50th anniversary of Rev. Solberg ordination to be celebrated August 13 at Big Elk Creek

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX  — A celebration in honor of the 50th anniversary of David Solberg’s ordination will be held at Big Elk Creek Church August 13.

Rev. Solberg graduated from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, and was ordained in 1967.

The morning service on August 13 will begin at 10:30 a.m., and Rev. Solberg will be giving the message during the church service.

A noon meal will be provided by family and members of Big Elk Creek Church.

A short program also will follow the noon meal and will include an opportunity to share recollections of experiences with Rev. Solberg.

Rev. Solberg, who currently lives in Dubuque, Iowa, graduated from high school in Chippewa Falls and was baptized, confirmed and ordained at Big Elk Creek Church.

He is the son of Oscar and Edna Solberg, and his siblings include brothers Larry and Arlyn and sister Elaine.

Rev. Solberg served as a pastor at Sugar Creek Lutheran in Elkhorn from 1967 to 1977 and as pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Waverly, Iowa, from 1977 to 1984.

From 1984 to 2008, he served as vice-president for development and strategic planning at Wartburg Theological Seminary.

From 2008 to 2009, Rev. Solberg served as interim vice-president for mission support at Hillcrest Family Services in Dubuque.

From 2005 to the present, he has served an independent consultant for capital campaigns.

During his fund-raising career, Rev. Solberg has raised more than $100 million, has had alumni participation as high as 65 percent of graduates with annual gifts recorded, has had local community volunteers numbering over 100, and alumni involvement of 100 volunteers annually in telephone contact and gift solicitation of other graduates.

Rev. Solberg’s fund-raising efforts have made Wartburg Theological Seminary the first among 214 accredited theological schools in the United States and Canada.

Rev. Solberg earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from UW- Eau Claire in 1962 and served in a clinical pastoral internship at the Mental Health Institute, Independence, Iowa, from 1964 to 1965.

He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Wartburg in 1966, studied theology in West Germany in 1966 to 1967, and earned a Doctor of Ministry at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago in 1980.

Anyone who is unable to attend the celebration August 13 at Big Elk Creek Church but would like to send a greeting can mail a card to Rev. Solberg’s brother, Arlyn Solberg, at 3898 50th Avenue, Elk Mound, WI 54739; Attn: David Solberg.

Big Elk Creek Church, 6118 County Road M, is located on county Highway M southeast of Colfax or northeast of Elk Mound.