Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Pastor, teacher, and staff minister call report

5/23/2023 – 5/29/2023

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

NO DECISION REPORTED

Pastors	Current call	New call	Date issued
Rev John Steinbrenner	Cross of Christ LC Boise ID	Peace LC Trinity FL Pastor	4/23/2023
Rev Newlin Schafer	Good Shepherd LC Jacksonville FL	Bethany LC Manitowoc WI Associate Pastor	5/1/2023
Rev Newlin Schafer	Good Shepherd LC Jacksonville FL	Faith LC West Newton PA Pastor	5/1/2023
Rev Scott Miller	Light of Life LC Greenwood IN	Grace LC Ringle WI Pastor	5/4/2023
Rev Aaron Voss	Living Water LC Wind Lake WI	Resurrection LC Chesapeake VA Pastor	5/7/2023
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 Benjamin Schone	Abiding Word LC Houston TX	Green Valley LC Henderson NV Pastor	5/10/2023
Rev Joel Spaude	St Peter LC Fort Collins CO	Grace LC Kenai AK Pastor	5/14/2023
Rev Douglas Van Sice	Huntersville LC Cornelius NC	St John LC Hancock MN Pastor	5/16/2023
Rev Philip Casmer	Christ the Lord LC Brookfield WI	Cross of Glory LC Peoria AZ Pastor	5/18/2023
Rev William Monday	St Peter LC – North Campus Appleton WI	Christ LC Pewaukee WI Associate 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 Idaho Falls ID Pastor	5/25/2023
Rev Joseph Lindloff	Hope LC Irmo SC	New Mission Marquette MI Pastor	5/25/2023
Teachers	Current call	New call	Date issued
Mrs Abby Zuberbier	Emanuel LS New London WI	Emanuel LS New London WI Administrator; Guided Studies Administrator	4/17/2023
Mr Anthony Navarro	Mt Olive LS Mankato MN	Mt Olive LS Mankato MN Teacher; One-Year Call	4/23/2023
Mrs Barbara Halvorson		Mt Olive LS Mankato MN Teacher; One-Year Call	4/23/2023
Mrs Madeline Rasmussen	Mt Olive LS Delano MN	Mt Olive LS Delano MN Teacher; Kindergarten, Provisional Call	4/30/2023
Mr Adam Westra		Divine Savior Academy Doral FL Teacher; Theology Instructor, Provisional Call	5/2/2023
Mrs Lauren Woodhouse		Trinity LS Waukesha WI Teacher; Grade 6	5/7/2023
Mrs Rebekah Birkholz		Reformation LS San Diego CA Teacher; Grades 7-8, One-Year Call	5/7/2023
Mrs Hannah Laitinen	Hannah’s World Austin TX	Divine Savior Academy – Sienna Missouri City TX Teacher; Grade 8 HR, Middle Grades English Language Arts	5/11/2023
Mr Tyler Dorn	Fox Valley Lutheran High School Appleton WI	Fox Valley Lutheran High School Appleton WI Teacher; Communications Media Specialist	5/16/2023
Ms Colleen Haag	St John LS Red Wing MN	St Mark LS Bemidji MN Teacher; Grades 3-8	5/18/2023
Mrs Lisa Gray		Christ-St John’s LS West Salem WI Teacher; Grades 3-4	5/18/2023
Mrs Heidi Paulsen		St Croix Lutheran Academy West Saint Paul MN Teacher; High School Math, Provisional Call	5/18/2023
Mr Courtney Meyer		St Peter’s LS Fond du Lac WI Teacher; Grade 5, One Year, Provisional Call	5/21/2023
Mr Samuel Evans	Petra LS Sauk Rapids MN	Samuel LS Marshall MN Teacher; Grades 6-8	5/21/2023
Mr Timothy Schroeder		Resurrection LS Rochester MN Teacher; Grades 7-8, One-Year Call	5/21/2023
Mrs Abigail Flitter		St John-St James LS Reedsville WI Teacher; Grades 4-5, One-Year Call	5/21/2023
Mrs Brooke Butkovich		St Paul LS Appleton WI Teacher; Grade 7 Homeroom, Dept Health, PE, Athletics, One-Year Call	5/21/2023
Mr Jonathan Sydow		St John’s LS Sparta WI Teacher; Grades 7-8, One-Year 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
Mr Samuel Evans	Petra LS Sauk Rapids MN	Trinity LS Jenera OH Teacher; Grades 7-8	5/21/2023
Mr John Festerling		Samuel LS Marshall MN Principal; Less than Half-Time, Retirement Call	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
Mrs Sally McCaughna		Zion LS Chesaning MI Teacher; Grades 5-8, One-Year Call	5/22/2023
Mr Hans Brauer		Arizona Lutheran Academy Phoenix AZ Teacher; Upper-Level Math, Provisional Call	5/22/2023
Mrs Amanda Van Kampen		St Paul LS Tomah WI Teacher; Grade 1, Upper Grades Choir/Music	5/23/2023
Mrs Kim Brace		Trinity LS Minocqua WI Teacher; Kindergarten – Grade 1, One-Year Call	5/24/2023
Mrs Elaine Zelenka		Salem LS Owosso MI Teacher; Kindergarten – Grade 2	5/24/2023
Mrs Brittany Pfaffenbach		St Matthew LS Janesville WI Teacher; Grades 7-8, Athletic Director, One-Year Call	5/28/2023
Miss Emily Dobberstein	St John LS Baraboo WI	Zion LS K-8th Grade Hartland WI Teacher; Grades 2-4	5/28/2023
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
Miss Lisa McKenney	Faith of a Child Daycare Oshkosh WI	St Paul LS Lake Mills WI ECM Director; 3K Teacher, One-Year Call	5/28/2023
Staff Ministers	Current call	New call	Date issued
Mr Daniel Kleist	St Peter LC Fort Collins CO	Divine Savior LC 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

