About Us
Congregation History
Martin Luther began on July 22, 1917 with the installation of Pastor E. Arnold Sitz. Eight families formed the new Lutheran church. In October 1917 an existing church, parish hall, and parsonage were purchased. The early years were a struggle with pastoral changes and families coming and going. In 1918 Pastor Sitz resigned due to poor health and was replaced by Pastor Martin J. Nommensen who served until 1923.
By 1928 the church was self-supporting and had one hundred seventy-eight communicants. Pastor Herold Kleinhans served Martin Luther for almost fifty years, from 1924 to 1971. His pastorate was a time of growth, causing the church to plan expansion to a new location. In 1954 the property where the present church and school stand was purchased. Construction of the new church began in 1959 with dedication in December 1960.
After Pastor Kleinhans' death the congregation called Daniel E. Habeck. In 1985 the church installed Pastor Stephen B. Sauer as an associate pastor; he served until 1993. In 1994 Pastor Jeffrey A. Berg was called as co-pastor and acting principal to the growing Christian Day School. In 2004 Pastor Nathan Ericson was called as co-pastor at Martin Luther and also as Pastor for the Campus House at the University in Oshkosh.
The Christian Day School was started in the church basement in 1991. Construction of the current thirteen-room school, gymnasium, office space, extended narthex, and elevator began in 1995 with dedication in September 1996. The building of the school was the result of the members' desire to feed the lambs of the Lord and reach out to the community with the Word of our Lord. In 1999 the Christian Day School had a student enrollment of one hundred twenty-five. The congregation thanks the Lord for the opportunity to be the second Wisconsin Synod church in Oshkosh with a Christian Day School. The rapid growth of the school provides the church with a mission to expand God's truth to the north and west of Oshkosh. The current school staff is Mr. Steve Hennig, Principal and Teacher of grades 5 and 6; Mr. Nathan Schulmeister, Teacher of grades 7 and 8; Mr. Brad Evers, Teacher of 4th grade; Mrs. Christine Evers, Teacher of 3rd grade; Mrs. Amy Busse, Teacher of 2nd Grade; Mrs. Naomi Strusz, Teacher of 1st Grade; Mrs. Connie Frederickson, Kindergarten Teacher; Mrs. Karen Berg, Pre-K 3 to 4; Mrs. Becky Korthals, Resource Teacher and Gail Bates, Secretary.
Hearing assistance with our Hearing Loop
At Martin Luther, hearing aid users can "tune in" directly to the service using their hearing aids' telecoil setting (if equipped). In this way, hearing aid users receive the audio of the service in a way that is adjusted for their specific hearing needs. This is accomplished through the hearing loop installed in our church sanctuary.
Are you interested in learing more about hearing loops? Here are some steps you can take:
- talk to your audiologist about whether your hearing aids are equipped for use in a hearing loop
- give us at Martin Luther a call or send us an email with questions on hearing loops for churches
- visit http://www.foxvalleyhearingloop.com for more information on hearing loop installation
- visit http://www.hearingloop.org for more information on hearing loop technology
Our hearing loop users report being very satisfied with the experience, and being able to hear much better than they had using only their hearing aids' microphone setting. Talk to your audiologist and then give our hearing loop a try, or ask about having a hearing loop installed where you live or worship.
Interior View
Mission Statement
Growing in Faith . . . Going in Faith
F . . . Find the lost.
Seek out, go out, and share the Good News of Jesus to lead sinners to lead sinners to faith in Christ for life and salvation.
A . . . Assimilate the found.
Gather and involve people for the support and encouragement that the living, active body of Christ is to provide
I . . . Instruct for life.
Teach, train and equip people with the unchanging truths of God's Word for life and living now and in eternity.
T . . . Testify that Christ is the Savior of all.
Provide opportunities for faith to grow through Word and sacrament and be expressed in prayer, praise and thanksgiving.
H . . . Handle God's blessings for God's glory.
Share ourselves and our resources with each other, our community and our world as God has given himself to us.
Pastor Berg
 Jeff Berg Pastor |
Pastor Berg is a native of LaCrosse, Wisconsin born January 28, 1953 to Angus and Betty Berg. He received baptism and confirmation at Mount Calvary Lutheran in LaCrosse. He attended Mount Calvary Lutheran Day School and Onalaska Lutheran High School graduating in 1971. From 1971 to 1976 he attended and graduated from Northwestern College in Watertown, Wisconsin. He attended Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, WI from 1976 to 1980. On June 18, 1978 Pastor Berg and Karen Schlicht of LaCrosse, WI were united in marriage at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, LaCrosse, WI. During his vicar year at the Seminary he served at Bethlehem Lutheran, Oshkosh WI. (1978 - 1979). Upon graduating from the Seminary he was assigned in 1980 to St. John's Lutheran of Vesta, MN. In June 1984 he accepted a call to serve Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church and School at Menomonee Falls, WI. He served at Pilgrim until June, 1994 when he accepted the call to be Co-Pastor and Acting Principal at Martin Luther, Oshkosh, WI. When Martin Luther called a Principal beginning with the 1996-1997 school year, Pastor Berg concentrated on the pastoral ministry at Martin Luther. The Lord has blessed the Bergs with seven children. Karen Berg is the Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Martin Luther, Oshkosh. Pastor Berg has served the Synod on various Circuit and District committees and taught one year as an emergency religion teacher at Kettle Moraine Luther High School, Jackson, WI.
Pastor Ericson
 Nathan Ericson Pastor |
Pastor Nathan Ericson has served at Martin Luther since receiving the divine call to serve here in 2004.
Originally from Cannon Falls, Minnesota, he attended Saint Paul's Lutheran Elementary School in Cannon Falls and Saint Croix Lutheran High School in West St. Paul, MN. He attended college at Northwestern College in Watertown, WI and Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry from Martin Luther College in 1998. He served his vicar year of seminary at Redemer Lutheran Church, Tucson, AZ, in 2000-01. He went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and be ordained into the ministry in 2002. He served at Martin Luther College, supervising a dormitory, preaching in the chapel, and teaching courses in Computer Applications and Greek, from 2002 to 2004 before being called to Martin Luther.
Pastor Ericson and his wife Joanna have two daughters and are expecting a third child in the spring of 2011.
Pastor Ericson also serves as pastor of the UW-Oshkosh campus ministry, where he holds weekly chapel services and Bible studies during the school year and counsels students with God's Word.
To contact Pastor Ericson, use our contact page or call the church office at 920-235-1612, extension 22.
Worship Times
Regular Schedule
Saturdays, 5:30 p.m.
Sundays, 8:00 and 10:30 a.m.
Sunday School and Bible Class, 9:10 a.m.
Summer Schedule
Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend
Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.
Saturdays, 5:30 p.m.
Sundays, 9:00 a.m.
Bible Class, 10:10 a.m.