Weekly Updates

Pastor – Rev. Gisele Berninghaus

Pastor Gisele Berninghaus is Lead Pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Marshfield, WI. She worked for 13 years with Hands of Deaf Ministry, an ecumenical ministry supported by ELCA, Episcopal, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ and Methodist churches. Her daughter Anastasia was born in Kankakee, Il where Gisele served American Lutheran Church and her son Nathaniel was born while she was serving congregations in Caribou and Stockholm, Maine. Gisele graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD and Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg, PA. She interned in Baltimore MD, and was a teacher with the deaf in Des Moines, IA. Tim Van Eyck met Gisele on a confusing mission trip to New Orleans after hurricane Katrina and they have happily been attempting to sort things out ever since.

Pastor – Rev. Victoria Simon

Pastor Vicki is serving Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cedarburg, WI. She enjoys meditating, and studies with Lama Surya Das, practicing yoga, reading, writing and savoring Wisconsin summers. Pastor Vickie is delighted to be back with her Bethany family!

Pastor – Rev. Diane Dardon

Rev. Dardon did her undergraduate work at University of Wisconsin-Stout and received her Master of Divinity from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Currently, Rev. Dardon is the DePaul University Protestant Chaplain.

She is married to Estuardo who is from Guatemala and they reside in Prospect Heights, IL. They have two children, a son Brian in college and an adopted daughter (from Guatemala) Cathryn, in high school. The family likes to travel, especially to visit family and work on the School of the Saints in Guatemala. They also travel extensively throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

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.