A native of Ohio, Pastor Alan Watt received his bachelor's degree from the University of Toledo, his master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, and his master's and PhD from Vanderbilt University. He has served in traditional congregational settings in Florida, Tennessee, and Texas.  In 2002, he entered interim ministry, and Abiding Presence Lutheran Church is his seventh interim call.  

Pastor Watt lives with his wife and two children in New Braunfels, Texas.

Pastor Dawn was born in Denver, CO and grew up in the suburbs of New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans. She started college in 1968 at Gustavus Adolphus, in St. Peter, MN.

She and her husband Jim were married in 1970 and have three children, Erik, Peter and Julie.

While living in San Marcos, TX, she went back to college and graduated from Texas Lutheran in 1986. She earned a master's of Divinity in 1990 from Princeton Theological Seminary. Her internship was at St. Bartholomew Lutheran in Trenton, NJ. Ordained in 1992, she has served as pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran in Princeton Junction, NJ, Emmanuel in Tekamah, NE and St. John in Jourdanton, TX.

In 2005 she and Jim moved to Seguin where Dawn went on leave from call to be an “available” grandma to their grandchildren.

Since then, she has been trained and called by the Southwestern Texas Synod as an intentional interim pastor. Before coming to Abiding Presence, she served as interim pastor at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Wimberley (’07-08) and at St. Andrew, Canyon Lake (’08-09).

Matthew Goodson has been Minister of Music and Organist at Abiding Presence since July 1998. He has been playing the organ in church since he was 16 years old.  A native Texan, Matt has served Lutheran and Presbyterian churches in San Antonio, Dallas and New York.  As Minister of Music for Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, he has grown the program to include choirs for all ages and spearheaded the effort to procure and install the new Chancel Organ, fulfilling a longtime dream for the congregation.  Before coming to Abiding Presence, he served simultaneously as Music Director of Grace Lutheran Church and Assistant Organist at First Presbyterian Church in downtown San Antonio.

A graduate of Winston Churchill High School, Matt studied voice and organ at the University of Texas, San Antonio with Herald Stark and Bess Heironymus, and organ at Texas Lutheran College with Ed Reike.  He has been awarded the Service Playing and Colleague certificates by the American Guild of Organists and, in 2003, Matt was awarded the Ministry of Music Award of Distinction by the National Religious Music Alliance.

Originally from Minnesota, Maria has been the Minister of Faith Formation at Abiding Presence since 2005.  In 2007, she was consecrated a Diaconal Minister in the ELCA.  Maria has a master’s degree in Christian Lay Ministry from Lutheran Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.  After graduating in 2003, she served as the Youth Minister at First English Lutheran Church in Faribault, Minnesota.  Maria got her bachelor’s degree in English and Communications at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.

Maria has felt a strong sense of call to serve here at Abiding Presence.  She focuses on our faith formation as a community and in our lives.  Moreover, as a diaconal minister, she seeks out ministry that intersects the church and the world.  Maria integrates both areas as Minister of Faith Formation at Abiding Presence.  "It’s a joy to serve together with such wonderful people as together we form our faith in Jesus’ name."

Sue has been with APLC since 2003. Sue is the business administrator for the church, as well as the person who provides and communicates activities for the church.  If you questions about APLC, Sue can be reached in the office from 8 am – 5 pm Mondays - Fridays.

Sue and her husband have been members of APLC since 2003.  They have two children, Alex and Addy.

After several years of volunteer service in the music office, Gaye joined the APLC Staff in 2006.  Her work continues to focus on administrative assistance with the music office and has recently been expanded to include administrative assistance with financial recordkeeping and backup for business office duties.  Additionally, she produces the weekly worship bulletins as well as programs for most special events at APLC.  Gaye is also a long time Sanctuary Choir member and serves as both a Cantor and Liturgist.  Gaye and her husband Dennis were married at Abiding Presence in 1991.

Ana Raquel  was born in Panama City, Panama.  She moved to San Antonio in 1996 and got a Finance degree from UTSA in 1998.  She has been working for APLC since 2007 in various capacities. Currently Ana Raquel is the Membership Secretary for the church.  She is happily married with three children who all attended the APLC Day School.

Cissi Glendening
Wedding Coordinator
210-494-8884