Hopkins continues church efforts to serve neighbors

Pastor Robert Hopkins (right), along with his wife, Kirstin, are new faces to the Cadott community, after moving from Nebraska, to serve as the pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Cadott, and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Boyd. Hopkins says he is looking forward to growing the churches’ community outreach and, in his spare time, fishing. Submitted Photo

By Julia Wolf

Cadott community members may have noticed a new face around town. Robert Hopkins began serving as the pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Cadott, and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Boyd, in July.

Hopkins was born in Pasadena, Calif., but grew up in Mississippi, where he lived until 2005.

“Hence, all the Ole Miss stuff in my office,” said Hopkins.

After that, he moved back to California, where he met his wife, Kirstin, a Lutheran pastor’s kid.

“We’ve been married, it’ll be 15 years, in October,” said Hopkins.

In 2012, he moved to Indiana, to attend seminary, graduated in 2016, and accepted his first call to Superior, Neb.

He says the rural area was a bit of a culture shock for his wife and step-daughter, though it didn’t bother him, because he previously spent his springs and summers on a farm in Tennessee, in a town of 300.

“To live in a town without a stoplight, for them, was a little strange,” said Hopkins.

He says he performed a wide variety of jobs before attending seminary school, such as operating heavy machinery and working for an airline.

“I actually went to college as a history/music major, with a minor in political science,” said Hopkins.

Hopkins served as a pastor in Nebraska, for six years, before accepting a call to serve in Cadott and Boyd.

“It was a fun six years, but it was time for a change,” said Hopkins.

Wisconsin is special for Hopkins, as he visited the state to fish, for the past eight or nine years. He is looking forward to more fishing and also enjoys hunting.

“I just kind of love this state,” said Hopkins.

Since they arrived in July, Hopkins, Kirstin and his 25-year-old step-daughter, Kaeli Nester, who is living with them for a bit, are settling in and seeing what needs to get done.

“They’ve been vacant for a while,” said Hopkins.

He says he would eventually like to get a couple Bible studies started and plans to start confirmation classes in October.

“They’ve got a lot of stuff going on already,” said Hopkins.

He says he thinks Come Now and Eat, and the pop-up pantry are really cool.

“I’d like to do a little more outreach to the community, because we live here, these are our neighbors,” said Hopkins. “Those are the ones that we’re called to serve.”

Hopkins says they are still determining the direction for what they would like to do and how they want to do it.

Right now, Hopkins says the major thing on his to-do list, is to get to know everyone and start matching names to faces.