Pastor Martin Halom
I began this call at St. John's in October of 2012. My wife Melinda also serves a congregation in New Auburn - Bethel Lutheran. Our three amazing boys (Nicholas, Jaden, and Dylan) have all attended or are attending the Bloomer public schools.
Now in my third call, I have served congregations in Rantoul, IL (American Lutheran) and at Michigan State University (University Lutheran) as an associate pastor. This is my first call as a solo pastor and St. John's has been a perfect place to do so as I serve people with open minds for positive change and renewed energy! I am thrilled to be back in my home state of WI, having grown up near Madison, in Fond du Lac, and finally Racine. I'm thankful that I will no longer receive dirty looks while cheering for the Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Brewers!
I am also involved in community affairs as umpiring for Bloomer Youth Baseball as well as serving on the Mayo Clinic hospital board. And on occasion you might even see this old man playing the trumpet with the high school pep band!
Email: pastormartin@bloomer.net
I began this call at St. John's in October of 2012. My wife Melinda also serves a congregation in New Auburn - Bethel Lutheran. Our three amazing boys (Nicholas, Jaden, and Dylan) have all attended or are attending the Bloomer public schools.
Now in my third call, I have served congregations in Rantoul, IL (American Lutheran) and at Michigan State University (University Lutheran) as an associate pastor. This is my first call as a solo pastor and St. John's has been a perfect place to do so as I serve people with open minds for positive change and renewed energy! I am thrilled to be back in my home state of WI, having grown up near Madison, in Fond du Lac, and finally Racine. I'm thankful that I will no longer receive dirty looks while cheering for the Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Brewers!
I am also involved in community affairs as umpiring for Bloomer Youth Baseball as well as serving on the Mayo Clinic hospital board. And on occasion you might even see this old man playing the trumpet with the high school pep band!
Email: pastormartin@bloomer.net
Victoria Prince-Silvas - Office Manager/Financial Secretary
Having been born and raised in Bloomer, I was anxious to explore the world when I graduated from Bloomer High. I joined the Army National Guard soon after beginning my college education at UW-EC, partly to pay for my education, but also due to a drive to challenge myself beyond which I thought myself capable. Just before graduation in 1990, I was deployed to Saudi Arabia for the first Gulf War, where I served as a combat medic in a field hospital just south of the Iraqi border. Fortunately, this first war was relatively short, and I was able to return six months later and complete my BBA degree with an emphasis in Business Management. I graduated Cum Laude and with many club memberships under my belt.
Now, I was ready to tackle the world, because as I saw it, if I could handle war, the rest of life should be a piece of cake, right? Well, as we all know, life is full of many types of challenges, all of which will test our resolve and our faith, and I have had my share.
After working a short while in Stevens Point and Wausau after graduation, I experienced through my military service, a three week training exercise near Santiago, Panama. This experience, having been in the dead of a bitter Wisconsin winter, lead me to decide to move to a more warm and tropical climate. I moved to sunny South Texas, Corpus Christi, which is on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. This move did serve me well for what it was. I became a successful Real Estate agent, then Broker while obtaining a Master’s Degree in Accounting from Texas A & M - Corpus Christi, where I also graduated with honors.
Then, a major shift occurred; I met my husband Richard, started a family at the age of 39, and within 4 years, knew a move back to Wisconsin was going to happen, sooner rather than later. Both my husband and I knew that Bloomer was a much better place to raise our two children than where we were. So, here we are. We arrived in Bloomer at the end of 2016 where he works in construction and I am now here, at St. John’s as your office manager and financial secretary, grateful for the opportunity to serve this community of believers in any way I can.
stjohnsl-secretarty@bloomer.net
Having been born and raised in Bloomer, I was anxious to explore the world when I graduated from Bloomer High. I joined the Army National Guard soon after beginning my college education at UW-EC, partly to pay for my education, but also due to a drive to challenge myself beyond which I thought myself capable. Just before graduation in 1990, I was deployed to Saudi Arabia for the first Gulf War, where I served as a combat medic in a field hospital just south of the Iraqi border. Fortunately, this first war was relatively short, and I was able to return six months later and complete my BBA degree with an emphasis in Business Management. I graduated Cum Laude and with many club memberships under my belt.
Now, I was ready to tackle the world, because as I saw it, if I could handle war, the rest of life should be a piece of cake, right? Well, as we all know, life is full of many types of challenges, all of which will test our resolve and our faith, and I have had my share.
After working a short while in Stevens Point and Wausau after graduation, I experienced through my military service, a three week training exercise near Santiago, Panama. This experience, having been in the dead of a bitter Wisconsin winter, lead me to decide to move to a more warm and tropical climate. I moved to sunny South Texas, Corpus Christi, which is on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. This move did serve me well for what it was. I became a successful Real Estate agent, then Broker while obtaining a Master’s Degree in Accounting from Texas A & M - Corpus Christi, where I also graduated with honors.
