Pastor Folz is serving as interim pastor at Zion & Peace.
Pastor Folz has been working with Pastor Francois Delouge and his two churches, and orphange in Pignon & Gapard, Haiti for the past 20 years. If you are interested in learning more about Pastor Folz and his work in Haiti, please read the attached document or contact Pastor Folz directly.
Message from Pastor Folz
Cheryl and I met in college at Stevens Point, We married August 1968 and have been happily married 54 years. God has given us three children and three grandchildren.
After graduating from UWSP, I taught Mathematics. I decided to go back to school and received a Master’s degree in Actuarial Science from UW Madison. During our year in Madison, our first daughter Sarah was born. After graduation, I worked at Aid Association for Lutherans (now called Thrivent) in Appleton as an actuary for seven years. Our daughter Rachel was born in Appleton.
While at Appleton, I sensed the Lord’s call to preach the gospel, so we moved to western Minnesota to attend the Lutheran Brethren Seminary. During seminary God provided me with work as a consulting actuary. I thoroughly enjoyed seminary as all my professors held that the Bible was the unchanging Word of God and had a passion for training pastors.
My first call was to Tempe, AZ. Both the church and our family grew; we adopted our son Nathan in Arizona. I was asked to start a new congregation in Menomonie, WI. So we moved home to Wisconsin. Cheryl finished her degree and worked as an adoption social worker. We have served several churches in Wisconsin.
In 2010, I saw many congregations leaving the ELCA, because of their rejection of the Bible and Lutheran teaching. I felt that God was leading these churches out, so I decided to get involved and joined the LCMC (Lutheran Congregation in Mission for Christ.) Since then I served a three point parish in rural Viroqua, WI and several other churches as interim pastor. I also have a 20-year relationship helping Pastor Francois Delouge, with his two churches and orphanage in Pignon, Haiti.
We have our home in Stevens Point and enjoy camping, national parks, biking. We also enjoy spending time with family and friends. Sarah, Dave and our grandson Matthew live in New London. Nathan and Lexie live in Maryland. Rachel, Doug and granddaughter Maylie live in London, England where they are involved in a church planting ministry. Our oldest grandson Elijah and his bride Gabby moved to London this fall, where they are on staff at a London church.
I enjoy preaching the Word of God and ministry and plan to continue as long as the Lord gives me the strength. It has been a joy to be serving you at Peace and Zion. - Pastor Jim Folz
