Rev. John H. Kieschnick Endowment

About Rev. John H. Kieschnick

The Rev. John H. Kieschnick (Pastor K) was born in Walburg, Texas, on March 5, 1942. He is the second youngest of nine children.

He attended Lutheran parochial schools in Walburg and San Antonio, Texas, from 1948 to 1956. Pastor K attended high school and junior college at the Lutheran Concordia College of Texas (now Concordia University Texas) in Austin, Texas, from 1956 to 1962.

He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Education from Concordia Teachers College (now Concordia University Chicago) in River Forest, Illinois, in 1964. Out of college, Pastor K served as a teacher, the principal and the youth director at Calvary Lutheran Church and Day School in Havertown, Pennsylvania, for two years.

Called to the Ministry

In 1966, he entered Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Illinois. Pastor K vicared at Jehovah Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois, under Dr. Ted Nickel. He received a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) in 1970 and a Master of Divinity (MDiv) in 1985. Pastor K's first pastoral call was to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Irving, Texas. Ordained and installed on August 9, 1970, he served at the church until October 1974.

Pastor K then became the senior pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Nassau Bay, Houston, Texas. He served the congregation for 33 years, and during his service, the parish grew from 400 to more than 3,300 baptized members, with an average weekend attendance exceeding 1,600 people.

The church undertook seven capital campaigns and eight building programs under his pastorate. The last capital stewardship program formed under his leadership has helped to fund a new mission plant of Gloria Dei in North Galveston County.

Serving in Multiple Capacities

In addition to his pastoral role, Pastor K has served in a variety of other capacities:

• An elected Board of Parish Services member for the Texas District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod; responsible for the Stewardship Giving Committee (1972-1982)
• Texas District director for Synod's 125th Anniversary Thankoffering
• Developed annual ECV programs
• Authored a "Christian Money Management Program"
• Primary author and editor for the District's "Stewards in His Service" program
• Served on the District's "Every Member Stewardship Involvement" committee and authored the manual for the fall stewardship emphasis
• A circuit counselor for several years
• A member of the District's Church Grant Task Force
• A member of the national board of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund, St. Louis (1988-1998)
• A founding member of the Pastoral Leadership Institute Board of Directors
• A member of the Board of Regents of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana (2003-2009)
• Author of The Best Is Yet to Come — 7 Doors of Spiritual Growth (2006)
• Explores seven essential disciplines of the Christian life
• Led the development of corresponding messages and materials for congregational use
• Author of Staggering Love - Forging Real Relationships In A Fractured World (2012)+ Is a personal conversation on St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians+ Lends itself to a small group conversation or for personal growth

Pastor K leverages his experience and frequently consults with pastors and congregations regarding planning, management, leadership and stewardship.

Family

On July 4, 1970, Pastor K married his wife, Elaine Trimble. Their marriage has been blessed with three children: Jonathan, Kimberly and Jason.

He lost his wife of 50 years on September 21, 2020 when she went home to be with her Lord and Savior after a valiant fight against cancer.

Pastor K enjoys "dreaming dreams," "seeing visions" and "playing at" golf in his spare time.

About the Endowment

When Pastor K was in college at River Forest, Illinois, money was very tight, even though he held an outside job. As he neared his last trimester of study, he was unsure how he was going to finance the expense.

It came as quite a surprise when he was called into the president's office and was informed that a couple from his extended family had paid the balance of his expenses. He is certain that without this gift and other financial support he received at the various Concordias he attended, he would not have completed his education.

This is the reason why Pastor K has eagerly agreed to help establish the Reverend John H. Kieschnick Endowment fund, as he wants to pay it forward.

Pastor K desires that this scholarship will be used to help students of unique potential who do not have the financial resources to attend Concordia University Texas. Preference will be given to those students who plan to enter church work.

As Pastor K stated, "I pray this scholarship will help a student or a potential student who may be poor materially but is rich in spirit."

 

Make a Gift to the Pastor K Endowment

For more information about the Pastor K Endowment, please contact April Kerwin at April.Kerwin@concordia.edu.