About Our Church
St. Matthew has hosted a seminarian as our Vicar every year since 1986. In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, candidates for ministry attend a four-year post graduate seminary in preparation for the ordained ministry of Word and Sacrament. Typically, the third year of that program is spent in an internship at a parish under the supervision of an established pastor.
Our student interns have come from all over the country, and are serving across the ELCA. St. Matthew has provided a consistent and encouraging environment for these interns to grow, learn, practice, try new things, and reflect on their gifts, strengths and growing edges as they prepare to serve the wider church. While each Vicar is with us, they work along side an Intern Committee; a group of individuals from St. Matthew who help welcome the intern into our community and reflect on the ministry they bring to us.
There are also four times during the year with us, that both the intern and supervisor participate in the Intern Cluster of the New England Synod as part of their ongoing studies and training. Currently, we are working with the Contextual Leadership Initiative; a pairing of Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkley, CA..
St. Matthew Interns...Where are they now?| 1986-1987 | Rev. Doug Ogden | Lebanon Lutheran Church, Whitehall, MN |
| 1987-1988 | Rev. Diane Wildow | Zion Lutheran Church, Brooklyn, NY |
| 1988-1989 | Lynne Laval-Yeh | Counselor in MA |
| 1989-1990 | Rev. Julie-Haspel-Schoenfeld | Immanuel Lutheran Church, Attleboro, MA |
| 1990-1991 | Tim Stevens | Secular work, IL |
| 1991-1992 | Rev. Shannon Anderson | Central Lutheran Church, Seattle, WA |
| 1992-1993 | Rev. Ruth Boettcher | Interim Pastor, NE |
| 1993-1994 | Rev. Chuck Tritton | All Saints Lutheran Church, Eagan, MN |
| 1994-1995 | Rev. Darren Paulson | First Lutheran Church, Lake City, MN |
| 1995-1996 | Rev. Marcia (Thorkelson) | Rosa Blane, MN |
| 1996-1997 | Rev. Jill (Witte) Doherty | First Lutheran Church, Portland, ME |
| 1997-1998 | Rev. Richard Krammer | Graduate Studies, Luther Seminary, MN |
| 1998-1999 | Rev. Sid Bohls | St. Paul Lutheran Church, Mason City, IA |
| 1999-2000 | Rev Genelle (Genkinger) Netland | Calvary Lutheran Church Bemidji, MN |
| 2000-2001 | Rev. Geoff Sinibaldo | St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Avon, CT |
| 2001-2002 | Rev. Patrick Sipes | Zion and St. Paul’s Lutheran Churches, Selinsgrove, PA |
| 2002-2003 | Rev. Dana (Pukrop) Jackson | Mount Hope Lutheran Church, West Allis, WI |
| 2003-2004 | Rev. Heather Stenberg | Reformation Lutheran Church, Absecon, NJ |
| 2004-2005 | Rev. Rachel (Oldfather) Stout | Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN |
| 2005-2006 | Jason Burggraff | First Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, SD |
| 2006-2007 | Adrian Bonaro | Student at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary |
| 2007-2008 | Mark Orf | Present intern, Luther Seminary |
If you have questions regarding our ministry to the wider church through our Internship program, please contact one of the pastors.
If you are currently discerning your own call to ministry; either in your daily life or are thinking about seminary, please contact one of the pastors. You may also find the following Resources helpful.