Lead Pastor -
Rev. Dana Runestad

Pastor Runestad earned the Bachelor of Arts Degree from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with majors in vocal music and elementary education. She received a Master's Degree in Music Theater from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. She earned the Master of Divinity Degree from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, Illinois. Pastor Runestad was ordained in September 1986 in the Lutheran Church in America, a predecessor body to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She was installed as our lead Pastor at Holy Cross in November of 2004.

Pastor Dana (Dana rhymes with banana), as she prefers to be called, has previously served at various ELCA churches and one Episcopal Church, from Ida to Detroit to Ann Arbor and in between as Pastor, Associate Pastor, and Interim Pastor. She interned in Washington DC in a congregation north of the White House, at an inner city hospital, and at a social service agency blocks from the capitol. Pastor Dana, a resident of Plymouth, Michigan, is married to Barry Rabe, Professor of Environmental Policy in the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. They have two teenage sons, Andy and Matt. Our pastor enjoys music and singing, traveling with her family, hiking, and reading.

Pastor Dana welcomes all visitors to join in Sunday worship services at 9:30 and 11 o'clock. Pastor is leading us into the next chapter of our congregation's life with her knowledge, kindness, compassion, sense of humor, and trust in God's presence and guidance. She has a passion for leading others into a life of faith that integrates doubts and questions and builds on them, and a passion for unleashing the untapped energy in the spiritual gifts of others so that service becomes fulfillment.

Email Pastor Dana Runestad

Church Administrator -
Gail Cebelak

Gail is responsible for all the goings on at Holy Cross and is in charge of the office, maintains church records, manages the staff has the responsibility of the day to day operations of the church office, the maintenance and usage of the building, the scheduling of activities and assisting Pastor. No small job indeed! Please contact Gail if you have any changes in your address, phone, email or if special requests for prayers, if you are interested in membership, or if someone is hospitalized, ill or has died. Should you be interested in getting married, or having a baby baptized, or need information regarding home communion or funeral planning, Gail will be able to give you the information you need and get you in touch with Pastor Dana as soon as possible. If you would like to volunteer to help out in the office, Gail will be glad to add you to her list of willing volunteers as there is always much to be done in the office and at Holy Cross. Gail assists Pastor Dana and also prepares the weekly bulletins and announcements. If you have something that you would like in the announcement pages, or is of interest to Holy Cross, please email her if possible or give her a call.

Email Gail Cebelak

Sexton -
Michelle Long

Michelle is responsible for maintaining the building, the church and the Sunday school rooms in tip top condition. Our Church is her pride and joy! She sets up the hall for events and has even been known to paint walls! Often she goes the extra mile to assist the property committee with special things, like taking on "extra projects" just to make things look better in the summertime. Michelle helps us out in so many ways. She assists in the office, when needed, helps with mailings and takes things to the Post Office for us on a regular basis. Being very artistic, she is also very helpful with designing and making posters. Michelle lives in Livonia, MI and her spare time is devoted to her beloved bull terriers.

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Organist and Choir Director -
Barbara Myers

Barbara Myers has been the full time organist and choir director since 1971, after assisting part time for several years. Originally from Morral, Ohio, Barb and has been a member of Holy Cross along with her family since 1967. Barb has a Bachelor of Music Education from Capital University in Columbus, OH with a major in instrumental music and minor in voice and piano. Barb recently retired from her full time job as a paralegal. Barb works part time at Holy Cross.

Music is her love! Having taught private piano and clarinet lessons, Barb has also accompanied the Livonia Youth Choir and other high school solo and ensemble participants. Through the years at Holy Cross, she has played at many weddings, and also led high school, youth and cherub choirs at Holy Cross. Barb started the handbell program at Holy Cross and arranges for other special instrumental music thoughout the church year. Barbara is also blessed with a beautiful solo soprano voice, and we get to hear her sing at various times of the year. She serves a very important role on our Worship and Music committee and is very enthusiastic about the arrival of the Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) Hymnal.

