Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Pastor, teacher, and staff minister call report

6/6/2023 – 6/12/2023

The call report details when pastors, teachers, and staff ministers change positions within WELS. The Conference of Presidents oversees and coordinates the calling process.

Note: It was incorrectly reported in the 6/5/23 Call Report that Mrs. Lorri McQuade is retiring from teaching. She is continuing to serve at Beautiful Savior Little Lambs Preschool, Spooner, WI. We apologize for the error.

NO DECISION REPORTED

Pastors	Current call	New call	Date issued
Rev Newlin Schafer	Good Shepherd LC Jacksonville FL	Faith LC West Newton PA Pastor	5/1/2023
Rev Austin Ziche	Immanuel LC Hadar NE	Redeemer LC Maple Grove MN Pastor	5/7/2023
Rev Samuel Pappenfuss	St Paul LC Crandon WI	Our Savior’s LC Wausau WI Pastor	5/9/2023
Rev Joel Spaude	St Peter LC Fort Collins CO	Grace LC Kenai AK Pastor	5/14/2023
Rev Philip Casmer	Christ the Lord LC Brookfield WI	Cross of Glory LC Peoria AZ Pastor	5/18/2023
Rev Jonathan Klein	Light of the Valley LC Layton UT	King of Kings LC Frankenmuth MI Mt Sinai LC Montrose MI Pastor	5/21/2023
Rev Steven Neuman	St John’s LC Pigeon MI	St John LC Two Rivers WI Associate Pastor	5/22/2023
Rev Jeffrey Samelson	Christian Life Resources Hartford WI	Peace LC Wilmot WI Pastor	5/23/2023
Rev Mark Jacobson	Grace LC Glendale AZ	St Paul’s LC North Mankato MN Associate Pastor	5/23/2023
Rev Troy Jacobs	Abiding Word LC Maineville OH	Cross of Christ LC Kingman AZ Pastor	5/23/2023
Rev Timothy Wilkens	Southridge LC Kennewick WA	St Paul LC Prescott WI Pastor	5/24/2023
Rev Aaron Schumann	Faith LC Pittsburg KS	New Mission Start Idaho Falls ID Pastor	5/25/2023
Rev Joseph Lindloff	Hope LC Irmo SC	New Mission Start Marquette MI Pastor	5/25/2023
Rev John Borgwardt	Living Word LC Waukesha WI	New Mission Start Bentonville AR Pastor	5/30/2023
Rev Andrew Stuebs	Living Word LC Gray TN	Our Redeemer LC Yorktown VA Pastor	5/30/2023
Rev N Halldorson	Grace LC Scroggins TX	Christ the King LC Port Charlotte FL Pastor	5/30/2023
Rev Benjamin Workentine	St Mark LC De Pere WI	Hope LC Chino Valley AZ & Prescott AZ Pastor	5/30/2023
Rev Charles Westra	Christ Our Savior LC Columbia TN	Board for Home Missions Administrator	5/31/2023
Rev Kirk Lahmann	St John LC Burlington WI	St Paul’s LC Stevensville MI Pastor	6/1/2023
Rev Jeffery Halldorson	Shepherd of the Hills LC Greeley CO	Risen Savior LC Mansfield OH Pastor	6/2/2023
Rev Randy Bader	Willow Lake LC Willow Lake SD Peace LC Clark SD Bethlehem LC Raymond SD	Willow Lake LC Willow Lake SD Peace LC Clark SD Bethlehem LC Raymond SD St Paul’s LC Henry SD Pastor	6/3/2023
Rev Michael Sheppard	Mt Zion LC Ripon WI	St Stephen LC Fall River WI Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Nathan Wilke	Immanuel LC Neillsville WI	Peace LC Granger IN Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Thomas Moldenhauer	Our Saviour’s LC Bismarck ND	Gloria Dei LC Grand Blanc MI Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev James Douglas	Grace LC Charlotte NC	Zion LC South Milwaukee WI Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Brian Schmidt	Trinity LC Caledonia WI	Beautiful Savior LC West Des Moines IA Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Joshua Zarling	Good Shepherd’s LC West Allis WI	Mountain View LC Calgary AB Canada Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Brian Schmidt	Trinity LC Caledonia WI	St Paul’s LC Rapid City SD Associate Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Andrew Mueller	Beautiful Savior LC Las Vegas NV	Faith LC Sussex WI Associate Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Jacob Schwartz	Star of Bethlehem LC New Berlin WI	St Paul’s LC Fort Atkinson WI Associate Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Steven Prahl	Foundation LC Peyton CO	Mt Olive LC Delano MN Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Daniel Kramer	Peace in Jesus Vietnamese LC Boise ID	Crown of Life LC New Orleans LA Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Daniel Kramer	Peace in Jesus Vietnamese LC Boise ID	Peace LC King of Prussia PA Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Henry Koch	Friedens LC New Prague MN	Our Shepherd LC Lancaster CA Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Steven Hahm	Christ Our Savior LC Rockford MI	Crown of Life LC Yucaipa CA Pastor	6/4/2023
