Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Pastor, teacher, and staff minister call report

5/21/2024 – 5/28/2024

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

CALLS ISSUED

Pastors	Current call	New call	Date issued
Rev Matthew Westra	Living Promise LC Morristown TN	Christ LC Pewaukee WI Associate Pastor; Outreach	4/7/2024
Rev John Koelpin	Calvary LC Dallas TX	Asia Lutheran Seminary Board Professor; Asia Lutheran Seminary	4/11/2024
Rev Nathaniel Winkel	Mountain Valley LC Eagle CO	Peace LC Marshfield MO Zion LC Springfield MO	4/24/2024
Rev Frederic Berger	Christ LC Beatrice NE St Paul’s LC Plymouth NE	New Mission Kronenwetter WI	4/26/2024
Rev Albert Meier II	Peace LC Milbank SD St John LC Summit SD	St Paul LC Crandon WI Christ LC Hiles WI St John LC Pelican Lake WI	4/28/2024
Rev David Salinas	Christ the Lord LC Houston TX	Risen Savior LC Milwaukee WI	4/28/2024
Rev Thad Bitter	Grace LC Portland OR	New Mission Bend OR	5/5/2024
Rev Stephen Kuehl	Shepherd of Peace LC Powell OH	Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School New Ulm MN	5/5/2024
Rev Emile Burgess	Crown of Life LC Eagan MN & West Saint Paul MN	St John LC Wauwatosa WI Associate Pastor	5/7/2024
Rev Tyler Peil	Prince of Peace LC Salt Lake City UT	Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee WI Assistant Professor of Theology	5/13/2024
Rev Nickolas Haasch	Peace LC Green Lake WI	Grace LC South Saint Paul MN	5/19/2024
Rev Daniel Heiderich	Good News LC Lehi UT	St Paul LC Beverly Hills FL	5/19/2024
Rev Joshua Odell	Christ LC Eagle River WI	St Stephen LC Beaver Dam WI Associate Pastor	5/19/2024
Rev Matthew Reis	Trinity LC Bangor MI	Zion LC Olivia MN	5/19/2024
Rev Stephen Apt	Divine Savior LC-Liberty Hill Liberty Hill TX	Illinois LS Inc Crete IL President	5/20/2024
Rev Nathan Buege	Victory of the Lamb LC Katy TX	Christ LC Big Bend WI	5/20/2024
Rev Adam Bode	St Paul LC Howards Grove WI	Eastside LC Madison WI Associate Pastor	5/21/2024
Pastor John Raasch Sr	Bethel LC Menasha WI	Beautiful Saviour LC Carlsbad CA	5/21/2024
Rev Aaron Duve	Holy Redeemer LC Port Huron MI	St John’s LC Dakota MN	5/22/2024
Rev James Fleming	St Peter LC – North Campus & St Peter-The CORE Campus Appleton WI	Ministry of Christian Giving Christian Giving Counselor, Northern Wisconsin District	5/22/2024

Teachers	Current call	New call	Date issued
Mrs Bethany Mueller		Atonement LS Milwaukee WI Director of Special Education	4/21/2024
Ms Stacey Sordahl	Zion LS Monroe MI	Zion LS Monroe MI Kindergarten	4/28/2024
Ms Allison Stevens		Mt Olive LS Delano MN ECM Teacher	4/28/2024
Ms Evodia Noel	Grace LS Grand Anse Saint George Grenada	St John LS St John’s Saint John Antigua and Barbuda ECM Director	5/5/2024
Mrs Molly Taylor	Christ the Lord LS Brookfield WI	St Jacobi LS Greenfield WI Grade 2	5/5/2024
Mr Mark Zoellner	Bloomington LS Bloomington MN Living Hope LS Shakopee MN	Bloomington LS Bloomington MN Principal; Interim	5/12/2024
Mrs Lisa Rouse	Wisconsin Lutheran High School Milwaukee WI	Wisconsin Lutheran High School Milwaukee WI Grade 9, English Foundations	5/15/2024
Mrs Bethany Behm	Trinity LS Aberdeen SD	Trinity LS Marinette WI Grades 4-5	5/19/2024
Ms Beth Kamps	Trinity LS Marinette WI	Trinity LS Marinette WI Grades 6-8	5/19/2024
Ms Gail Krause		St Martin’s LS Watertown SD Administrator	5/19/2024
Ms Elizabeth Kuschel	St John’s LS Burlington WI	St John LS Libertyville IL Grades 5-6	5/19/2024
Mrs Michelle Lowry		Cross of Christ Preschool Boise ID ECM Teacher	5/20/2024
Mr Douglas Meyer	Arizona Lutheran Academy Phoenix AZ	Arizona Lutheran Academy Phoenix AZ President	5/20/2024
Ms Theckla Schultz-Cortez	St John’s LS Sparta WI	St Paul LS Bangor WI Grades 1-2	5/20/2024
Mrs Carolyn Steinbrenner	Cross of Christ Preschool Boise ID	St Matthew LS Iron Ridge WI ECM Teacher; 4K, 5K	5/20/2024
Mrs Sharon Richter		Morrison Zion LS Greenleaf WI Grades 5-6	5/21/2024
Mrs Sarah Birsching		Our Savior LS Wausau WI Grades 5-8	5/22/2024
Mrs Emily Huonder	St Paul LS Franklin WI	St Paul LS Algoma WI Grades 1-2	5/22/2024
Mr Philip Krueger	Centennial LC Milwaukee WI	Our Savior LS Grafton WI Principal; Grades 7-8	5/23/2024
Mrs Jody Bitter		St John LS Goodhue MN	5/24/2024
Mrs Katrina Reis	St Paul LS South Haven MI	St John LS Redwood Falls MN	5/24/2024
Ms Amy Helwig	St Stephen LS Beaver Dam WI	St Matthew’s LS Stoddard WI Grades 5-8	5/26/2024
Mrs Candice Learman	Abiding Word Lutheran Preschool Houston TX	Little Town of Bethlehem Preschool Carmel IN ECM Teacher	5/26/2024
Mrs Jessica Mork		St Jacobi LS Greenfield WI	5/26/2024
Mrs Janelle Nitz	St Jacobi LS Greenfield WI	St Jacobi LS Greenfield WI	5/26/2024

