RIVER FALLS – Ezekiel Lutheran Church in River Falls has welcomed two new pastors to lead the congregation. While looking for a permanent pastor, Jeff Smith is serving as Interim Associate Pastor, while Paul Svingen steps into the role of Interim Senior Pastor.

Senior Pastor Mark Hall, who served the membership for 10 years, retired in June 2019. Former Diaconal Minister Kim Suhr now leads Trinity Lutheran Church in Hammond.

Smith is originally from Bloomington, Minn. and currently lives in Stillwater, Minn. with his wife and four kids, but he is fairly familiar with western Wisconsin after serving as pastor at English Lutheran Church in the neighboring village of Ellsworth.

Ezekiel Lutheran will host Smith for the next year while the congregation prepares to call a new pastor or pastors, according to Smith. He officially started in the interim position in 2021. After getting to know the community for a few months, he is looking forward to continuing to bring the community together.

“I'm still learning about this community, but so far I love all the activity on Main Street, the blessing of having the University here in town, and just the friendliness of the people; so many people say ‘hi’ as I'm out walking the sidewalks, which isn't necessarily the case in other communities,” Smith said.

Smith has been a pastor at several congregations since 2005, he originally began studying in 1997 at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Since then, he has served at Lutheran churches in Minneapolis, Ham Lake, Minn. and Ellsworth.

Aside from his pastor role at Ezekiel, Smith also works parttime for the Minnesota Air Guard as an Inspector General. Smith has served in the Air Guard for the last 30 years and while studying to become a pastor, he was also actively in Air Force pilot training and went through many deployments.

Smith is quite busy; when not at church or working for the Air Guard part time, he and his wife recently opened up a travel agency.

“Last spring, my wife Kate and I opened a travel agency called Dream Travel by Design. We really enjoy designing amazing vacation experiences all over the world for our clients,” Smith said.

Aside from working, he also keeps busy with his four children.

“We have four kids that range in age from 8-13 and they keep us busy with basketball, scouts, confirmation, Sunday School, swimming lessons and summer camps. My wife, a former public school math teacher, has homeschooled all four of them since preschool as well,” he said.

Smith decided to study to become a pastor while working as a counselor for a Lutheran Bible Camp called Christikon in Billings, Mont.

“My call to ministry came while I was working as a counselor and backpack guide at Christikon, but looking back I can see how God worked through lots of people who influenced my faith and led me on the path to becoming a pastor,” he said.

Once the COVID-19 pandemic begins to settle, Smith hopes to lead a trip to Christikon with the Ezekiel church youth.

“I am hopeful that once this Omicron variant passes, we'll be able to more fully engage the youth of this community with the things that have needed to pause like lock-ins, retreats, and meals together. I'm also looking forward to taking the youth to a place near and dear to my heart and faith – Christikon.”

As Smith goes forward in his new role at Ezekiel, he is looking forward to continuing to lead the congregation and do what he loves.

“I'm excited to see the people of Ezekiel discover who God is calling them and this congregation to be for this community and the world in the years to come.”

The Ezekiel Lutheran Church welcomes Interim Associate Pastor Jeff Smith to the congregation for the next year. Photo courtesy of Jeff Smith