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Peter & Deb Lungdren
congregational leaders of
Adat Chaim
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Swedish Covenant Church Pastor's son Peter Lundgren married a nice Jewish
girl, Debra Dacks, over the spring break in their sophomore year of college
(1981). This began the journey into Messianic Judaism. After earning
degrees from the University of North Dakota (B.F.A. in Visual Art -
metalsmithing/sculpture and B.A. in English for Peter, B.A. in English and
Latin - with a Geology minor and teaching certification for Deb), the
Lundgrens moved to NY for Peter to earn his M.F.A. in Gold and Silversmithing
from SUNY New Paltz and Deb an M.A. in English and certification in Special
Education.
During this time a new Messianic congregation formed in Kingston, NY. The
Lundgrens began attending three months after it began. Both served in
leadership capacities from the early years, Peter leading a home group and
serving as treasurer before being set in as an elder in 1995, Deb as Worship
Leader and Shabbat School Superintendent. They assumed primary leadership of
the congregation when the founding couple, Eddie and Jackie Santoro, made
Aliyah in 1996. The Lundgrens have been very active in the local Jewish
community. Peter has studied under Jacob Neusner. Deb has participated in
choral groups at local synagogues.
Their primary focus in congregational life is discipleship. As part of this
they lead ministries focusing on youth and young adults in the congregation.
Their two children, Noah and Silvie, actively participate in all aspects of
congregational life and interactions with the local Jewish community. Peter
also works as caretaker on a farm property, keeps bees and chickens, gardens
and sells his produce to local stores and restaurants, hunts, and tries to
find time to do art and write poetry. Deb home schools their children and
actively participates in the home schooling of others, serves as the
congregational Administrative Assistant in addition to teaching and
overseeing Shabbat School and leading worship and Kavanah, plays bassoon in a
home school orchestra, and tries not to overfill her schedule all the time.
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