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    Ladies and gentlemen: it is my privilege to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Brian Bieber!” This was the joyful proclamation by Pastor Duane on July 25, 2025. Pastor Duane was so delighted for the couple as the congregation clapped, that he forgot a very important wedding detail— “you may now kiss your bride!” However, Brian made sure to remind him! 

     “The wedding was held right here at First Baptist, and we prepared our own special music for the ceremony. Brian sang a solo while I (Lindsey) accompanied him on the piano!” exclaimed Lindsey. The beautiful reception was then held at Lindsey’s parent’s farm, as they had cleaned and renovated their barn and hosted an ol’ fashioned barn dance.

   The couple had six premarital sessions with Pastor Duane and both accepted and trusted the Lord as their Savior at their first session. “It was a very emotional and amazing experience, and we both felt a huge weight lifted,” declared Lindsey.

   But let’s back up a bit...both Brian and Lindsey were born and raised in Waukon, graduates of WHS. Their parents are Willard and Marsha Bieber and Mark and Deb Palmer. Brian attended Hawkeye Community College (Waterloo, IA) and graduated with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Ag Mechanics. Lindsey majored in Church Music at Luther College, focusing on Organ Music, and minored in Business Management. Brian is a farmer and has worked on the family farm his entire life. He raises beef cattle, bulls, and plants crops (in the past, he also raised hogs). In his spare time, Brian took piano lessons, trumpet lessons, and sang in many high school musicals and Barbershop choruses. The couple enjoy playing piano duets at Christmastime! Lindsey worked 12 years at a local bank until recently she made a job change to work in the Recorder’s Office at the Waukon Courthouse. She began playing at church services when she was in 8th grade and spent her high school years taking organ lessons. After she graduated from college, she was hired as a full-time organist at a church in Decorah for 15 years.

   They met while attending church at Zion UCC. Brian was singing in the church choir, and Lindsey was the organist and choir accompanist. “Brian thought I might like him a little because I’d use my giant mittens to brush the snow off the front of his truck after choir! Although we met early in life, our paths went different directions, and it wasn’t until later that we found each other again,” stated Lindsey. Lindsey went through a divorce but during that difficult period in her life she began to strengthen her relationship with God. She loved to run as an exercise and a stress-reliever, but experienced a hip injury that prevented her from running at a time when she needed it most. “I was in full grief and no longer able to relieve my emotional pain with a walk or run. But because of the injury, it slowed my life down, and I started reading the Bible and praying—this became my routine instead of running.” In fact, Lindsey made it a priority to renew her relationship with God during her recovery from surgery. “Ironically, even though I was in church every Sunday as a church musician, I had respect and knowledge of God, but never fully trusted Him in my life. Even though I started on a new faith journey, I still went about my life with the weight of my past. I started attending First Baptist and enjoyed sermons grounded in truth and knew I wanted to continue to worship here. At our first premarital session, it was when I finally trusted Christ and the past (pain) was gone! I resigned from my church job in Decorah to focus on growing in my faith and, for once, attend church as a family, instead of as a job,” stated Lindsey.

   Brian was a lifetime member at Zion UCC but drifted away due to working long hours on the farm. During that time, his dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Brian took on even more responsibilities and was the primary caregiver to his dad. His mom unexpectedly passed away, and then 9 months later, so did his dad. “Through the grief of losing his parents, a few severe farm-related injuries, and a court case that challenged his parent’s estate, he felt disconnected from his church community, feeling the heavy weight of all of these things upon him all at once.” “When we started attending FBC together, the feeling of belonging to a church family was renewed and the sermons were so refreshing! There was no other place that felt like ‘home,’ ” declares Lindsey.

   Ella is a blessing from Lindsey’s first marriage and a happy 2nd grader! She affectionately calls Brian, “Bri-Bri,” and loves being on the farm! She is going to be promoted to a BIG sister in May! “We truly appreciate how friendly and welcoming you have all been. We feel very welcomed, loved, renewed, and deepened in our faith.” ~ Brian, Lindsey, Ella, and baby Bieber