Jeremy Oakland

Lead Pastor

Ricardo Renteria

Associate/Worship Pastor

Ricardo Renteria is our Associate/Worship Pastor at Alliance Church. His desire is that the church can worship God through music and song and that they can experience God's manifest presence every time we get together and praise our Savior!

He was born in Mexico City, but grew up in different places of the United States. He eventually finished high school in Mexico City where he married his wife Miriam. He has been involved in worship ministry since he was 10 years old! Ricardo, Miriam and their two girls, Abi and Cristy, have lived in Mountain Lake since 2010. Miriam is the Spanish teacher at Mountain Lake Christian School, where their girls attend.

Ricardo oversees Adult Ministry and Music Ministry.

Kyle Thiessen

Youth Pastor

Kyle Thiessen is our Youth Pastor at the Alliance Church. His heart and passion is loving students right where they are at and bringing them to know Jesus personally. He knows how hard yet important this season of their lives is to minister to their hearts and show them Christ. 

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Kyle and his wife Ashton grew up in Mountain Lake and also attended the Alliance Church. He attended Grace University in Omaha, NE where he earned his degree in Youth Ministry and Biblical Studies. After getting married in 2016, Kyle and Ashton moved to Watertown, SD where he served as the Associate Pastor of Youth and Family. Kyle and Ashton have a daughter; Kova and a baby on the way. At the end of 2020 God called Kyle and his family to serve at the Mountain Lake Alliance Church. 

Petra Montagne

Early Childhood Ministry Director

Petra Montagne is the Director of Children’s Ministry at Alliance Church. Her vision for children’s ministry is to encourage children to develop a deep relationship with the Lord that grows and strengthens throughout their lives.  She is passionate about children building connections with one another as well as with their community.

Petra grew up in Mountain Lake and after receiving her Elementary Education from MNSU, taught four years at various grade levels west of the Twin Cities. She recently returned to Mountain Lake with her husband Jared and their two children, Theo and Emmeline. Jared works as an HVAC installer and electrician at St. James Electric. 

Colleen Johnson

Elementary Ministry Director

Colleen Johnson is our Elementary Ministry Director. She grew up in Mountain Lake and moved back to the community in 2001. She has both a Bible and an Elementary Education degree from Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota and is currently in Graduate School to get her masters in Pastoral Counseling.  Colleen has taught at the local Christian and Public Schools and loves to help children and families connect with Jesus. 

Colleen is married to Doug and has three adult children; Jonathan and wife Mariah, Joanne, and her husband Connor and Jason. Plus a beautiful granddaughter Harper. Doug is employed at Toro Manufacturing. If you would like to follow her blog click HERE

Kelly Nelson

Office Administrator

Kelly grew up in New Prague and earned her Elementary Education degree from Minnesota State University-Mankato. After marrying her husband Mike in 1988, they moved to Mountain Lake, at which time they began attending the Alliance Church. She was a teacher at MLPS until 1994 where she then started a business that she continues to work from her home office. Mike and Kelly have four married children and have been blessed with seven grandchildren.

Kelly loves to organize people, things, and events. She enjoys creating systems to allow everything to work with purpose and efficiency. She is excited to be able to use her skills to serve our church family and to honor the Lord by using the gifts He has given her.