Rev Michael Koepke	Lamb of God LC Phoenix AZ	St John LC Wauwatosa WI Associate Pastor	6/5/2023
Rev Marcus Schulz	Emanuel LC New London WI	Christ LC Oakley MI Pastor	6/6/2023
Rev Andrew Luehring	St John LC Kaukauna WI	Christ Our Rock LC Rochester MN Pastor	6/6/2023
Rev Daniel Kramer	Peace in Jesus Vietnamese LC Boise ID	Manitowoc Lutheran High School Manitowoc WI Pastor; Theology Department	6/6/2023
Rev Daniel Olson	St Paul LC Onalaska WI	Christ LC North Saint Paul MN & Hugo MN Associate Pastor	6/7/2023
Rev Scott Schwertfeger	Zion LC Arlington WI	Martin Luther LC Oshkosh WI Associate Pastor	6/7/2023
Rev Michael Gehl	St John LC Greenleaf WI	Christus LC Delavan WI Pastor	6/8/2023
Rev Nathan Wagenknecht	Faith LC Anchorage AK	Good Shepherd LC Midland MI Pastor	6/8/2023
Rev Richard Starr	Mighty Fortress LC Hiram GA	Green Valley LC Henderson NV Pastor	6/8/2023
Rev Donn Dobberstein	Commission on Discipleship	New Mission Start Kronenwetter WI Pastor	6/10/2023
Teachers	Current call	New call	Date issued
Mrs Lisa Gray		Christ-St John’s LS West Salem WI Teacher; Grades 3-4	5/18/2023
Mrs Jenna Otto		St Luke’s LS Oakfield WI Teacher; Grades 5-6, Provisional Call	5/21/2023
Mrs Leah Unke	Peace LS Hartford WI	First LS La Crosse WI Teacher; Grade 2	5/21/2023
Mrs Leah Unke	Peace LS Hartford WI	Mt Calvary-Grace LS La Crosse WI ECM Teacher; Kindergarten	5/21/2023
Mrs Stephanie Wetzel		Messiah’s Children Preschool Nampa ID ECM Teacher; 4-Year-Old, One-Year, Less-Than-Half-Time Call	5/21/2023
Miss Elizabeth Jahnke		Peace LS Green Lake WI Teacher; Grades 3-4, Provisional Call	5/21/2023
Mrs Carol Green		Holy Trinity Lutheran Academy – Child Care New Hope MN ECM Teacher; 3K & 4K	5/28/2023
Mrs Julie Miller		Mt Calvary-Grace LS La Crosse WI Teacher; Grades 1-2	5/28/2023
Mrs Janise Janikowski	St Paul LS Cudahy WI	St John LS Maribel WI Teacher; Grades K-2, Provisional Call	5/28/2023
Miss Emily Dobberstein	St John LS Baraboo WI	St Paul LS Franklin WI Teacher; Grade 1	5/30/2023
Mrs Samantha Loescher		Zion LS Chesaning MI Teacher; Grades K-1, Less-Than-Half Time, One-Year Call	6/1/2023
Mrs Andrea Spanovich		Samuel LS Marshall MN Teacher; Grades 6-8, Provisional Call	6/2/2023
Mrs Sheryl Birsching	Holy Trinity LS Des Moines WA	Trinity LS Bay City MI ECM Teacher; 4-Year-Old	6/4/2023
Mrs Deborah Burt		St Lucas LS Kewaskum WI Teacher; Grades 4-5	6/4/2023
Mrs Charissa Breitkreutz	St Paul’s LS Fort Atkinson WI	St Paul’s LS Fort Atkinson WI Teacher; Grades 5-8 Reading/ Language Arts, One-Year, Half-Time Call	6/5/2023
Prof Ronald Ohm	Martin Luther College New Ulm MN	Great Plains Lutheran High School Watertown SD Teacher; Supervisor of Instruction, Retirement Call	6/5/2023
Mrs Ahnsharee Klusmeyer	Good Shepherd’s LS West Allis WI	Wisconsin LS-Middle School (6-8) Racine WI Teacher; Grade 6 HR, Grades 6-8 ELA	6/7/2023
Mrs Brooke Butkovich		Martin Luther LS Oshkosh WI Teacher; Grade 7, One-Year Call	6/7/2023
Miss Hannah Snyder		Zion LS Rhinelander WI Teacher; Grades 1-2	6/11/2023
Mrs Jacqueline Ihlenfeldt		Good Shepherd LS West Bend WI Teacher; Instructional Teacher, One-Year Call	6/11/2023
Mr Kevin Bauer		Redeemer LS Tucson AZ Teacher; Grades 5-6, Provisional Call	6/11/2023
Mrs Sarah Lambrecht		St Paul LS Onalaska WI Teacher; Music, Less-Than-Half Time, Provisional Call	6/11/2023
Staff Ministers	Current call	New call	Date issued
Mr Daniel Kleist	St Peter LC Fort Collins CO	Divine Savior LC-Delray Beach FL Delray Beach FL Congregation Staff Minister	5/21/2023
Mr Daniel Kleist	St Peter LC Fort Collins CO	Mt Calvary LC Redding CA Congregation Staff Minister	5/21/2023
Mr Philip Krueger	Christ-St Peter LS – Centennial Campus Milwaukee WI	Centennial LC Milwaukee WI Congregation Staff Minister; Half-Time Call	5/21/2023
Mr Daniel Kleist	St Peter LC Fort Collins CO	Eternal Rock LC Castle Rock CO Congregation Staff Minister	5/28/2023
Mr Nathan Graumann	Apostles LC San Jose CA	St Paul’s LC Fort Atkinson WI Congregation Staff Minister	6/4/2023

