Pr. Christopher R. Gillespie was ordained into the Office of Holy Ministry on July 25, A+D 2010. He earned a Masters of Divinity in 2009 from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has previously served congregations in Indiana and Chicago. Pastor and his wife, Anne, have been blessed with ten children. He also enjoys roasting coffee, recording choral and chamber music, and producing media for 1517, Doxology, CPH Music, and the LCMS.
Marla Kipp is a 2001 graduate from Concordia University Wisconsin with a B.A. in Lutheran Elementary Education and a minor in Adaptive Education. In 2011 she earned her M.S. in Special Education from Grand Canyon University, AZ. Prior to beginning her ministry at St. John in 2019, Mrs. Kipp previously taught at a Lutheran School in Milwaukee, WI, for 17 years. While there, she taught children of all grades in a resource classroom, in a general education classroom for the middle school grades 6-8, and most recently grade 5. Mrs. Kipp is a Kohl’s Teacher Fellowship nominee. With the 2020-2021 school year, Mrs. Kipp was called as school administrator.
Mrs. Sheryl Polster graduated from Concordia University-Wisconsin in 2003. She doubled majored in Secondary Education and Mathematics with a minor in Theology. Mrs. Polster earned her master’s degree from Viterbo University in LaCrosse in 2009 and holds a lifetime teaching license with the state of Wisconsin. She has taught students from the age of 2 months through seniors in college. She found her passion for teaching while leading the church youth group. She has served on CLYFR and also served as a city counselor for the American Legion Auxiliary Badger Girls State. Her desire is to serve God by serving the young people of our world.
Mr. Stephan Tupper graduated in 2006 from Concordia University-Wisconsin with a BS in justice and Public Policy and minors in History and Theater. He joined St John Lutheran in the spring of 2021. He is currently working on his master’s in Education through Concordia University-Wisconsin. His hobbies include making his children do educational things on vacation and reading numerous books at the same time.
Mariah Larson graduated from Concordia University Wisconsin in 2014 with a dual major in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education and a minor in Theology. Before joining the St. John’s family, she served as the Kindergarten and First-grade teacher at Immanuel Lutheran School in Sheboygan, WI, for six years. She also taught Kindergarten at St. John’s Lutheran School in Glendale, WI. She enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, and crocheting in her free time.
Penny Tupper began her service at St. John in the summer of 2018. Mrs. Penny Tupper earned her associates degree in Early Childhood Education Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in 2021 and has 13 years experience. Mrs. Tupper enjoys spending time with her family and her dog, Gus.
Miss Cora Tischer is currently attending Concordia University Wisconsin to study Early Childhood and Special Education. After she graduates in the spring of 2024, she hopes to teach lower elementary in a high-needs area. She has been working at St. John in a variety of childcare positions since the summer of 2017
Mr. Jim Bichler has his master’s degree and was an Elementary teacher in Nevada for 27 years. He retired and moved back to Wisconsin in December of 2020. Mr. Bechler enjoys spending time at his family cottage on Kettle Moraine Lake. He lived in La Cross for 5 years and worked as a Pharmacy Technician before moving to Nevada. Mr. Bichler’s grandparents, great grandparents, great-great-grandparents, and great-great-great-grandparents were members of St. John.
Ms. Jennifer Gilsdorf graduated from Bryant & Stratton College in 2020 with an associate’s degree in Accounting. She was a stay-at-home mom until November 2020, when she started working at St. John as the secretary. Ms. Gilsdorf enjoys spending time with her son, crocheting, painting, and camping with family.