Staff of Good Shepherd 

Ministers: Members of Good Shepherd 

Pastor Jack Niemi has joined Good Shepherd as our new Senior Pastor for an Interim Time to help lead our church during this period of selecting a new permanent Senior Pastor.  Prior to coming to Good Shepherd, he served as Vice President at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley. Prior to that position, Jack served as Vice President at Gustavus Adolphus College. He has also served as a Senior Pastor in Walnut Creek, Glendale Az., and Naperville Illinois.  Jack and his wife Ruth live in Concord CA. and have two sons, Ted (married to Kristin) and Jason.  They are both ELCA Pastors living in Fresno and Visalia. 

You may email Pastor Jack at pastorjack@goodshprd.org

Pastor Phillippi began his pastoral ministry at Lutheran Church of the Cross (Sacramento) from 1973 to 1977.  Bob completed a year of Clinical Pastoral Education at the University of California, Hospitals and Clinics, Davis and San Francisco, in 1978. He resigned from the active ministry in 1979.  Bob worked for the State of California, Department of Transportation from 1980 to 2000, when he retired. Beginning June of 2002, he sought reinstatement to the ELCA ministry. Bob was hired as the Visitation Pastor August 1, 2003, and was called to that position November 23rd, 2003.  He is a native Californian, born at Mare Island; he has lived in Sacramento since 1948. He graduated from Sacramento State University in 1968 and Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN. in 1972. Bob's wife, Gay, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and employed by the State of California Department of Corrections. 

To email Pastor Bob, CLICK HERE

Pastor Ramseth served Good Shepherd for 23 years, retiring as Senior Pastor in 1982. A native of Beloit, Wisconsin, he received his education from St. Olaf College, Luther Seminary, and Biblical Seminary. Pastor Ramseth served in the Navy as a Chaplain for 4 years before beginning his ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York. In 1950, he was called to Central Lutheran Church in Van Nuys, California where he served until accepting the call to Good Shepherd. He was married to Betty Ann until her untimely death in 1984. They had five children. His expanded family now includes his wife, Irene, and a total of nine children and a whole "host" of grandchildren.

Pastor Thoreson  served at Good Shepherd from 1977 to October 2003. He previously served as pastor of Lord of Life Lutheran Church in San Diego and Valley Lutheran Church in North Hollywood. He is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University and Luther Theological Seminary. He was named as the Senior Pastor of Good Shepherd in 1982. He and his wife, Marilyn, have four children--Beth, Nate, Karsten, and Matt--and nine grandchildren.

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