Our Staff
Senior Parish Minister
Rev. Yong Mo Lee, Resident Missionary
Pastor Lee was born in 1931 into a Christian home in Korea. He later graduated from the University of Seoul and for ten years taught high school chemistry while attending Dai Han Seminary in Seoul, South Korea. After graduating from Dai Han Seminary, Pr. Lee served as a Pastor for ten years in Korea. Before immigrating to the United States in 1990, Pastor Lee married his lovely, and gifted wife, Bong Haun Lee. Together they have three children and eight grandchildren. Pastor Lee says that "Bong is my treasured partner in Gospel ministry."
Pastor Lee became a member of Grace Lutheran Church, San Diego, in 1992, and graduated from the Lutheran colloquy course in 1994. he was recognized and rostered as an LCMS ordained minister at that time. In 2004, he retired as Pacific Southwest District Pastor Emeritus but continued to serve in a full time missionary capacity. In 1993, he began his voluntary work helping the homeless in downtown San Diego and a very needy community in Tijuana. At both locations, Pastor Lee and his wife conduct Divine Services, teach the faith of Holy Scripture and catechize children and adults alike, but also provides food and clothing for over three hundred people in need on a weekly basis. This is now the Lee's life's work and passion, which "I plan to continue until our blessed Lord calls me home!" See Pastor Lee, Pastor Bombaro, Vicar Brian Thomas, or Deaconess Doris Snashall to get involved with the missionary work at Grace Lutheran, remembering that it was Jesus our Lord who said, "It is better to give than to receive."
Vicar Brian Thomas
Brian was accepted to serve as our vicar concurrent with his seminary studies at Christ College, Concordia University, Irvine. He is the first vicar to serve at Grace Lutheran since the early 1970's! Brian graduated with a BA in Biblical Studies from Puget Sound Christian College in 1997. After serving for ten years as a combat systems officer in the U.S. Navy, Brian felt the call to the Office of Holy Ministry. He is married to the beautiful Joy Thomas and together they have two daughters and one fat cat: Madelynne (13), Lilian (6), and Junior (25lbs). When he isn't holed up in his office working on his next term paper or memorizing Greek verb endings, you can find him riding bikes with his girls around Kensington, painting or searching for the best carne asada burrito in San Diego. Email: talesofthomas@yahoo.com
Deacon Gleason Snashall
On 18 November 1946 I was born in a small town in upstate New York; Deposit was a village on the Delaware River where loggers deposited logs for transport to the mills. My life in faith began on 8 June 1947 when Reverend Clyde Snell baptized me at the First United Methodist Church in Deposit, New York. Kathryn, my mother, met my father, Wilfrid, in Deposit and they raised me and two brothers and two sisters.
While studying engineering, I drifted away from the Methodist church and did not get reattached to a parish until I met Doris, my wife, some 25 years ago and she introduced me to the Lutheran church. When I was commissioned as a deacon in September of 2003, I began to seriously study doctrine under the encouragement of other pastors - David Speers and Robert Waters. They provided me with the names of other texts to read. Perhaps, my favorite is Edmund Schlink's text, Theology of the Lutheran Confessions. Now, I have become a member and deacon of the Grace parish and am looking forward to service to and with other parishioners.
In my life, I have been blessed by being a member of three churches where the Lord's love has shown through the members - McClure Methodist Church, Holy Cross Lutheran Church and Grace Lutheran Church. At Grace, the call of Pastor Bombaro has been a blessing with his commitment to proclaiming the Gospel and teaching the Lutheran doctrine. It is a wonderful gift of the Lord that my wife, a deaconess, and I work together at Grace.
Deaconess Doris Snashall
Deaconess Doris is a native Californian, born in Los Angeles and baptized and confirmed at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Long Beach. She appreciates the firm foundation that was laid by her study of Luther's Small Catechism at Trinity. Doris graduated with honors form Christian Heritage College in El Cajon with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. In 2001 she earned a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and in 2003 a Master of Arts in Theology from Concordia University in Irvine. After graduating from Irvine, Dcs. Doris was accepted as a colloquy student at Concordia, River Forest, in Illinois. Upon completion of the two year colloquy process, she was certified as a Deaconess.
Doris is married to (Deacon) Gleason Snashall. She is thrilled that the Lord has permitted them to work together in ministry. Deaconess Doris was consecrated and installed at Grace Lutheran in 2007 and loves working alongside the members of Grace Lutheran, who are faithful servants in His service.
Katie St. Pierre, Parish Ministry Office Manager
I am a San Diego native, mother of two wonderful children, Anyah age 10, and Boston age 5, and am a student at City College, working towards a degree in Social Science.
I came to Grace in search of a Christian preschool for Boston. Not long after he was enrolled I was offered a position, serving as Office Manager under Pastor Bombaro, and the ministry of the church. I come from a Roman Catholic background, but found, after learning more about the Lutheran church, that it was a perfect fit for us. Both my children have since been baptized, and I, after completing Pastor John's adult confirmation class, was confirmed and received as a member of Grace in May 2008. My daughter has completed her Holy Communion classes, and is now beginning her second year of catechism classes. My children and I have not only found a place where we can learn more about our faith through Luther's Small Catechism, but we've found a home and a family here at Grace. We are blessed to be a part of the Grace family.
Rexanna Blas, Child Development Center Director
Michael Burke, Organist and Choir Director
Michael Burke started playing the piano at the young age of 7 under his mother who was a piano teacher. He continued playing through high school, accompanying various choral groups, where his interest turned to the organ. He began taking organ lessons and was soon substituting for the regular organist at his home church. Upon entering Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York, he immediately began private study of the organ and piano under Anne Musser Honeywell. 2 years into college, he undertook his first principal organist position and has been playing for churches of various denominations both in the Greater Rochester and San Diego areas ever since. He began serving Grace as the Principal Organist and Choir Master in January 2009. He is thrilled to not only work with the wonderful and committed people on staff and in the Chancel Choir, but also privileged to play Grace’s marvelous pipe organ that has such a rich history in the San Diego music community.
Michael is married to his wife Betty, who is not only his partner in marriage, but also in the small business they have run for the past 20 years. Together they have 2 grown children, Christina, who recently completed her Masters degree at the London School of Economics (University of London) and Andrew, a graduate of Pt. Loma Nazarene University, who, on occasion, has been known to sing with the Chancel Choir and play the flute during Divine Services.
In his spare time, Michael likes to read, cook Indian food, watch NCIS reruns and play with the family’s 3 Shih-Tzus.
Danny Paylor, Pastoral Intern
A fourth-generation parishioner at Grace Lutheran, I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve here and to mentor under Pastor John. My great-grandfather served here at the church as a handyman; my grandmother, Marcia Payne, has attended Grace her entire life, and was married here at Grace to my late grandfather, Jim. My parents, Steve and Lois, were also married here. My grandmother, my parents, my three brothers, three sisters, and myself are all active members at Grace.
I recently graduated high school and plan to begin my undergraduate degree in philosophy this fall, after which I will attend seminary and then await a calling as an ordained minister in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
I am a lifelong, born-and-bred, San Diego beach bum, I love it here! I love sports as well. I play basketball and volleyball, and enjoy both playing and coaching my favorite sport - football. I find joy in playing guitar, and piano, and singing in the choir at Grace on Sundays. I am very much looking forward to serving here at Grace this summer, and am especially excited about working with the VBS this August. I am so thankful to God, Pastor John, and everyone here at Grace for loving, supporting, teaching, and guiding me in the faith. Laudamus Deus - God be praised!