Our Savior’s Lutheran welcomes new pastor
CHRIS PETERSON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 hours, 31 minutes AGO
Pastor Seth Nelson at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church last week.
Chris Peterson is the editor of the Hungry Horse News. He covers Columbia Falls, the Canyon, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. All told, about 4 million acres of the best parts of the planet. He can be reached at editor@hungryhorsenews.com or 406-892-2151. | January 22, 2025 7:35 AM
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls welcomes Seth Nelson as its new pastor. Nelson hails from Faith Lutheran Church in Ronan, where he was pastor for the past 10 years. He joined Our Savior’s last fall and its congregation of about 380 members.
Nelson is originally from Iowa, received a bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso University and his Master’s of Divinity from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.
Nelson, 39 and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, son, Otto, 9, and daughter, Freja, 8. Jennifer is a nurse at Logan Health.
An avid snowboarder and outdoor enthusiast, Nelson said he requested a church in Montana after he graduated from seminary school, which brought him to Ronan.
He replaces longtime Pastor Peter Erickson, who led the church for 17 years, before leaving for a church in Wisconsin last fall.
Nelson has broad knowledge of Biblical scripture and writings, having been trained to translate the Old Testament from Hebrew and the New Testament from Greek while in college.
He’s an author as well, having penned a book entitled “The Church Unknown, Reflections of a Millennial Pastor,” in 2016.
His favorite book of the Bible? Matthew is his favorite gospel, he said, but lately he’s been dwelling on Genesis.
“There’s a lot to unpack in Genesis,” he said, as it speaks to the whole of humanity.
Churches are important places in this day and age and he looks to make Our Savior’s a welcoming place for everyone.
“I feel the church is one of the best places in polarized times to bring people together with different backgrounds, jobs, ideologies, etc.,” he said. “To lay down our differences if only for an hour.”
He speaks of First Corinthians, 13.
“Now faith, hope and love remain and the greatest of those is love,” the verse goes.
When he’s not working, Nelson enjoys snowboarding with fellow pastors and family, camping, hunting, hiking and golfing.
Sunday services are from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and are also streamed and recorded on You Tube and Facebook.
To contact the church, visit its website at: www.oslcmt.org
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