Staff Ministers	Current call	New call	Date issued
Mr Derek Gulrud	Amazing Grace LC Amarillo TX	Amazing Grace LC Amarillo TX	5/14/2024
Mr Mark Werre		Ministry of Christian Giving Christian Giving Counselor, Western Wisconsin District	5/22/2024

CALLS ACCEPTED

Pastors	Current call	New call	Date accepted
Rev Jeffery Drake	Trinity LC Hartford WI	St Paul LC Manchester WI & Marquette WI	5/25/2024

Teachers	Current call	New call	Date accepted
Mrs Morgan Lautz		Wisconsin Lutheran High School Milwaukee WI Mathematics	5/20/2024
Mrs Shiyi (Gretl) Quan		Divine Savior Lutheran Academy Delray Beach FL Grade 2	5/20/2024
Mrs Angela Randall		West Lutheran High School Plymouth MN English Language Arts	5/20/2024
Mr Stephen Berg		Emanuel LS New London WI Grades 6-8 Math	5/22/2024
Mrs Kaitlin Hernandez		Wisconsin Lutheran High School Milwaukee WI Spanish	5/22/2024
Mr Riley Westphal		St Paul LS Mount Calvary WI Grades 5-6	5/26/2024
Ms Tara Widholm		Faith Lutheran Preschool Sussex WI ECM Director & Teacher	5/26/2024
Mrs Angela Pechman	Risen Savior Christian Academy Pooler GA	First German LC Manitowoc WI ECM Director	5/27/2024

CALLS RETURNED

Pastors	Current call	New call	Date returned
Rev Hernandez Daylo Jr	Michigan Lutheran High School Saint Joseph MI	Divine Savior Academy Doral FL Theology	5/3/2024
Rev Aaron Steinbrenner	Peace LC Hartford WI	Christ LC in North St Paul & Hugo, MN North Saint Paul MN Associate Pastor	5/20/2024
Rev John Stelter	St John LC Princeton WI	First LC La Crescent MN	5/20/2024
Rev Mark Voss	Immanuel LC Long Valley NJ	Good Shepherd LC Burnsville MN Associate Pastor	5/20/2024
Rev James Werner	Reformation LC San Diego CA	Life Lutheran Campus & Resurrection LC Rochester MN Associate Pastor	5/22/2024
Rev Jason Schmidt	Shepherd of the Hills LC Tucson AZ	Lord of Life LC Thornton CO	5/27/2024

POSITION ELIMINATED

Teachers	Current call	Date effective
Mrs Elise Loduha	Good Shepherd Lutheran Academy Downers Grove IL	6/30/2024

RESIGNED

Teachers	Current call	Date resigned
Mrs Kaylie Kopfer	Divine Savior Lutheran Academy Delray Beach FL	6/30/2024
Mrs Kristin Wessel	Little Lions Child Care Marathon City WI	6/30/2024

Staff Ministers	Current call	Date resigned
Mr Martin Plocher	Manitowoc Lutheran High School Manitowoc WI	6/30/2024

RETIRED

Pastors	Current call	Date retired
Rev Bryan Gerlach	Commission on Worship Waukesha WI	8/31/2024
Prof Thomas Nass	Martin Luther College New Ulm MN	6/30/2025

Teachers	Current call	Date retired
Mrs Laurie Bame	Grace LS Saint Joseph MI	6/30/2024