Staff

Jeff Alvestad is delighted to serve as both the Interim Pastor at Luther Memorial and the Campus Pastor at Grand View University. A Des Moines native, he holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and graduate degrees from Fuller and Luther Theological Seminaries. Throughout his career, Pastor Alvestad has served in a variety of roles, including Associate Pastor, Mission Developer, and Senior Pastor in congregations across the country. He has also completed Intentional Interim Training and conflict resolution training. He and his wife, Candace, enjoy walking their Golden Retriever, Rose, and exploring all that Des Moines has to offer. He is also an avid cyclist, having participated in multiple RAGBRAIs.

Rachel Cohen graduated from Grand View University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in music and minors in psychology and honors. She continued her education at Luther Seminary and Augsburg University, earning a Master of Arts in Theology and a Master’s of Social Work. Rachel worked as a clinical social worker from 2018 to 2023 before moving into private practice. She has been the Director of Music for Luther Memorial since August 2022 and also serves as the Director of Faith Life for Grand View University. Rachel considers it a blessing to work with college students as they explore their vocations and faith. Additionally, she is the accompanist for the Grand View University Choir and teaches piano and voice lessons. In her free time, she enjoys true crime podcasts, playing The Sims, cooking, and taking walks with her dog, Swayze.

Curtis Rother, a native of Alexander, Iowa, is a musician for Luther Memorial Church. He graduated from CAL Community High School and went on to study church music at Drake University. He later pursued further education in computer programming and accounting at the American Institute of Business. His career in Information Technology spans 45 years, with the last 36 years focused on real estate operations. Curtis’s career in church music began at the age of 14 at his home church in Latimer. He has since served various churches in northern Iowa and Des Moines, including 37 years at St. James Lutheran in Johnston, and has been playing for Luther Memorial Church since January 2023. Curtis and his wife, Paula, reside in the Beaverdale area and have two children and five grandchildren.

Claudia Holcomb’s lifelong passion for music began in childhood, where she played the piano, saxophone, bassoon, and organ. She pursued a music major at Drake University, where she played in the Wind Ensemble and orchestra and sang in the choir. She met her husband, Ed Holcomb, at Drake and went on to teach music for over 35 years at Dallas Center Grimes CSD. Claudia started playing the organ in eighth grade at her home church and later served as the organist for Wesley United Methodist and Luther Memorial Church. A mother of three and grandmother of eight, she remains an active member of her community and enjoys all forms of music, her family, friends, and her church.

Diane Jespersen has been the Bookkeeper at Luther Memorial since March 2024. A member of the Luther Memorial congregation for over 30 years, you can typically find her in the office on Wednesday mornings.