Pastor Thomas E. Petersen, senior pastor at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Stevens Point, announced he will retire from full-time public ministry in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, effective in May.

A celebration of Petersen’s service will be held at 10 a.m. Sunday, May 22, at St. Paul Lutheran Church with dinner and program following. For more information, contact the St. Paul Church office at 715-344-5664.

Petersen was born July 5, 1957, in Thief River Falls, Minn. He graduated from Memorial High School, Madison, in 1975. He has been married to Jo Bestervelt since August 1978. The couple have three children, Ben (Wendy), Lindsey (Mark) and Brian (Jennifer); and six grandchildren.

Petersen graduated Bethany Junior College, Mankato, Minn., in 1977 from Mankato State University, Mankato, Minn., in 1979, and from Bethany Lutheran Seminary, Mankato, Minn., in 1983. He became a pastor in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod after completion of his colloquy from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo., in 1987.

Petersen served as pastor at Lengby Parish, Lengby Minn., from 1983 to 1986; at the Good Shepherd Church in Bloomer from 1986 to 1988; and at the dual parishes of St. Paul, Bonduel, and Hope, Cecil, from 1988 to 1991.

He also served as pastor of Good Shepherd by the Lake in Stoughton from 1991 to 2007. He has served as senior pastor at St. Paul Church in Stevens Point since 2007.

In his retirement, Petersen will likely serve as a vacancy pastor in the Brainerd Lakes area.