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Handbell Choir Director -
Debbie Frank

Debbie has been our handbell choir director since 1993, after volunteering for several years. Deb took over the handbell program at Holy Cross and arranges for the handbell music and leads practices though out the church year. She works for Holy Cross part time. Debbie is very enthusiastic and serious about handbells and music.

The five octaves of English Handbells and the hand chimes were purchased with Memorial Funds for the enjoyment of all church members and ringers. Under Deb's direction, some of our ringers have performed in quartets, duets and even solos, ringing at several weddings and private performances. Some have attended the handbell conferences of AGEHR, The American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, where they attended workshops, learned more techniques and participated in mass ringing with hundreds of other ringers. Deb herself is a solo handbell ringer!

Deb has been a member of Holy Cross since 1989. She has a Master's in Social Work from Wayne State University in MI with studies in vocal music. Through the years at Holy Cross, she has also led youth bell and chime choirs. Deb has a lovely alto voice, and sings in our choir. She serves a very important role on our Worship and Music committee. She resides in Livonia, MI, living in the house her parents purchased when she was 3 months old. Deb is a licensed social worker. In her spare time, Debbie enjoys her house full of pets, boating, fishing and gardening.

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Cross Connections Coordinator -
Rickey Amstutz

Rickey Amstutz, our Cross Connections Coordinator, is the staff person who relates to Christian Education and who will work with the Sunday School teachers and handle registrations for camp and other events. Rickey has a strong background in education and most recently served as Director of a pre-school, in addition to being a licensed lay minister in our Southeast Michigan Synod. Rickey is also responsible for coordinating the various ministries at Holy Cross. She is helping us to be God's People Doing God's Work.

She has a Bachelor of Education and has worked for 30 years as a kindergarten teacher and director of a day care center. She has preached in many churches throughout the synod as a supply minister, including Holy Cross. She has done workshops and retreats for all ages throughout Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. Her hobbies are her grandchildren, Jonathan, Claire, and Branden and her memorial garden which her children built for her after the death of her husband Ray. Rickey joined the Holy Cross staff in February 2007.

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Our Minister for Junior and Senior High -
Rebecca Couser

Rebecca also serves Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Livonia as Director of Youth and Family Ministry (since 2005). Given our joint catechism (confirmation) program with Emmanuel and our senior high programming with other UPLIFT congregations, this arrangement should work well for all of us. Rebecca will be with us one Sunday each month and additional time during the week, to be determined. Senior high activities will take place in the various Livonia churches on Sunday evenings 6:30-8:30 pm. Wewill be rotating churches throughout the year. Junior high activities will be part of our catechism program.

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Director of Worship and Fine Arts -
Michael Burkhardt

Michael Burkhardt recently joined the staff of Holy Cross Lutheran Church as Director of Worship and Fine Arts.  His primary responsibilities include mentoring the musicians of the parish as well as the student music interns,  working with the Sunday School children, and developing a Children’s Choral and Fine Arts Program for Holy Cross and the surrounding community.

In addition to his work at Holy Cross Dr. Burkhardt  is in frequent demand as a choral clinician, organ recitalist, and hymn festival leader throughout the United States and abroad.

Michael is a graduate of Carthage College, Kenosha, WI.  He earned his M.M. degree from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, and his D.M.A. degree from Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. 

Dr. Burkhardt is author of Part-Singing Global Style, a resource focusing on sequential part-singing techniques in treble arrangements of global pieces, and author of Singing with Understanding, a curriculum utilizing the great hymns, folksongs and spirituals of the Church to share faith stories and to teach the elements of music and worship.  He is composer of two settings of the Eucharistic liturgy, A New Song and Missa St. Andrew, as well as numerous organ improvisations, choral octavos and handbell compositions, available through MorningStar Music Publishers of St. Louis, MO.