Pastor Steven M. Jacobsen, retired pastor from First Lutheran Church in Decorah, will be presiding at worship services the weekend of October 4-5. Pastor Jacobsen received his B.A. degree from Luther College, his D.Min. from the Lutheran School of Theology-Chicago, and his M.Div. from Luther Seminary-St. Paul. He was senior pastor at First Lutheran from 1995-2010.

Mary Janice “Jan” Reid Berg, 87, died on Thursday, September 18, at the Aase Haugen Home where she had been a resident in recent years. A Celebration of Life memorial service is at 11:00 am, Saturday, September 27, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church with visitation beginning at 10:00. Rev. Richard Simon Hanson will officiate. A luncheon will follow the service in the church’s Fellowship Hall. A private family inurnment at Phelps Cemetery will be held at a later date. Jan and her husband, Warren (1924-2012), and children Paula, Kristin, Kari, Jon Torger, and Erik, were Charter Members of Good Shepherd. From the time of its founding in 1958, the family was deeply involved in the life and leadership of the congregation. To all who knew them – their family, the Luther College and Decorah communities, Scandinavian educators, and the Good Shepherd congregation – Jan and Warren were an enduring team.  The full obituary can be found at decorahnewspapers.com and fjelstul.com.

Good Shepherd’s Supply Pastor Schedule During October:

During the month of October, the following Supply Pastors will be presiding at services at Good Shepherd.  Biographical profiles of these individuals may be found under this tab and on the Good Shepherd Facebook and Google+ sites.

Saturday/Sunday, October 4/5:  Holy Communion – Steven Jacobsen
Saturday/Sunday, October 11/12:  Marion Pruitt-Jefferson
Saturday/Sunday, October 18/19:  Holy Communion – Owen Christianson
Saturday/Sunday, October 25/26:  Marion Pruitt-Jefferson

Rev. April Ulring Larson will continue Good Shepherd’s fall schedule of Supply Pastors by presiding at worship services on Saturday and Sunday, September 27 and 28. Rev. Larson has been in ordained ministry for thirty-six years. She has served in diverse settings, from rural parishes to fulfilling her three-term limit as Bishop of the La Crosse Area Synod where she was elected as the first woman bishop in the ELCA. Rev. Larson has served on several major boards including the board of Lutheran World Relief for eight years, the Board of Regents of Luther College for sixteen years, and the executive committee of the ELCA Conference of Bishops. She recently retired after serving as senior pastor of First Lutheran Church, Duluth, MN. Rev. Larson attended Luther College for two years, then transferred to the the University of Iowa where she earned a B.Mus, degree. She and her husband, Luther grad Rev. Judd Larson, both earned their M. Div. degrees from Wartburg Theological Seminary. They were ordained together in February, 1978.

Photo courtesy of First Lutheran Church, Duluth, MN

JOHN SIEBER, who passed away on Monday, September 15, was a former member of Good Shepherd. Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 20, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Chula Vista, California. John is survived by his wife, Katrinka, daughter Anne Sieber Collingwood, son Hans Sieber, and their families. John graduated from Luther College in 1958 with a BA in Greek. His received his B.Th. from Luther Seminary and his Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University. He taught Religion and Classics at Luther College from 1965 until his retirement in 2000. During his years at Good Shepherd, John served in many capacities including that of supply pastor and Treasurer. Katrinka is at home at 374 Imperial Beach Blvd., Imperial Beach, California 91932.