Pastor Thomas Mueller and his wife Bobbie
Thomas P. Mueller
I was born in Milbank, SD in 1959 and was raised by my conservative Lutheran parents along with seven siblings on our small, family, dairy farm. Being raised as a farm kid meant doing chores and learning responsibility early in life. Hard work, planning, attention to detail, and accuracy were encouraged and expected. (If you did not lock the gate, the cows would get out!) Our family never took vacations, but we had great times together playing ball, fishing, hunting, gardening, playing cards and board games, and celebrating birthdays and holidays with family (the cousins were a blast!).
My classroom education began in a one-room, country schoolhouse. (I only walked uphill one way!) I attended country school for 1st and 2nd grades and then completed the balance of my schooling through 12th grade in Milbank. After graduation, I remained on the family farm and entered into a partnership with my brothers as we farmed alongside our father. When we ran into some financial distress, I as the youngest went to town for employment and continued to assist on the farm daily. It was at my first of many off-the-farm jobs that I met my wife, Roberta-please call her Bobbie. We were married in February of 1985 in South Dakota, and yes, it was cold and snowed six inches that day. In our years of marriage, the Lord God has blessed us in many ways and has also carried us through some extremely difficult times. Among our countless blessings are our three children Jacob, Emily, and Samantha, and our five grandchildren Mya, Lucy, Hallie, Nora, and Grant. We enjoy spending time with our kids and grandkids.
After several years of involvement serving at the church in various ways but especially with youth and teaching, I had thoughts of entering the ministry. I looked at the distance education program through the LCMS and decided to begin the process by getting a bachelor’s degree in Education from Mount Marty University, Watertown, SD. After graduating, I took a teaching job and put the ministry thoughts on hold. God gave me a push toward the ministry again and I took a job at my home congregation. After eight years of church work and a couple years of other employment, the desire and thoughts of ministry returned, and I applied at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, as a “second-career” student in the Residential Alternate Route program for pastoral formation. After two years of in-class learning, I am currently serving my one-year vicarage which God-willing may become my first call as a pastor.
In the past, I have enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, cooking, watching sports, and spending time with family. Bobbie enjoys crafts, flowers, plants, HGTV, the Hallmark channel, and spending time with family.
I was born in Milbank, SD in 1959 and was raised by my conservative Lutheran parents along with seven siblings on our small, family, dairy farm. Being raised as a farm kid meant doing chores and learning responsibility early in life. Hard work, planning, attention to detail, and accuracy were encouraged and expected. (If you did not lock the gate, the cows would get out!) Our family never took vacations, but we had great times together playing ball, fishing, hunting, gardening, playing cards and board games, and celebrating birthdays and holidays with family (the cousins were a blast!).
My classroom education began in a one-room, country schoolhouse. (I only walked uphill one way!) I attended country school for 1st and 2nd grades and then completed the balance of my schooling through 12th grade in Milbank. After graduation, I remained on the family farm and entered into a partnership with my brothers as we farmed alongside our father. When we ran into some financial distress, I as the youngest went to town for employment and continued to assist on the farm daily. It was at my first of many off-the-farm jobs that I met my wife, Roberta-please call her Bobbie. We were married in February of 1985 in South Dakota, and yes, it was cold and snowed six inches that day. In our years of marriage, the Lord God has blessed us in many ways and has also carried us through some extremely difficult times. Among our countless blessings are our three children Jacob, Emily, and Samantha, and our five grandchildren Mya, Lucy, Hallie, Nora, and Grant. We enjoy spending time with our kids and grandkids.
After several years of involvement serving at the church in various ways but especially with youth and teaching, I had thoughts of entering the ministry. I looked at the distance education program through the LCMS and decided to begin the process by getting a bachelor’s degree in Education from Mount Marty University, Watertown, SD. After graduating, I took a teaching job and put the ministry thoughts on hold. God gave me a push toward the ministry again and I took a job at my home congregation. After eight years of church work and a couple years of other employment, the desire and thoughts of ministry returned, and I applied at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, as a “second-career” student in the Residential Alternate Route program for pastoral formation. After two years of in-class learning, I am currently serving my one-year vicarage which God-willing may become my first call as a pastor.
In the past, I have enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, cooking, watching sports, and spending time with family. Bobbie enjoys crafts, flowers, plants, HGTV, the Hallmark channel, and spending time with family.
