Reverend John
F. Selle
Pastor John
F. Selle, the son of Rev. and Mrs. (LaVerne) Carl Selle, was born on
October 16, 1945, in Chicago Heights, IL. Pastor's grandfather,
father, two brothers, three uncles, and a cousin all were, or currently
are, Lutheran pastors. After receiving his parochial school elementary
education in Reedsburg, WI, he enrolled at Concordia High School and
Junior College in Milwaukee, WI, graduating with an A.A. degree in 1965.
Two years later, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia
Senior College in Fort Wayne, IN.
Pastor Selle
obtained his Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Seminary, St.
Louis, MO, in May of 1971. So, from Kindergarten through his Seminary
training, he received 20 years of Lutheran Christian education.
This is a rather unusual fact in this day and time.
The first of
two vicarages was a summer assignment, in 1968, in Lancaster, PA, at
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church under the tutelage of Rev. Samuel S. Shore.
A full year of vicarage was in Houston, TX, at Immanuel Lutheran Church,
under the watchful eye of Rev. Elmo Miertschin, in 1969-70.
On March 8,
1969, Pastor Selle was united in marriage to Cheryl Suhling of Kampsville,
IL. Cheryl, a Registered Nurse, is a graduate of Lutheran Hospital
School of Nursing in St. Louis. She has over 30 years of experience
in her field. She currently is employed as the Office Nurse of
Dr. Terry Chambless, an Internist in Round Rock, TX.
The Selle Family
consists of four adult children and six grandchildren. Tina (Joe)
Hamilton, son, Jacob, and daughter, Grace, live in Austin. She
works for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Jon (Julissa) and their
daughter, Alba, live in Warsaw, Poland. Jon is an employee of
the State Department and works in the U.S. Embassy there. His
next assignment (2009-2011) will be in Quito, Equador. Then, there
follow the twins who were 8# and 9# at birth – a record for the State
of Wisconsin in 1976. [An interesting sidelight is that they were
baptized on July 4th, 1976.] Juli (Ryan) Richter, son,
Braeden, and daughter, Madison, live in Round Rock. Juli is an
Underwriter for State Farm Insurance. Tami (Chris) MacDonald live
in Austin. Tami is a Registered Nurse. They have one son,
Aidan.
Pastor Selle
has served congregations in rural Navasota (White Hall), TX; Burlington,
WI; Magnolia, TX; and now at Faith, Georgetown since 1986. Pastor
has been active during his ministry in the Lutheran Women's Missionary
League, serving on both the Zone and District levels. He enjoys
writing hymns and creating worship services, as well as serving in the
ministry of visitation. He has conducted nursing home ministries
for over thirty years. Personally, his hobbies include yard work,
birding, and walking. For years, he has walked to raise money
for Faith’s youth to go on mission trips.
Pastor Selle
and Cheryl make their home in Georgetown, a mile east of church.
His motto is
his Confirmation memory verse: "I am the Vine, you are the branches.
He that abides in Me and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit,
for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
SOLI DEO
GLORIA
