Our Story
Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church of Holmen was established as a preaching station and then dual parish with Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church of Galesville. Services in Holmen began in July of 1976, and were held in the basement of the bank of Holmen (now Park Bank). Initially area pastors and Luther High staff conducted services under the coordination of Pastor James Mumm of St. Paul’s Onalaska who was instrumental in achieving the exploratory status for the two congregations.
On May 17, 1977, Pastor Donald Swartz received the call to serve the dual parish. Other pastors who have since served the congregation include Rev. Joel Suckow, Rev. Andrew Bauer, Rev. Daniel Schoeffel, Rev. Nathan Strutz , Rev. Joe Christina, who was the first pastor called to solely serve Good Shepherd, Pastor Shaun Arndt, and Pastor Jonathan P. Kruschel, who served Good Shepherd until March of 2022 when he accepted a call to another congregation. Pastor Gregory Pope was installed as our new pastor in December 2022.
Today Good Shepherd is located on approximately three acres of property at 1500 Sand Lake Road in Holmen, Wisconsin. The property was purchased in 1983. A parsonage was constructed in 1985 and in 1986 the construction and dedication of a Worship/Education/Fellowship building took place. At the time of the construction the congregation’s membership consisted of 83 souls. In September of 2000, the congregation began construction of a new sanctuary for worship, education wing, offices and expanded fellowship hall incorporating the original building. In July of 2007, the congregation celebrated 30 years of God’s blessings with a worship service focused on our Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ who laid down his life to save the lost sheep (John 10). As of January 2011, membership at Good Shepherd was 418 baptized souls, 313 communicant.
A pre-school program originated in the fall of 1992 and continues to this day serving both members and non-members as a tool of proclaiming Christ and reaching the un-churched. Little Lamb Preschool is now a state certified preschool that runs full time with four sections of three and four year olds. Mrs. Lisa Carlson is the certified preschool teacher. Children from Good Shepherd attend the Lutheran elementary schools of St. Paul’s, Onalaska and First Lutheran, La Crosse. Good Shepherd is also a member of the Luther High School Federation.