Pastor Micah A. Ernst was born in August of 1957, the son of August and Mildred Ernst, in Buffalo, Minnesota. He is the fourth child of seven. He has two sisters and four brothers. Micah was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith at Cross Lutheran in Rockford, MN. He attended Salem Lutheran Christian Day School at Loretto, Minnesota, to the fourth grade and finished his education at the public schools in Buffalo, Minnesota graduating in 1975. On June 24th, 1979, Micah Ernst and Claudia Gutknecht were united in Holy Matrimony. Claudia, a graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College of New Ulm, Minnesota, taught at Trinity Lutheran Christian Day School, Belle Plaine, Minnesota. After working in construction for five years, the Lord truly directed Micah to continue his education to study for the pastoral ministry.
Pastor Ernst attended Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minnesota, receiving his BA degree. He then went to Mequon, Wisconsin, (WELS) as a part of his upper graduate degree, finishing his education and training at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary, Mankato, Minnesota (ELS); vicared in northern Iowa, under the direction of Pastor Alf Merseth. After graduating as a Candidate of Theology Degree. Pastor Ernst received the Divine Call to Peace Evangelical Lutheran in Jefferson City, MO, and was installed in July 1988. Pastor Ernst served at Peace Lutheran (ELS) for eleven-plus years. For the final three of those years, he also served Grace Lutheran (WELS) in Columbia, MO. In 1999, Pastor accepted the Call to serve Peace Lutheran in Deshler, Ohio. He served there for three years. After Pastor, Claudia and their family returned to Missouri for family reasons, he received the Divine Call to once again serve Grace Lutheran (WELS) in Columbia, MO. Lead by the Lord, he has also started a preaching station at Osage Beach off Y road, called Ascension Lutheran (ELS). He accepted the Divine Call to be pastor at Peace Lutheran once again, and he serves three churches, is the Circuit Visitor in Missouri and Texas, and continues to help spread the Gospel wherever he can. His love for the Lord’s peace and forgiveness to reach out to others, with our Savior’s grace, continues to motivate his ministry.
Pastor and Claudia have been blessed with eight children (Nathanael, Hannah, Ezekiel, Sarah, Christina, Joshua, Rachel, and Uriah). In 1998, the Lord led Pastor and Claudia to adopt their handicapped great-nephew, Cody. Currently, the family has also grown to add daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, and 11 grandchildren. The Lord has blessed the Ernst family in many wonderful ways!
TO GOD ALONE IS THE GLORY!