CALLS ACCEPTED

Teachers	Current call	New call	Date accepted
Mr Evan Witz	Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee WI	Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee WI Professor; Assistant Professor of Mathematics	4/24/2023
Mrs Hannah Wagie		Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee WI Professor; Assistant Professor of Chemistry	4/25/2023
Mrs Jill Russow	Christ Alone LS Thiensville WI	Christ Alone LS Thiensville WI Teacher; Upper Grades, Three-Quarter Time, Provisional Call	5/22/2023
Mrs Jeannie Konecne		St Mark LS Bemidji MN Teacher; Grades K-3, Provisional Call	5/22/2023
Mrs Sharon Snyder	Messiah’s Children Preschool Nampa ID	Messiah’s Children Preschool Nampa ID ECM Teacher; 3-Year-Old, Provisional One-Year Call	5/22/2022
Mr Christopher Joch		Trinity LS Waukesha WI Principal; Provisional Call	5/26/2023
Miss Rebeca Barclay	Little Lambs Early Childhood Center Sault Ste. Marie MI	Little Lambs Early Childhood Center Sault Ste. Marie MI ECM Teacher; Provisional Call	5/26/2023
Mr Frederick Lohmiller	Rocky Mountain Lutheran High School Commerce City CO	Nebraska Evangelical Lutheran High School Waco NE Administrator; One-Year Call	5/27/2023
Mrs Stephanie Lahmann		Salem LS Owosso MI Teacher; Grades 7-8, Provisional Call	5/27/2023
Mr Kevin Hahm		St Mark LS Lincoln NE Teacher; Grades 5-6	5/28/2023
Mrs Erin Moldenhauer	Redeemer LS Tucson AZ	Redeemer LS Tucson AZ ECM Teacher; One-Year, Three-Quarter Time, Provisional Call	5/28/2023
Mr Ezekiel Kroll		Garden Homes LS Milwaukee WI Teacher; Grade 6 Homeroom, Grades 5-8 Social Studies	5/30/2023
Mrs Michaela Hagenow		Morrison Zion LS Greenleaf WI Teacher; Grades 3-4	5/30/2023

CALLS DECLINED

Pastors	Current call	New call	Date declined
Rev Todd Engel	St John LC Red Wing MN	Bethany LC Fort Atkinson WI Associate Pastor; Lead Campus Pastor	5/22/2023
Rev Benjamin Sadler	Victory of the Lamb LC Franklin WI	Christ LC North St Paul & Hugo MN Associate Pastor	5/22/2023
Rev Eric Melso	Living Hope LC Chattanooga TN	Christ Alone LC Thiensville WI Associate Pastor	5/24/2023
Rev Myrl Wagenknecht	Retired	Holy Cross LC Standish MI Pastor; Retirement Call	5/25/2023
Rev Jason Jobs	St John LC Markesan WI	St John LC Centuria WI Redeemer LC Saint Croix Falls WI Pastor	5/25/2023
Rev Brett Ehlke	St Paul LC Onalaska WI	Mt Olive LC Delano MN Pastor	5/25/2023
Rev Joel Neumann	Faith LC Black River Falls WI	Wisconsin Lutheran Institutional Ministries Inc Oconomowoc WI Director of Ministry	5/27/2023
Rev Caleb Bassett	Redeemer LC Fallbrook CA	St Stephen LC Beaver Dam WI Associate Pastor	5/27/2023
Rev Jesse Johnston	Mt Calvary LC Harrison WI	Morning Star LC Jackson WI Associate Pastor	5/27/2023
Teachers	Current call	New call	Date declined
Mr Christopher Joch		Wisconsin LS-Middle School (6-8) Racine WI Principal; Provisional Call	5/25/2023
Mr Caleb Solofra		Divine Savior Academy Doral FL Teacher; Grade 5, Provisional Call	5/27/2023
Mrs Megan Berg		St Paul LS Bangor WI Teacher; Grades 3-4, One-Year Call	5/29/2023

RESIGNED

Teachers	Current call	Date resigned
Mrs Eve Headrick	St John’s LS Burlington WI	6/30/2023
Mrs Jessica Moeller	Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee WI	6/30/2023

CALLED TO ETERNAL GLORY

Teachers	Home church	Death date
Mr Gerald Lanphear	Salem LC Milwaukee WI	5/21/2023
Prof em Ronald Shilling		5/24/2023

RETIREMENT

Pastors	Current call	Date retired
Rev Dr Paul Lehninger	Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee WI	6/30/2023
Teachers	Current call	Date retired
Prof Jay Sierszyn	Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee WI	6/30/2023
Mrs Dawn Goetz	King of Kings LS Garden Grove CA	6/30/2023

ASSIGNMENT

Teachers		Assignment	Date assigned
Mrs Courtney Mitchell		Zion LS Egg Harbor WI Teacher; Kindergarten, One-Year Call	5/24/2023
Mrs Mollie Roekle		Lord of Life LS Thornton CO Teacher; Grades 7-8 One-Year Call	5/24/2023
Mrs Lailah Stein		Abiding Peace LS Simpsonville SC Teacher; Grades 6-8 One-Year Call	5/24/2023
Mrs Michaela Zabell		Our Savior LS Brookings SD Teacher; Grades Kindergarten – 4, One-Year Call	5/24/2023