Pastor Raleigh was born and raised in Hastings, Nebraska. For 20 years, he taught American History at Hastings Middle School. He also coached varsity football and girls' track at Hastings Senior High School. He earned his bachelor's degree in history from Hastings College in 1999 and completed an MEd in curriculum and instruction from Doane University in 2010. In the spring of 2019, Raleigh began as a student at Luther House of Study in Sioux Falls, working toward his MDiv degree and a career in full-time ministry. Raleigh was ordained as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament on May 30, 2021. Prior to his call to St. Paul Lutheran in Osceola, he was a member of First St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church (LCMC) in Hastings, where he was serving as both the youth leader and a worship leader/preacher.

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Raleigh has been married to April since May of 2000. Together, they have five children: one daughter, Cory (20); and four sons, Gavin (17), Liam (14), Leo (8), and Joseph (3). They have a labrador retriever, Maizee, whose very favorite thing to do is to retrieve ducks, geese, and pheasants.

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We have these promises from Scripture: 

Whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved.  [Mark 16:16]

and

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. [Romans 10:13]

 

But, how are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? [Romans 10]

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Raleigh believes his call is to use the voice God had given him to speak the promise of Jesus Christ to sinners: 

 "Take heart child, your sins are forgiven" [Matthew 9:2, Mark 2:5, Luke 7:48].  

Faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. [Romans 10:17].