Rev. Steven R. Brockdorf, the youngest child of William and Berniece Brockdorf, was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His parents sent him to Gethsemane Lutheran School (WELS), and later he attended public high school. After high school, he pursued a career as an industrial model maker in Atlanta, Georgia. During that time he was a member of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church (WELS) of Marietta, Georgia, which was a growing mission. He served on Beautiful Savior’s evangelism committee, and later on the church council as Stewardship Chairman.
Challenges to his faith from non-Christian co-workers drove him into the Scriptures, and members of Beautiful Savior began encouraging him to consider studying for the ministry. He enrolled in Northwestern College of Watertown, Wisconsin. During his years at Northwestern, he wrote and photographed for the college’s student-produced periodical, and for the yearbook. He served as editor-in-chief of the periodical his senior year. He was active in Choir and the Travel, Canvass, Witness program. He helped pay for his education by working part-time as a student library assistant, and as a certified nurse’s aid at Bethesda Lutheran Home for the severely and profoundly mentally retarded. At the same time, it is only through the generosity and prayers of the church that he made it through college and seminary. He also remained active in church, teaching Sunday School during three of his years at college.
Before entering seminary, he made two trips to Ukraine to work with Thoughts of Faith, a Lutheran mission affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. While there he met his wife-to-be, Yulia. They were married in 1995 and now have two children. While in Ukraine he taught English courses in public schools, served as a camp counselor for church summer camps, and attended the first semester of St. Sophia Lutheran Seminary in Ternopil, Ukraine.
Rev. Brockdorf graduated from Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary on July 20, 1999. While in seminary he worked in a branch of customer service at Carlson Craft, Inc., and sang in the seminary choir. Pastor Brockdorf served his vicarship at Reformation Lutheran Church and then was assigned to do exploratory mission work in the area of South Naples, Florida.
He was ordained on November 14, 1999, at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Naples. When then Pastor of Reformation, Rev. Walter A. Anderson retired, the congregation called Rev. Brockdorf to serve them. He was installed on January 7, 2001.
Besides theology and people, Pastor Brockdorf enjoys the outdoors and says that Christians are able to have a greater enjoyment of nature than unbelievers because of their faith. He is often found pursuing one or another outdoor activity with members of his family. He also loves animals and has a close connection with quite a few. He finds that interacting with nature and animals provides insight into life and God’s word, while relieving stress and renewing energy.