A Legacy of Faithful Leadership
Over the past 178 years, Norway Grove Memorial Lutheran Church has been blessed with the leadership of 33 pastors. Each brought unique gifts and a faithful spirit, part of our congregation’s story through the generations. We give thanks for their dedication and the ways they have guided us in faith.
Pastor Dietrichson
Shortly after New Years of 1847, the Norwegian settlers from Norway Grove, Spring Prairie, and Bonnet Prairie invited J. W. C. Dietrichson, pastor at Koshkonong Lutheran church, to come and conduct services and to baptize their children. He accepted this invitation and preached to them. Three weeks later he returned and organized the Norwegian Lutheran Congregation of Norway Grove.
At a service in April of 1850, Pastor Dietrichson preached his farewell sermon before returning to Norway to secure a pastor for the Norway Grove parish.
The Preus Pastors of Norway Grove
Among the many pastors who have served Norway Grove, the Preus family holds a special place in our story—four generations of their pastors shepherded this congregation, leaving a lasting imprint of faith and dedication.
The Rev. A. C. Preus who succeed Dietrichson at Koshkonong, also served the congregation while they awaited the pastor from Norway. In August of 1851 the Rev. H. A. Preus, the son of Adolph C. Preus, preached his first sermon in Norway Grove. It would be another 25 years before the next Preus would preside over the church. In 1876, H. A. Preus had the joy of ordaining his oldest son, C. K. Preus, who had become his father’s assistant. This relation continued for several years when the order was reversed, and the son became the responsible pastor and the father then assistant.
In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the pastors of Norway Grove had multiple assistants. It was during this time another Preus (or two) would preside as assistants over the congregation, however, very little information is available regarding Rev. J. W. Preus and Rev. O. J. H. Preus.
The Preus family had a strong religious heritage with a history and tradition of religious involvement and leadership beyond Norway Grove.
Full list of Pastors who have served Norway Grove since 1847:
| Year | Pastor Name |
|---|---|
| 1847 | Pastor J.W.C. Dietrickson |
| 1851 | Rev. A.C. Preus |
| 1851 | Rev. Herman Amberg (H.A.) Preus |
| 1866 | Pastor Kristian Magellsen |
| 1872 | Pastor Anders T. Vinnor (died after one year) |
| 1873 | Pastor Adolph Bredeson (1876) |
| 1876 | Pastor Christian K. Preus (ordained by his father H.A. Preus) |
| 1883 | Pastor S. Gunderson (1890) |
| 1890 | Pastor Krostus (Part-time) |
| 1891 | Pastor Otto Baker (Died 1897) |
| 1897 | Olaf Guildseth (50th Celebration, became ill, released) |
| 1901 | Rev. J.A. Aasguard (resigned 1911) |
| 1911 | Rev. N. Stubkjarr (1918) |
| 1918 | Pastor J.O. Hougen (served 3 months) |
| 1918 | Rev. J. W. Preus (total of 70 years by Preus family) and Rev. Lauritzs S.J. Reque |
| 1927 | Rev. J.O. Tweeten |
| 1944 | Rev. P.J. Johnson (Served 8 months) |
| 1944 | Rev. Axel Anderson |
Norway Grove Memorial Pastors
| Year | Pastor Name |
|---|---|
| 1950 | Walter H. Kampen (died 1956) First Minister in Norway Grove Memorial Lutheran Church |
| 1957 | Dr. Paul Schubert |
| 1960 | Rev. Eugene Pfieffer |
| 1965 | Dr. Charles A Puls (interim) |
| 1966 | Curtis W. Wiberg |
| 1968 | Pastor Keith Landers (done 1984) |
| 1985 | Pastor Kathryn (Groenewold) Franzenburg |
| 1988 | Pastor Robert Anderson (interim) |
| 1994 | Pastor JoAnn Fabie (interim) |
| 1994 | Pastor Paul Markquart |
| 2002 | Pastor Lisa Shank (co-Pastor-resigned 2004) |
| 2005 | Pastor Brad Pohlman (interim) |
| 2006 | Pastor Kathryn Ulrich |
| 2007 | Rev. Durwood (Bud) Buchheim (joined Norway Grove and served as Interim Pastor) |
| 2010 | Pastor Bud Buchheim (interim) |
| 2010 | Pastor JoAnn Fabie (interim) |
| 2011 | Pastor Ron Strobel |
| 2015 | Pastor Dean Natterstad (interim) |
| 2016 | Pastor Sara Gillespie (interim) |
| 2016 | Pastor Stacy Gahlman Schroeder |
| 2024 | Pastor Carol Baumgartner (interim) |