by Pastor Andrew Kitzing
I was born in Aurora, Nebraska, and at six weeks old moved to Gothenburg where I was raised. I attended American Lutheran Church and became close
to the youth director, Fred. It was Fred who first encouraged me to become a pastor. After graduating high school from Gothenburg in 2002, I attended college at Midland University (back when it was Midland Lutheran College!) and earned a BA in Youth and Family Ministry. Following college, I needed a non-Midwest experience, so decided to attend seminary in Berkeley, California, at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. I served my internship year at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Garden Grove, California. While in my second year of seminary, I met a girl who was in her first year. Lori had moved to Berkeley from New Jersey, which is where she was born and raised. In 2010 I graduated seminary, we got married, I was ordained, and Lori started her internship at the campus ministry of UNL. My first call was to Zion Lutheran in Emerald (near Pawnee Lake). After nearly 12 years at Zion, I accepted a call to be the Transitional Pastor of St. Paul’s in Millard in December of 2021.
Lori and I have been married for 13 years. She served her first call at Grace in Walton and is now in her second call at Bethany in Ruskin and First Presbyterian in Superior. I have two siblings, a sister and brother-in-law in Beatrice and a brother and sister-in-law in Lincoln. My sister is responsible for our niece, Everly. Lori has a sister and brother-in-law in Maryland and a brother and sister-in-law in New Jersey. Together they are responsible for our four nephews and a brand-new niece. My parents continue to live in Gothenburg and Lori’s continue to live in New Jersey.
