St. John’s Lutheran Church in Austin is welcoming a new pastor to its pulpit today.

The Rev. Thomas Ogilvie moved with his family from West Des Moines, Iowa, to fill the year-long vacancy left when the Rev. William Natzke retired after 22 years at St. John’s. The Rev. Robert Stohlmann, who is retired from Holy Cross Lutheran Church, has served as the vacancy pastor.

St. John’s, founded 101 years ago, is a Missouri Synod congregation with about 400 members at 1200 13th Ave. N.W.

Raised in southeastern Iowa, Ogilvie served in West Des Moines as an associate pastor for two and a half years before he received his call. Prior to that, he was a pastor of campus ministry in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He began his career in Gregory, S.D. and is a 1995 graduate of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

Ogilvie, a “firm believer in Christian education,” said he plans to learn the dynamics and traditions at St. John’s as well as integrate new ideas.

“I’m very big on building community,” he said. “Worship and preaching are very big on my list of priorities.”

Ogilvie, 40, has a wife, Rebecca, and five children: Sydney, 14; Samuel, 13; Frederic, 10; Frannie, 4; and Frank, 18 months. The children will attend preschool, Sumner Elementary, Ellis Middle School and Austin High School. Rebecca holds a graduate degree in music composition and has taught K-12 vocal education.