Meet Our Pastors

Pastor Brones has been ordained for 35 years and has joyfully served the congregation of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Preschool for over 18 years. He has a broad and varied history of service. His first vicarage was in Guatemala from 1980 to 1982. His first call for service was to Venezuala from 1983 to 1992 where by God's grace he founded Fuente De Vida Lutheran Church in Puerto Ordaz. By appointment of the LCMS World Mission, he also served as Mission Co-ordinator Counselor from 1987 to 1992. Upon return to the United States, he became Director of Pastoral Care at Muhlenberg Hospital in Bethlehem, PA from 1994 to 2000. He also served as called Assistant Pastor at Concordia Lutheran Church, Bethlehem, PA from 1994 to 2000. He has served Bethlehem Lutheran Church & Preschool at Jacksonville Beach, Florida, since 2000.

Pastor Brones currently holds the office of Circuit Visitor (First Coast Region 2), the Circuit Counselor of the Jacksonville Outreach Circuit, JOC as well as Honorary Chaplain for the Jacksonville Beach Police Department.

        LCMS Mission Coordinator/Counselor, Venezuala 1987-1992

        FL/GA Board For Parish Education, Florida 2005-2007

        Circuit Visitor (First Coast Region 2), Florida 2011-Present

Pastor Brones is married to Diane who is his greatest helpmate and support. They have six children, Richard, Justin, Joel, Jonathan, Paul and Magdalena, who have brought inordinate happiness and blessings to them.

Year of Ordination: 1983 in the Missouri Synod

B.A., Social Work: M. Div, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, 1983

Undergraduate Degrees in Natural Resource Mgmt. (CO Mtn. College) and Social Work (Concordia, Seward, NE

Four Units (2 years) of Clinical Pastoral Education

President Muhlenberg Hospital Credit Union, 1987-2000

President American Heart Association (Local Chapter), 1996-2000

Honorary Chaplain Jacksonville Beach Police Dep't., 2004- Present

Certified Interim Pastor through NALIP (National Association of Interim Lutheran Pastors)

 I was born in Mankato, Minnesota but I call Wausau, Wisconsin my hometown since my family moved there when I was three. My family began attending the LCMS congregation near my hometown when I was seven. That congregation became our church home. I developed a strong interest in God's Word and serving His Church as a youth. After Confirmation I attended our church's youth servant event, where we traveled to Beaufort, South Carolina. The influence of my pastor on this trip helped lead me to consider pursuing the Pastoral Ministry. After graduating from Concordia University Wisconsin with a major in Pre-Seminary studies, I began attending Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. The influence of Pastors and Professors along with God's Word, especially the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, has led me to this point of my education. I'm so excited to be here to the Bethlehem on the Beach. I pray that God's Word influences your life as well and that you are able to join us on Sunday mornings to be strengthened by that Word.