Then, a major shift occurred; I met my husband Richard, started a family at the age of 39, and within 4 years, knew a move back to Wisconsin was going to happen, sooner rather than later. Both my husband and I knew that Bloomer was a much better place to raise our two children than where we were. So, here we are. We arrived in Bloomer at the end of 2016 where he works in construction and I am now here, at St. John’s as your office manager and financial secretary, grateful for the opportunity to serve this community of believers in any way I can.
stjohnsl-secretarty@bloomer.net
Amanda Ritchie - Preschool Administrator/Teacher
Hello. My name is Amanda Ritchie. I will be the new Administrator and one of the teachers for the Preschool at St Johns Lutheran. I grew up just a half hour south of Bloomer in Eau Claire WI, and recently moved to the area with my family. I have a two-year-old son, Emmett with my fiancé Matthew, and two bonus children, Ellie (9) and Easton (5).
I have always had a passion for working with children of all abilities from a very young age. I studied in Social Work for 2 years with UW-Green Bay, and then changed degrees to Early Childhood Education. I graduated from WITC with honors in December 2018 and then continued my education at UW-Stout where I am currently finishing my degree in Special Education.
I have worked in the education field in various positions over the past 8 years, teaching children from infancy up through 7th grade.
I am looking forward to serving the Bloomer community and families of the preschool program this Fall. God bless.
Hello. My name is Amanda Ritchie. I will be the new Administrator and one of the teachers for the Preschool at St Johns Lutheran. I grew up just a half hour south of Bloomer in Eau Claire WI, and recently moved to the area with my family. I have a two-year-old son, Emmett with my fiancé Matthew, and two bonus children, Ellie (9) and Easton (5).
I have always had a passion for working with children of all abilities from a very young age. I studied in Social Work for 2 years with UW-Green Bay, and then changed degrees to Early Childhood Education. I graduated from WITC with honors in December 2018 and then continued my education at UW-Stout where I am currently finishing my degree in Special Education.
I have worked in the education field in various positions over the past 8 years, teaching children from infancy up through 7th grade.
I am looking forward to serving the Bloomer community and families of the preschool program this Fall. God bless.
Jamie Nelson - Preschool Director/Teacher
Hello, my name is Jamie Nelson. It is my honor and pleasure to be a new team member here at St. John's Preschool as the Director/Lead Teacher this upcoming school year. In 2002 I graduated from Bloomer High school. In 2004 I graduated from Chippewa Valley Technical college with my childcare degree to successfully begin my wonderful journey working with children. In 2004 I started working for my mother, Brenda Rogge doing in home Childcare who then opened her own successful Childcare Center, Country Kids Childcare & Preschool in 2007. I worked there as the Director and Preschool Teacher until 2016. In 2016 I began working for the Bloomer School District. I worked with the 4K classroom and within the Special Education Department. In 2021 I went back to my family-owned Childcare Center where I taught the Preschool program this past year. I absolutely love teaching and working with children daily. It is such a blessing and one of the most rewarding careers that I am so fortunate to be a part of. My husband Jeremy and I have two wonderful daughters, Ryleah and River and a yellow lab named Ruger. Some of the hobbies that I enjoy outside of teaching include being outdoors, camping, boating, going for family drives and spending quality time with family and friends. I am looking forward to meeting many new faces this year.
Hello, my name is Jamie Nelson. It is my honor and pleasure to be a new team member here at St. John's Preschool as the Director/Lead Teacher this upcoming school year. In 2002 I graduated from Bloomer High school. In 2004 I graduated from Chippewa Valley Technical college with my childcare degree to successfully begin my wonderful journey working with children. In 2004 I started working for my mother, Brenda Rogge doing in home Childcare who then opened her own successful Childcare Center, Country Kids Childcare & Preschool in 2007. I worked there as the Director and Preschool Teacher until 2016. In 2016 I began working for the Bloomer School District. I worked with the 4K classroom and within the Special Education Department. In 2021 I went back to my family-owned Childcare Center where I taught the Preschool program this past year. I absolutely love teaching and working with children daily. It is such a blessing and one of the most rewarding careers that I am so fortunate to be a part of. My husband Jeremy and I have two wonderful daughters, Ryleah and River and a yellow lab named Ruger. Some of the hobbies that I enjoy outside of teaching include being outdoors, camping, boating, going for family drives and spending quality time with family and friends. I am looking forward to meeting many new faces this year.
Rose Marie Powell - Wednesday Meal Coordinator
I began my work at the church in January of 2015 cooking for the youth.
My husband Tom and I have lived in rural New Auburn for many years. We have five grown children, eleven grand-children, and their partners and eleven great grand-children. All that are very special and make us proud.
I have truly enjoyed cooking for the youth and the senior citizens. Cooking has always been very enjoyable to me. Hopefully the people I serve are pleased with my meals.
In my free time I help at the food pantry. I also do several crafts and enjoy visits from the family. If all else fails I can sit and watch all our kittens playing in the yard. What a beautiful area we live in.
I began my work at the church in January of 2015 cooking for the youth.
My husband Tom and I have lived in rural New Auburn for many years. We have five grown children, eleven grand-children, and their partners and eleven great grand-children. All that are very special and make us proud.
I have truly enjoyed cooking for the youth and the senior citizens. Cooking has always been very enjoyable to me. Hopefully the people I serve are pleased with my meals.
In my free time I help at the food pantry. I also do several crafts and enjoy visits from the family. If all else fails I can sit and watch all our kittens playing in the yard. What a beautiful area we live in.