Fred Schurman

Pastor Fred Schurman grew up in Rawlins, Wyoming, and graduated from Rawlins High School in May 1993. He started studying electrical engineering at the University of Wyoming but took a break for a few years before returning in January 1997 to pick up where he left off.

During that time, he met Melissa, who grew up in Thermopolis, Wyoming, and would later become his wife. As Fred continued his studies, he discovered a growing passion for theology that far outweighed his interest in engineering. In 1999, he decided to follow that calling and enrolled at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota, to prepare for the pastoral ministry.

Fred graduated from Martin Luther College in May 2002 and went on to attend Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin. He and Melissa were married on New Year’s Day 2003 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The following year, Fred began his vicarage (a year-long internship) at St. Martin Lutheran Church in Roscommon, Michigan. Just a month before the move, their first son was born.

After finishing his vicarage, Fred graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2006 and was assigned to Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Burke, South Dakota, where their second son was born. The family lived in Burke until Fred accepted a call in 2014 to serve at Lord of Lords Evangelical Lutheran Church in Casper, Wyoming.

While serving in Casper, a group of displaced Lutheran families in Buffalo, Wyoming, reached out to Fred, asking if he would shepherd them. The Lord blessed these efforts in Buffalo, and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod eventually started a new mission there. Fred later accepted the call to serve as their full-time pastor in 2024.

Throughout his journey, Fred has always enjoyed working with his hands. He spent time in a machine shop and various garages during his school years, and he still loves restoring and repairing things—especially broken toys. When he’s not fixing something, you might find him hunting or fishing, two hobbies he enjoys to this day.