Meet our Pastor

Rev. Michael (“Mick”) Mathews was born and grew up in San Bernardino, CA. His family was active at church, especially Sunday school and church choir. He attended private Christian schools, graduating high school from Arrowhead Christian Academy, Redlands, CA, in 1984.

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He headed to college at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA, to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering, but changed directions to graduate with a B.S. degree in Applied Psychology from Georgia Tech in 1989.

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God used his participation in the Lutheran campus ministry at Georgia Tech to steer him toward attending Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, with an interest in campus ministry. For his vicarage (internship) year in seminary, he went to First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, FL, to lead the campus ministry there at the University of Florida for the year. He then received his M.Div. degree in 1993, and was ordained as a pastor at Campus Lutheran Chapel, Mankato, MN, in 1994. He served as a campus pastor in Mankato for 5 years, and enjoyed helping college students grow in their faith during that critical part of their life.

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But after that time, he was growing more interested in being a pastor to people of all age ranges, which led him to accept a call in 1999 to serve the dual parish of First Lutheran Church, Waldorf, MN, and St. John’s Lutheran Church, Minnesota Lake, MN. As he served there for 24 years, he had the opportunity to see some of the babies he baptized grow up to be young adults, and some who were parents when he came eventually become grandparents.

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Pastor Mathews is excited about the opportunity God has given him to serve the community  of God’s people as the pastor of Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church.

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Pastor Mathews enjoys singing and has participated in many church, school, and community choirs, including choir tours to Germany, Austria, and many U.S. states. He also enjoys reading, hiking, camping, and travel.