Welcome to St. Thomas More Parish

All parents with children of any age are welcome to these summer play dates!
All gatherings will take place at the St. Thomas More Playground (except Bubolz hike).
Let’s have fun with friends and make new friends this summer!
* Parents stay with children and visit while kids play!  What a great opportunity to catch up with and get to know other parents!  Share life, share faith, share friendship!

My name is Lincoln Wood and I am excited to be serving St. Thomas More as your Pastoral Leader beginning in July. When I began to intentionally follow God’s call I never would have suspected that he would lead me to this wonderful community.

Born and raised in Pine Bluffs, WY, a town of 1000 people, I knew the church through weekly Mass, prayer with my family before meals, and CCD classes on Saturday morning. I had a childlike faith and believed in God and trusted my family and community. It was a great beginning, but the journey continued...

After graduating from High School, I moved on to study Chemistry at the University of Wyoming. As a young college student I became involved in St. Paul’s Newman Center, the campus’s parish and outreach to students. At the Newman Center I began to take ownership of my faith. I “grew up” as a Catholic. Through retreats, bible studies, service projects, and liturgy, developed a deep relationship with Jesus and the church, but the journey continued…

Fr. Roger Schmit, the Newman Center pastor, suggested that I discern a call to the priesthood. After a lot of prayer I decided to follow his counsel. I transferred from the University of Wyoming to Conception Seminary College in Northwest Missouri as a seminarian for the Diocese of Cheyenne. From the Benedictines at Conception I learned to pray and encountered the depth of the church’s tradition. After two years I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, but the journey continued…

The next step was studying theology as a seminarian at St. Paul Seminary at the University of St. Thomas. Here I earned a Master’s degree in theology and was formed pastorally, spiritually, and intellectually for ministry. One summer during my formation, I served as a hospital chaplain in Billings, MT. It was at this time, that I discerned that I was not called to the priesthood, but still called to serve the church. It is the summer that I met Jennifer, who is now my wife. But the journey continued…

After earning my Master’s degree, I have served as a Youth Minister at Transfiguration parish in Oakdale, MN (about 3000 families) for two years. Then I was able to move back to Wyoming and serve at the Newman Center as a Pastoral Associate for 10 years. I also taught several classes in the Religious Studies Department at the University of Wyoming. Now, in the Diocese of Green Bay, I have served as the Diocesan Director of Campus Ministry and most recently as the Pastoral Leader for St. Rose parish in Clintonville and St. Mary’s parish in Bear Creek for the last 10 years and have been ordained a deacon. I never would have dreamed when I began this journey that I would be blessed with so many people in such great communities. I didn’t even know what a Pastoral Leader was until 11 years ago. My ministry so far has been a gift, but the journey continues...

I look forward the next step in God’s plan and serving at St. Thomas More. I have learned that the Lord is always faithful and walks with us each step of our journey. For companions on the journey, I have been blessed with a wonderful family: Jennifer, my wife, and my children Maria (20), Gerald (18), Benedict (16), and Micah (13).

A one page introduction is a daunting task. If you have made it this far down the page you are a serious reader, but words can do only so much. I look forward to meeting you and walking together as the journey continues...

I look forward to meeting you at the Parish Annual Meeting on May 21!