Pam Avaux - Chaplain 
 

Pam Avaux has been a member at Lutheran Church of Hope since 1999 and joined the staff in January of 2000. She has served as Spiritual Gifts Director, Membership Director, and Care Ministry Director and presently serves as a Chaplain. In this roll, she oversees hospital, hospice and shut-in visitation and helps with pastoral care including weddings and funerals.

She grew up in northeast Iowa and graduated from Denver High School in 1977. She obtained a BA in public relations, marketing and journalism from the University of Northern Iowa in 1981. She obtained her certification in volunteer management from Des Moines Area Community College in 1996 and pastoral care specialist certification from Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center in 2004.

She has also completed Leadership Training Network’s Level I and II and Consultant’s training in Lay Mobilization and Stephen Ministry Leadership Training. 

Her two dreams in life were to be a pastor and a pianist. She started playing piano by ear at age five and started taking lessons at age six. She taught private piano lessons for eleven years to stay home with her children. After years of volunteer service in the church and the community, she was called to Westminster Presbyterian Church as Coordinator of Lay Ministries and also coordinated communications for the church. At Grand View College, she served as Events and Volunteer Manager and then was called to Hope.

She teaches water aerobics at the Urbandale Pool and plays piano at Von Maur and around the metro area. She has recorded two piano CDs. She enjoys visiting tearooms, her “Teacups” small group of ten years and traveling.

Pam has been happily married to Mark since 1981. They live in Urbandale and   have two grown children: Meredith and Thomas.