Reverend William Gauger
Pastor Bill was born in Chicago in January of 1972 and is a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). His father, Mel, is a retired computer programmer and a dedicated lay volunteer. His mother, Andrea, is a retired LCMS English teacher and administrator, mainly at the high school level. Both parents are thus excellent models of Christian service. Bill grew up in Park Ridge, a suburb bordering the northwest side of Chicago. His first home congregation was St. Andrew’s, Park Ridge, where he was baptized, confirmed and graduated from the day school. He then graduated from Luther High School North in Chicago in 1990.
Bill then pursued a career in the business world. He graduated with a degree in accounting in 1994 and began his career in corporate finance. Some of the companies he worked for include Prudential Insurance, BNSF Railroad and General Electric.
After a few years, he enrolled in the evening MBA program at Northwestern University, completing his degree in 2002 with majors in Finance, Management, Technology, and Entrepreneurship.
In the later years of his corporate career, Bill felt that God might be leading him in a different direction. In 1996 a job change had led him to move a bit west to Itasca, and he joined The Lutheran Church and School of St. Luke, Itasca. It was at St. Luke that God especially provided Bill with many opportunities to grow by serving Him. Bill’s main focus was helping out in Youth Ministry (one of his passion areas), but he was also able to serve in other areas, such as on the Church Council and the Board of Elders. Through this service God increasingly placed on Bill’s heart a desire to serve Him full-time.
In June 2004 he enrolled at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Seminary was in many ways challenging, but also a great opportunity to grow both spiritually and professionally. Bill did his fieldwork at Mount Olive and St. Peter’s Lutheran Churches in St. Louis, two historic congregations that later merged. One memorable experience was seeing God join together not only two different congregations but also multiple cultures: mostly Caucasian and Vietnamese people, but also some African Americans, worship and serve together. Bill served his vicarage at Zion Lutheran Church in Bismarck, North Dakota. He was blessed with a diverse vicarage experience, including much emphasis in preaching, teaching (adults, youth, and religion in the association day school), and pastoral visitation. Upon his graduation from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis and his ordination at St. Luke, Itasca, Bill began his ministry as Associate Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Decatur, Illinois. He comes to Good Shepherd after serving the past six years as Pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sadorus, Illinois.
In his spare time, Bill enjoys following professional sports and is a fan of the Cubs, Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks. He also enjoys watching movies and playing board and card games.
