Pastor

Rev. Paul Pfotenhauer

District: Northern Illinois District        Classification: Ordained Minister

Education:
   Concordia Seminary (LCMS)
   St. Louis, MO
   Master of Divinity 12/31/1992

   Concordia College/University (LCMS)
   St. Paul, MN
   Bachelor of Arts 12/31/1987
      Major: Psychology
      Minor: Religion

Current Assignment: Bethel Lutheran Church, Westmont, IL
Position: Pastor-Sole
Since: 2/28/1999

Pastor Paul grew up in Woodbury, MN (a suburb of St. Paul) where his dad and mom started a mission church, Woodbury Lutheran Church.

After graduating from Woodbury High School in 1983, he attended Concordia St. Paul where he graduated in 1987 with a degree in Psychology.

Pastor Paul loves to snow ski and spent a year in Colorado after college graduation working at Winter Park Ski Resort. He then went to

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO from 1988-1992. During that time, he did a vicarage (internship) at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ridgewood, NJ during the 1990-91 school year.

During his last year at the seminary, he met his wife, Raechel, who was working as a nurse at St. Louis University Hospital at the time. Pastor Paul received his first call into the ministry in April of 1992 to St. James Lutheran and St. Paul Lutheran, Necedah and New Miner, WI.

Pastor Paul and Raechel were married in 1993 in Balboa, Panama where Raechel's parents were living and serving as missionaries.

Pastor Paul has two siblings. His sister, Patra Mueller, lives in California with her husband, Peter. Patra is the director of the Director of Christian Education program at Concordia University Irvine. His brother, Tom, lives in Florida with his wife, Stephanie, and is a pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Boca Raton, FL.

Pastor Paul and Raechel have three children, Micah, Kaleb, and Eli and have enjoyed being at Bethel Lutheran Church since February of 1999. Pastor Paul enjoys being with his family, gardening, skiing, soccer, and a 1979 VW beetle convertible that he restored.