Pastors & Staff
Pastors Jonathan Walla & Justin Woodside
Pastor Jonathan J. Walla, Senior Pastor
Pastor Jonathan Walla was born and raised in Fargo, ND. He was baptized and brought up in the faith at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Fargo. He attended Concordia University in Seward, NE, graduating in 2006 with a major in history and pre-seminary emphasis. He then attended Concordia Seminary in Saint Louis, MO. His vicarage was served at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church in Frankenmuth, MI. Pastor Walla received the assignment of his first call to Zion Lutheran Church in Fairbanks, AK and served there as associate pastor from July of 2010 to January of 2016. He has served as Bethel’s pastor since February of 2016.
In addition to his ministries at Bethel, Pastor Walla serves as a Vicarage Supervisor for seminarians preparing for pastoral ministry, as well as serving as the Circuit Visitor for the Southwest Circuit of the North Dakota District of the LCMS.
Pastor Walla married his high school sweetheart, Niccy. She and Pastor have four children: Josiah, Natalie, Jason, and Nathaniel. If you cannot find Pastor at church, he is outside: gardening, hunting, fishing, picking berries, or otherwise enjoying God’s creation!
Contact Pastor Walla at pastor@bethelbismarck.com
Pastor Justin Woodside, Assisting Pastor
Pastor Justin Woodside was born in sunny Riverside, California. He earned his B.A. in History with a minor in Philosophy from UC Riverside in 1996, and went on to be a Middle School/High School History teacher for nearly 20 years in the public school system. In 2016, Pastor Woodside and his family made the move across the country to attend Seminary at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with the hope of becoming a Pastor in the LCMS. He currently serves as Assisting Pastor at Bethel and Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church.
Pastor Woodside lives here in Bismarck, ND with his wife Victoria and their 5 children. In his spare time he enjoys reading, playing guitar, and playing board games with his family.
Contact Pastor Woodside at pastorwoodside@gmail.com
Church Council & Boards
The governance of the congregation is provided by the Church Council, who is responsible for the general oversight of the congregation, and in particular, its worship life and financial and property matters.
2023 Church Council Members:
Pastor Walla
Pastor Woodside
President: Matt Burthold
Vice President: Paul Harron
Treasurer: Jill Rummel
Education: Kristy Dahl
Elders: Herman Galster
Outreach: Kristi Dilger
Property Management: Mike Link
Stewardship: Shawn Heinle
Jenny Tschaekofske,
Administrative Assistant
Jenny is the wife of Scott and mother to Samuel & Katie. She has been Bethel’s Administrative Assistant since 2013. When Jenny is not wearing one of the many hats required of a mom and church secretary, she enjoys sipping coffee, reading, crocheting and crafting.
