Hello! My name is Pastor Michael J. Fox. I am honored to become your new pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Sturgis, SD. My wife, Susan, and I are eager to begin serving the Lord Jesus with you for years to come!

Permit me to share some pesonal information: I am the son of Pauline and the late James Fox of South St. Paul, MN. I come from a family of 2 brothers and 2 sisters. The family still lives in the Twin Cities area. Ane, yes, I am an avid Minnesota Twins fan along with being a Minnesota Vikings fan!

I have two adult children. My daughter, Jennifer, is married to Ron Schultz. They have one son, Zachary James (born on August 13, 2004). They live in Winona, MN. Another daughter, Stephanie, is married to Jesse Zuerlein, and they reside in Menomonie, WI.

I was quite young, in 8th grade confirmation class, when I received a call from God to become a pastor. I entered Concordia Academy in St. Paul, MN, as a freshman in high school, and went through the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod pre-ministerial schools: Concordia College in St. Paul, MN; Concordia Senior College in Ft. Wayne, IN; and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO; and graduated from Concordia Seminary in Exile in 1976.

After receiving an approval by colloquy in the Lutheran Chruch-Missouri Synod, I served the following congregations: Zion Lutheran Church, Hardwick, MN; St. John's Lutheran Church, Trosky, MN; St. Martin's Lutheran Church, Winona, MN; Spirit of Christ Lutheran Church, Ham Lake, MN; and Trinity Lutheran Church, Waconia, MN.

While serving at Trinity Luthean Chuch in Waconia, MN, my former wife, Diane, and I divorced in 1997. During a time of needed internal healing following that difficult time in my life, I still had a strong call to serve as a pastor in the Lutheran Church. I met with the Bishop of the St. Paul area Synod, who is now Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, and began the process of being added to the ordained clergy roster of the ELCA.

After being accepted into the ELCA as one of their pastors, I was assigned to the South Dakota Synod of the ELCA. My name was given to the two-point parish, Baltic Lutheran Church and East Nidaros Lutheran Chruch for call consideration. They extended the call to me and I am honored to have served here for the past five years since March 2001.

Now my time has come to move west to serve the Lord Jesus along with the members of Grace Lutheran Church. I look forward to getting to know you better as they years go on.

Susan and I were married on November 19, 2005, in Colton, SD. We are looking forward to starting a new home with you. We are eager to move to our new home. We are very excited to begin our ministry among you!

Susan's children include two sons and one daughter. Her son, Scott, is married to Roxie and they live in Sioux Falls. Robert is married to Kim and they have two sons, Jacob (7) and Gabriel (4). They live in Huron. Susan's daughter, Melissa, is a Freshman at the University of SD in Vermillion, majoring in forensic science. The only child still at home is Lil Dude, a two year-old, very loveable cat.

Susan is currently an Associate in Ministry candidate. She is about half-way through her formal training and looks forward to obtaining her degree and can beging her work in ministry.