Jeffery Merseth was born in Bagley, MN, on Aug 6, 1981. He was welcomed into God’s family on Aug 30, 1981, through Holy Baptism at Concordia Lutheran Church. He was raised on a farm in Northern Minnesota in rural Clearbrook and confirmed at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in rural Bagley, MN. He lived on the farm until 1996, when his family moved to Mankato so that his father, Rev. John Merseth, could take pre-seminary classes and go through seminary training at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary.
When he moved to Mankato, Jeff attended Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School from 10th to 12th grade and graduated in 1999. He then attended Bethany Lutheran College and graduated in 2003 with a Business Administration Major. While he was at Bethany, he married Megan (Armbrecht) of Colo, IA (located 20 miles east of Ames) on July 5, 2002.
In 2006, Jeff enrolled at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. During his second year, Jeff and Megan welcomed Judah John into the world on September 21, 2007. Jeff finished his in-class training at the seminary in May 2009 and was assigned to a vicar under the tutelage of Pastor Wayne Halvorson at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, MN. During the vicar year, Andrew Allan was born on October 22, 2009.
Jeff graduated from Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary on June 20, 2010. He served Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Roseau, MN, as a bi-vocational minister to the flock of God until January 1, 2012. During their stay in the Roseau area, they welcomed a third son, Enoch Edwin, on October 24, 2011.
In January of 2012, Jeff began serving Peace Lutheran Church of rural Jefferson City, MO, where they put down some new roots and established many friendships. On August 14, 2014, Jeff and Megan welcomed Elsie Eleanor into the world. While in MO, they enjoyed rural living with chickens, pigs, and gardening.
In August of 2015, the Merseth family relocated to northern Minnesota to the Four Point Clearwater Lutheran Parish in rural Oklee. Nearly eleven years were spent there, during which time they welcomed four additional children: Hosea Hugo (Sept. 7, 2016), twins Amos August & Benjamin Bernhard (Sept. 29, 2018), and Vera Virginia (Sept. 10, 2021). The family was able to continue their hobbies of chickens, pigs, and gardening, as well as outdoor sports of hunting and fishing. It was a tremendous blessing to live among and serve the people of Clearwater Lutheran Parish, even with the difficulties of serving a four-point parish. He and his family are truly grateful for the time they spent there and will dearly miss the close friendships and the feeling of home. But now they look forward to living among the people of Bethany as He continues the Lord’s work in Princeton, MN.