CALLS ACCEPTED

Teachers	Current call	New call	Date accepted
Mrs Abigail Flitter		St John-St James LS Reedsville WI Teacher; Grades 4-5, One-Year Call	6/3/2023
Mrs Carrie Ott	Immanuel LS Manitowoc WI	Immanuel LS Manitowoc WI Teacher; Grade 4, SPED, Provisional Call Renewed	6/6/2023
Mrs Abby Zuberbier	Emanuel LS New London WI	Emanuel LS New London WI Administrator; Guided Studies Administrator	6/7/2023
Mrs Heather Luepke	Precious Pebbles Lutheran Preschool Rochester MN	Resurrection LS Rochester MN Teacher; Grade 3, One-Year Call	6/7/2023
Mrs Heidi Paulsen		St Croix Lutheran Academy West Saint Paul MN Teacher; High School Math, Provisional Call	6/7/2023
Mrs Kim Brace		Trinity LS Minocqua WI Teacher; Kindergarten – Grade 1, One-Year Call	6/8/2023
Mr Richard Baumgart		Wisconsin LS-Middle School (6-8) Racine WI Principal; Assistant Principal, One-Year, Half-Time Call	6/8/2023
Mr John Festerling		Samuel LS Marshall MN Principal; Less than Half-Time, Retirement Call	6/9/2023
Mrs Amanda Van Kampen		St Paul LS Tomah WI Teacher; Grade 1	6/9/2023
Mrs Madeline Rasmussen	Mt Olive LS Delano MN	Mt Olive LS Delano MN Teacher; Kindergarten, Provisional Call	6/9/2023
Mrs Elaine Zelenka		Salem LS Owosso MI Teacher; Kindergarten – Grade 2	6/10/2023
Mrs Molly Taylor		Christ the Lord LS Brookfield WI ECM Teacher; 3K, One-Year, Half-Time Call	6/10/2023
Mr Hans Brauer		Arizona Lutheran Academy Phoenix AZ Teacher; Upper-Level Math, Provisional Call	6/10/2023
Mrs Mira Stepleton		Peace LS Green Lake WI ECM Teacher; and Kindergarten, Provisional Call	6/10/2023
Mrs Rebecca Prell	Petra LS Sauk Rapids MN	Zion LS Columbus WI Teacher	6/11/2023
Mr Ben Kopczynski		St John LS Milwaukee WI Teacher; Grade 5, Provisional Call	6/12/2023

CALLS DECLINED

Pastors	Current call	New call	Date declined
Rev William Monday	St Peter LC – North Campus Appleton WI	Christ LC Pewaukee WI Associate Pastor	6/6/2023
Rev Aaron Voss	Living Water LC Wind Lake WI	Resurrection LC Chesapeake VA Pastor	6/7/2023
Rev Newlin Schafer	Good Shepherd LC Jacksonville FL	Bethany LC Manitowoc WI Associate Pastor	6/9/2023
Rev John Steinbrenner	Cross of Christ LC Boise ID	Peace LC Trinity FL Pastor	6/11/2023
Teachers	Current call	New call	Date declined
Miss Emily Dobberstein	St John LS Baraboo WI	Zion LS K-8th Grade Hartland WI Teacher; Grades 2-4	6/8/2023
Mr Ben Kopczynski		East Fork LS Whiteriver AZ Teacher; Grade 6	6/11/2023

RESIGNED

Teachers	Current call	Date resigned
Mrs Ida Paulsen	Trinity LS Bay City MI	6/30/2023

CALLED TO ETERNAL GLORY

Pastors	Home church	Death date
Rev Eugene Kitzerow	First German LC Manitowoc WI	6/8/2023

RETIREMENT

Pastors	Current call	Date retired
Rev Philip Schupmann	Resurrection LC & LS Aurora IL	6/25/2023
Rev Bruce Wietzke	Christus LC Delavan WI	8/31/2023
Teachers	Current call	Date retired
Mrs Rachel White	First LS Lake Geneva WI	6/30/2023
Mrs Linda Ebeling	St John LS Milwaukee WI	6/30/2023
Mr Thomas Zarnstorff	Peridot-Our Savior’s LS Peridot AZ	6/30/2023
Mrs Cindy Zarnstorff	Peridot-Our Savior’s LS Peridot AZ	6/30/2023