Nathan Strutz loves Jesus.
He loves the words of Jesus.
He loves the people for whom Jesus died.
He was born in Freeport, IL on May 17, 1971. He was declared God’s own child through holy baptism on May 23, 1971 in a house that served as the worship facility for Our Savior Lutheran Church in Freeport. Pastor’s father Bill served on the building committee for Our Savior and brought Nathan along in his arms to many meetings.
In September of 1977 the Strutz family moved to Racine, WI. Pastor’s parents and older brother Rod still live in Racine. While in Racine pastor attended Wisconsin Lutheran School for grade school and Shoreland Lutheran High School in Kenosha. He was salutatorian for the class of 1989. While in high school the Lord worked through many people to provide encouragement to study for the pastoral ministry.
Pastor Strutz began at Northwestern College in Watertown, WI in 1989 and graduated in 1993. That same year he began studies at Wisconsin Lutheran seminary in Mequon, WI. While at the seminary, pastor served with churches on the Southside of Milwaukee to begin Spanish language ministry by knocking on doors, holding in-home Bible study, and even preaching in Spanish. It was through the hand of God at this time that he met his future wife Elizabeth canvassing. Elizabeth is a wonderful Christian woman who loves serving Jesus and her family. Elizabeth was teaching Spanish at Shoreland Lutheran High School and brought students along to help canvass. Nathan and Elizabeth were married July 1, 1995. Ten days later they headed to Phoenix, Arizona for Nathan’s vicar year at St. Thomas Lutheran Church.
Pastor graduated from the seminary in 1997 and was first assigned to a dual parish in Holmen and Galesville, WI. Both churches were blessed to grow and each called their own pastor in 2002, with Pastor Strutz continuing on at Bethel in Galesville. Bethel had been blessed to start a new site in Arcadia, WI. During this time, pastor began serving with vicars, third year seminary students who spend a full year in a full time internship. Pastor has had the privilege to serve with 19 vicars over the years. In October of 2010, pastor began serving at Resurrection in Verona, WI. During over eleven years of service, the congregation was blessed to start a new church in Mt. Horeb called Good News Lutheran Church. Resurrection also had an existing congregation merge into Resurrection to form a multisite congregation, one church in two places.
Pastor enjoys running, having completed ten marathons, including the Boston marathon and the original marathon course from Marathon to Athens, Greece. He has also run over 51,000 miles in his lifetime. He also enjoys sports and playing cards, especially sheepshead. Elizabeth enjoys reading and playing piano. She has taught dozens of students over the years. She has served as a teacher of high school Spanish, worked at a library and even homeschooled their two boys for a time.
The Strutz family is blessed with two sons, Caleb and Elijah. Caleb is married to Brianna. They have a daughter Lydia who was born November 10, 2021. Caleb is studying for the ministry, completing his first year at Bethany Lutheran Seminary in Mankato Minnesota. Bethany is connected with our sister church body the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Elijah is finishing his first year of college at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee WI. He is studying finance. Elijah will move to Cary once his school year is complete.
Both Pastor and Elizabeth are very excited to serve at Tree of Life Church to see what blessings God brings as we serve our savior Jesus together and share the good news: Jesus lived. Jesus died. Jesus rose!