Rev. Burkman was confirmed May 25th, 1958 in the Belmont Park Lutheran Church, Chicago. He did his Vicarage at St. John's Lutheran Church, Gary, Indiana in 1969-1970. He was ordained June 13, 1971 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Lombard, Illinois. Since that time he has served congregations in Connersville, Indiana, Richmond, Indiana, and Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was installed as the Pastor of Redeemer on August 25, 1985.

During his tenure with Redeemer Pastor Burkman has supervised the internship training of 20 vicars, pastors in training. He also served 14 years as the circuit counselor for the Hammond Circuit of LCMS Churches were he advised congregations during their call processes to fill ministerial vacancies. Also giving of his time in the Highland community, Pastor Burkman served as an appointed town council member in 1995 and presently serves on the Highland Water Works Board of Directors.

Pastor Burkman has been married to his wife Marion for 35 years. They have four grown children and five grandchildren.

Pastor Eric Kleinschmidt was born and raised in Merrill Wisconsin.  He was baptized and confirmed at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church and School where he attended until the eighth grade.  He graduated Merrill Senior High School in 1999 where he was active in Mock Trial, Debate, and the Boy Scouts of America receiving his Eagle Scout Award in 1998.  He also won the local VFW Voice of Democracy speech contest during his senior year.  He then attended Concordia University Wisconsin graduating cum laude in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pastoral Ministry.  He enrolled at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne Indiana, graduating in 2007 with a Master of Divinity degree with a focus on Systematic Theology.  During his time at the seminary, Pastor Kleinschmidt served as President of Concordia Toastmasters club of Toastmasters International, and won the Systematic Theology Department award for his senior paper entitled “A Kantian Perspective on Postmodernity in Relation to the Lord’s Supper and Biblical Truth.”

Rev. Kleinschmidt was called to serve as Associate Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church on April 24, 2007 where he served as Redeemer’s 20th Vicar in 2005-2006.  He was ordained on June 24th, 2007 by the Rev. Alden J. Beversdorf at St. John Lutheran Church in Merrill, Wisconsin.  He was then installed at Redeemer on July 8, 2007 by the Rev. Arthur R. Burkman.  Pastor Kleinschmidt lives in Highland, where he hopes to enjoy a long, fruitful ministry serving the people of God at Redeemer Lutheran Church and in the surrounding communities.