Reverend John F. Selle

Pastor John F. Selle, the son of Rev. and Mrs. (LaVerne) Carl Selle, was born on October 16, 1945, in Chicago Heights, IL. Pastor's grandfather, grandfather’s brother, father, two brothers, three uncles, and a cousin all were, or currently are, Lutheran pastors. After receiving his parochial school elementary education in Reedsburg, WI, he enrolled at Concordia High School and Junior College in Milwaukee, WI, graduating with an A.A. degree in 1965. Two years later, in 1967, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, IN. Pastor Selle obtained his Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, in May of 1971. So, from Kindergarten through his Seminary training, he received 20 years of Lutheran Christian education. This is a rather unusual fact in this day and time.

The first of two vicarages was a summer assignment, in 1968, in Lancaster, PA, at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church under the tutelage of Rev. Samuel S. Shore. A full year of vicarage was in Houston, TX, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, under the watchful eye of Rev. Elmo Miertschin, in 1969-70.

On March 8, 1969, Pastor Selle was united in marriage to Cheryl Suhling of Kampsville, IL. Cheryl, a registered nurse, is a graduate of Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing in St. Louis. She is now retired after 45 years of experience in her field.

The Selle Family consists of four adult children and nine grandchildren (with one on the way). Tina (Joe) Hamilton, son, Jacob, and daughter, Grace, live in Austin. Tina works for the Livestrong Foundation as the Director, Foundation Relations and Grants. Jon (Julissa) and their two children, Alba and Matthias, have lived in Columbia, Ecuador, Poland, and the Republic of Georgia. Jon is an employee of the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Service officer. His next assignment will be three years in Ljubljana, Slovenia 2014-2017!

Then, there follow the twins, who topped the scales at 8# and 9# at birth – a record for the State of Wisconsin in 1976. An interesting sidelight is that they were baptized on July 4th, 1976 – a true bicentennial baptism. Juli (Ryan) Richter, and Braeden, Madison, and Dashiell, live in Round Rock. Juli is an underwriter for the global insurance company, ING. Tami (Chris) MacDonald live in Austin. Tami is a registered nurse. They currently have two boys, Aidan and Alister, but their third child is due in November, 2014.

Before graduation, Pastor Selle served a summer vicarage in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and a year-long vicarage at Immanuel Lutheran in Houston, TX. Since graduation, he has served Salem Lutheran Church in rural Navasota (White Hall), TX from 1971-1975; Our Savior Lutheran Church in Burlington, WI from 1975-1980; St. Paul Lutheran Church in Magnolia, TX from 1980-1986; and now at Faith, Georgetown since 1986.

Pastor has been active during his ministry in the Lutheran Women's Missionary League, serving on both the Zone and District levels. He enjoys writing hymns and creating worship services. In 2013, hundreds of these hymns were compiled into a book entitled, “Songs for all Seasons.”

His special joy is serving in the ministry of visitation. For over forty years, he has conducted nursing home ministries, along with two decades of volunteer hospital chaplaincy at St. David’s Hospital in Georgetown. Personally, his hobbies include yard work, birding, and walking. For many years, he walked trips of varying lengths (25-50 miles) to raise money for Faith’s youth to be able to go on mission trips throughout the U.S. and Mexico.

Pastor Selle and Cheryl make their home in Village II Georgetown, just a mile east of the church.

Pastor Selle’s motto is his Confirmation memory verse: "I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that abides in Me and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

On September 11, 2011, Pastor Selle was extended a call to trade hats with Pastor Pohland and take on the role of Associate Pastor at Faith. Pastor Pohland became the Senior Pastor. On July 1, 2015 Pastor Selle will step down from this current position and become Faith’s first part-time Visitation Pastor. SOLI DEO GLORIA