Good Shepherd Welcomes Pastor Shelley Wickstrom!

by Pastor Carol Tomer

Pastor Shelley Wickstrom joined our Good Shepherd staff on May 14!  She is serving among us as our full-time Bridge Pastor.  Bridge Pastors are not the same as Interim Pastors. Interim pastors facilitate a congregation’s self-study through history and assessment, and look for the dusty practices or attitudes in the congregation’s corners.  Her role is to bridge the gap in staffing to support our ongoing work.

She comes to us from Anchorage, Alaska, where she served for twelve years as the synod bishop before retiring in July of 2024.  In April, 2025, the synod assembly named her Bishop Emerita.  Prior to serving in that role, she served congregations in Alaska and Montana, as well as Region 1 as the Coordinator for Ministry Leadership.

Pastor Shelley will be helping Good Shepherd in a variety of ways.  She will be preaching, presiding, and sharing in pastoral care. She will be helping us in our work to shape the next staffing plan for Good Shepherd.  She will be helping us to navigate the journey toward our Good Courage 2.0 Fund Campaign. She will provide support for our children, youth, and family ministries interim staff and lay leaders.  And she will also provide staff support for these ministry teams:  Climate Shepherds, Hospitality and Fellowship, LGBTQIA+.