business. Mat & Shani have a son named Aries who is in 6th grade.