About
Meet The Team That Is Here To Serve You
Our History
The history of the Nazarene Church is rich and deep. The Nazarene Church was born through the banding together of various associations of local churches that preached and taught holiness in the theological tradition of John Wesley.
The Church of the Nazarene is uniquely qualified to occupy an important niche in the Christian world. Let's preach, teach, testify to and live the key ingredient that so many Christians seem to lack: a life of Christian holiness.
WE ARE A MISSIONAL PEOPLE
We are a sent people, responding to the call of Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to go into all the world, witnessing to the Lordship of Christ and participating with God in the building of the Church and the extension of His kingdom (See: Matthew 28:19-20 and 2 Corinthians 6:1).
WE ARE A
CHRISTIAN PEOPLE
As members of the Church Universal, we join with all true believers in proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus Christ and embracing the historic Trinitarian creedal statements of Christian faith.
WE ARE A
HOLINESS PEOPLE
God, who is holy, calls us to a life of holiness. We believe that the Holy Spirit seeks to do in us a second work of grace — cleansing us from all sin, renewing us in the image of God, empowering us to love God with our whole selves, and our neighbors, and producing in us the character of Christ.
The Michigan District Team
District Superintendent
Rev. Brad Dyrness
bdyrness@minaz.org
Rev. Brad Dyrness was appointed as District Superintendent of the Michigan District as of September 28, 2020.
Pastor Brad and his wife Deb are no strangers to the Michigan District. They began their ministry in Michigan, served as Youth Pastor and Lead Pastor in Colorado, Kansas, and Nevada before coming back home to Michigan as lead pastor at Lansing South since 2015.
Pastor Brad and Deb have three adult children and two grandkids. They enjoy biking, reading and traveling.
Executive
Assistant
Richelle Martzke
districtoffice@minaz.org
Richelle Martzke has been the Executive Assistant since October 2013. She grew up in the Grand Ledge area and has worked in various ministries within her church.
Richelle is married to Steve. They have 4 adult married children and four grandchildren. She loves camping, being a grandma and spending time with her family.
Business
Manager
Danielle Haldane
districtbooks@minaz.org
Danielle Haldane has been the Business Manager since June 2023. She grew up in Jackson and served several years over multiple ministry areas at JaxNaz Church.
Her husband, James, is the pastor at Eaton Rapids Church of the Nazarene. They have two children Elijah, who is married to Ally, and Mackenzie. Danielle loves camping, nature, and spending time with her family.
District
Secretary
Rev. Becca Graham
districtsecretary@minaz.org
Rev. Becca Graham entered her role as District Secretary in March 2024. Ordained as an Elder in 2007, Becca has served in various associate pastoral roles as Children's Pastor, Administrative and Discipleship pastor, and most currently as Connections Pastor at Grand Rapids International Fellowship since July 2017. She also brings experience as an event planner for the Church of the Nazarene Global Ministry Center.
Becca is married to her elementary school sweetheart, Dennis, and they are parents to their adult son, Moise Guerrier-Graham. They are proud grandparents to their first grandchild born in September 2023.
Becca has a passion for discipling new believers, hanging out with her family, playing games, cheering for U of M football, and doting on their two Cockapoo pups, Wesley and Collins.
District Intercultural
Ministries Director
Rev. Joe Young
jyoung@minaz.org
Rev. Joe Young joined the Michigan District as the Intercultural Ministries Director in April of 2024. Alongside his wife Cheryl, he co-pastors the Northeast Community Church of the Nazarene in Grand Rapids.
Joe is a graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University (BA) and Northwest Nazarene University (MA). He served in pastoral ministry for 12 years before serving as a missionary with the Church of the Nazarene for 13 years in Southeast Asia. Joe and Cheryl have three adult children.
Joes enjoys fishing, rebuilding antique radios, and playing music. His passion is for the church to embrace the call of scripture to become a beautiful kaleidoscope of diverse peoples and cultures unified in worship and witness.
Click on the image below to learn more!
NYI President
Rev. Hannah Jones-Nelson
hannahjn@southnaz.org
Hannah was elected as the district NYI president in 2023. She is the youth pastor at Lansing South Nazarene and is a graduate of Olivet Nazarene University (Bachelor of Science Degree in Youth Ministry) & Nazarene Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity). Some of Hannah’s favorite parts of youth ministry are going on different trips with students, meeting people from across the district at events, and going to sleep after lock-ins! She is married to her high school sweetheart, David. They both love all things Kansas City, board games and playing with their puppy, Bear.
NMI President
Karla Hurt
karlahurt121@gmail.com
Karla Hurt was elected District NMI president in July 2018. She lives in Portage, Michigan with her husband, Keith, and they are involved in ministry at Cross Community Church in Portage, Michigan. Karla works in Kalamazoo at the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.
They have 2 adult children. Their daughter, Katrina, is married to Tyler Hull and is an Oregon high school math teacher. Tyler is studying electrical engineering in addition to having a business and marketing degree. Their son, Keegan joined the Air Force and is a Senior Airman who is stationed overseas.
Karla marvels at God’s nature, enjoys reading, creating crafts. She is passionate about missions throughout the world. She would love to hear what your church is doing to be the “hands and feet of Jesus” in your community and global missions!
NDI Director
Rev. Nathan Gray
pastor@durandnazarene.com
Pastor Nate Gray, lead pastor at Durand Church of the Nazarene, accepted the position of District NDI (SDMI) Director in February 2021. Pastor Nate is a passionate and visionary leader whose heart longs for local churches and their people to live transformed Christ-centered lives. For Pastor Nate, discipleship is more than a program, it is the all-encompassing ministry of shaping and forming our hearts and minds to live as Christ in the world. As the MINaz NDI Director, Pastor Nate wants to collaborate with pastors and local lay leaders to develop a District NDI that resources and supports cultures of transformed Christ-centered living in our congregations across MINaz.
Pastor Nate and his wife Liz have pastored at Durand since 2022. They have two boys; Ethan and Aiden.