David Brandt
Associate Pastor
Pastor David Brandt has been our pastor at St. John’s since the summer of 2017. He is originally from St. Louis, MO. When he was 9 he moved to Arizona and later his
family moved to Utah where he enjoyed exploring God’s beautiful creation in the scenery that those states offer.
After graduating from Arizona Lutheran Academy, he went to Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN. In addition to receiving an education, it was there that he also met his wife, Heide. After marriage, they lived in Heide's home town of Saginaw, MI for a couple of years.
After college David attended Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI, which included a vicar year (internship) at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Aurora, IL.
After graduation from the seminary, David was privileged to serve for 9 years as a pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Tomah, WI.
David and Heide have been blessed with 6 children: Max, Hailey, Ella, Lillie, Abel and Pearl. David and Heide enjoy traveling together, playing games together, and watching their children develop and grow, especially in the grace and knowledge of their Savior.
Pastor Brandt’s favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” He would love the opportunity to tell you why or to give you any other direction or comfort from God’s Word that he can.
family moved to Utah where he enjoyed exploring God’s beautiful creation in the scenery that those states offer.
After graduating from Arizona Lutheran Academy, he went to Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN. In addition to receiving an education, it was there that he also met his wife, Heide. After marriage, they lived in Heide's home town of Saginaw, MI for a couple of years.
After college David attended Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI, which included a vicar year (internship) at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Aurora, IL.
After graduation from the seminary, David was privileged to serve for 9 years as a pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Tomah, WI.
David and Heide have been blessed with 6 children: Max, Hailey, Ella, Lillie, Abel and Pearl. David and Heide enjoy traveling together, playing games together, and watching their children develop and grow, especially in the grace and knowledge of their Savior.
Pastor Brandt’s favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” He would love the opportunity to tell you why or to give you any other direction or comfort from God’s Word that he can.
Joel Luetke
1/4 Time Pastor
Joel Luetke, son of Nathanael and Olga (nee Schroeder), was born in 1952 in Denver, CO, where his father was serving as a WELS home missionary. The family lived 15 minutes from Martin Luther Academy (1884-1979) in New Ulm, MN, when he began his high school years. He graduated MLA in 1970. After graduating Northwestern College (1863-1995) in Watertown (class of ’74), he attended Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon. He served as a vicar at St. Paul Lutheran in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His first fulltime call was to Resurrection Lutheran Church, then a WELS home mission, in Virginia Beach, VA. The congregation now is located in Chesapeake, VA. In 1998 he was installed at Zion Lutheran Church, Olivia, MN. He retired from full time pastoral ministry in June, 2018. He and Julie (nee Albaugh) moved to Watertown that same month. They are members of St. Luke’s in Watertown. In September 2019 Pastor Luetke began to serve a parttime retirement call at St. John’s. He has enjoyed preaching, teaching and visiting homebound members of the congregation.
The Luetke’s met in Watertown in 1973 when Julie had moved from Michigan to work at Bethesda Lutheran Home. They were married at Salem Lutheran Church, Owosso, MI, in 1976. They have 2 daughters and 3 sons and 16 grandchildren living in WI, VA, MO, Lusaka, Zambia, Africa and CO.
Julie’s ambition to be a nurturing mother (and now, grandmother) has been her great delight. Her other great passion (besides quilting, art, etc.), has been to care for those who have special needs. Julie has found various outlets including special needs Bible Classes, voluntarily encouraging and organizing Jesus Cares ministries in several MN congregations and thereafter working for The Lutheran Home Association, Belle Plaine, MN, to do the same throughout the upper Midwest area.
Besides caring for congregations, establishing new missions and serving the district & synod in various ways, Pastor Luetke’s other interests have included gardening every year since 1978 (except 2018 ☹) – 3 growing seasons a year for 20 years in VA and as many summers in as many as 3 places in Olivia. He has also enjoyed cross country biking ever since his later grade school years in MN. Son Mark and he completed a 154-mile ride in 14 hours on the 4th of July 2006 (followed by fireworks in Morton, MN).
Today Julie and Joel live in their “cottage” ½ mile south of Luther Preparatory School. It is a salmon-colored stone-brick house built into Richard’s Hill in 1956. The house was kept in time capsule fashion by its previous owner/builder who lived in it till she was nearly 99. The 18’x24’ terraced kitchen garden is on the back yard hill and a 60’x30’ rented garden space is located half a mile away next to the Rock River off the old Watertown Plank Road (Oconomowoc Avenue) near a one-time stage house which is now home to a Supper Club. They enjoy the squirrel-planted woods (mostly walnut trees…) west of their lot (where the interurban railway was located from 1908-1940) and have been learning to forage for wild grapes, black caps, elder berries, strawberries, walnuts, etc. Pastor Luetke’s bicycle sees a few miles a week in the summer and he recently scattered a few ginseng seeds along the old railway berm for a future someone to discover….
