• • Director of Deaconess Formation

Biography

Deaconess Susan Knowles was called to serve at CTSFW in 2025. She has served in a variety of teaching, administration, reconciliation, and compassionate care roles in Lutheran churches, schools, and in the community for over twenty-five years. Deaconess Knowles has a special interest in biblical literacy, reconciliation, and mercy work, recognizing how these reflect spiritual health and vitality in individual believers, fellowship in the body of Christ, and the church’s service to the neighbor.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Concordia College, Bronxville (1992), a Master of Theological Studies from Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada (2019), and deaconess certification from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (2024).

Her teaching experience includes Christ the King Lutheran School, Memphis, Tennessee (1993–1995); The Chapel School, Bronxville, New York (1997–1998), and St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church and School, Lockport, New York (2006–2020). At Pioneer Camp and Retreat Center in Angola, New York, she assisted with Lutheran camp ministry (2010–2020). She served on the Operation Barnabas Advisory Group for LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces (2013–2016). A Certified Christian Conciliator, she has served as an LCMS reconciler in the Eastern District (2017–2025) and as a team member assisting with group reconciliations for Ambassadors of Reconciliation (2020–2025).

Deaconess Knowles’ experiences in service to the church include design and administration of an Educational Resource Center serving pre-K through adults, teaching classical historical literature discussion classes for grades 7–12, and developing biblical literacy and reconciliation resources for use in homes and classrooms. She also has experience in mercy work with military families, adults with special needs, inner-city children, people suffering from grief or post-traumatic stress, the chronically ill, and congregations struggling with conflict.

She and her husband, Rev. Alex Knowles, have four children and two grandchildren.