Pastor Katie Anderson
Pastor Katie is from the small town of Spring Valley, Wisconsin. Her love of nature and care for creation led her to pursue a degree in Environmental Studies at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. After graduation she found her way to the ELCA’s program Young Adults in Global Mission where she served for a year in England as a chaplain’s assistant at a girl’s boarding school. While there, she realized she was being called to parish ministry. After returning from England, Pastor Katie began seminary at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, where she graduated in May 2022.
In her free time, Pastor Katie enjoys reading, music, spending time in nature, adventuring with friends, and watching all the British imports PBS has to offer.
Holly Pisors
Holly started playing piano when she was 6 years old. Her first teacher was her mother, and she spent her most formative years studying with the head of the piano faculty in Chicago at the American Conservatory of Music. An accomplished performer, Holly has competed extensively and had the honor of soloing with the Conservatory orchestra in a performance of Rachmaninov’s beloved 2nd Piano Concerto for their graduation ceremony.
After graduating from the conservatory, Holly and her husband Frank, who spent his career as a pharmacy technician, moved to Wisconsin, settling in Greenwood. They wanted to own land and raise their children in the country, a much more affordable proposition in rural Wisconsin than their native Chicago suburbs. They raised and homeschooled 5 children, all of whom have gone on to have successful careers across the country in professions from computer coding, to loss prevention, to alumni relations for major universities.
Holly has been a dedicated piano teacher for most of her life, accepting her first students at age 16. She has taught hundreds of students of all ages and levels over the course of her career. Her relationship with Good Shepherd Lutheran began in the mid 1990s when she began teaching piano lessons there, which she still does to this day. Soon she was invited to accompany the choir, and in 2018 began to provide music regularly for Sunday services.
Holly is inspired by the sincerity of Good Shepherd’s congregation and their level of care for one another. She experienced this herself as the choir supported her through the tragic loss of a grandchild in 2003 with many hugs, gifts, and prayers, and has never forgotten it.
Lois Swanson
Originally from Minnesota, Lois can trace her faith journey as far back as her grandfather who was baptized Lutheran in Sweden. In the United States the Swedish Pietist movement led him to the Baptist denomination, which is where Lois entered. After taking her M.Div she pastored Presbyterian congregations in Montana, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, first in Fond du Lac, and finally in Marshfield, where she has settled.
As her pastoral work concluded she was approached by Good Shepherd’s Pastor Peter Ruggles to replace their outgoing music director upon learning that her first degree was in music with an emphasis on piano, vocal, and choral. She accepted the position in 2003, also becoming a member of the church at that point, and remains in both to the present day.
Lois’ position was custom-created to draw on her unique strengths and skills. Her pastoral experience and theological training brings depth and expertise to her process of planning worship and selecting music. She appreciates Good Shepherd’s blended approach to music, which strikes an organic balance between classic hymns and contemporary praise, allowing her to lead a diverse group of musicians to enrich worship for the congregation.
She has been married to Norlyn, a carpenter and general contractor, for almost 30 years, and says that he is creative and always wants to do what’s best for others. Her teenage son, Matthew, is always happy and a lot of fun.
Lois also works as a counselor, and takes an active role in mentoring and teaching children at Good Shepherd. Looking back on the path her life has taken, Lois has discerned God’s firm but gentle hand bringing her full circle and eventually uniting her vocations of ministry, music, and counseling.