Interim Lead Pastor Lon Bechtel
Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church is pleased to have
Pastor Lon Bechtel serving as interim lead pastor. Pastor Bechtel began his
interim service with ORLC on October 26, 2009.
Pastor Bechtel served as the lead pastor
at King of Glory Lutheran Church in Boise, Idaho, from 1995
until his retirement earlier in 2009. Prior to serving at King of
Glory, Pastor Lon served at Our Saviors in Great Falls from 1991 to 1995.
Originally from Springfield Missouri, Pastor Bechtel attended seminary at
the Chicago Lutheran School of Theology completing his studies in 1977. He
has served congregations in Kansas City and an inner city congregation on
the north side of Chicago where he served for ten years.
Pastor Bechtel
received training in serving as an interim pastor in 2004 and received his
certification for interim service in 2005. Pastor Lon enjoys reading as
well as outdoor activities of hiking, biking and fly fishing. We will be
welcoming Pastor Lon with the Litany of Welcome on November 8th.
Pastor Lon will be a welcome addition to our ministry team during this
interim period to help guide our transition. He will provide
support and guidance for Pastor Kendra and a welcome help to her to share in
leading our congregation in worship. We appreciate Pastor Lon Bechtel
joining ORLC and look forward to his service.
Associate Pastor Kendra Wilde
Welcome to Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church online! While our website gives you a glimpse of our
ministries and our life together,
we welcome to you join us for worship on Sunday morning or Wednesday evening to be part of our worship community.
As a relatively new member of this congregation and part of the ministry team, my first impressions of the congregation are
still fresh in my mind. I was warmed by the friendliness of the people, their energy during worship and their willingness to
grow and change in response to God's call. When I looked at the church budget, I was impressed by the congregation's commitment
to mission and outreach. And I was amazed by the vibrant life of this community and their commitment to living as faithful
Christians. I am excited to serve God's people here at Our Redeemer's in Helena.
Pastor Kendra Wilde was called from Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, IA, to
Our Redeemer's as her first call in 2008. She is
married to Ben Spiger who is a dentist in Helena. They are both graduates of Carroll College and are very happy to return to
Helena (and the mountains).
As Associate Pastor, Pastor Kendra is a minister of the Word which means calling us to attend to the question:
"What
is God saying to us here and now?" Pastor Kendra considers this question through teaching, preaching, being a spiritual
leader and being an interpreter of our context. Pastor Kendra is also a minister of the Sacraments which calls her to the
responsibility and honor of presiding at worship.
