Pastor Dave Ruddat (Call me "Pastor," "Dave", or "Pastor Ruddat")

I was born in Michigan and was raised in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I received my elementary education at public schools and at Christian day schools, and graduated from Manitowoc Lutheran High School and Martin Luther College. After graduating from Martin Luther College I volunteered for a year with WELS Kingdom Workers teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) for our missions churches in Japan. After my return, I enrolled at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. During my time at the Seminary, I received a thorough education in the individual books of the Bible, Biblical Languages (Hebrew & Greek), doctrine, church history, pastoral counseling, homiletics (preaching), and church administration. Part of my seminary training involved a year as a Vicar (i.e. intern) at St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church in Appleton, WI.

Upon graduation from the Seminary, I was assigned to serve as pastor to three congregations in Eastern Montana: Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Terry, Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Circle, and Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. I began the outreach to the souls in the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota with the goal of planting a church in Williston, ND (now called Lamb of God Lutheran Church). After 7 years there, I accepted the divine call to Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pierre, South Dakota. Highlights of my six years of ministry in Pierre was working with its early childhood and teen ministry, hosting a weekly radio program and podcast, and organizing and running a Catechism Summer Camp in the Black Hills.

In 2017 I accepted the divine call to Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Shirley and St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Greenleaf, WI. In 2021, I shepherded St. Paul’s through the closing of their congregation. Their story is not as depressing as you might think, ask me about it sometime.

I have served as conference secretary and as circuit pastor, and currently serves as circuit pastor.

I married the former Kelly Dobberpuhl. She graduated from Amery Public High School and attended Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee before signing up to serve our WELS mission in Columbia. Unrest in the country led her to stay here in De Pere before being called to be the Environmental Education Director at Camp Phillip from 1999-2002. She enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom but has entered the workforce working as Librarian’s assistant or at the YMCA or at the United States Postal Service or for the Denmark and Wrightstown offices of Bellin health. We have been blessed with 5 children, and enjoy camping and taking them on memorable trips to see this great nation of ours.

While I have done hunting and fishing in the past, my current hobbies are playing board games, listening and producing podcasts, dusting off my cello, and helping my teen drivers keep their cars from falling apart. I’d love to get to know you and serve you as your pastor.