Keith Menter was installed as pastor of Elk Horn Lutheran Church on Wednesday, March 30th. His first Sunday in the pulpit was April 3rd, 2005.  This is his third pastorate. 

He was born on July 3rd, 1966 in Columbus Ohio to Robert and Alberta Menter. He is the third generation of Menters to be ministers. His father Robert and also his grandfather Norman Menter were ministers before him, both in the American Lutheran Church (ALC) tradition. Keith moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1972 and completed 1st grade through his Bachelor's in Music there. Keith knew early that he was going to be a minister, but discovered a talent and love of music, so he began trying to figure out how to use both music and ministry in his work. 

Already in middle school Keith was excelling in music. He garnered a part in the high school musical "The King and I" while still in middle school. In 1981 He was a founding member of the Pride of Cincinnati Drum and Bugle Corps playing the part of lead soprano bugle at the age of 14 under the direction of Dr. Robert Kuske. He also played trumpet in the prestigious Cincinnati Youth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Hajime Terri Murai and the CCM Prepatory Brass Choir under the direction of Paul Hillner, as well as high school instrumental and vocal ensembles. He was a winner of the Forest Aires Vocal Scholarship two years in a row, which gave him two years of free voice lessons with Robert McSpadden. This helped him secure the leading role of Daddy Warbucks in the Anderson-Turpin High School musical production of "Annie" under the direction of Roger Grooms and Richard Wesp.

He decided to pursue trumpet rather than voice at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. He studied under the principal trumpet of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Marie Speziale. During that time he realized that he could expand on his college education and began taking voice lessons from then Doctoral Student Robin Rice. His fascination with drumming earned him the drumline section leader of the UC Bearcat Marching Band. In 1987 he was recognized for his significant contribution to the Canton Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps for breaking the "top 12" barrier in the Drum Corps International Championships, and was given the Director's Award for Outstanding Achievement by Ted Swaldo. In 1989 he received a Bachelor of Music from the College Conservatory of Music - University of Cincinnati in education with concentrations in trumpet and voice. 

To help pay his way through school, Keith held some unique jobs, including Monorail Train Driver at King's Island's Wild Animal Habitat (take a virtual ride on the King Cobra, the first standup roller coaster next to the habitat, which Keith rode many times), and delivering singing telegrams for a company called "Balloons-N-Tunes." He once delivered a singing telegram to Johnny Bench in a bunny suit to announce that Mr. Bench was going to be a father. 

As you can see, Keith's life was quite busy even before he became a pastor! It got even more busy when he attended Trinity Lutheran Seminary, where he married Cathi Herkert, his post-high-school sweetheart, and they had their first child, Kinsey. He continued playing trumpet in the Seminary Brass Choir, singing in the chorus, and acting in annual plays. He continued to take vocal instruction from William Florescu, and music composition from Rocky Reuter. He interned in Troy Michigan at Lutheran Church of the Master, located right behind the corporate center of KMart.  His call to both music and ministry led him to earn two master degrees - a Master of Theological Studies in Church Music, and a Master of Divinity. 

After graduation Keith was ordained at All Saint's Lutheran Church in Worthington, Ohio, and received his first call from Bethany Lutheran Church of Ord, Nebraska. Keith then served as pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church of Randolph, Nebraska.  During this period, Keith put most of his music aside to dedicate his life and energy to pastoring.  Keith and Cathi had their first son, Connor a year after he became a pastor. After 10 years of pastoral service, Keith left the ELCA and joined the LCMC.