9/10/2023 Installation of Pastor David R Clark
PASTOR DAVID R CLARK
Pastor David R Clark was born in Detroit, Michigan. He is the oldest of six children with five younger sisters. He was confirmed at Lola Park Lutheran Church by Rev. Edward G. Zell, who encouraged him to attend Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, Michigan. He is a graduate of Northwestern College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. He served his vicar year at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. In May 1983, he was assigned to exploratory work and serve a mission congregation called Risen Savior in Austin, Texas.
Pastor Clark served Risen Savior from 1983 to 1990. For a short time, he served Messiah Lutheran Church near Los Alamos, New Mexico. In August 1991, he accepted the call to Grace Lutheran Church in Glendale, Arizona, where he has served until now.
During his time in Texas and Arizona, Pastor Clark pursued additional studies at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. In May 2004, he earned a Masters of Sacred Theology degree, with an emphasis in systematic theology (doctrine). He has written many Bible classes, including two published by Northwestern Publishing House: Hebrews 11: Heroes of Faith and Living My Life as a Christian, a follow-up class to Bible Information Class. Pastor Clark has also led seven advanced Bible study trips to Greece, Israel, Turkey, and Germany, giving participants a chance to deepen their understanding of Scripture.
Since 2014, Pastor Clark has served as the first vice president of the Arizona-California District. Previously, he served as second vice president and secretary for the District. Pastor Clark has held many other leadership roles in the District including chairman of the District Adult Discipleship Committee, chairman of the Arizona Pastoral Conference, and served on the Board of Directors at Arizona Lutheran Academy (ALA).
Pastor Clark married Bonnie Ebert in July 1981. Bonnie is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Economics and Political Science. For the past fifteen years, she has worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona in the strategic planning department.
Pastor and Bonnie are the parents of Leah, who served as a teacher here at Redeemer from 2016 to 2022. Leah works as an administrative assistant in the music department at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where her husband, Andrew Vagts, is a professor of music theory.