Weekly Updates

Pastor - Rev. Clare Cheney Sedlacek

Pastor Clare Cheney Sedlacek is the pastor at Dr. Martin Luther Church in Oconomowoc. She is a graduate of Oconomowoc High School and the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Pastor Clare has previously been a high school teacher and coach and also worked in the television industry.

She received a Master of Arts degree in Children, Youth, and Family Ministry from Luther Seminary in 2010, and served as the Children’s Ministry Director at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Wisconsin for eleven years.

Pastor Clare graduated from Luther Seminary in May of 2020 with a Master of Divinity. Prior to being ordained, she served as Bridge Pastor for Living Hope Lutheran and Christ the King Lutheran in Ozaukee County. She was ordained and installed at Dr. Martin Luther Church in Oconomowoc on May 22, 2021.

Pastor Clare and her husband Jim, an elementary physical education teacher, reside in Oconomowoc. Their daughter, Anne, graduated from Luther College in 2023, is a graduate student at Georgia State University seeking a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance.

Pastor - Rev. Gerald Mansholt

Pastor Jerry Mansholt is currently serving as Interim Senior Pastor at First United Lutheran Church, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the city known affectionately as the Malibu of the Midwest. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Wartburg Seminary and on the Board of the We Raise Foundation. Formerly known as Wheat Ridge, We Raise partners with Christian ministries to free people from poverty, violence and inequality. Jerry served as parish pastor in Oklahoma, St. Louis, and Wichita, Kansas. Later he served as bishop, both in the ELCA Central States Synod (Missouri/Kansas) and the ELCA East Central Synod of Wisconsin. Since leaving the office of bishop Jerry has served as interim pastor in Mandeville, Louisiana and Green Bay. Pastor Jerry and Anita live in Appleton, Wisconsin and are members of First English Lutheran Church.

Pastor - Rev. Gerald Mansholt

Pastor Jerry Mansholt is currently serving as Interim Senior Pastor at First United Lutheran Church, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the city known affectionately as the Malibu of the Midwest. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Wartburg Seminary and on the Board of the We Raise Foundation. Formerly known as Wheat Ridge, We Raise partners with Christian ministries to free people from poverty, violence and inequality. Jerry served as parish pastor in Oklahoma, St. Louis, and Wichita, Kansas. Later he served as bishop, both in the ELCA Central States Synod (Missouri/Kansas) and the ELCA East Central Synod of Wisconsin. Since leaving the office of bishop Jerry has served as interim pastor in Mandeville, Louisiana and Green Bay. Pastor Jerry and Anita live in Appleton, Wisconsin and are members of First English Lutheran Church.

Pastor - Rev. John Rollefson

John Rollefson, a native of Oconomowoc is a farm boy brought up in a little Norwegian congregation that was founded in 1844. He is a graduate of Luther College and Yale Divinity School and has served urban and campus congregations in San Francisco, Milwaukee, Ann Arbor and Los Angeles with interims in Solvang and London. He is married to Ruth Gordon, a retired public school vocal music teacher and church musician, with whom he recently celebrated his 50th anniversary of marriage. They live in retirement in San Luis Obispo, CA where they enjoy tennis, golf, hiking, travel, wine tasting and concert–going. They are the parents of two sons: Griff, a professor of musicology who with his wife Mary and two children, Augie and Zadie, live in Cork, Ireland where he and Mary teach at University College, Cork; and Jake, a sales executive with Pandora/Sirius, who with his wife Julianne and two children George and Andrew, live in Shorewood, WI. Julianne has now graduated from her program in counseling at UW-Milwaukee and has opened a grief counseling practice.

