Weekly Updates

Pastor – Rev. Scott Benolkin

The Rev. Scott Benolkin is the pastor of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Rockford, IL. He is a graduate of Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Syracuse University, and the University of Minnesota. Before hearing God’s call to the ministry of Word and Sacrament he worked as an economist for the EPA and the Federal Reserve.

He enjoys computer programming, disc golf, and traveling with his wife, Monica, and six year-old daughter Claire.

Pastor – Bishop Gerald Mansholt

Bishop Mansholt has just returned from two major trips. One was the ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston, June 27-July 1, which was attended by 30,000 plus youth. There were 600 youth from this synod. “This Changes Everything” was the theme of the gathering.

For the second trip Bishop Mansholt and his wife Anita accompanied 45 people on a companion synod visit to the Western Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Africa, July 14-17. They are ready for a couple of weeks in Door County!

Since last summer Anita and Bishop Mansholt have another grandchild, Andrew Gerald, born last August. First boy in 22 years!

Pastor – Rev Harold Usgaard

Huck retired January 1, 2018, from his call with Portico Benefit Services, a Ministry of the ELCA. He had served as the assistant to the President for Church Relations since September 2013. Previously, Pastor Usgaard served two terms as Bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod. Prior to his call as Bishop, he served as pastor at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin, MN; at Mount Hope Lutheran Church in West Allis, WI; and at Zumbro Lutheran Church in Rochester, MN.

Huck and his wife, Lynette, live in Rosemount, MN. They are proud parents to three grown children and two grandsons.

Pastor – Rev Harold Usgaard

Huck retired January 1, 2018, from his call with Portico Benefit Services, a Ministry of the ELCA. He had served as the assistant to the President for Church Relations since September 2013. Previously, Pastor Usgaard served two terms as Bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod. Prior to his call as Bishop, he served as pastor at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin, MN; at Mount Hope Lutheran Church in West Allis, WI; and at Zumbro Lutheran Church in Rochester, MN.

Huck and his wife, Lynette, live in Rosemount, MN. They are proud parents to three grown children and two grandsons.

Pastor – Rev. Mick Roschke

Before retiring, Pastor Mick served as a street pastor in Uptown Chicago and led several congregations in Milwaukee. Over the past four years, Mick has served as a seasonal pastor at Peace Lutheran Church in Fort Meyers, Florida, during the winter months. He also preaches frequently at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Milwaukee where he and his wife are members.

Mick and his wife, Judy, recently celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary. Judy is a retired teacher who taught in parochial schools and in the Milwaukee Public Schools. Their son, Micah, and his wife, Gloria, have two children. Their daughter, Melissa and her husband, Jeremy, also have two children.

The Roschke family has been blessed to come to Bethany for over 25 years. Thanks to the Bethany congregation for the opportunity to serve.

Pastor – Rev. Mick Roschke

Before retiring, Pastor Mick served as a street pastor in Uptown Chicago and led several congregations in Milwaukee. Over the past four years, Mick has served as a seasonal pastor at Peace Lutheran Church in Fort Meyers, Florida, during the winter months. He also preaches frequently at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Milwaukee where he and his wife are members.

Mick and his wife, Judy, recently celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary. Judy is a retired teacher who taught in parochial schools and in the Milwaukee Public Schools. Their son, Micah, and his wife, Gloria, have two children. Their daughter, Melissa and her husband, Jeremy, also have two children.

The Roschke family has been blessed to come to Bethany for over 25 years. Thanks to the Bethany congregation for the opportunity to serve.

Pastor – Rev. Joy Mortensen-Wiebe

Rev. Joy Mortensen-Wiebe and Rev. Darin Wiebe both graduated from Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary and were ordained in 1992. They both served Grace Lutheran, Tomahawk right out of seminary.

They currently serve separately. Joy serves as the Interim Director for Evangelical Outreach in the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin and also works as a school based therapist.

Darin and Joy have two adult daughters. They enjoy being outside, playing with their dogs and spending time with family in their spare time.

Pastor – Rev. Darin Wiebe

Rev. Darin Wiebe and his wife, Rev. Joy Mortensen-Wiebe both graduated from Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary and were ordained in 1992. They both served Grace Lutheran, Tomahawk right out of seminary.

They currently serve separately. Darin serves Our Savior Lutheran church in West Bend, WI where he has been since 2010.

Darin and Joy have two adult daughters. They enjoy being outside, playing with their dogs and spending time with family in their spare time.

Pastor – Rev. Emily Tveite

Pastor Emily Tveite began her work at Lutheran Campus Ministry in August 2015. She completed her seminary studies at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Some of Pastor Emily’s favorite parts of campus ministry include walking alongside young adults as they discover where God is leading them in their careers, witnessing the compassion and commitment students have to issues of injustice, and learning more about
everything from engineering to history through conversation about students’ studies.

Pastor Emily’s husband, Paul is a software engineer. Their daughter, Eleanor, was born in January. Together, they enjoy cooking and eating, playing board games, traveling and discovering America’s National Parks.