The Luetke’s met in Watertown in 1973 when Julie had moved from Michigan to work at Bethesda Lutheran Home. They were married at Salem Lutheran Church, Owosso, MI, in 1976. They have 2 daughters and 3 sons and 16 grandchildren living in WI, VA, MO, Lusaka, Zambia, Africa and CO.
Julie’s ambition to be a nurturing mother (and now, grandmother) has been her great delight. Her other great passion (besides quilting, art, etc.), has been to care for those who have special needs. Julie has found various outlets including special needs Bible Classes, voluntarily encouraging and organizing Jesus Cares ministries in several MN congregations and thereafter working for The Lutheran Home Association, Belle Plaine, MN, to do the same throughout the upper Midwest area.
Besides caring for congregations, establishing new missions and serving the district & synod in various ways, Pastor Luetke’s other interests have included gardening every year since 1978 (except 2018 ☹) – 3 growing seasons a year for 20 years in VA and as many summers in as many as 3 places in Olivia. He has also enjoyed cross country biking ever since his later grade school years in MN. Son Mark and he completed a 154-mile ride in 14 hours on the 4th of July 2006 (followed by fireworks in Morton, MN).
Today Julie and Joel live in their “cottage” ½ mile south of Luther Preparatory School. It is a salmon-colored stone-brick house built into Richard’s Hill in 1956. The house was kept in time capsule fashion by its previous owner/builder who lived in it till she was nearly 99. The 18’x24’ terraced kitchen garden is on the back yard hill and a 60’x30’ rented garden space is located half a mile away next to the Rock River off the old Watertown Plank Road (Oconomowoc Avenue) near a one-time stage house which is now home to a Supper Club. They enjoy the squirrel-planted woods (mostly walnut trees…) west of their lot (where the interurban railway was located from 1908-1940) and have been learning to forage for wild grapes, black caps, elder berries, strawberries, walnuts, etc. Pastor Luetke’s bicycle sees a few miles a week in the summer and he recently scattered a few ginseng seeds along the old railway berm for a future someone to discover….
Nicholas Mount
Associate Pastor
Pastor Mount grew up in Mukwonago, WI and graduated from New Berlin Eisenhower High School in 1997. He pre-enlisted in the U.S. Army and served fulltime in the regular Army from 1997-2002. While enlisted, he was a member of the 10th Mountain Division, deployed to Bosnia and Kosovo. He also contributed to the Dominant Chronicle Project in Washington D.C.
After his military service, he returned to Wisconsin and studied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he met his wife (Diana Lawrenz) at the campus ministry, the Point of Grace. During this time, Pastor Mount received a Bachelor of Arts in English (English Language and Linguistics) and attended graduate school at UW-Milwaukee to become a speech pathologist. Throughout his studies at UW-Milwaukee he worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Milwaukee.
In 2012 the Mount family changed courses and moved from Milwaukee to New Ulm, MN where Pastor Mount began his ministerial training at Martin Luther College. He graduated with a Seminary Certification in 2014 and moved back to Wisconsin to attend Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS). After four years of study and vicaring at St. John’s Mukwonago, Pastor Mount graduated from WLS in 2018 and received a divine call to serve a dual parish in Geneva and Grafton, Nebraska. In 2023, Pastor Mount received a call to serve St. John’s Juneau, Horicon, and Lowell and continues to serve to this day.
Pastor Mount and his wife, Diana, have been blessed with 5 children: Sam, Izzy, Jonah, Isaac, and Gideon. The Mounts love spending time watching their favorite teams: the Brewers, Packers, Bucks, and Panthers (UW-Milwaukee). Pastor Mount and his wife also enjoy gardening and will from time to time be found at Spring Green enjoying a Shakespeare play.
Pastor Mount looks forward to serving you with both God’s word and sacraments. He gives thanks that God provided him with an opportunity to share the amazing gospel truth that our heavenly Father sent his one and only Son, Jesus, to live, die and rise from the dead for the sake of our salvation. What an amazing message for all the world!
His favorite verse is Psalm 73:26.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
After his military service, he returned to Wisconsin and studied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he met his wife (Diana Lawrenz) at the campus ministry, the Point of Grace. During this time, Pastor Mount received a Bachelor of Arts in English (English Language and Linguistics) and attended graduate school at UW-Milwaukee to become a speech pathologist. Throughout his studies at UW-Milwaukee he worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Milwaukee.
In 2012 the Mount family changed courses and moved from Milwaukee to New Ulm, MN where Pastor Mount began his ministerial training at Martin Luther College. He graduated with a Seminary Certification in 2014 and moved back to Wisconsin to attend Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS). After four years of study and vicaring at St. John’s Mukwonago, Pastor Mount graduated from WLS in 2018 and received a divine call to serve a dual parish in Geneva and Grafton, Nebraska. In 2023, Pastor Mount received a call to serve St. John’s Juneau, Horicon, and Lowell and continues to serve to this day.
