Weekly Updates

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.

Pastor – Rev. Emily Tveite

Pastor Emily Tviete began her work at Lutheran Campus Ministry in August 2015. She was born and raised in Austin, TX. She completed her seminary studies at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Some of Pr 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 from students.

She is married to Paul, a software engineer. Their daughter, Eleanor, was born in January and the family lives in Madison, WI. They all enjoy cooking, eating, and discovering America’s National Parks.

Off-Season Livestream

While Bethany is closed for the winter season, we direct viewers to Emmanuel Lutheran in Naples, Florida. Their services are streamed Sunday at 8:30 am Central Time (9:30 am Eastern Time).
Bethany services will return in May 2018.

Pastor – Rev. Dennis E Ellisen

A native New Yorker, Pastor Ellisen received his college degree at Upsala College in New Jersey. Prior to receiving his Master of Divinity degree at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, he was a social worker in New York City. He served congregations in Rochester, and Albany, N.Y. before accepting a call to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Appleton, WI in 1976. During his tenure, Our Savior’s grew in membership to 2600 members. Pastor Ellisen has served on the executive board of the Large Church Conference of the ELCA. Since retirement in 2008, he has served as an Interim Pastor for the East Central Synod.
 
Pastor Ellisen and his wife Cathy have 4 children and 8 grandchildren. They enjoy traveling, golfing, and watching the grandchildren participate in a myriad of sporting events. They also enjoy quiet sunsets at their cottage on the bay outside of Dycksville.

Pastor – Rev. Dennis Tollefson

Pastor Dennis Tollefson is currently retired and lives with his wife Mary in Minnetonka, MN. He has served parishes in Vermillion and Wakonda, SD; Fargo, ND; Madison, WI; Cambridge, MN and Ham Lake, MN.
 
Dennis graduated from St. Olaf College and served three years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He attended Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Dennis and Mary have three married daughters and eight grandchildren.
 
He recently taught 4-hour classes at Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park, MN on “Reformation, Then and Now” and “Homeless Youth Jesus’ Words and You”.
 

Pastor – Rev. Joel Schlachtenhaufen

This is the 17th year Pastor Joel and Susan Schlachtenhaufen have enjoyed coming to Ephraim and Bethany. Pr. Joel is a graduate of Wartburg Seminary. He served in the Lutheran Council/USA in New York City. He then directed Arizona Indian Ministry and the Milwaukee Urban Semester for St. Olaf and Carthage Colleges. He served Wilderness Lutheran Church of the Stockbridge Mohican Community and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Neenah until his retirement in 2007. Susan worked with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services for ten years and then taught German until her retirement.
 
Pr. Joel and Susan have two sons, Steffen and Andrew. Steffen and Melissa are the proud parents of three-year old Felix. Both Pr. Joel and Susan continue to be involved with the Lutheran Church Sibiu/Hermannstadt in Transylvania, Romania.

Pastor – Rev. Joel Schlachtenhaufen

This is the 17th year Pastor Joel and Susan Schlachtenhaufen have enjoyed coming to Ephraim and Bethany. Pr. Joel is a graduate of Wartburg Seminary. He served in the Lutheran Council/USA in New York City. He then directed Arizona Indian Ministry and the Milwaukee Urban Semester for St. Olaf and Carthage Colleges. He served Wilderness Lutheran Church of the Stockbridge Mohican Community and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Neenah until his retirement in 2007. Susan worked with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services for ten years and then taught German until her retirement.
 
Pr. Joel and Susan have two sons, Steffen and Andrew. Steffen and Melissa are the proud parents of three-year old Felix. Both Pr. Joel and Susan continue to be involved with the Lutheran Church Sibiu/Hermannstadt in Transylvania, Romania.

Pastor – Rev. Darin Wiebe

Rev. Darin Wiebe and Rev. Joy Mortensen-Wiebe are graduates of Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. They have served together and separately in their 25 years of ordained ministry. Currently, Rev. Wiebe serves Our Savior Lutheran Church in West Bend, WI where he has been the senior Pastor for the past seven years. Rev. Mortensen-Wiebe currently serves as the Interim Lead Pastor at First Lutheran in Beaver Dam. WI. They have two adult children. Elida works for the Milwaukee symphony orchestra and Julia is currently spending a semester in Central America as part of her studies at Capital University in Bexley, OH.
 
Darin and Joy live out in the country where they enjoy walking their dogs, having campfires, and watching the lightening bugs.

Pastor – Rev. Joy Mortensen-Wiebe

Rev. Darin Wiebe and Rev. Joy Mortensen-Wiebe are graduates of Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. They have served together and separately in their 25 years of ordained ministry. Currently, Rev. Wiebe serves Our Savior Lutheran Church in West Bend, WI where he has been the senior Pastor for the past seven years. Rev. Mortensen-Wiebe currently serves as the Interim Lead Pastor at First Lutheran in Beaver Dam. WI. They have two adult children. Elida works for the Milwaukee symphony orchestra and Julia is currently spending a semester in Central America as part of her studies at Capital University in Bexley, OH.
 
Darin and Joy live out in the country where they enjoy walking their dogs, having campfires, and watching the lightening bugs.