Service to welcome new Pastor at St. John's

Pastor Greg Hovland will be joining St. John's Lutheran Church on August 16th at 3pm as SR. Pastor with a special service.

Pastor Hovland is a native of the Minnesota/Wisconsin area. He was born in Ashland, WI and and spent his childhood in Duluth, MN, Kasson, MN and Onalaska, WI.  He graduated in May of 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theological Languages with a minor in Theology. Greg went directly to Concordia Seminary, St Louis and spent his vicarage year (internship) at St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Niles, Michigan. Graduating a semester early, he holds a Master of Divinity.
 
On April 6, 1997 Pastor Greg was ordained and installed as pastor of St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Amboy, MN and St Peter’s Lutheran Church, Vernon Center, MN.   Pastor Greg has served as Circuit Counselor for the Mankato Circuit (Minnesota South) and the Winona Circuit (Minnesota South) as well as Voting Delegate for the LCMS synodical convention in Houston, TX (2007). He has completed Mission Planters Institute and Pastoral Leadership Institute training. 
 
Pastor Greg has served on two fire departments during his ministry as a way to be involved in the community: Vernon Center Volunteer Fire Department and La Crescent Fire Department. While serving in the two departments, he held a variety of positions: firefighter, first responder, training officer, assistant chief, chief, and chaplain. He has been involved in multiple large-scale incidents including regional floods that effected southeast Minnesota and multiple search and rescue operations on the Mississippi River. He also received the Valor Award in 2004 for his involvement in a house fire that claimed the lives of two children. He holds training in Pastoral Crisis, Individual, and Group Crisis Intervention.
 
Pastor Greg enjoys fishing and camping. He attempts to golf from time to time. He is a licensed amateur radio operator and is active in local storm spotting. His amateur radio call sign is W9IKU.