Timothy Wheaton is a third May, 1996 graduate (with John Hein and Tim Holland) from our Immanuel Seminary in Eau Claire. While awaiting a call from the Holy Spirit, Tim has served as vacancy pastor at Faith Lutheran Church, Markesan, Wis. and interim pastor at Bethel Lutheran, Morris, Minn. and Peace of Parkers Prairie, Minn.
Some may remember Tim as a “copier boy” at the 1990, 1992, and 1994 synod conventions. Others may have become acquainted with him either when he vicared in Saginaw, Michigan and Dallas, Texas or when he has served as a guest preacher in many of the CLC congregations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The oldest of three children, Timothy Burdette Wheaton was born July 11, 1969 to Burdette and Margaret Ann Wheaton in Mankato, Minn. His elementary and high school education was received in the Christian Day School and High School at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mankato. After a year of college at Mankato State University, he attended ILC in Eau Claire, earning a BA degree in pre-theology. Tim says that ever since confirmation class he had a desire to become a minister of the Gospel. It was in the fall of 1993 that he entered the Seminary.
Tim is thankful to God for the quality of education which he received from his teachers during his twenty years of Christian education. It can be said of him “that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15).
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Seminary Graduate Accepts Call
On Sunday, December 8, 1996 Timothy James Holland was ordained and installed as pastor of Living Word Lutheran Church, Hendersonville, NC and Gift of God Lutheran Church, Fairfax, Virginia. The Rev. Warren Fanning, pastor of Holy Trinity congregation of West Columbia, S.C. officiated.
Pastor Holland was born in Michigan in 1955. He was a May, 1996 graduate of Immanuel Lutheran Seminary, Eau Claire, Wis. He and his wife Charlene (nee Noe, and formerly of New Jersey), are not strangers to the congregations being served. They lived in the area for several years up until 1992.
It is always interesting to discover what work pastors may have done before entering the ministry. Rev. Holland worked for a while in West Columbia, S.C. for a vending machine company; also in Asheville, N.C. for Autistic Retarded Adults and an Asheville Industrial company, doing wiring for submarines. Ever guiding him, God led him into the holy ministry.
The Lord has blessed the Hollands with two children. Jacqueline is now two years old. Samuel, born in June 1996, was taken into God’s everlasting Kingdom of Glory about six weeks before the move to Hendersonville, his death being attributed to sudden infant death syndrome.
“We pray the Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ, to bestow rich and bountiful measures of comfort and help upon Pastor Holland and his family, and provide him, and the congregations he serves, with eternal fruit” (installation folder).