Elders of Lakeside Christian Church
Jeff Bonkoski
Jeff serves as our Ministry Coordinator and chairman of the Elder Board. Jeff is also part of the church Leadership Team and preaches and leads worship on occasion. Jeff served as the Youth Pastor at Lakeside from 1996-1999. Jeff has a B.S. in Youth Ministry; Christian Education; and Bible from the University of Northwestern Saint Paul, as well as a Masters in Educational Leadership from Concordia University, Saint Paul. Over the years, he has enjoyed coaching various sports, taking trips to the BWCA, and working on construction projects. He has a passion for youth ministry, discipleship, teaching, and preaching. He and his wife, Shelley, have been married since 1995 and enjoy spending time with their three adult children (and spouses) and one grandchild.
Mike Parker
Mike has served on the Elder Board and Church Treasurer at Lakeside for many years. In the past, Mike has been involved as a children’s church leader and a ministry head for small group ministry at Lakeside. He went to school for Machine Trades and owns his own small business. He has a heart for serving in the areas of administration, hospitality, and grounds maintenance. In his free time he likes to ride bicycle and motorcycle.
Neil Bonkoski
Neil has been an active member of the Elder Board at Lakeside since 2013. Over the years, Neil has served in a variety of capacities, including involvement on the sermon prep team, the SOZO ministry team, and the Crisis Care team. Neil has an M.A. in Theology from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena and an M. Div. in Pastoral Ministries from North Park Seminary in Chicago. Neil is a recipient of the Lifetime Service Award from the Evangelical Covenant Church as he faithfully served as a lead pastor for 30+ years. After retirement, Neil continued serving as an Interim Pastor in various churches around the three state area. Neil has a heart of a shepherd and we are blessed by his ongoing ministry at Lakeside. He and his wife, Nancy, have three married children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Sarah Morrison
Sarah has been serving as an Elder at Lakeside since 2016. She also serves on the church Leadership Team, sermon prep team, the women’s ministry committee, and on the worship team. She has an undergrad degree in Life Sciences Secondary Education and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Bethel University. She is the Secondary Principal at Cambridge Christian School. Her heart is to see people understand the beauty of the New Covenant, who they are as a son or daughter of a good God, and how they can take their place in His kingdom. She is also passionate about engaging culture with the love of Christ. She and her husband, Kevin, have been married since 2014. In her free time she likes to spend time with family, travel, watch movies, and do anything outdoors.
Mark Haseth
Mark has lived in Cambridge since 1999, and has been a part of the Lakeside community since 2012. He has served as an Elder at Lakeside since 2019. He and his wife, Nancy, were married in June 1990, and have four adult sons: Mike, Jon, Sam, and Andrew. They are so thankful for their extended family at Lakeside, and rejoice in the ways Jesus’ redemptive work is embraced and lived out, both in times of joy and times of adversity. Mark works as a school psychologist for Rum River Special Education Cooperative in Cambridge, MN. Mark currently serves on the Sunday morning tech team and leads a weekly online Bible Study. Over the years, he has also served on pastoral search and strategic planning committees.
Tim Newton
Tim Newton caught the vision for this ministry when he was still in high school. Since then, he has served in many different capacities for different ministry organizations. He has a Bachelor of Science in Bible from the University of Northwestern St. Paul, and is currently a partner in a financial planning firm in Cambridge. He especially enjoys serving on the worship, sermon prep and leadership teams here at Lakeside. Tim and Mary Beth have been married since 1977, and Mary serves in many capacities at Lakeside, including leading the women's ministry and the Adventure Kids program.
Steve Newton
Steve is one of the founders of the ministry and served on the pastoral staff at Lakeside for thirty-three years. In 2018, Steve was honored with the title "Pastor Emeritus" and he continues to serve in an advisory role to the Elder Board. Steve continues to be actively involved in the Congregational Care Team as well as various maintenance projects around the property. Steve has undergrad degrees in Biology and Chemistry, and also studied at a Bible college in Australia. He and his wife Laura enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and many “adopted” family members. Laura serves at Lakeside as one of our parish nurses, on the Congregational Care Team with Steve, and as a Sunday morning greeter (and in many other ways as needed over the years). Laura worked as a nurse for many years and now enjoys being retired. In her free time she enjoys reading and spending time with grandchildren.