By Lori Carlson, Editor

Peter Strommen comes from a long line of pastors, but when he entered seminary as a young man, he considered it “an experiment.”

Originally considering a career as a college professor or a lawyer, Strommen, who officially accepted the lead pastor position at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church last weekend, said he “got hooked.Rev. Peter Strommen, who
for the last 12 years has
served as bishop of the
Northeastern Minnesota
Synod, will join Shepherd of
the Lake Lutheran Church
as lead pastor on Sept. 1.
(Photo by Lori Carlson)

“It was never a foregone conclusion for me that I was going to be a pastor,” he said.

But with his decision to earn a master of divinity, Strommen kept alive a tradition held by his father, both of his grandfathers and four uncles.

Strommen will begin his work at Shepherd of the Lake, in Prior Lake, on Sept. 1. He’s currently finishing a 12-year run as bishop of the Northeastern Minnesota Synod in Duluth. In the Lutheran church, bishops have term limits. He is finishing his second term at the synod, where he oversaw 150 congregations.

Now, as he goes back to his roots as a pastor, he said he’s ready “to make a transition” in his life.

“This will be the first congregation I’ve moved to where I didn’t have a child coming with me,” he said.

Strommen and his wife, Norma Jean, have three grown children: a son who lives in Tokyo, another son who lives in New York and a daughter who lives in Minneapolis. His wife is a spiritual director who has done work with the Northeastern Minnesota Synod Strommen oversaw. The couple currently is searching for a home in Prior Lake.

Shepherd of the Lake’s call committee, church council and congregation all unanimously agreed Strommen should become the church’s new leader. Church leaders had searched for nearly two years for a replacement for Rev. Stephen Haschig, who resigned in September 2006.

Sue Liebnitz, congregational council president, and Jeff Taxdahl, communications chairman of the church’s call committee, said Strommen’s experience leading large congregations helped him to secure the job. Shepherd of the Lake has about 4,500 members.

Strommen, who grew up in Richfield, said he was drawn to the “intergenerational campus” concept favored by Shepherd of the Lake. The church’s Shepherd’s Path campus includes senior housing and a shelter for at-risk youth, and groundbreaking on a YMCA is scheduled for August.

“I believe the healthiest congregation looks to serve a spread of all ages,” he said.

Strommen said he also looks forward to leading a growing congregation in an ever-expanding community. He said the resignation of Haschig, who resigned after admitting to having an "inappropriate" relationship with a congregation member, has presented some challenges for the church. But he said the health of the congregation hinges on public disclosure. In his experience, he’s had to deal with “tough situations,” he said.

“It’s pretty rare for bishops to not have to deal with those things,” he said.

The call committee’s diligence in finding a new leader appealed to him, Strommen said.

“They were meeting almost weekly, and they listened to the congregation. I appreciate that,” he said.

 Lori Carlson can be reached at (952) 345-6378 or editor@plamerican.com.