| Serving at the Lutheran Church of
St. John since December 1996, Pastor Bender was born and raised in Denver,
Colorado. He attended Metropolitan State College receiving a Bachelor
of Science degree in Accounting (1984) and his Certified Public Accounting
License (1985). A 1993 Graduate from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis,
Missouri, he was ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry on August 1,
1993 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Carson City, Nevada. Pastor Bender served
as Assistant Pastor at Bethlehem until 1996, when he received and accepted
the call the the Lutheran Church of St. John. Pastor bender married
the former JoLynn Draegert in 1984 and has five children: Douglas, Kevin,
Patrick, Kellie Jo, and Joseph. |