Pastor Ray S. Wilke is a 1970 graduate of Concordia Seminary, Springfield, IL. His wife, Lois, is an RN who serves as supervisor at Faith Regional Hospital in Norfolk. They have three grown children, Tori Sullivan, Ray II, who live with their spouses near Norfolk, and Kamryn Green of Fairbanks, Alaska. Pastor Ray and Lois have nine grandchildren.
After serving for seven years as missionaries in the Philippines, Pastor, Lois and family moved to Norfolk where he served as assistant pastor at Grace Lutheran. In 1987 he became senior pastor and served in that capacity until the present. Grace is a congregation of about 900 souls. The congregation's mission statement includes strong emphasis on youth and teaching as well as strong support for world missions.
Pastor Wilke's background includes a degree in animal science, and he presently operates a cow/calf and cattle feeding operation with his son.
In March of 1992 Pastor Wilke spent several weeks in Russia and Latvia. During that time the idea was conceived for providing Gospel and human care helps to the people of that devastated part of the world. That idea became the present day Orphan Grain Train ministry of which he serves as president. Orphan Grain Train provides Gospel teaching materials, medical supplies, food and other human care materials to more than 24 foreign locations around the world, as well as serving domestic disaster needs as they arise.
