Pastor Ben Schaefer
Greetings and peace to you in Jesus Christ! Thanks for checking out our website. My family and I are blessed to call Redding home. The beautiful scenery, the outdoor activities, the great people, and best of all--a warm, loving family of believers at Mount Calvary! My wife Anna and I have five beautiful, vibrant daughters: Ruth, Dorothea, Vivian, Alice, and Louisa. (Yes, we have lots of pink in my house and our hands are full!) Anna is an organizing genius who keeps our household in loving order, filled with music and song. She also serves as a teacher for our Academy.
In my spare time, I enjoy taking my wife and daughters on dates, reading, playing any competitive sport or game, studying history, drinking coffee (lots of coffee), traveling, getting to know people, and helping people grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. I look forward to learning your story.
Ministry Training: B.A. from Martin Luther College 2005
Vicar in Mission at Shepherd of the Mountains, Reno, Nevada (2007-2008)
Master's of Divinity from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary 2009 (M.Div.)
Master's of Systematic Theology from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary 2020 (STM)
Ministry Experience:
Administrative Pastor at First German Lutheran Church, Manitowoc, WI (2009-2018)
Pastor at Mt. Calvary since Fall 2018
Papers by Pastor Schaefer Thesis Paper on Lutherans & the Woman Suffrage Movement - CLICK HERE Symposium on Martin Luther's 1520 Treatises - CLICK HERE. Historical Paper on the Synodical Conference and WELS-LCMS Today - CLICK HERE A Study of Habbakuk 2:1-4 “Reformation Wrestling” - CLICK HERE A Study of 2 Peter 3:1-13 – End Times and the Christian - CLICK HERE
Email Pastor Schaefer by clicking HERE.
Deacon Tom Benzing
Tom Benzing grew up in Calmar, Iowa, a small town in northeast Iowa. After high school he attended Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minnesota. There he met his wife, Chris. They were married in Douglas, Arizona, on the Mexican border, in 1979. Tom and Chris have four children: Heather and her family live in New Mexico; Jason and his family live in Utah; Melissa and her family live in Wisconsin; and Isaac and his family live in Minnesota. Along with the blessings of their children and their spouses, Tom and Chris have eleven grandchildren. God has certainly blessed their family!After retiring from the Air Force in 2002, Tom finished the certification classes for Staff Ministry in the WELS. In 2004 he was called as a “tent minister” to St. Stephen Lutheran in Fallbrook, California. After serving for three years, he was called to Christ the Vine Lutheran in Temecula, California. During the housing crash in 2008, the Benzings moved to Odessa, Texas and worked in the 911 center there. Tom served as a “tent minister” again in Odessa’s sister city, Midland, Texas at Good Shepherd Lutheran. In 2016 Tom was called to serve as Staff Minister and Church Administrator at St. Paul’s in New Ulm, Minnesota. Tom recently said, “I am excited to serve here in Anderson and Redding. I look forward to meeting all of you and getting to know you. I love teaching Bible classes, leading worship, and ministering to the needs of fellow Christians.”
Ministry Training: B.A. from Martin Luther College 2004
Ministry Experience:
St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Fallbrook, CA
Christ the Vine Lutheran Church, Temecula, CA
Good Shepherd Lutheran, Midland, TX
St. Paul's Lutheran Church, New Ulm, MN
Email Deacon Benzing by clicking HERE.
Our Elected Church Board Leaders
Our congregation seeks to glorify God by using our gifts to serve him and our neighbor. Certain qualified and capable men have been asked to serve in an official capacity as part of our Church Board and as Elders within our congregation. Each member of the Church Board oversees a different aspect of our work and each Elder oversees the individual souls of our congregation. Pray for these men, support them, and work alongside them for the good of Christ's kingdom!
Church President - Randal Burris
Vice President - Ken Field
Secretary - Lars Norine
Treasurer - Gene Jenkins
Financial Secretary - Rob Griffith
School Board Chairman - Greg Ulloa
Evangelism Board Chairman - Jeff Mitchell
Property Board Chairman - Mike Behling
Church Elders: Dale Streetman, Gene Jenkins,Tony Van Boekel, Jeff Mitchell, Jonz Norine, Keith Ones