Pastor - Rev. John Rollefson

John Rollefson, a native of Oconomowoc is a farm boy brought up in a little Norwegian congregation that was founded in 1844. He is a graduate of Luther College and Yale Divinity School and has served urban and campus congregations in San Francisco, Milwaukee, Ann Arbor and Los Angeles with interims in Solvang and London. He is married to Ruth Gordon, a retired public school vocal music teacher and church musician, with whom he recently celebrated his 50th anniversary of marriage. They live in retirement in San Luis Obispo, CA where they enjoy tennis, golf, hiking, travel, wine tasting and concert–going. They are the parents of two sons: Griff, a professor of musicology who with his wife Mary and two children, Augie and Zadie, live in Cork, Ireland where he and Mary teach at University College, Cork; and Jake, a sales executive with Pandora/Sirius, who with his wife Julianne and two children George and Andrew, live in Shorewood, WI. Julianne has now graduated from her program in counseling at UW-Milwaukee and has opened a grief counseling practice.

Pastor - Rev. Larry Pinnow

Pastor Larry Pinnow grew up on a farm south of Brodhead, WI. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Luther College, Bachelor of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, a Master of Sacred Theology and a Doctor of Ministry from Wartburg Seminary.

Larry served congregations in Racine, Monroe and Madison. Since retirement he has served 12 congregations as an Interim.

Larry has been married to Mary for 31 years. He has three children with his first wife who died of cancer, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

He loves to read history, travel and enjoy their house on the north side of Madison.

Pastor - Rev. Larry Pinnow

Pastor Larry Pinnow grew up on a farm south of Brodhead, WI. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Luther College, Bachelor of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, a Master of Sacred Theology and a Doctor of Ministry from Wartburg Seminary.

Larry served congregations in Racine, Monroe and Madison. Since retirement he has served 12 congregations as an Interim.

Larry has been married to Mary for 31 years. He has three children with his first wife who died of cancer, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

He loves to read history, travel and enjoy their house on the north side of Madison.

Pastor - Rev. Harold Usgaard

Rev. Harold “Huck” is a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He holds degrees from Luther College and Luther Seminary, and was ordained a pastor in 1973.

He served as a pastor at Zumbro Lutheran in Rochester, MN; Mt. Hope Lutheran in West Allis, WI; and St. Olaf Lutheran in Austin, MN. Between 2001 and 2013, Huck was elected to two terms as Bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod. Prior to retirement in 2018, he served as Assistant to the President for Church Relations at Portico Benefit Services, a ministry of the ELCA.

Huck and his wife, Lynette, live in Rosemount, MN, with their three adult children and three grandsons living close by… perfect for attending games, concerts, family gatherings, and dog sitting.

Bethany Lutheran and Door County have been a valued summer experience for the whole family over a number of years. Activities shared and relationships renewed have been a blessing.

Pastor - Rev. Harold Usgaard

Rev. Harold “Huck” is a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He holds degrees from Luther College and Luther Seminary, and was ordained a pastor in 1973.

He served as a pastor at Zumbro Lutheran in Rochester, MN; Mt. Hope Lutheran in West Allis, WI; and St. Olaf Lutheran in Austin, MN. Between 2001 and 2013, Huck was elected to two terms as Bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod. Prior to retirement in 2018, he served as Assistant to the President for Church Relations at Portico Benefit Services, a ministry of the ELCA.

Huck and his wife, Lynette, live in Rosemount, MN, with their three adult children and three grandsons living close by… perfect for attending games, concerts, family gatherings, and dog sitting.

Bethany Lutheran and Door County have been a valued summer experience for the whole family over a number of years. Activities shared and relationships renewed have been a blessing.

Pastor - Rev. Peter Strommen

Rev Peter Strommen has served congregations in Oldham, SD, First Lutheran Church (Sioux Falls), First Lutheran Church (Duluth), Bishop of NE Minnesota Synod from 1996-2008, Shepherd of the Lake (Prior Lake, MN ) as well as interim pastorates at St. Stephen (Marshall, MN), Bethel (Madison, WI), St. John (Jamestown, ND), Trinity (Owatonna, MN), Bethlehem (St. Cloud, MN), and Zumbro (Rochester, MN).

Peter is married to Norma Jean. They have three children and six grandchildren.

He received his B.A. from Augsburg College and MDiv from Yale Divinity and Luther Seminary as well CPE chaplaincy residencies at Methodist Hospital, Minneapolis. He is currently enjoying his 4th retirement.