Meet Our Team
Pastor Mary Johnson
Lead Pastor
was raised in Northern Michigan and moved to Bay City with her family in 2005. A mother of 4, she lives in Bay City, MI. Mary has a passion for helping those in need and in 2010 she began organizing the Amazing Race for Rescue event to benefit the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission. By 2013, she realized that the community needed more of an outreach to help people with transition periods in their lives, and formed a 501c3 organization called HELPeople, INC (Heal, Educate, Love on People). The main goal being to create a Dream Center to help fill in the gaps between already established outreach programs.
Pastor Mary has studied Child Development, Biblical Studies, Leadership, and Counseling. She has earned a Bachelors Degree in Christian Counseling from Christian Leadership Seminary and a Masters in Biblical Studies. She is an ordained pastor who preaches the gospel. Mary is also known as a pro-life speaker, as well as teaching a variety of classes. Her greatest desire is to help Christians learn how to live their lives to the fullest and out of their abundance help those in need.
Mary Johnson began helping at the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission in 2010. There she raised money, taught parenting classes and ministered to many in the chapel. By 2013 she need Bay City needed to offer those in need something more. After gathering a group of supporters the journey began, which resulted in Dream Center you see today. She wants to do so much more, and she hopes you can help! Click here for more information about Mary and her DREAM.
Meet Mary Johnson of Great Lakes Dream Center – Voyage Michigan Magazine
Pastor Aaron Johnson
Outreach Pastor
is new to the Great Lakes Dream Center, but he is not new to ministry or outreach! Pastor Aaron began serving in his local church and surrounding areas, through evangelistic programs at a young age. In his 20’s while living in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, he began working with youth and developing his worship gifts. While there he worked in the IT industry, but his call to ministry became very evident. In 2002 he moved to Elkhart, Indiana where he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Ministries at Bethel University, all while working in IT and serving as youth leader at local churches.
In 2016 he moved to Bay City, MI to serve in full time ministry at New Life Missionary Church as an associate pastor. There he was licensed and ordained as a pastor. Pastor Aaron spent over a year at Davison Missionary church as their Outreach Pastor, while also serving as their Worship leader and all around “Tech Guy.” He helped with the Sunday morning congregation of 400+, while helping develop a second campus church at “The Hub”. Pastor Aaron moved back to Bay City, MI and began working alongside Pastor Mary in 2024. Today he serves weekly in the Bay County Jails, twice a month with the Children’s Grief Center, and monthly in the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission. He also co-pastors the Great Lakes Dream Center with Pastor Mary and leads worship weekly, preaching every other week at their Sunday Evening Service.
His call thrives with the work he does as the President of the Bay Area Community Churches (BACC). His gift of HELPS is used to assist local pastors with their worship, tech, youth or outreach desires. He is also leading churches to work together and love on the community through events such as Party at the Park, and Mega Sports camp. Email Pastor Aaron
Sindy Lebron
Office Manager
is the Dream Center’s Office Manager. She manages QuickBooks, paying the bills, supervises volunteers, helps with scheduling, and ordering of supplies. Her background is in accounting, which she has done for over 20 years at a local family-owned business, and is currently working full time as a Business Process Analyst serving global clients for pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly for the past 14 years. She is an asset to the Great Lakes Dream Center. Sindy says, “I look forward to being an intricate part in the growth of the Dream Center and look forward to serving the community.”
Laura Ketchum - Jahn
Communication Director
is new to the staff at the Dream Center. Her role involves answering phones, messages, and sharing information with the public. Laura and her family moved to Bay City just over a year ago, when her husband became a pastor at Messiah Evangelical Luteran Church. She has been drawn to Great Lakes Dream Center because here she is able to join the frontlines in assisting and praying for people; here she helps bring compassion to people in “what can be a very rough and unkind world.” Laura’s background in counseling helps her to understand that everyone has a story---his or her own “set of experiences, world views, relationships, and struggles that shape who they are and where they are at this point in their lives.” Seeing the volunteers and staff reaching out, reminds her that “There are good people with giving hearts out there.” When you call the Dream Center, Laura will be there to answer your questions and make you feel welcome.
