Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church welcomes new pastor

Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church has announce the arrival of Pastor Morgan L. Simmons, who began her ministry at Immanuel on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. According to a church press release, she is the 18th pastor to serve in the congregation’s 122-year history.
Pastor Simmons was ordained into the Ministry of Word and Sacrament on Saturday, October 25, at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Bloomington, Minnesota, surrounded by family, friends, and members of the congregations that have shaped her journey of faith.
Born and raised in Maryland, Pastor Simmons graduated from Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska, in 2017, with a Bachelor of Arts in Youth and Family Ministry. She went on to earn a Master of Divinity in Justice from Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota. During her seminary studies, she completed her internship at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Bloomington and served as Minister of Faith Formation at University Lutheran Church of Hope in Minneapolis.
“Pastor Simmons brings to Immanuel a deep commitment to the Gospel, a passion for worship and liturgy, and a heart for serving God’s people,” the release states. “Her gifts for preaching, teaching, and pastoral care were evident throughout the congregation’s call process, which concluded earlier this fall.”
“Immanuel is entering an exciting new chapter in its life of faith,” said Cory Dellenbach, the Call Committee chairperson. “We give thanks for the leadership God has provided in the past and look forward with joy and anticipation to the ministry we will share with Pastor Simmons in the years ahead.”

Active in the Lutheran Youth Organization since high school, Pastor Simmons credits that early involvement with nurturing her love for the church and deepening her sense of call to ministry.
She brings with her a strong theological foundation and a vision for connecting faith with daily life through service, learning, and community engagement.
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church is located at 21 W. Timber Drive in Rhinelander and is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). For more information on the church, go to www.immanuelrhinelander.org.