Pastor Mount and his wife, Diana, have been blessed with 5 children: Sam, Izzy, Jonah, Isaac, and Gideon. The Mounts love spending time watching their favorite teams: the Brewers, Packers, Bucks, and Panthers (UW-Milwaukee). Pastor Mount and his wife also enjoy gardening and will from time to time be found at Spring Green enjoying a Shakespeare play.
Pastor Mount looks forward to serving you with both God’s word and sacraments. He gives thanks that God provided him with an opportunity to share the amazing gospel truth that our heavenly Father sent his one and only Son, Jesus, to live, die and rise from the dead for the sake of our salvation. What an amazing message for all the world!
His favorite verse is Psalm 73:26.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Duke backhaus
Senior Assistant
Greetings in our Savior's name. My name is Vicar Duke Backhaus. A vicar is really like an "intern" pastor, and I'm excited to spend a year here in Juneau, WI. While I'm vicaring here, I am also enrolled as a Senior at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI. After this year of schooling, I will prayerfully be called to my own congregation.
I was born in Saginaw, MI to Pastor Curt Backhaus and Becca Backhaus. Throughout the years, my dad's work as a Pastor has taken him to several different places. For a while, my family lived in Saginaw, MI, Las Cruces, NM, and Tomah, WI with a large majority of my formative years being in Tomah, WI. I attended Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, WI from 2012-2016, then decided to go on to Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN to pursue pastoral ministry. I graduated in May 2020, then went on to the Seminary in Mequon, WI.
Last year, I married Livia (formerly Lickteig) on June 26th, 2022. We were both so blessed to serve in Denver, CO in our first year of marriage and now we look forward to serving you here in WI.
I enjoy fishing and any other outdoor activities, so I'm so excited to be back in WI, where I fell in love with the sport. (Fly-fishing in CO just doesn't compare to the beautiful lakes found in WI)
I thank God for you and for this wonderful opportunity to share God's Word throughout this year.
Peace in our Savior Jesus,
Senior Vicar Duke Backhaus
I was born in Saginaw, MI to Pastor Curt Backhaus and Becca Backhaus. Throughout the years, my dad's work as a Pastor has taken him to several different places. For a while, my family lived in Saginaw, MI, Las Cruces, NM, and Tomah, WI with a large majority of my formative years being in Tomah, WI. I attended Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, WI from 2012-2016, then decided to go on to Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN to pursue pastoral ministry. I graduated in May 2020, then went on to the Seminary in Mequon, WI.
Last year, I married Livia (formerly Lickteig) on June 26th, 2022. We were both so blessed to serve in Denver, CO in our first year of marriage and now we look forward to serving you here in WI.
I enjoy fishing and any other outdoor activities, so I'm so excited to be back in WI, where I fell in love with the sport. (Fly-fishing in CO just doesn't compare to the beautiful lakes found in WI)
I thank God for you and for this wonderful opportunity to share God's Word throughout this year.
Peace in our Savior Jesus,
Senior Vicar Duke Backhaus
Ryan Kummerow
Staff Minister
Ryan Kummerow was installed as our staff minister in December, 2019.
Ryan is a native of Dodge County. He was baptized at St. Peter’s in Kekoskee and attended grade school at St. Matthew’s in nearby Iron Ridge. After graduating from WLA in Fond du Lac in 1994, he was undecided on a career path. A year and a half later, he enrolled at Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac where he earned a degree in marketing.
His interest in pursuing ministry as a career came 7 years later while he was an active member at St. Mark in De Pere. A meeting with Joel Hansen led to more opportunities to serve at St. Mark. Ryan then enrolled at Martin Luther College in September, 2005. Part of his studies included a semester-long internship in Milwaukee with Redemption Lutheran Church and the Lighthouse Youth Center.
After graduating in December, 2008, he spent time in Phoenix, AZ and Madison, WI until receiving the call to serve at St. John’s. In addition to his called work at St. John’s, Ryan works as a community mentor in Beaver Dam.
Outside of work, his interests include spending time with family, fishing, golfing, acoustic guitar, reading, card and board games, and gardening.
Ryan is a native of Dodge County. He was baptized at St. Peter’s in Kekoskee and attended grade school at St. Matthew’s in nearby Iron Ridge. After graduating from WLA in Fond du Lac in 1994, he was undecided on a career path. A year and a half later, he enrolled at Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac where he earned a degree in marketing.
His interest in pursuing ministry as a career came 7 years later while he was an active member at St. Mark in De Pere. A meeting with Joel Hansen led to more opportunities to serve at St. Mark. Ryan then enrolled at Martin Luther College in September, 2005. Part of his studies included a semester-long internship in Milwaukee with Redemption Lutheran Church and the Lighthouse Youth Center.
After graduating in December, 2008, he spent time in Phoenix, AZ and Madison, WI until receiving the call to serve at St. John’s. In addition to his called work at St. John’s, Ryan works as a community mentor in Beaver Dam.
Outside of work, his interests include spending time with family, fishing, golfing, acoustic guitar, reading, card and board games, and gardening.